Unfortunately, we can’t all be professional candy makers. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative when it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth. Thanks to the internet, you can find tons of easy candy recipes to try at home right now. We’ve put together a list of them, looking for homemade candies that:
- Require few ingredients
- Require little to no special equipment
- Require little to no cooking or baking
- Are relatively quick
- Require minimal prep work and cleanup
Whether you’re a beginner candy maker, preparing a gift for a loved one with a candy habit, or looking for kitchen activities that are good for kids, these easy candy recipes will leave you inspired (and hungry!)
9 Easy Candy Recipes Anyone Can Make
Chocolate Almond Clusters
These clusters of crunchy chocolatey goodness only call for three ingredients. It can’t get much easier than that! Simply melt the chocolate (or almond bark), pour it over your almond clusters, let cool and enjoy.
You’ll need:
- Almond bark
- Almonds
- Coarse sea salt
Get the full recipe at Creme de la Crumb.
Cream Cheese Mints
Perfect as gifts or party favors, cream cheese mints are so easy you’ll probably want to make them all the time. With a dash of food coloring, you can easily turn these buttery treats into themed holiday candy, or gender reveal party favors. All you need is:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
- Peppermint oil
- Food dye
Learn more at Lil Luna.
Crock-Pot Candy
You really can use a Crock-Pot for virtually anything these days. And that’s great news for candy lovers, because who doesn’t love the idea of throwing a bunch of sweet ingredients into a pot and coming back a few hours later to find something delicious?
Shh – don’t tell the folks at Creme de la Crumb, but this chocolate and peanut Crock-Pot candy may be even easier than chocolate almond clusters.
Just pick up some:
- Salted dry roasted peanuts
- Unsalted dry roasted peanuts
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- German chocolate bars
- White almond bark
Microwave Peanut Brittle
Microwave. Peanut brittle. We’re not saying a monkey could make this easy candy recipe, but… they probably could. They’d probably just need help picking up the ingredients, which include:
- Dry roasted peanuts
- Granulated sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Baking soda
Though this recipe calls for more ingredients than some of the others on this list, it makes up for it in how extremely easy it is to assemble. Learn how here.
Rolo Pretzel Buttons
Another three-ingredient candy you can whip up in mere minutes. Though these Rolo pretzel buttons are Christmas-themed, all it takes is swapping out the colors of the M&Ms you use to make these fit whatever theme you want. Not only is this a super easy candy gift, but it’s also a great sensory activity for kids. It’s simple, no-bake, and lets them get creative and hands-on in the kitchen.
Just grab some Rolos, pretzels, and M&Ms, and you’re set!
Sugared/Candied Pecans
Candied nuts have a reputation for being tricky, since sugar easily burns. But don’t let that scare you. This recipe for candied pecans is very low-maintenance, making use of the oven so you don’t have to stand over the hot stove. And you probably already have most of the ingredients lying around the house:
- Butter
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Pecans
Graham Cracker Toffee (AKA Crack Candy)
We’ve talked before about the magic of crack candy. It’s easy, delicious, and basically good for any occasion. Once you get the hang of the fundamentals, you can experiment with different ingredients and toppings to create your very own signature crack candy.
Explore our blog on the topic (linked above), or start with this simple recipe from Damn Delicious. For it, you’ll need:
- Graham crackers
- Butter, cubed
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pecans, chopped
No-Cut Chocolate Circles
Another great easy candy recipe for kids here. These chocolate circles are so easy, you don’t even need a knife to cut them! All you need is some fresh fruits and nuts, plus melted chocolate. Kids and adults alike will love decorating these pretty circular treats, and they’re perfect as easy candy gifts.
Learn how to make no-cut chocolate circles at the Foodlets blog.
Cran-Apple Jellies
Looking for a fall-themed candy for Thanksgiving, or just for fun? These cran-apple jellies create the perfect opportunity to use seasonal ingredients in a super easy candy recipe. All you need is:
- Green apples
- Cranberries
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Pectin
You can even use frozen cranberries if you need – just thaw them first. Get the full recipe at Bon Appetit.
Create sweetly
Eating candy is great, but making candy can be even better. Be sure to explore all the other sweet recipes at the Candy Club blog.And when you’re not feeling inspired, you can always get gourmet candy delivered right to your home. We won’t judge!
