If you're looking for an exciting and unique snack, try making this candied grapes TikTok recipe! These sweet treats are made by coating grapes in a candy to make a crunchy outer shell. They are then dipped in crushed Jolly Ranchers that add a fun and flavorful twist. Inside, the juicy grapes will burst with every bite, making them simply irresistible! Give this recipe a try and you'll see why TikTok users can't get enough of these candied grapes.
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Candied grapes, also known as crack grapes, have been all the rage on TikTok and this easy-to-follow recipe can help you make them right at home! This delicious, melt-in-your-mouth candied grapes recipe is an easy and creative way to spice up your dessert platter. Perfect for any get-together or social gathering, this delicious snack is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth and will have your guests coming back for more!
With just a few simple ingredients you can make this impressive, crowd pleasing dish in no time. Enjoy the ultimate combination of juicy, sweet grapes with the candy flavor of Jolly Ranchers. Give it a try today and impress your friends and family with this tasty treat!
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What Are Candied Grapes?
Candied grapes are fresh seedless grapes that have been transformed into sweet treats by coating them in candy.
To make them, fresh grapes are coated with a sugary syrup, which hardens as it dries, creating a crunchy, sweet shell around each grape. For some extra flair, they can be dipped in your favorite crushed candy (I've used Jolly Ranchers for this recipe), jell-o crystals, or even kool-aid powder.
This delightful confection offers a unique combination of sweet and fruity flavors, making it a popular choice for snacking, dessert garnishes, or as part of elegant presentations like charcuterie boards. Candied grapes provide a tasty way to enjoy the natural goodness of grapes in a sweeter, more indulgent form.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you're looking for an irresistible, quick, and easy snack to make in no time, this candied grapes TikTok recipe is a must-try! Impress your friends and family with these sweet treats that will make you look like a kitchen pro. If you're a fan of hard candy I think you'll love this recipe, and here are a few reasons why:
- They're easy to make and require minimal ingredients.
- The Jolly Ranchers add a colorful twist with a great flavor so this eye-catching snack is sure to impress.
- Grapes are an easy-to-find fruit that can be enjoyed year round. When coated in hard crack candy, they become a crunchy, juicy, and sweet treat with an irresistible texture (which is the best part!).
What You’ll Need To Make This Candied Grapes TikTok Recipe
Grapes: Choose fresh grapes that are firm and crisp. I like to use seedless green grapes (like cotton candy grapes) for this recipe.
Hard candy: You can use any type of hard candy for this recipe, such as Jolly Ranchers, lollipops, or hard peppermints. I used mixed Jolly Ranchers for this recipe, but you can also sort the candies and use only your favorite flavor or color for this candied grape recipe.
Light corn syrup: This helps to create the candy shell that coats the grapes.
Sugar: When combined with the light corn syrup and cooked at the correct temperature, sugar is what helps create the candy coating.
Water: This helps thin out the candy mixture and ensures that all of the ingredients combine evenly.
Candy flavoring: This is optional, but it helps to give the coating an extra boost of flavor! I like to use LorAnn super strength candy and baking flavoring in cotton candy flavor, but feel free to experiment with your favorite candy flavors. I used cotton candy flavor for this recipe, but I also recommend green apple, blue raspberry, or strawberry.
Food coloring: This is also optional, but it's a great way to add color and vibrancy to your candied grapes. For this recipe, I used a combination of white, blue, and red food coloring. The white food coloring makes your candy coating opaque, so feel free to leave this out if you prefer to keep your candy coating clear.
Toothpicks: These are helpful for dipping and coating the grapes. If you don't have toothpicks you can use bamboo skewers instead.
How To Make Candied Grapes: Step-By-Step Instructions
Once you have all of your ingredients ready, you can start making these delicious candied grapes. Follow these simple steps and you'll have a tasty snack ready in no time!
Step 1: Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Remove the grapes from the stems, then wash and dry them.
Step 3: Insert a toothpick into the end of each grape, making sure to leave a few inches of exposed toothpick on the end. You will hold on to this when dipping the grapes in the candy syrup.
Step 4: Place the grapes in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to harden.
Step 5: Crush the Jolly Ranchers into small pieces and set aside. You can do this with a food processor, mortar and pestle, or even in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
Step 6: In a medium saucepan, combine the light corn syrup, sugar, and water over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 7: You will need to use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the sugar water mixture. Heat the mixture until it reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the flavoring and the white and blue food coloring. Do not stir the sugar syrup - the boiling of the sugar mixture will mix the food coloring through the candy.
Step 8: Continue heating the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (hard crack stage), then remove it from the heat.
Step 9: Carefully dip each frozen grape into the candy syrup, then roll in the crushed Jolly Ranchers to coat. Place the coated and dipped grapes on the parchment paper-lined tray and allow the candy to harden.
Step 10 (Optional): To make a combination of blue and purple candied grapes, dip half of the grapes in the blue candy mixture, then mix a few drops of red food coloring into the mixture and dip the remaining grapes.
Tips For Making Amazing TikTok Candied Grapes
Here are a few tips for making sure this Candied Grapes TikTok recipe turns out perfect every time:
- Work fast when dipping the grapes. The candy syrup cools quickly, so you’ll need to work quickly (but carefully) to ensure all of the grapes are evenly coated.
- Aim to get an even, thin layer of candy on your candy-coated grapes. If your candy coating is too thick they will be hard to eat.
- Don’t forget to pre-freeze the grapes. This helps ensure that the candy coating sticks to the grapes and doesn’t slide off.
- Make sure you use a candy thermometer for this recipe. This helps you achieve the correct temperature for the candy syrup. If your syrup does not reach the hard crack stage (300 degrees Fahrenheit) it will not harden properly.
- Be careful when adding food coloring to the candy syrup. Adding too much can result in a bitter or off-tasting candy coating.
- When coating the grapes in the crushed candy, make sure to press firmly so that it adheres to the surface.
How To Store Leftovers
If you have any leftovers after making this candied grapes TikTok recipe, I recommend storing them in the freezer. Freeze the grapes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. They will keep for up to three months.
When you’re ready to eat your delicious treat, simply allow the candied grapes to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using seedless green or red grapes. They’re sweet and juicy and will work perfectly with this recipe. Any kind of grapes should work for this recipe as long as they are seedless.
Yes! You can substitute any type of hard candy for the Jolly Rancher candies, so feel free to swap these for your favorite candies. Another great option is rock candy or pop rocks. You can also use jello powder, kool-aid powder, or sprinkles if you prefer. Jello grapes are a great alternative if you're not a fan of Jolly Ranchers.
The candy needs to reach the hard crack stage (300 degrees Fahrenheit) in order for it to solidify and form a hard coating on the grapes. If your candy syrup does not reach this temperature, it will not harden properly. It can take a while to get to hard crack stage, so keep heating until you get there.
Once the candy has cooled and hardened in the saucepan, the easiest way to clean it out is to use boiling water to dissolve the candy. Fill the saucepan with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes before scraping out the leftover candy.
Tools And Equipment For This Recipe
Candy Thermometer: A candy thermometer is essential for making Jolly Rancher grapes, and this one by KitchenAid is a great option. It has a pot clip so you can attach it to the side of your saucepan and it also has a temperature guide printed on it.
Heavy Bottom Saucepan: This heavy-duty saucepan by Cuisinart is perfect for making this candied grapes TikTok recipe. It has a thick base which helps to evenly distribute heat and it’s also oven safe.
Baking Tray: This non-stick baking tray by is perfect for laying out the candied grapes to cool and harden. It’s also non-stick, so you don’t have to worry about the candy sticking to it.
📖 Recipe
TikTok Candied Grapes (Jolly Rancher Candy Grapes)
Ingredients
- 1 pound seedless grapes
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon LorAnn super strength cotton candy flavor
- 7 ounces Jolly Rancher hard candy
- food coloring white, red, and blue
Instructions
- Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove the grapes from the stems, then wash and dry them.1 pound seedless grapes
- Insert a toothpick into the end of each grape, making sure to leave a few inches of exposed toothpick on the end. You will hold on to this when dipping the grapes in the candy syrup.
- Place the grapes in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to harden.
- Crush the Jolly Ranchers into small pieces and set aside. You can do this with a food processor, mortar and pestle, or even in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.7 ounces Jolly Rancher hard candy
- In a medium saucepan, combine the light corn syrup, sugar, and water over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.½ cup light corn syrup, 2 cups granulated sugar, ½ cup water
- Heat the mixture until it reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit, then add the flavoring and the white and blue food coloring. Do not stir the sugar syrup - the boiling of the sugar mixture will mix the food coloring through the candy.1 teaspoon LorAnn super strength cotton candy flavor, food coloring
- Continue heating the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (hard crack stage), then remove it from the heat.
- Carefully dip each frozen grape into the candy syrup, then roll in the crushed Jolly Ranchers to coat. Place the coated and dipped grapes on the parchment paper-lined tray and allow the candy to harden.
- To make a combination of blue and purple candied grapes, dip half of the grapes in the blue candy mixture, then mix a few drops of red food coloring into the mixture and dip the remaining grapes.
Notes
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary based on brands of ingredients used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Erica says
At what stage do you add the flavoring?
Jenna says
Hi Erica. You add the flavoring at the same time as the food coloring. I've updated the recipe to make this clearer 🙂
casey says
What's the best way to store these and for how long?
Jenna says
Hi Casey. I recommend storing them in the freezer. Freeze the grapes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag. They will keep for up to three months. You can also refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Suzette says
How much flavoring do you add?
Jenna says
Hi Suzette
I used 1 teaspoon of LorAnn super strength cotton candy flavor for this recipe.
Kim Boatright says
Tried this tonight. Mine stuck to the wax paper. How would I prevent jay from happening. Other than that the recipe was great! I used strawberry flavoring since I could t wait until mine comes. Great snack
Jenna says
Hi Kim
Strawberry sounds like a great flavor combination! I'll have to give that a try next time I make a batch. For the sticking, I would recommend using parchment paper instead of wax paper. With the heat from the candy they're sure to stick to wax paper but I've always found that they peel off parchment paper just fine once the candy has set.
Hailey Horsey says
How do I keep my grapes from melting even while in the freezer
Jenna says
Hi Hailey
There are a few things that could be causing this problem. The first thing to check is if your candy mixture is definitely getting to the hard crack stage before you dip your grapes. I recommend using a calibrated candy thermometer to make sure your mixture is getting to between 300 - 310 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're definitely getting to hard crack stage, the next thing I'd suggest is to make sure you're storing your candy is an airtight container as humidity can cause the candy to melt/get sticky. If possible, I'd also suggest putting a bit of rice or some food grade desiccant packets in your container to absorb some of the excess moisture from the air. I hope this helps! 🙂
Jaclyn Thal says
This turned out perfect! I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was but it came out delicious thank you !!
Kenzii says
It work perfectly