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    Home » Recipes » Amish Candies

    Homemade Amish Caramels

    Published: Dec 20, 2022 · Updated: Dec 20, 2022 by Kevin Williams | 4 Comments

    The Amish are legendary for their homemade candies.  When I explore Amish communities, I am always on the look-out for bakeries. That’s a given.  But, for me, the “Holy Grail” of a discovery in an Amish settlement is when I see a little hand-made sign pointing the way to a candy store. 

    homemade Amish caramels
    You are in for a delicious treat with these!

    Amish candy stores are often tucked away in an outbuilding on a summer kitchen on someone’s property.  You make some amazing finds, like these homemade Amish caramels!

    Jump to:
    • 🍬 Ingredients for Caramels
    • 📋 Instructions for Caramels
    • 🍬 Amish Caramel Recipes
    • 🖨️ Full Recipe

    I’ve stumbled upon Amish candy stores in Hardin County and Holmes County, Ohio, and in the Conewango Valley of New York.  Ah, nothing like some homemade peanut butter eggs. Or, in the case of today, homemade Amish caramels.

    A skilled Amish candymaker will turn out recipes for homemade turtles, peanut clusters, Rocky Road candy, and, yes, homemade caramels.  Candy, in general, is a big draw in Amish kitchens around Christmas. This is how an Old Order Amish grandmother described her Christmas gatherings when she was a child, which would have bene in the 1930s and 40s in Berne, Indiana:

    After a big meal was served Grandma and Grandpa would pass out a bag of candy, a dish, and an orange to all their grandchildren and then they would also give gifts to their children. After an enjoyable day we would go home I would take my candy out of the bag piece by piece and then put it back in. I was so proud to own that whole bag of candy. I also enjoyed the Christmases at home. We would usually sit around the stove eating peanuts from the shell and oranges. Mom would always have all kinds of Christmas goodies like fudge, peanut butter balls, peanut brittle, peanut clusters, popcorn balls, chocolate covered pretzels, and Ritz crackers filled with marshmallow crème and peanut butter dipped in chocolate.

    This is a recipe that I got from an Amish candymaker in Ohio and it’s so simple, so tasty.

    You think of caramels as being something very difficult to make, but this recipe is pretty accessible and perfect for Christmas. Give someone a tin of these and you’ll amaze them when you tell them you made them. 

    cream and sugar!

    It's amazing how basic and easy this recipe is, you probably have all the ingredients at home.

    pour into a pan

    Be sure to use a knife dipped in hot water for easier cutting.

    they cut nicely!

    And you can enjoy some homemade caramels that taste like they came from the candy store!

    homemade Amish caramels
    You are in for a delicious treat with these!
    Homemade Amish Caramels For Christmas
    Wrap these up in wax paper, store in a decorative tin, and give to friends.

    When you are cooling the caramels, the best way is just to stick them in the fridge overnight or a for a few hours, they'll set better and be easier to cut. This recipe makes about 60 - 70 pieces of caramel.

    What makes this recipe so amazing is how easy and basic it is, true to Amish tradition. I mean, six ingredients is all. Now, you could experiment and add a hint of cinnamon, a tablespoon of brown sugar, or some sea salt. Perhaps even a pinch of cayenne for those of you who like heat in everything. But the basic baseline recipe below works quite well. Enjoy!

    🍬 Ingredients for Caramels

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 2 cups corn syrup
    • 1 cup light cream
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup butter
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla

    📋 Instructions for Caramels

    1. Cook sugar, syrup, cream, salt, and butter to 250 degrees or until it forms a firm ball when dropped in cold water.
    2. Add vanilla. Pour immediately into greased square pan.
    3. Cool.
    4. Turn out of pan and cut into squares with sharp knife dipped in hot water.
    5. Wrap each piece in waxed paper.
    6. Makes about 2 pounds.

    🍬 Amish Caramel Recipes

    Caramel is great as a candy, but it also works well in pies and other desserts!

    Amish No-Mess Caramel Pie

    A wonderful pie that came across in Canada!

    Amish Caramel Bars

    These are so good!

    Amish Caramel Cinnamon Rolls

    How could you not like these?

    Mennonite Chocolate-Caramel Cake

    Delicious!

    🖨️ Full Recipe

    homemade Amish caramels

    Homemade Amish Caramels

    Easy and delicious Christmas confection!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Amish

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 2 cups corn syrup
    • 1 cup light cream
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup butter
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla

    Instructions
     

    • Cook sugar, syrup, cream, salt, and butter to 250 degrees or until it forms a firm ball when dropped in cold water.
    • Add vanilla and stir.
    • Pour immediately into greased square pan. Cool.
    • Turn out of pan andcut into squares with sharp knife dipped in hot water. Wrap each piece in waxedpaper. Makes about 2 pounds
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « The Amish Cook: Delicious Cheese Ball
    Are the Amish Jewish? »

    About Kevin Williams

    Hi, my name is Kevin Williams and I am owner of Oasis Newsfeatures and editor of The Amish Cook newspaper column.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sherri Hitzfield

      December 18, 2020 at 8:21 pm

      I always say carmel.At 69 I probably always will.😃

      Reply
      • Kevin Williams

        December 18, 2020 at 11:13 pm

        me too...well, I am not 69, but I always say carmel!

        Reply
    2. REBECCA LEON

      December 19, 2020 at 2:50 am

      Wow can't wait to try these! Quick question can I use heavy cream? I prefer to use what I have on the hand rather than go out and do more shopping. Thank you in advance

      Reply
      • Kevin Williams

        December 19, 2020 at 8:28 am

        You can use heavy cream, in fact, I'd probably use it if I made these again, you'd get an even fuller flavor.

        Reply

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    Kevin Williams - The Amish Editor Amish Cook Column

    Hi There, I'm Kevin!

    Welcome to Amish365, where I share my knowledge of Amish cooking and culture! I’ve spent almost three decades exploring Amish settlements and kitchens from Maine to Montana and almost everywhere in between. I’ll occasionally throw in stories of my travels, journalism adventures (I’m a Pulitzer prize-nominated journalist), fascination with grocery stores and Kmarts, and much more!

    More about me →

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