Salt Water Taffy

A week or so ago was "Taffy Day " (May 23). I thought that one would be a fun one to do with the kids and make our own homemade taffy. I went to a birthday party for a little girl when I was young and we made taffy. It was really fun and really good. I have since tried making it for different events, always with a lack of interest. Josh was a super helper this time and got the kids really excited about it.

This is what it looks like as it is cooling. It starts dark and you pull it until it gets light.

Salt water taffy
Yields approx. 50 pieces/1.5 pounds
adapted from here and here . Ms Humble also did it here
2 cups sugar
2 T. Cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
2 T. margarine/butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Flavoring oil
(I didn't have flavoring oil so I used a tablespoon or more of Mint extract)


Prepare a heat safe dish by lightly buttering it. If you are making more than one flavor, prep said amount of dishes. Also lightly butter a spatula for each flavor. And have each flavor and food color ready.

In a saucepan, sift together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in corn syrup, water, salt and margarine. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover pan and bring to a boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Uncover, place thermometer in pan and cook to 256 - 266 degrees F. The lower temperature will result in a chewier taffy, the higher a more brittle texture. Remove from heat and add food color and flavoring. Stir gently, pour into prepared dish/pan.

When cool enough to handle, grease hands and pull the warm candy with fingertips, pulling out to about 12 inches at first. Quickly turn candy back from fingertips of one hand to the other hand, then catch center and pull again. This will incorporate air into the candy. Continue pulling until taffy is light in color and has a satiny gloss, about twenty minutes. Pull into a long rope, cut with greased scissors and wrap in waxed paper squares, twisting ends.

Josh did the majority of the pulling since it is a little intense and the kids got tired fast. He is so great to go along with all of my schemes.

Hunter was all about eating the taffy, pulling...not so much.

Palmer did a great job with the pulling. 

Lincoln also did a great job. They kept going even though it was a little hard for them. Josh would pull it and then trade them over and over until it was done.

It turned out so pretty.

The man at work.

Didn't he do a great job?

It was fun for the kids to each have their own blog of taffy.

They really loved this activity.

The boys ate so much taffy I was worried they would get sick. I actually

We had a lot of fun on National Taffy Day