Description
This Homemade Pop Rocks recipe guides you through creating your own popping candy at home using simple ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, and citric acid. By melting and combining these ingredients before quickly cooling and breaking them into pieces, you’ll enjoy fizzy, crackling candy that’s perfect for a fun treat or party favor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pop Rocks Candy Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp citric acid (for the pop)
- Flavoring extracts (optional, like strawberry or raspberry)
- Food coloring (optional)
- Cornstarch (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with cornstarch to prevent sticking during the cooling process.
- Combine ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, light corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar fully dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer and stop stirring as the mixture begins to boil to avoid crystallization.
- Boil to hard-crack stage: Allow the mixture to boil until it reaches 300°F (hard-crack stage). This ensures proper hardening and the classic crunch of Pop Rocks.
- Add fizz agents: Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly stir in baking soda and citric acid. The mixture will foam and bubble vigorously – this is what creates the popping effect.
- Add flavor and color: Mix in a few drops of your chosen flavor extract and food coloring if desired, quickly but thoroughly to ensure an even distribution.
- Pour and cool: Pour the bubbling mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it evenly. Let it cool completely and harden, which will take about 30 minutes.
- Break into pieces: Once cooled and hardened, use a mallet or rolling pin to break the candy into small, bite-sized pieces suitable for popping in your mouth.
- Store properly: Transfer the Pop Rocks into an airtight container to preserve the popping sensation and keep them fresh. Enjoy your homemade popping candy treat!
Notes
- Be careful when handling hot sugar syrup to avoid burns.
- Work quickly when adding baking soda and citric acid as the mixture foams and hardens fast.
- Use airtight containers for storage to maintain the candy’s popping effect.
- Optional food coloring and flavor extracts let you customize your Pop Rocks.
- If you do not have a candy thermometer, use the cold water test to check for hard-crack stage.
