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Kentucky Cream Pull Candy Recipe

4.5 from 70 reviews

Kentucky Cream Pull Candy is a nostalgic, homemade confection characterized by its creamy texture and glossy finish. Made by cooking a sugar and cream mixture to the soft crack stage, then repeatedly pulling and folding the candy to aerate it, this sweet treat results in light, satiny ropes that are perfect for bite-sized indulgences. This recipe combines simple ingredients like granulated sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup, offering a classic Southern candy-making experience that delights with every chewy, buttery bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Butter (for greasing hands and surface)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Your Candy Station: Butter a marble slab or a large baking sheet generously to prevent sticking. Keep extra butter handy for greasing your hands and scissors during the pulling and cutting process.
  2. Cook the Candy Base: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, heavy cream, corn syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Attach a candy thermometer and stop stirring. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 260°F (127°C), the soft crack stage.
  3. Cool the Mixture: Carefully pour the hot candy mixture onto the prepared buttered slab or baking sheet. Allow it to cool for about 10–15 minutes until it is just safe to handle but still pliable.
  4. Pull the Candy: Butter your hands thoroughly to prevent sticking. Begin pulling the candy by stretching and folding it repeatedly for 10–15 minutes. This process aerates the candy, causing it to lighten in color and develop a shiny, satiny texture.
  5. Shape & Set: Once the candy is light and glossy, pull it into ropes approximately ½ inch thick. Using buttered scissors, cut the ropes into bite-sized pieces. Place the pieces on wax paper and let them firm up at room temperature before serving.

Notes

  • Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure even heating and prevent scorching the candy mixture.
  • Be precise with your candy thermometer to reach the correct temperature for the soft crack stage for perfect texture.
  • Butter your hands and tools well to prevent the candy from sticking during pulling and cutting.
  • If the candy becomes too hard to pull, you can briefly warm it to make it pliable again but be careful not to melt it.
  • Store the finished candy in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain its texture.

Keywords: Kentucky Cream Pull Candy, homemade candy, soft crack candy, Southern candy recipe, cream candy, old-fashioned candy