Skittles, starburst, gummy bears? Not something you’d typically expect to find in a liquor store, but there’s a growing trend of infusing alcohol with popular candies, so we’ve stocked a variety of different options (and are adding all the time). If you haven’t tried infusing yet, read on!
Vodka is the most common spirit for infusing, for several reasons:
- It has little or no flavor to alter the candy taste
- It’s perfectly clear so those great candy colors can shine through
- There are many different options in terms of price and alcohol content
But, if there’s a spirit you particularly like, there’s no harm in trying an infusion with your favorite candy flavor. Just try to stick with a white, clear or blanco spirit to get the best color from your chosen candy.
In this article, we’ll give you some ideas about the types of candy that work best and basic instructions, then it’s up to you to experiment with your own candy favorites.
Candy Tips & Ideas:
Here are a few candies that work well in infusions. It’s FAR from a complete list so get creative and have fun with it! Camelot Wine & Spirits carries all of the starred candies in this list (and will be adding more).
- Starburst*
- Skittles*
- Jolly Ranchers
- Red Hots
- Peppermints
- Candy Corn
- Peeps
- Gummy Bears*
- Twizzlers
- Jelly Beans*
- Butterscotch
- Hard Caramels (such as Werthers)
Tip #1: These infusions will be quite strong on their own and very sweet so you might want to mix them with ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or club soda.
Tip #2: Some candies are more likely to absorb than to actually flavor your vodka – gummy bears are one example. Gummies will soak up the vodka if you let them sit at least overnight (you’ll know they’re done when the gummies double or triple in size).
Tip #3: Camelot also carries tons of different vodka options. You might want to try experimenting with flavored vodkas – say coconut flavored vodka with fruity candies or whipped cream flavored vodka with strawberry candies? Yum!
Infusion tools and ingredients:
- 1 pint-size canning jar with tight-fitting lid – for each candy color/flavor**
- 3/4 cup of each candy color/flavor
- Mid-priced Vodka (750ml for 3 colors, 1 liter for 4)
- Coffee filters & or a fine strainer
- 3 to 4 clean canning jars or flask s(8.5oz) – one for each candy color/flavor
It’s always best to work with one candy color/flavor at a time – if you throw in an entire mixed-bag of Starburst, for example, you are likely to get a muddy brownish color. For candies that come packaged in multi-flavor bags, sort them first into separate color/flavor piles.
Directions:
- Step 1: In each canning jar, place one candy color/flavor and cover with 1 cup (8 oz) vodka.**
- Seal tightly with lids & shake occasionally throughout the infusion process to help the candy dissolve. Let stand overnight.
- Step 2: Filter each candy-infused vodka to strain out any waxes or other residue left behind by the candy, using a fine strainer or 1-2 coffee filters placed over 2-cup glass measuring cup. The filtering process will take some time – so be patient. And if the candy absorbs the vodka (vs. melting away into a sugary sludge), enjoy the infused candy too!
- Step 3: Pour each infused vodka into a clean jar or flask and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use – up to 6 months
**If using a SINGLE candy color/flavor (such as Peeps or Red Hots), you’ll need just one jar large enough to hold the candy and all of the vodka
Candy infusions are a fun way to add some color to your parties (think sour apple jolly ranchers for St. Pats or pink starburst for a girls night). They’re also a great way to use leftover candy (like peppermints after Christmas or candy corn after Halloween). You can also infuse vodka with lots of different fresh ingredients – click here to check out a list of ideas from Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Camelot Liquor 