These delicate, sticky nests of caramel are easier to make than you might think– there are just a few things you need to know before you begin! Soon, you’ll be a spun sugar master, spinning up magic not only for this Halloween treat, but for all your desserts and confections throughout the year.
Recipe Notes:
Ingredients: Though maple syrup and vanilla extract are fun flavor additives, you need nothing more than sugar and water to make spun sugar. The inclusion of corn syrup is also not wholly necessary, but I included it in this recipe to make help keep the sugar pliable– it aids in gathering the sugar strands into bunches without breaking. The addition of corn syrup in this recipe will also help avoid crystallization since it is an inverted sugar.
Environment: Spun sugar is best made on a dry, non-humid day. Moisture in the air can make the sugar soft and sticky. That being said, I made these on a rainy day with a window open, and they turned out fine!
Sugar Success: Cooking down sugar for spun sugar is similar to making caramel, so many of the same practices apply. Firstly, it is important to keep sugar crystals off the sides of the pot (with a pastry brush dipped in cool water) to avoid crystallization. It is also best, like caramel, to cook the sugar over a low flame. Better to be low and slow, since too high a temperature can cause the sugar to bubble wildly too early, causing sugar crystals to stick to the sides of the pot, possibly causing crystallization. Too high a temperature can also risk the sugar burning. Basically, keep the heat low, be patient, and don’t stir the sugar once its on the heat!
When the sugar reaches 310F, the base of the pot is dipped in a bowl of cool water to stop the cooking. This will avoid the candy becoming overcooked and too firm to drizzle properly.
Thermometers: Speaking of temperature, a thermometer is a must for candy making. If you plan to use a candy thermometer for this recipe, use a small pot– the sugar needs to be high enough on the thermometer for it to get an accurate read. You may also use an instant read or infrared thermometer. I like to use a candy thermometer because I can easily check on the temperature frequently.
Ms. Drizzle: I call for two forks for drizzling in this recipe, which I felt worked flawlessly! You may also see people using a whisk that they’ve clipped the end off of to form a drizzle tool. I didn’t want to cut my whisk, so… 🤷🏻♀️
Spinning sugar can be messy, so I did mine in my kitchen sink. Remember, if you get sugar on a surface or your clothes, it will dissolve in water.
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Spun Sugar Cobwebs Recipe
Spun Sugar Cobwebs
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar I used turbinado for a richer flavor
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp corn syrup
- pastry brush
- thermometer (candy, instant read, or infrared)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- two forks
- paper cones I made mine out of a sturdy wrapping paper. Cardstock would be a great option too.
- plastic spiders
Instructions
Set Up Your Spun Sugar Workspace:
- Find an area of your kitchen you’d like to work in. I have a very large kitchen sink, so I bleached the sink and placed my bowl in there without fear of making a mess. If you’re working on a countertop, line the countertop, cabinets, and floor with newspaper to protect them from the hot sugar. Grease a large, heatproof bowl with oil and place on your workspace. Set up your paper cones near the workspace so they are easily reached, as well as a surface to place finished cobwebs. I used a large baking sheet.
Cook The Sugar:
- In a small pot, gently stir together the sugar, water, maple syrup, and corn syrup. Move the pot onto a small burner and use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to knock down any stray sugar granules that may have stuck to the sides of the pot. (This will keep the mixture from crystallizing.) Fit the pot with a candy thermometer, or use an instant read or infrared thermometer to measure the sugar’s temperature while it cooks.
- Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, without stirring (stirring can cause crystallization), until the temperature reaches 310F. This will take quite a while (I forgot to time it, but I believe it must’ve been at least 30 minutes), so be patient. Resist the urge to turn up the heat, as too high a temperature can cause burning and/or crystallization. Check the temperature often, and try not to leave the kitchen for too long. While the sugar cooks, prepare a bowl of cold water, wide enough for the base of the pot with the sugar to fit inside. At 310F, immediately remove the pot of sugar from the heat and dip in the cold water for about 3 seconds to stop the cooking. Rest the pot on the counter and stir in the vanilla extract and the salt.
Spin The Sugar:
- Take two forks and hold them by the handles back to back. Take the forks and the pot of sugar over to your workspace. Hold the pot up over the greased bowl, then dip the back-to-back fork prongs in the hot sugar and wave the sugar rapidly back and forth over the greased bowl at your workspace. This will form delicate, thin strands of sugar. Continue dipping and waving thin strands of sugar until you have a decent amount accumulated. When you have enough, take the wide end of a cone and hold it to one end of the spun sugar on the bowl. Use your other hand to gently lift the sugar strands and curl them over the cone. Continue rolling the sugar around the cone in a cylindrical shape until all of the sugar is gathered. Place the finished spun sugar on the prepared baking sheet, and repeat until all of the sugar is used. If your sugar hardens before you can use it all, place back on the burner over low heat, stirring, until it liquifies again.
Serve Up The Cobwebs!
- Adorn spun sugar cones with spiders and serve (preferably outside-- these are messy!) Spun sugar is best eaten right away. If you should need to store the spun sugar, seal in an airtight container with a few desiccant packets (yup, like the ones that come in shoe boxes!)
For more spoOOooky Halloween treats, click here!
