Let me teach you how to freeze dry Jolly Ranchers at home. Freeze dried Jolly Ranchers are flavorful, crunchy, and they melt in your mouth!
After testing several of batches in my own freeze dryer, I can confidently say that this freeze dried Jolly Rancher recipe delivers the perfect crunch every time.
Freeze-drying candy is a fun way to make treats feel a little special. If you've ever wondered how do you freeze dry jolly ranchers, I will walk you though everything you need to know, from setup to storage.
Whether you're experimenting with homemade freeze-dried candy or adding to your stash of freeze-dried foods, this is a fun one to try!
If you want to try freeze drying different candies, I wrote this post on How to Freeze Dry Skittles.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Freeze drying Jolly Ranchers makes the perfect treat that literally melts in your mouth.
- They store well and make fantastic gifts.
Supplies Needed
To freeze dry Jolly Ranchers at home, you'll need proper equipment and storage materials.
A Freeze Dryer such as a Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer. I love mine! Freeze-drying machines are a great way to preserve food.
Pipe Cutter to cut the Jolly Ranchers into thirds or quarters. They puff up pretty big, so you will definitely want to cut them into pieces.
Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats for your Freeze Dryer
Mylar Bags or Mason Jars for storage.
Oxygen Absorbers for long term storage.
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make freeze dried candy Jolly Ranchers at home.
Jolly Ranchers of any flavor or variety.
Prep Your Freeze Dryer
Make sure your freeze dryer is clean of any water or ice. Check that the vacuum valve and drain valve are closed.
How to Make Freeze Dried Jolly Ranchers
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full freeze dried Jolly Ranchers recipe is in a recipe card below!
Add parchment paper or silicone mats to the freeze dryer trays.
Unwrap the Jolly Ranchers and use a pipe cutter to cut the Jolly Ranchers into pieces. I prefer to cut each Jolly Rancher into 4 pieces to make them smaller. However, you can also cut them into thirds.
Pro Tip: You may want to add another layer of parchment paper on top of the cut Jolly Ranchers to ensure that they don't stick to the top of the shelf if they puff up too big.
Arrange the Jolly Ranchers on the parchment paper leaving space between each one. They will stick to each other when they expand.
Jolly Ranchers do not need to be warmed up before adding them to the freeze dryer.
Select candy mode on your freeze dryer, set the temperature to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and 4 hours of dry time. Follow the instructions for your model of freeze dryer.
For the Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer, load trays of Jolly Ranchers into your freeze dryer vacuum chamber, close the door, make sure vacuum valve, drain valve, and demister are closed, and select start.
Once the freeze dryer is done running, open the vacuum valve and then the chamber door. The Jolly Ranchers should be puffed up and easily crumbled into a powder.
As you can see, they become cute freeze dried Jolly Rancher Balls! It's so fun to freeze-dry candy!
How to Check if Jolly Ranchers are Done Drying
To know how long to freeze dry Jolly Ranchers, understand that time can vary by machine and load size. Most batches take about 4 hours.
To test for doneness, remove a piece and let it cool for a minute. If it breaks open and crumbles easily then they should be done drying.
If it feels sticky or chewy, add more dry time. Please note: that if you live in a humid environment the outside can feel a bit sticky soon after taking them out of the freeze dryer. For best results you will want to package them quickly.
I hope that answers your question of how long does it take to freeze dry Jolly Ranchers?
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Don't overcrowd the trays. They will stick together when they expand.
- If you are trying to store them in small bags or in mason jars, make sure you cut them into quarters or thirds.
- Add parchment paper on top of each tray to make sure they don't stick to the shelf if they puff too big.
- DIY freeze dried Jolly Ranchers are very fragile. They crush really easily, so be very careful handling them and storing them.
Specific Instructions for Stay Fresh Freeze Dryers
I made this video for how to freeze dry Jolly Ranchers with my Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer.
How to Store Freeze Dried Jolly Ranchers
- Long Term Storage: Store the freeze dried Jolly Ranchers in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.
- Shorter Storage: Use mason jars and remove excess air with an electronic vacuum sealer.
- On the Go Treats: We add the Jolly Ranchers to small mylar bags and use them for movie nights, birthday gifts, or treat to go.
Ways to Use Freeze Dried Jolly Ranchers
- Eat them as a crunchy sweet treat.
- Crush them and sprinkle them over cupcakes or ice cream.
- Crush them and add them to the rim of a glass for a fun drink.
- Add them to candy boards (like a charcuterie board, but with candy).
- Homemade freeze-dried candy always makes a great gift!
Flavor Variations
Keep your eye out at your local grocery store for some of the different flavored Jolly Ranchers!
- Original Jolly Ranchers- are the typical grape, green apple. watermelon, cherry, and blue raspberry.
- Tropical Jolly Ranchers- have fun flavors like mango, lime, and tropical punch.
- Jolly Rancher Awesome Reds- have strawberry, fruit punch, watermelon, and cherry.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are Jolly Ranchers that have gone through the freeze-drying process to remove moisture, creating a light, crunchy texture.
They taste super flavorful and they crunch and then melt in your mouth.
Depending on your freeze dryer, it usually takes 4 hours to freeze dry Jolly Ranchers on Candy Mode.
📖 Recipe
How to Freeze Dry Jolly Ranchers at Home
Ingredients
- 50 Jolly Ranchers (A 14 ounce bag has about 65 Jolly Ranchers in it)
Instructions
- Place parchment paper or silicone mats on the freeze dryer trays.
- Unwrap the Jolly Ranchers. Use a pipe cutting tool to cut each Jolly Rancher into 3 or 4 pieces. The puff up a lot so I usually cut them in quarters (4 pieces).
- Place the cut Jolly Ranchers onto the freeze dryer trays. I can usually fit 3 across if cut in ⅓ pieces or 4 across if cut in ¼ pieces and 10 down. Make sure you take the time to space them evenly apart because they will stick together when they puff up. (You may want to add another layer of parchment paper on top of the cut Jolly Ranchers to ensure that they don't stick to the top of the shelf if they puff up too big.)
- You do not need to preheat Jolly Ranchers before freeze drying them. Follow your freeze dryer manual and select Candy Mode and change the settings to 150℉ for 4 hours. For Stay Fresh freeze dryers, load the trays into the freeze dryer. Close the chamber door. Make sure the vacuum valve and drain valve are closed and press start.
- When they freeze dryer has finished, open the vacuum valve and then the chamber door. Check the Jolly Ranchers. They should be puffed up and break apart very easily.
- Immediately place the freeze dried Jolly Ranchers in Mylar Bags with an oxygen absorber and use an impulse sealer for long term storage. Or you can place them in Mason Jars and use an electronic vacuum sealer if you want to enjoy them within a couple months.
Leave a Comment or Question