How To Freeze Dry Candy At Home (With & Without A Machine)

Do you know that there are several ways how to freeze dry candy at home easily and keep it as a flavorful, long-lasting snack for a long time? Freeze-dried candy is one of the most inventive and simple ways to save, money on groceries.

By freeze-drying it, you can quickly transform candy into a tasty and satisfying snack for the whole family. The process is easy and fun; you can make it cheap and accessorize it.

In this article, I’ll go over step-by-step tutorials on how to do it so you can have a treasure of freeze-dried candy that you can enjoy whenever you want.

You can use this method to freeze dry food, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, or any other type of fruit you can access.

Learn how to do it at home right now!

Can I Freeze-Dry Candies at Home

Yes, you can freeze-dry skittles, candy, and sweets at home easily and quickly with the Harvest Right freeze-drying machine.

Home freeze dryers are an excellent investment (and work out cheaper in the long run). But, as you know, a home freeze dryer can be expensive and is not a common home use kitchen appliance, which makes it hard for many people to justify investing in one.

Luckily, there are other ways to make your freeze-dried candy at home without a machine…though they don’t always give the same results (or look as pretty!).

Even though the results may not be as good as when we do our jobs with a freeze dryer (and it takes some time), it’s still worth trying if you’re interested in making your own freeze-dried candy at home.

It just takes trial and error—but these parts have so much fun!

How To Freeze Dry Candy At Home

1. Freeze-drying candy at home without a home freeze dryer

Step 1: Cut the candy into small pieces that are easy to bite.

The smaller the piece, the less time it will take to dry. You can use a knife or scissors to cut your candy into manageable chunks. Try to make them as small as possible without breaking them.

Step 2: Pre-freeze candy in a regular freezer

Although it’s not a requirement, I’ve found that freezing candy beforehand is a great way to preserve the product’s structure and shorten the time it takes to dry.

Because the freeze-drying process needs a long operating time, your food will be frozen from the start.

If you plan on doing multiple batches, pre-freezing your food will reduce the time it takes to move on to the next one.

Step 3: Choose which method best suits your needs.

There are 2 different methods that can be used for freeze-drying candy at home without a machine, each with its own pros and cons.

Method 1: Using a food saver bag and dry ice

Materials:

– Freezer saver bag
– Dry ice
– Mini-cooler

Once everything is ready to go… let’s do this!o

First, place your candy in the freezer-saver bag and place the bag in your mini-cooler.

Next, fill up that cooler with dry ice and put it in your freezer without sealing the cooler.

That should take about 48 hours if your freezer is working properly!

Place the cooler in the freezer and leave it there for 48 hours. Don’t seal the cooler because the expansion of gases during the freeze-drying process could cause it to explode.

Finally, place the cooler into a freezer and leave it there for a long time—the freeze-drying process will take approximately 48 hours.

This process takes a while to achieve, but it does work, as the growing CO2 drives out the water vapor, eliminating water content from your food.

However, you’ll need to transfer the food immediately and into an airtight container without contaminating it with moisture for the process to be effective.

Method 2: Freeze-drying candy on a tray

Materials:

– Freeze drying tray
– Parchment paper

The second method is way more straightforward, but it’s less effective than the first method above.

To your candy on a tray and freeze-dry it,

First, put parchment paper on the trays, pour the candies in, and spread them out. Don’t let the sweets stack on top of each other; make sure they’re in a single layer.

Next, put the tray in your deep freezer and wait.

This is the slowest way to freeze-dry candy, which could take more than 48 hours. So you need to be patient!

2. Freeze Drying Candy With A Home Harvest Right Freeze Dryer

Step 1: Remove wrappers from candies.

It’s a good idea to first remove the wrappers from your candies before you freeze and dry them at home. This will help ensure that they get evenly frozen and don’t end up with air pockets that might cause them to break when they thaw out.

Step 2: Load candies carefully into your trays.

Carefully put your candies in the trays, so they don’t break or fall out during the freeze-drying process.

Putting them on a flat surface is the best way to do this. Also, be careful not to overfill or pack too tightly.

And the more surface area is exposed to the air, the faster they dry. You can shorten that time by avoiding the urge to fill the tray with treats.

Then slightly slide each tray into the freezer until ready to use!

Step 3: Start Freeze Drying Candy by pressing the “START” button.

Now that your freeze-drying machine is set up, you’re ready to start freeze-drying candy!

This may differ slightly depending on the model of your dryer.

However, with a Harvest Right freeze dryer (which I highly recommend!), you can simply select whether it’s pre-frozen or not and then press the START button on the panel.

You should note that it takes about 15 and 25 hours for your candy to be completely frozen.

Step 4: Store in a well-sealed container.

Once the dryer has finished, you can open the vent at the back of the machine to let the pressure out and take out your treats!

The finished product needs to be in an airtight container such as a ziplock bag or jar. Once they are in airtight packaging, freeze-dried foods can be stored almost anywhere!

Best home freeze dryer

Small

Harvest Right Small Freeze Dryer

Buy now on Harvest Right ($2,595)

What Are the Best Freeze-Dried Candies?

Whether you’re looking for a tasty treat to bring back from your adventure o you’re in the mood for something sweet and sour, these freeze-dried candies are the perfect addition to your next trip.

Freeze-Dried Sour Patches

They bring sweet and sour flavors at the same time.

These candies are perfect for any occasion because they are so easy to eat and will leave you feeling refreshed after eating them.

Freeze-dried Jolly Ranchers

These fruit-flavored candies are so refreshing you will feel as if you had real frozen fruit in your mouth—and they’re packed with just enough sugar to keep you coming back for more.

Freeze-dried Candy Corn

Freeze-Dried Candy Corn looks the same as it did before it was freeze-dried, but it is packed in a more elegant way than usual. With their distinctive crunch, these candies will satisfy your sweet tooth!

Freeze-dried Skittles

Freeze-drying skittles are much crunchier and have a more intense flavor than the regular ones. Because air bubbles form under their shell, they are a real treat for the taste buds.

Freeze-dried Caramel Apple Pops

Freeze-Dried Caramel Apple Pops are crunchy and soft at the same time. They are bigger and easier to bite than regular lollipops.

Freeze-dried Air Dud

Air Duds that have been freeze-dried are a tasty cold treat. They are full of air bubbles that pop when you put them on your tongue, giving your mouth fun surprises. When they are freeze-dried, they become lighter than air.

Freeze-dried Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

These freeze-dried Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a must-have for any candy lover, and they’re also perfect for any holiday party or just to give someone who loves sweets as much as you do!

Freeze-dried Starburst

Freeze-dried starburst is the perfect, healthy treat to have on hand. They’re made with all-natural ingredients and sweetened with a touch of natural sugar.

Freeze-dried Candy – FAQs

Can You Freeze-Dry Candy With a Dehydrator?

Yes, you can freeze dry candy in a dehydrator. However, it is less effective than using a freeze-dryer and does not last as long as when we freeze dry candy with a freeze-dryer.

You can start the process by placing the candy on trays or in mesh bags and then placing these items in the dehydrator.
The airflow will help speed up the dehydrating process. The drying time will vary depending on the humidity outside and the amount of sugar in the candy.

Is Freeze-Dried Candy Healthier Than Normal Candy?

There are many myths floating around when it comes to freeze-dried candy. But is freeze-dried candy healthier than regular candy?

The short answer is: not really. But there’s more to the story than just taste and texture. There’s also the fact that freeze-dried foods often come in packages that are lighter-weight, meaning you may get fewer calories in the right package.

What candy can you freeze dry?

Most candies can be freeze-dried, although it’s often best to stick with small candies that are easy to eat without crumbling into a mess on your tongue.

You’ll want to avoid larger candies like lollipops because they won’t dry as well and will become unpleasantly mushy when you put them in the freezer.

In Conclusion

Knowing how to make freeze-dried candy is similar to knowing how to regularly prepare tasty treats in your home.

Freeze-dried candy tastes great, lasts indefinitely, and can be made with everyday ingredients you already have in your home. With a home freeze dryer, you can start making freeze-dried candy and food quickly at home.

But most people don’t have freeze-drying machines or food dehydrators.

If you want to save food for a long time or some hard candies for a treat later, these methods above will be cheaper, and you won’t need to buy any special equipment that freeze-drying requires.