Patriotic Fourth of July Candy Recipe Variations

Fourth of July is a popular time for potluck parties and the competition for best dish is hot. Don't have bad luck creating your potluck contribution, read here for some funny difficulties to avoid. Instead, try one or more of these tasty patriotic candy dishes to make your contribution the exciting new taste treat that keeps everyone coming back for just one more bite.

Patriotic Window Pane

Melt 1 pound of white chocolate.

Stir equal cups of craisins, red and blue marshmallows and chopped almonds into the white chocolate until the chocolate is hard to stir. Pour a bread pan lined with wax paper. Let cool. Slice the loaf of chocolate in 1/4" slices and then into 1x1" pieces.

Patriotic White Chocolate Craisin Fudge Decorated with Blue Sprinkles

2 ¼ cups sugar

¼ cup butter

1 cup marshmallow creme

¼ T salt

1 cup condensed milk

Boil until all bubbly, stir in 1 Tablespoon vanilla, 1 6 oz bag of white chocolate pieces, and 1 cup craisins. Press into a 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with blue sprinkles lightly for a complete patriotic statement. Cut into 1x1" pieces.

Caramel Fruit Bites

We've all had a caramel apple and one dipped in chopped nuts or a touch of chocolate is heavenly. This dessert is based on the traditional favorite, with the difference that you chop up fruit first.

Caramel Candy Recipe

If you've never made caramel before, you should know that it is one of the more tricky recipes to make because it requires an exact temperature and if you're wrong, the caramel is too hard, too soft, or turns sugary. You can recook caramel by adding additional butter, but getting it right the first time is so much better.

4 cups sugar

1 lb butter

3 ½ cups light corn syrup

2 cans condensed milk

2 tablespoons vanilla

Stir constantly and cook on high heat to exactly 242 degrees F. Pour into two buttered 9 x 12 pans or use ½ the ingredients and one 9 x 13 pan.

Caramel Candy Fruit Bites and Nutty Caramel Candy Fruit Bites

While the caramel is still warm, wrap 1 inch chunks of apples, plums, cherries, or pears with 1 tablespoon of caramel, rolling the edges to make them round. Finish by rolling in chopped almonds or peanuts. Set the pieces on wax paper to harden.

Patriotic Caramel Candy Fruit Bites

To make a patriotic version, melt white chocolate and separate into three bowls. Leave one bowl white, in one bowl add cherry flavoring and red food color, in the third bowl add blackberry or raspberry flavor and blue food color. Dip Caramel Candy Fruit Bites in the warmed chocolate and set the pieces on wax paper to harden.