Salt Water Taffy
Quick answer
- Total time
- 85 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 40 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Despite the name, no seawater goes in: drinking water and salt season a sugar and corn syrup boil that is cooled, then pulled and folded until pale and satiny.
Read more
Pulling, not whipping or molding, builds the chewy texture that separates taffy from divinity or fudge. The syrup reaches 119°C, and a mass that feels cool on the outside can stay hot inside, which makes the long wait before handling the hardest part of the whole job.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Lightly grease a rimmed heatproof tray, silicone work mat and kitchen shears with the working butter.
Cut candy wrappers and prepare a candy thermometer.
- 2
Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan.
Add corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar and butter have dissolved.
- 3
Cover and boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then uncover.
Clip in the thermometer with its tip clear of the bottom and cook without further stirring to 119°C.
- 4
Remove from the heat, carefully mix in the flavoring and pour onto the prepared tray.
Begin checking after about 10 to 15 minutes, but do not grab the mass. Use a spatula to separate a small edge portion and let it cool enough to test that it is comfortable to handle.
- 5
When the entire mass is cool enough to handle without burning but still pliable, butter your hands lightly.
Stretch into a rope and fold in half repeatedly for 10 to 15 minutes. If the center is still hot, put it down and let it cool further.
- 6
Once paler and satiny, form ropes about 1.3 cm in diameter.
Cut into roughly 80 pieces with the greased shears. Let cool further and wrap individually in candy-grade waxed paper.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- Homemade Salt Water Taffy
LorAnn Oils · Checked: 2026-09-26
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