Peppermint Stick Candy Red (Printable Version)

Sweet peppermint sticks with bright red stripes, perfect for festive treats or holiday gifting.

# Ingredient List:

→ Sugar Syrup

01 - 2 cups granulated sugar
02 - 2/3 cup light corn syrup
03 - 1/4 cup water

→ Flavor & Color

04 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
05 - 1/4 teaspoon red gel food coloring

→ For Dusting

06 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional, for dusting hands and surfaces)

# Directions:

01 - Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
02 - In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
03 - Insert a candy thermometer and increase heat. Boil without stirring until the mixture reaches 280°F (138°C).
04 - Remove saucepan from heat immediately. Carefully stir in peppermint extract; expect bubbling during this step.
05 - Pour half of the hot syrup onto one side of the prepared baking sheet. Quickly mix red gel food coloring into this portion, leaving the other half plain.
06 - Allow both portions to cool until just cool enough to handle, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Dust hands with powdered sugar and wear food-safe gloves.
07 - Stretch and pull each syrup portion separately until opaque and glossy, about 3 to 5 minutes for each.
08 - Roll each portion into long ropes approximately 1/2 inch thick. Gently twist one red and one white rope together.
09 - Cut the twisted ropes into 6-inch long sticks.
10 - Place sticks on a new parchment-lined tray and allow to set and harden completely, about 1 hour.
11 - Store peppermint sticks in an airtight container at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They taste like the holidays but require no fancy equipment beyond what's already in your kitchen.
  • Homemade peppermint sticks make gifts that feel thoughtful without being complicated.
  • The red and white stripes are visually stunning, which always impresses people more than it should.
  • You control the peppermint intensity, so they're never cloyingly sweet or overly minty.
02 -
  • Temperature is everything—if your mixture doesn't reach 280°F, the candy will be soft and chewy; if it goes too far past that, it becomes hard and brittle in an unpleasant way.
  • Gel food coloring is non-negotiable for red stripes; liquid coloring introduces water that makes the candy sticky and ruins the texture.
  • Don't skip the powdered sugar dusting on your hands and surface—this one step prevents thirty minutes of sticky frustration.
03 -
  • A heavy-bottomed saucepan distributes heat evenly and prevents hot spots that could cause crystallization—it's worth using the right tool for this step.
  • If you live in a humid climate, make peppermint sticks on a dry day; humidity can make the candy soften or become tacky even after it sets.

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