I keep a small jar of these on the counter for days when coffee needs a friend. Warm butter and brown sugar make the kitchen smell like an old candy shop. The flavor is deeper than store candy, not sticky sweet, with a little salt that keeps you going back for one more.
What these are
Hard little drops with a clean snap and a round buttery finish. They melt slow on your tongue. Great for lunch boxes, road trips or the 3 pm slump.
Recipe snapshot
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Cook: 15 to 18 minutes
- Cool: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 80 small drops
Ingredients
Syrup base
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 110 g (1/2 cup, packed) light brown sugar
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) water
- 110 g (1/3 cup) light corn syrup or golden syrup
- 28 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp molasses, optional for deeper color and flavor
Tools
- Heavy 2 to 3 qt saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Candy thermometer
- Silicone mat or parchment
- Two small spoons or a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon
- Kitchen shears if making ribbons
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat or parchment. Lightly oil it. Keep spoons nearby.
- Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, water and syrup to the saucepan. Stir over medium heat until fully dissolved and clear.
- Clip on the thermometer. Stop stirring. Boil until the syrup reaches 300°F to 305°F hard crack. Watch closely near the end.
- Pull off the heat. Wait 15 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, salt and molasses if using. It will bubble. Stir until smooth.
- Work fast. Drop 1/2 teaspoon puddles onto the mat or pour a thin line for ribbons. If it firms up, warm the pan for 10 seconds to loosen.
- Cool until hard. Toss with a teaspoon of powdered sugar to prevent sticking or wrap in small parchment squares.
Pro tips
- Golden syrup adds a gentle toffee note. Corn syrup keeps the texture extra clear and snappy.
- Check your thermometer. Hard crack is 300°F to 310°F and threads that snap in cold water.
- Silicone makes cleanup easy. Parchment works too.
- A few drops of neutral oil or cocoa butter will thin thick chocolate-style coatings if you ever dip them.
Variations
- Salted butterscotch drops: sprinkle flaky salt while still warm.
- Butter rum: replace half the vanilla with butter rum extract.
- Espresso: stir in 1/2 tsp very fine espresso powder with the vanilla.
- Honey butterscotch: swap 2 tbsp of the corn syrup for honey for a rounder flavor.
Make ahead and storage
- Store airtight at cool room temp for up to 1 month.
- For gifts, pack in glassine bags. If your kitchen runs warm, chill filled bags 5 minutes so the finish stays shiny.
I started making these because the store bag tasted flat to me. The homemade version feels calmer. One drop buys me five quiet minutes at my desk, which is sometimes all a day needs. If you make them, keep a few in your pocket. They turn a long line at the post office into a small win.
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Jacklyn is a San Diego–based food journalist with a background in the confectionery world. Before diving into food reporting, she worked at a startup crafting plant-based, low-sugar sweets designed to make candy a little healthier
