Brown Sugar Candy is a shortcut version to a recipe that is typically hours in the making. Chocolate covered or not, this old fashioned treat is amazing!
Crumbly and ridiculously decadent, Brown Sugar Candy is a favorite traditional holiday candy. This version uses shelf stable pantry ingredients and is a quick and easy recipe that makes a lot of pieces!
What is Brown Sugar Candy?
When I was a child, every holiday season my Dad would make a wonderful traditional French Canadian candy (Sucre a la Creme) that took hours. His mother made it and each of the kids had learned how, but it was tricky and required just the right touch and timing to have it come out perfect.
He tried to pass his knowledge on to my sister and I many times by taking the time to make it with us, leaving wonderful memories of stirring the pot for hours, blending in the butter at just the right time with the right wooden spoon and always, always having it somehow turn out just right.
Since we’ve lost my Dad, both my sister and I have tried to make his homemade candy, sometimes with success, most of the time not, and always knowing that the missing ingredient is him. I will still work on the traditional recipe until the day I finally get it right but in the meantime…
I found a shortcut!
This version of Brown Sugar Candy takes 15 minutes. This is crazy to me. 15 minutes! If you want to cover it in chocolate you can – completely up to you. You don’t need to but there’s a well known franchised chocolate shop that does and it is amazing. We’ll get into that in a bit.
How to make Brown Sugar Candy
Crumbly and ridiculously decadent, Brown Sugar Candy is a favorite traditional holiday candy. This version uses shelf stable pantry ingredients and is a quick and easy recipe that makes a lot of pieces!

This candy is made of butter and sugar and vanilla and more sugar so the first important thing to know is that before you put it into the pan you need to know how you are going to get it OUT of the pan.
In Dad’s version, the pan gets generously buttered. That method will work but when it comes time to take it out and cut it up it is so much easier to have the pan lined with parchment paper. Just lift and cut.

In a medium or large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine evaporated milk, butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low so that it continues to simmer.

Cook for five minutes, stirring often. The consistency will change from thin liquid to a thick, bubbling syrup.

Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt.

Add one cup of powdered sugar and blend in using a hand mixer. Continue to add the powdered sugar in, about a cup at a time, scraping the sides of the pan occasionally until you have added 3-4 cups and the mixture has become thickened.

Once the powdered sugar has all been incorporated, transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and let cool until set. I actually put it into the fridge, especially if I am going to chocolate cover it.

Once set, cut it into squares. Because it is so rich, I usually make smaller squares, an inch or less.

You can be done here at this point and I promise that you will NOT be disappointed. It is absolutely delicious. I needs nothing else.
BUT…

As I mentioned before, there is a pretty well known chocolate store in the mall that sells this brown sugar candy chocolate covered. Oh My Gosh.

When you cut up Brown Sugar Candy, sometimes the pieces don’t end up exactly perfect because it’s crumbly. I sorted the square ones from the not so square ones and decided to dip the not so square ones in candy melts.

Using chocolate melts or chocolate, using a microwave oven, a double boiler or a melting pot, melt the chocolate according to package directions until it is smooth and ready for dipping.

Dip the brown sugar candy in the melted chocolate and remove. I use a little chocolate dipping tool or two forks for this. Place the dipped candy onto wax paper and sprinkle with festive baking sprinkles if desired.
Note: If you set the wax paper on a lipped baking sheet and you use sprinkles, they will not travel all over the counter!

After they are dipped, they need to cool so that the chocolate can set. I also like to use the refrigerator for this because I am not patient at all.

This is quite possibly the cutest little chocolate that I have ever seen. No matter if you chocolate cover it or just eat it plain – or both – this shortcut version of Brown Sugar Candy is definitely worth a shot.
It might not be my Dad’s recipe but it is darned close. Happy Holidays! Enjoy!
Some Other Easy Holiday Treat Recipes
Rolo Turtles – these little bites of sweet and salty with a pecan half on top are perfection in one bite!
Classic Sponge Toffee – this light and airy vintage crunchy treat is addictive and fun to make!
Cookie Dough Truffles – chocolate covered, safe to eat cookie dough truffles!
Christmas Pretzel Candy – the perfect blend of sweet and salty for the holiday season!
Easy Peanut Butter Balls – Decadent, delicious and chocolate covered peanut butter balls.


Brown Sugar Candy
Equipment
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter 1 1/2 sticks
- 3 cups brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup carnation evaporated milk 5 ounce can
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 pound powdered sugar about 4 cups
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper (or generously grease pan with butter).
- Stir milk, brown sugar and butter together in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. It will noticeably thicken.
- Remove from heat and using a hand mixer, beat in salt, vanilla extract and the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until combined and thickened.
- Transfer mixture into prepared pan and cool until set.
- Slice into squares to serve. (It is delicious if you stop here!) but…
- For an extra layer of awesome, if desired, coat each square using melted chocolate or candy melts. Decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

Sue says
Thank you for sharing. I worked for that candy shop place during the holidays which chocolate dips them … that has gone up in price & I can’t afford now. So thank you! I love to cook.
The Bandit says
I love to cook as well and this recipe is an absolute family favorite. My mother in law keeps a container of it in her freezer and just takes out a piece every time she “wants something sweet”. I mainly make it over the holidays but I make a lot of it! Glad to hear that you will be able to make it at home and enjoy it as well!
Michele Vadnais says
Oh my, this sounds wonderful. I’ve never tried sugar candy…I can’t wait!
Kathleen Duffy says
Dipping your knife into boiling water before each cut helps reduce crumbling
The Bandit says
That is a FANTASTIC tip! I am just about to make a batch for the neighbors to go on my cookie trays. I am totally going to try it. Thanks Kathleen!
Mark Richards says
I have saved this recipe and plan to use it soon. It looks delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. Have a great day!
Catherine McGuinness says
Ooo this reminds me of Scottish tablet. I’ve been making Christmas sweets this week as well – mine are traditional English. 🙂
Angela Greven says
These look delish! What a great idea for Christmas gifts and they’re quick to boot. Thanks for sharing! ☺️
Tranda says
Sucre a la creme is my absolute favourite! I can’t believe my luck that you posted a shortcut version. I can’t wait to try it!
Looks amazingly delicious 🙂
Tracy Foster says
This looks amazing!! Oh my gosh. I am definitely going to try making this. I am not big on baking, but I am big on eating baked good. I’m looking forward to this. Just in time for Christmas!
Gemma says
Yum, this looks amazing! It reminds me of a similar Mexican candy. Love the story about your dad.
Sharilee says
That looks yummy, I love trying new recipes.