Homemade Honeycomb Candy

This is an old-fashioned favorite that I bet your great-grandma made. It’s one of those recipes that turns the simplest of ingredients into something super impressive. I’ll walk you through each step.

What You’ll Need

• Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar – white sugar only here; don’t try to substitute brown sugar because it has too much moisture
• 1/4 cup (85g) light corn syrup – can also substitute golden corn syrup
• 1/4 cup (60g) water
• 2 tablespoons (40g) honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar – this tiny amount helps the baking soda foam evenly; if you don’t have any, you can use a splash of white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda, sifted – use fresh baking soda (less than 6 months old); older baking soda will result in dense and flat candy

Equipment You’ll Need

You’ll need a few simple things to make this recipe easy (and many other candy recipes).

A candy thermometer is a MUST. I will show you what to do if you don’t have one. But they’re pretty inexpensive, and they’re the ultimate tool for keeping your recipe on track.

You’ll want a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. The mixture will nearly triple in size when it starts to boil, so grab a 4-quart pot to keep it from boiling over.

Use a 9×9 metal pan for setting the candy, not a glass pan. This candy gets pretty hot, and a glass pan could crack. Also, use only parchment paper. Wax paper will melt.

Lastly, while this recipe is simple, keep in mind you’re handling very hot ingredients and tools. Grab an oven mitt and a long-handled whisk to keep yourself safe and burn-free.

Instructions

Prepare the pan

Line your metal baking pan with parchment paper. Leave a little paper sticking out along the sides so you can remove the candy later. Then coat the paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set the pan aside on something heat-proof so it’s ready when you’re ready to pour.

Set up your station

Set yourself up for success here, because things will move pretty quickly at the end and you don’t want to be running all over the kitchen. Keep things within arm’s reach. Put your baking soda right next to the stove with your whisk.

Combine the syrup ingredients

Add the sugar, corn syrup, water, honey, salt, and cream of tartar to the 4-quart saucepan. Turn the burner to medium heat, and stir together until it begins to boil.

Clip the candy thermometer to the edge of the pot, making sure the tip is in the mixture and not touching the bottom of the pan.

Cook to 300°F

Stop stirring and let the syrup boil on medium heat for about 15 minutes. It’s going to take about that long for the thermometer to read 300°F. You’ll notice the temperature rise quickly, then slow down around 240-250°F. Then at the end, it’s going to keep boiling. So stay close by, and don’t worry if the speed goes up and down.

If you get a little nervous about it going over 300°F, pull the pot off the stove around 295°F, since the mixture will continue to cook a little longer after you take it off.

If any sugar crystals start to form on the side of the pot during this, push them back down so they don’t burn. You can do this carefully with a wet pastry brush.

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you’ll need to do the “cold water test”. Grab a bowl and fill it with ice-cold water. Once the mixture is that deep amber color, use a spoon to scoop out a small amount and pour it into the bowl. If it hardens and snaps in half, it’s ready. If it’s still chewy and soft, boil it a little longer. Do this in 30-second increments (use fresh water each time) until it’s ready.

Whisk in the baking soda

This is the really cool part! Take the pot off the heat and sprinkle in the baking soda. Whisk for about 5 seconds (you don’t want to break any more bubbles than you need to) until the baking soda dissolves. The mixture should be a dark golden color and look light and fluffy.

Be extra careful here; the foam is very hot and could burn your face. So make sure you’re holding your head back while whisking.

Pour immediately

You have to work fast now (while still being super careful, so grab the oven mitts!). Pour the foam into your pan immediately and don’t worry about scraping out the pot or spreading it in the pan. If you do, you’ll disturb all those air pockets we want.

Let the candy cool for about an hour, until it’s completely hard. Keep the kids away from it while it’s cooling. I either keep them out of the kitchen entirely or set the pan far back on the countertop so no little fingers can reach.

Break into pieces

Once the candy is hardened and cooled, take it out of the pan by lifting the parchment paper. You can break the candy by hand or use the back of a spoon.

I like the rustic, random pieces. But if you want evenly cut pieces, you can use a serrated knife.

And don’t forget about your pot, because there’s probably a little bit of candy residue left in it. Wait until it’s cooled, then fill it with water and gently boil it to loosen it back up. You can even put your whisk and thermometer in the boiling water to get those hardened pieces off. Scrape off the sugar and then wash as usual.

Storage Instructions

The key to properly storing this candy is to keep it dry. Put it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature (not the fridge—too much moisture) for up to a week. Separate layers with parchment paper so the pieces don’t stick.

If they get a little sticky and soft, lay the candy out on a cookie sheet and dry in a 200°F oven for 8-10 minutes.

You can also freeze the candy, but be really mindful not to let any moisture in. The candy can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Use a freezer-friendly, airtight container. Then, when you’re ready, let it thaw at room temperature (still sealed) for about 30 minutes.

Questions and Troubleshooting

More homemade candy recipes

• Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe
• Old-Fashioned Soft Caramels
• Cinnamon Rock Candy (aka Hard Tack)
• Crockpot Christmas Candy
• 55 Old-Fashioned Christmas Candies