Name: Cinnamon Rock Candy Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 3/4 cups granulated sugar; 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon cinnamon oil (food-grade); 1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring (optional); powdered sugar (for dusting)

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Cinnamon Rock Candy is delightfully spicy, brilliantly red, and bursts with nostalgic holiday magic in every shard. With its glassy crunch and a cinnamon flavor that tingles the senses, this candy evokes old-fashioned candy shops and festive gatherings. Whether you love to share edible gifts or simply desire a handmade sweet for special occasions, Cinnamon Rock Candy is as fun to make as it is to eat.

Cinnamon Rock Candy Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need a handful of staple ingredients to create your own batch of Cinnamon Rock Candy, but each one plays a starring role. From the essential sweetness and shimmer of sugar to the vibrance of food coloring and warming cinnamon oil, these components are simple yet critical for flavor, color, and texture.

Granulated sugar: The sturdy backbone of every hard candy, providing crystal-clear sweetness and signature crunch.
Light corn syrup: Prevents unwanted sugar crystallization, ensuring the candy stays beautifully smooth and snappy.
Water: Kickstarts the candy mixture and helps the sugar dissolve evenly for a silky base.
Cinnamon oil (food-grade): Delivers a bold, spicy zing that’s the heart of any great Cinnamon Rock Candy—be sparing, it packs a punch!
Red gel food coloring (optional): Adds that iconic, vibrant red hue; totally optional, but completely classic for this treat.
Powdered sugar (for dusting): Lightly coats the finished candy, stopping sticky pieces from clumping together.

How to Make Cinnamon Rock Candy

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace

Start by lining a large baking sheet with foil and giving it a quick pass with nonstick spray—this will save you from a sticky clean-up later! It’s a good idea to have all your ingredients measured and your candy thermometer nearby, so you can work efficiently once things get hot.

Step 2: Cook the Sugar Mixture

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine your granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and water. Stir this mixture over medium heat until every last grain of sugar dissolves and the liquid turns completely clear. At this stage, it should already look smooth—but don’t be tempted to crank up the heat just yet!

Step 3: Heat to Hard Crack Stage

Attach your candy thermometer to the saucepan, making sure its tip sits in the syrup but doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan. Now, stop stirring and let the mixture cook until it reaches 300°F, also known as the hard crack stage. This step takes around 25 to 30 minutes—watch it closely and enjoy seeing the bubbles get bigger and slower as the syrup thickens.

Step 4: Add Cinnamon Oil and Color

Once your thermometer reads 300°F, quickly remove the pan from the heat. This is the exciting (and very aromatic) part: gently stir in the cinnamon oil and, if you’re using it, a few drops of red gel food coloring. The steam can be powerful and even a bit spicy, so keep your face away from the pan and work in a well-ventilated area!

Step 5: Pour and Cool

Carefully pour the molten candy onto your prepared baking sheet. Tilt the pan so the hot syrup spreads in a thin, even layer—let gravity do most of the work. Avoid touching it, as the syrup is extremely hot. Set the tray aside somewhere safe to cool for at least one hour, until the candy hardens completely.

Step 6: Break and Dust

Once your Cinnamon Rock Candy is fully set and cool to the touch, use a kitchen mallet or the back of a heavy spoon to break it into bite-sized, jagged pieces. Toss the shards in a little powdered sugar to keep them from sticking, and marvel at their jewel-like sparkle.

How to Serve Cinnamon Rock Candy

Garnishes

You can dust your Cinnamon Rock Candy with extra powdered sugar right before serving for an elegant, snowy effect. For a playful twist, add a pinch of edible glitter or crushed edible gold leaf to the plate—your candies will shimmer at any party.

Side Dishes

Cinnamon Rock Candy pairs beautifully with coffee or a hot cup of tea; the spice brings warmth to cozy beverages. For a dessert platter, offer alongside chocolate truffles, nut brittle, or fruit slices to balance the heat and sweetness.

Creative Ways to Present

For the holidays, tie up little baggies of Cinnamon Rock Candy with festive ribbons—these make the ultimate edible gifts or stocking stuffers. If you’re hosting, present the candies in tall glass jars, or as edible “jewels” scattered across your dessert table for color and sparkle.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Place any leftover Cinnamon Rock Candy in an airtight container as soon as it’s cool and dusted. Store it at room temperature, away from heat and humidity, for up to two weeks. The airtight seal keeps the candy crisp and prevents it from absorbing moisture, which could make it sticky.

Freezing

Freezing isn’t recommended for Cinnamon Rock Candy, as condensation during thawing can ruin that perfect snap and clarity. If you must store extra, opt for a cool, dry pantry shelf instead—your candy will thank you.

Reheating

Since Cinnamon Rock Candy is meant to be eaten crunchy and cold, there’s thankfully no need to reheat it. If some pieces clump together, simply break them apart with clean, dry hands or a kitchen mallet—avoid any source of heat or moisture.

FAQs

Can I use cinnamon extract instead of cinnamon oil?

Cinnamon oil is much more potent than extract, so for authentic spicy flavor, it’s best to use food-grade cinnamon oil. Extract just doesn’t deliver the same bold punch and could compromise the texture of your Cinnamon Rock Candy.

Do I have to use a candy thermometer?

A candy thermometer is the secret to achieving perfect, crunchy candy every time. Guessing can easily result in chewy or burned candy, so this tool is highly recommended for reliability and ease.

Can I make this recipe with other flavors?

Absolutely! Try peppermint, clove, or even lemon oil for different variations. Just swap the cinnamon oil for another food-grade flavoring and tint the candy with an appropriate food coloring if you want to match the flavor.

Why did my candy turn cloudy?

Cloudiness often happens if you stir the syrup after it starts to boil, causing unwanted crystallization. Stick to stirring only until the sugar is fully dissolved and keep your spoon out of the pan after that for crystal-clear Cinnamon Rock Candy.

Is Cinnamon Rock Candy safe for kids?

Once cooled, Cinnamon Rock Candy is a family-friendly treat! Just supervise younger children to ensure they don’t bite off more than they can chew, as the shards can be quite hard and sometimes sharp.

Final Thoughts

There’s something so magical about making—and sharing—a batch of homemade Cinnamon Rock Candy. It’s a treat that brings joy with every vibrant, spicy bite, and crafting it yourself is part of the fun! Give this recipe a try and treat your friends and family to a little sparkle and heat this season.

Cinnamon Rock Candy Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 7 reviews

Author: admin
Total Time: 35 minutes (plus cooling time)
Yield: About 1.5 pounds of candy 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Learn how to make delicious and nostalgic Cinnamon Rock Candy at home with this easy recipe. This homemade hard candy is perfect for the holidays or as a sweet treat anytime.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients:

3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon oil (food-grade)

Additional:

1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring (optional)
powdered sugar (for dusting)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with nonstick spray.
Cook Sugar Mixture: In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Attach candy thermometer and cook to 300°F without stirring.
Flavor and Color: Remove from heat, add cinnamon oil and red food coloring. Pour onto baking sheet and let cool.
Break Candy: Once set, break into pieces and dust with powdered sugar.