Crack Grapes Recipe

If you’re looking for a fun cooking project to make with the kids, Crack Grapes coated in candy syrup and dipped into crushed candies are the way to go.

It’s a fun snack for any occasion—either St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, or any other holiday.

Once you try Crack Grapes, this will be a regular request from your kids!

The Crack Grapes combine a sweet and crunchy outside with a bit of juicy goodness inside.

So, if you’re ever craving grapes but want to kick it up a notch, try this Crack Grapes recipe.

How to Make Crack Grapes

If you have any rock candy on hand, that’s a green light to make the beautifully colored Crack Grapes.

What’s not to love about these grapes rolled in rainbow-colored candy?

The dried syrup on the grapes and the colorful candies make it crunchier and more fun.

Grapes are coated in candy syrup and then rolled in a cracked hard candy.

That’s it.

The best part is that you can make this sweet delight in under 30 minutes.

The only thing you have to worry about is that Crack Grapes are super addictive.

You won’t be able to stop popping them in your mouth.

Let’s see what you need for this grab-and-go snack.

Ingredients:

(12 servings)

• 2-3 lbs grapes
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 toothpicks
• food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

The process of making Crack Grapes is not too complicated, and it doesn’t require any special equipment.

The only thing we’d recommend using is a candy thermometer. It makes this recipe foolproof.

Pick up a Candy Thermometer at Amazon if you don’t have one!

However, don’t worry if you don’t have one. Your grapes are going to turn out great without it anyway.

But keep an eye on the syrup.

To know it has reached the hard crack stage, you can use a spoon or spatula and drop the molten hot syrup into a bowl of cold water.

Your syrup is ready if it forms complex threads that break instead of bending.

Now, grab all the ingredients and dive into the process of making your Crack Grapes.

Step 1:

Prepare your grapes by inserting toothpicks into the stem of the grape.

Set them on a paper towel and let them dry—it’s essential for them to be completely dry before dipping into the syrup. Moisture shouldn’t mix with sugar.

Prepare the candy. Place the candy flavors into a heavy-duty freezer storage bag and crush it. You can use a rolling pin or a heavy unbreakable object.

Then transfer your crushed candy to a bowl for coating the grapes.

Step 2:

Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Try to stir the syrup frequently without letting it boil over.

Boil for 5 minutes until it reaches the right temperature—300–305 ºF. This way, it will achieve the consistency that allows it to sit nicely on the grape.

Step 3:

Prepare the parchment paper to place the coated Crack Grapes for drying.

Then, stir some vanilla extract into the syrup and carefully dip each grape.

Move quickly to cover the whole grape with syrup, then sprinkle it with crushed candy.

Note: be careful not to touch the sugar with your hands since it’s super hot.

You might also want to keep your kids away during this step.

Alternatively, you can roll the grape in a bowl tipped sideways.

There is no unique technique for this. Just use the method you prefer.

Step 4:

Set your Crack Grapes on the parchment paper and let them dry for about 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the toothpicks or serve as is within a few hours.

Ingredient Substitution

Sweet Crack Grapes is the most straightforward treat you’ll ever make.

The inside of the grapes is nice and juicy, while the syrup and candy create a perfect crunch.

Although the recipe calls for not so many ingredients, you can always make it better with a few substitutes.

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is refined white sugar with molasses added to it.

It contains more calcium, iron, and potassium, and that’s why it is a perfect substitute for white granulated sugar.

While having more intense flavors, brown sugar is softer and more moister.

Also, don’t worry if your syrup darkens faster, as that’s how it is supposed to be with brown sugar.

But you will need to adjust the cooking temperature and time a little.

Use it as a 1:1 substitute for white sugar, and you’re good to go.

Maple syrup

Maple syrup is one of the oldest sweeteners, with a distinct taste and aroma. Derived from the sap of the maple tree, maple syrup contains a variety of antioxidants.

While it is an excellent addition to many dishes that call for corn syrup, it is much healthier.

But keep in mind that using maple syrup instead of corn syrup may change the flavor and color of this dish.

Also, note that maple syrup can crystallize, so keep an eye on it while whipping up your Crack Grapes syrup.

Natural food coloring

If you want to make your Cracked Grapes as healthy and colorful as they could be, make your own at home without resorting to artificial food coloring.

Have you ever done this with Easter eggs?

Sources for natural dye can be found all over the place, so you probably already have them in your pantry or fridge.

One thing that no artificial food coloring could give you is taste.

Since the colors come from natural ingredients, a small amount of flavor will remain in the final dish.

Just use some fruits and veggies to make natural food coloring.

What to Serve with Crack Grapes

Although Cracked Grapes are good enough to eat alone, they are also an absolute party hit that sits confidently among other sweet appetizers.

So, whether you’re making this treat for a family get-together or your kids’ classroom party, you must consider serving it with these pairings.

Ambrosia salad

Ambrosia salad will make an outstanding fruit pairing for your crunchy grapes.

It is a creamy fruit salad that is healthy, fresh, and low in carbohydrates. Plus, it is super versatile and easy to make.

It goes down to mixing some fruits and leaving it to chill for an hour or two.

Also, like Crack Grapes, it works any time of the year since you can use canned fruits and fresh ones.

Simple, fresh, and filling. Your kids will love this.

Tropical smoothie

Another famous grab-and-go snack full of minerals, proteins, nutrients, and antioxidants is the tropical smoothie.

It is a perfect pairing to the Crack Grapes, as the milky and creamy texture of the smoothie works so well with the crunchy grapes.

The Tropical smoothie is also healthy and filling.

All you need is to blend some frozen fruits for an ultimate mixture of rich and creamy flavors.

Brownies

If you want to kick up your party, you can never go wrong with the good old brownie.

Whatever you decide to go with—dense and fudgy or cakey and moist—this extra chocolate hit will make a great contrast to the fresh candy-coated grapes.

The list of brownie ingredients is straightforward, so it won’t be a bother to make it for your next party.

How to Store Crack Grapes

As tasty and quick as Crack Grapes are to make, it is always best to create a new batch when you like it.

However, no worries if you’ve made too many.

Crack grapes store well at room temperature, in the fridge, or even in the freezer.

In any case, you have to keep the candy grapes in an airtight container, but depending on the candies you used, there could be a different outcome.

Let’s see how it turns out.

Store Crack Grapes on the Counter

Storing Crack Grapes at room temperature on the counter is usually a short-term option to grab and go.

The grapes will be gummy.

Store Crack Grapes in the Fridge

There is no need to store Crack Grapes for “safety“ reasons since they won’t go bad too quickly.

However, the candy grapes will become even better and less sticky if you let them cool in the fridge for a while.

Store Crack Grapes in the Freezer

A freezer is probably the last option you will have to resort to since you will never have that many leftovers to store.

However, if you freeze the grapes, try to eat them as soon as they thaw. Also, be aware that the coating won’t look too good.