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If you are looking for a fantastic activity for kids, youth groups, family reunions or just to pass some time on a lazy summer day or Sunday afternoon, give this fun Pioneer Taffy a try.
The taffy takes between 35-40 minutes to cook. It needs to cool for about 10 minutes, and then you are ready for a fun taffy pull.
Everyone in your family can have their own piece to pull.
Let the good times roll!
These are my cute nieces that helped me pull taffy this past weekend. We had a great time!
Let me show you how to make it happen!
1. Place all ingredients but the vanilla and butter into a heavy sauce pan. You can find glycerin at most pharmacies. It is a very important ingredient. The taffy will not turn out well with out it.
2. Bring your taffy to a boil over medium high heat. Let it keep on a boiling until your candy thermometer reaches 258 degrees. This should take about 35-40 minutes.
3. I like to check the temperature of the taffy by dipping a spoon into the pan and then running cold water from the tap over the top of it. See how the taffy is kind of stiff looking…that means it is ready to go. If you cook it much past this stage you it will be really hard when you pull it. If you under cook it…you may have a sticky mess. This water trick really helps. However, you can rely on your candy thermometer as well.
4. When your taffy is cooked take it off the heat and pour in your vanilla.
5. Add your butter to the pot and give the bubbling beauty a good round of stirring. Stir until the butter is all melted.
6. Butter a large cookie sheet.
7. Pour the taffy onto the sheet.
8. Let the taffy cool for about 5 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle. The edges will start to set up a bit faster than the middle.
9. Pinch the taffy into 12 separate pieces.
10. When the taffy is cool enough to pick up, hand out a piece to each lucky participant. Then you can start to pull the taffy. The trick is the stretch it out……
…..and then fold it back together. Stretch and fold, stretch and fold…..
……until your taffy turns a beautiful white color. Or if some of your pullers are 3 years old, until they get tired of pulling. It still tastes mighty good, even if you don’t pull it long enough for it to turn white.
11. Stretch the taffy into a long rope shape and set on a piece of wax paper. You can break the taffy into pieces by holding it in the palm of your hand and tapping it with the handle of a butter knife (thanks for the tip, Grandma Barb!)
This is a shot of my kids and their cousins, and my own Grandma Barb, taken about 12 years ago. We’ve had a lot a great times, pulling this taffy. Hope some of you get a chance to try it and that you love the time spent together as much as we have over the years. 🙂
Ingredients
- 2 C sugar
- 1 1/2 C water
- 1 C white corn syrup
- 1 t salt
- 2 t glycerin (found at the pharmacy)
- 1 t vanilla
- 2 T butter
Instructions
1. Place all ingredients but the vanilla and butter into a heavy sauce pan. You can find glycerin at most pharmacies. It is a very important ingredient. The taffy will not turn out well with out it.
2. Bring your taffy to a boil over medium high heat. Let it keep on a boiling until your candy thermometer reaches 258 degrees. This should take about 35-40 minutes.
3. I like to check the temperature of the taffy by dipping a spoon into the pan and then running cold water from the tap over the top of it. See how the taffy is kind of stiff looking...that means it is ready to go. If you cook it much past this stage you it will be really hard when you pull it. If you under cook it...you may have a sticky mess. This water trick really helps. However, you can rely on your candy thermometer as well.
4. When your taffy is cooked take it off the heat and pour in your vanilla.
5. Add your butter to the pot and give the bubbling beauty a good round of stirring. Stir until the butter is all melted.
6. Butter a large cookie sheet.
7. Pour the taffy onto the sheet.
8. Let the taffy cool for about 5 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle. The edges will start to set up a bit faster than the middle.
9. Pinch the taffy into 12 separate pieces.
10. When the taffy is cool enough to pick up, hand out a piece to each lucky participant. Then you can start to pull the taffy. The trick is the stretch and then fold it back together. Stretch and fold, stretch and fold until your taffy turns a beautiful white color. Or if some of your pullers are 3 years old, until they get tired of pulling. It still tastes mighty good, even if you don't pull it long enough for it to turn white.
11. Stretch the taffy into a long rope shape and set on a piece of wax paper. You can break the taffy into pieces by holding it in the palm of your hand and tapping it with the handle of a butter knife (thanks for the tip, Grandma Barb!)
Could the recipe work out double or tripling it? Also do you know if it is possible to make it in advance? I am hoping to make it for a primary for about 150 kids.
Hi Stacey,
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, this recipe doesn’t double well. Also, it can’t be made in advance, as the longer the taffy sits and cools the quicker it will set and eventually be impossible to pull. It’s quite time sensitive. I’m sorry to be the deliverer of this bad news! I wish I had better advice for you! I’m not sure making it for a crowd of 150 is a possible feat, unless you had many pots going at once and many helpers watching the candy’s temperature to be sure it is correct.
Best,
~Jamie
Just an FYI about the Glycerin. As a baker and candy maker I use alot if glycerin and Wilton makes the glycerin that I use it is spelled without the”e” and is food grade glycerin. So the spelling has nothing to do with it being edible. It’s much cheaper if you buy it at a craft store,sewing shop or Walmart where the wedding supplies are and most of the Wilton products. I buy the 60ml (2 oz) size for a bit over a dollar. Just wanted to let you and your readers know. Great recipe!! Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas ??
If you wanted to flavor it, at what point in the recipe and how much?
Stephanie,
Thanks for your question. You can add your preferred flavor instead of the vanilla. Once it is cooked to the correct temprature, add your flavoring and stir it in.
Hope this helps.
~Jamie