I love candied fruit. There’s something about the hard candy shell hiding juicy, fresh fruit within that’s just perfect. The texture combo is just right, and makes for a delicious sweet treat. I’ll show you how to make Jolly Rancher grapes for an incredibly easy preparation method!
If you’ve seen my recipe for How to Make Tanghulu in the Microwave, then you know how much I enjoy making beautiful candied fruits. But, Tanghulu can be tricky to get just right! So, when I saw these Jolly Rancher grapes on TikTok, I knew I had to try them.
Candied grapes, sometimes known as crack grapes, are green grapes coated in a candy shell.
There are a lot of variations on how to make candied grapes, from making your own shell with a boiled corn syrup mixture, to using Jolly Ranchers candy for the base.
I wanted to make this version as simple as possible, so I’m using Jolly Ranchers and the microwave to make my candied grapes. They’re just as hard (if not harder) than Tanghulu, similar in flavor, and much easier to make, at least in my opinion.
That said, definitely feel free to try other methods to find your favorite!
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
2 dozen green grapes, washed and thoroughly dried
40 Jolly Ranchers hard candies, any flavor (unwrapped)
Other Equipment: You’ll also need toothpicks or skewers for the grapes, a silicone mat or wax paper to put the grapes on, and a microwave safe bowl that can stand up to boiling sugar
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
While this recipe is designed around candied grapes, you can technically use other small fruits as well. I also enjoy blueberries!
I recommend not mixing too many different colors of Jolly Rancher candies, or you’ll get an unattractive brown coating! While other hard candies may work as well, I’ve not tested them
Jolly Ranchers do have flavors of their own. However, if you want to use a candy flavoring such as cotton candy extract add a ½ tsp in when you stir the candy mixture midway during melting
The candied grapes are rolled in crushed Jolly Ranchers for color, flavor, and texture here. However, you can substitute other crushed hard candies, or small candies like Nerds, Pop Rocks, or rock candy instead for a fun variation!
How to Make Jolly Rancher Grapes
Insert a toothpick into the round end (opposite the stem side) of each of your clean, dried grapes
Crush 15 of the Jolly Ranchers into small-to-medium sized pieces (you want a lot of powder so it sticks well). You can do this in a food processor, blender, mortar and pestle, or by putting them in a Ziploc and hitting them with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or something else sturdy. Place them in a small bowl when finished
Place the remaining 25 unwrapped Jolly Ranchers candies (I recommend two colors maximum) into a microwave safe dish
Microwave on high for 60 seconds (candies should begin to melt and look gummy), then stir
Return to microwave and microwave on high for an additional 30 seconds until the mixture is fully melted and bubbly
Working quickly, hold a grape by the toothpick and dip into the hot melted Jolly Ranchers, turning it to coat thoroughly
While still warm, immediately roll the coated grape in the bowl of crushed Jolly Rancher candies
Place the grape onto a piece of wax paper or a silicone baking mat, toothpick facing up (as best you can, some will still tip over)
Repeat until all the grapes are coated (you can re-warm the coating in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if it starts to harden on you)
The candied grapes will cool and harden in 3-5 minutes, and are ready to enjoy!
What to Serve Candied Grapes With
Cake
Cheesecake
Ice cream
Smoothies
Fruit salad
Cocktails
Charcuterie boards
Candied grapes are good for eating by themselves, but there are a variety of other dishes you can serve them with if you like. Use them as a topping for other sweet treats, or as a garnish for your drinks!
Candy grapes last up to a week if kept in the refrigerator, or for up to 3 months if kept in the freezer.
Grapes from the freezer will be harder to eat though, so defrosting is recommended especially when serving to children.
Why Didn’t My Candy Grapes Get Hard?
Your candy grapes didn’t get hard either due to the presence of too much moisture, or the sugar not being hot enough.
Make sure to start with dried fruit, cook until you see the sugar mixture boiling, and stick coated fruit in the freezer to help solidify the coating.
Using Jolly Ranchers will not give a really crunchy shell like boiled sugar will, but it is generally easier to make.
How Do I Keep Candied Grapes From Melting?
To keep candied grapes from melting, store in a cool dark place. The refrigerator is your best option for this.
You may also freeze them, but you’ll want to thaw them ahead of time in the refrigerator to make eating them easier.
How Do You Clean Grapes For Candy Grapes?
The best way to clean grapes for candy grapes is to place the grapes in a colander. Use the faucet or a sprayer to thoroughly rinse the grapes, turning them over with your hands several times.
Shake off the excess water and allow the grapes to dry completely before candying them.
What Do Candied Grapes Taste Like?
Candied grapes taste like a grape that’s been coated in sugar. You can use different hard candies to coat them, or add extract to your mix to add in different flavors.
Cotton candy flavoring is one of the most popular additions. When you use Jolly Ranchers for the coating, they come in flavors of their own to choose from.
Recipe Pro Tips
Try your best to get a relatively candy thin coating by letting excess drip off the grapes. Anywhere the candy pools (like near the bottom) will be very hard and you won’t be able to bite it
Getting a good amount of crushed candy powder on while the coating is warm helps keep the candy from spreading and pooling. I’ve tried them without the additional candy coating and, while they taste good, they’re much harder to eat
If you scale down the recipe to make a smaller quantity, adjust the first cooking time down to 30 seconds to start. You can always add more time, but don’t want to overcook and burn your candy
Storage Tips
Candied grapes should be stored in the refrigerator for best results, and last for about a week
You may also freeze them for up to 3 months. However, I recommended defrosting before eating, especially for kids
Now that you know how to make Jolly Rancher grapes thanks to a little help from the microwave, you’ll want them all the time!
They’re the perfect mix of crunchy, juicy, and most of all, delicious! I like to enjoy them chilled as a perfect summertime treat. Of course, they go great as toppings for other baked goods and drinks as well.
Get creative and try different crushed candies on the outside, add flavorings, or even swap up your fruits to make it your own. No matter what, they’re going to be great!
How to Make Jolly Rancher Grapes in the Microwave
Make some Jolly Rancher grapes with the help of your microwave for quick preparation. These crunchy, sweet, juicy candied fruits are so easy to make!
40Jolly Ranchers hard candies, any flavor, unwrapped(divided)
Instructions
Insert a toothpick into the round end (opposite the stem side) of each of your clean, dry grapes
24 Green grapes
Crush 15 of the Jolly Ranchers into small-to-medium sized pieces (you want a lot of powder so it sticks well). You can do this in a food processor, blender, mortar and pestle, or by putting them in a Ziploc and hitting them with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or something else sturdy. Place them in a small bowl when finished
40 Jolly Ranchers hard candies, any flavor, unwrapped
Place the remaining 25 unwrapped Jolly Ranchers candies (I recommend two colors maximum) into a microwave safe dish
Microwave on high for 60 seconds (candies should begin to melt and look gummy), then stir
Return to microwave and microwave on high for an additional 30 seconds until the mixture is fully melted and bubbly
Working quickly, hold a grape by the toothpick and dip into the hot melted Jolly Ranchers, turning it to coat thoroughly. Use caution, as the sugar is very hot; an adult should always do this part
While still warm, immediately roll the coated grape in the bowl of crushed Jolly Rancher candies
Place the grape onto a piece of wax paper or a silicone baking mat, toothpick facing up (as best you can, some will still tip over)
Repeat until all the grapes are coated (you can re-warm the coating in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if it starts to harden on you)
The candied grapes will cool and harden in 3-5 minutes, and are ready to enjoy!
Notes
While this recipe is designed around candied grapes, you can technically use other small fruits as well. I also enjoy blueberries!
I recommend not mixing too many different colors of Jolly Rancher candies, or you’ll get an unattractive brown coating! While other hard candies may work as well, I’ve not tested them
Jolly Ranchers do have flavors of their own. However, if you want to use a candy flavoring such as cotton candy extract, add a ½ tsp in when you stir the candy mixture midway during melting
The candied grapes are rolled in crushed Jolly Ranchers for color, flavor, and texture here. However, you can substitute other crushed hard candies, or small candies like Nerds, Pop Rocks, or rock candy instead for a fun variation!
Try your best to get a relatively candy thin coating by letting excess drip off the grapes. Anywhere the candy pools (like near the bottom) will be very hard and you won’t be able to bite it (or you’ll hurt your teeth)
Getting a good amount of crushed candy powder on while the coating is warm helps keep the candy from spreading and pooling. I’ve tried them without the additional candy coating and, while they taste good, they’re much harder to eat
If you scale down the recipe to make a smaller quantity, adjust the first cooking time down to 30 seconds to start. You can always add more time, but don’t want to overcook and burn your candy
Candied grapes should be stored in the refrigerator for best results, and last for about a week
You may also freeze them for up to 3 months. However, I recommended defrosting before eating, especially for kids
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any swaps or additions, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
