Brown Sugar Candy

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, delicious and ridiculously decadent, Brown Sugar Candy is a favorite traditional holiday candy that has traditionally taken a long time to make (although the results have always been worth the wait).

This modern version of the old fashioned classic takes a fraction of the time, uses shelf stable pantry ingredients and makes more than enough to share. Even better when it is chocolate covered!

What Exactly 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 updated version of Brown Sugar Candy takes only 15 minutes. I can only imagine what my Dad would say if he were here. He would probably need to try them side by side but the crazy thing is, the results are crazy similar!

While we did not grow up with our Brown Sugar Candy chocolate coated, See’s Candy covers their version in chocolate and it is probably one of the richest, most delightful things I have ever eaten!

How to make Brown Sugar Candy

Brown Sugar Candy is a shortcut version to a recipe that is typically hours in the making. Crumbly and ridiculously decadent, it is a traditional holiday favorite.

This version uses shelf stable pantry ingredients and is a quick and easy recipe that makes enough to share. Chocolate covered or not, this old fashioned treat is amazing!

Line a 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper (or generously grease pan with butter).

This candy is made of butter and sugar and vanilla and more sugar so using parchment allows the candy to easily be removed from the pan to be cut. We highly recommend using parchment paper.

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. The consistency will change from thin liquid to a thick, bubbling syrup. 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. If planning to dip the brown sugar candy in chocolate, chill in refrigerator.

Once set, slice into squares to serve. Because this brown sugar candy is so rich, be sure to cut into smaller squares, an inch or less.

The Brown Sugar Candy is technically done at this point. It is absolutely delicious and it needs nothing else. 

BUT…

As I mentioned before, See’s Candy sells their version of this brown sugar candy chocolate covered.  Ohhhemmmgeee.

When cutting up Brown Sugar Candy, sometimes the pieces don’t end up exactly perfect because it’s crumbly. Dipping the imperfect ones in candy melts makes them even better and technically gives you two different kinds of holiday treats.

To chocolate cover these, you can use chocolate melts or regular chocolate.

Melt the chocolate according to package directions and melting method (microwave oven, a double boiler or a melting pot) 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 end up all over the counter!

Once dipped, they will need to cool so that the chocolate can set. The refrigerator helps to speed this process.

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!

Other Easy Holiday Treat Recipes You May Like

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.