Give your family a ‘sweet treat’ this summer! Freeze-dried candy is always a customer favorite and is by far one of the tastiest things your freeze dryer is capable of. Below is a list of some ideas to get you started!
Nerds Gummy Clusters
Different candies can be fun to experiment with in your freeze dryer. Some small, chewy candies will expand to nearly triple their size. Along with this massive size change, they’ll also change textures! The candy goes from a chewy treat to a crunchy, lighter one! A near complete transformation. These candy snacks are also packed full of flavor once freeze dried. A helpful tip to keep candy from sticking to the tray is to use silicone mats or parchment paper. Then break them apart and enjoy!
Saltwater Taffy
Saltwater taffy is the perfect summertime treat, a fun food to freeze dry, and a customer favorite. These candies don’t only taste good, but also look very pretty and have a nice presentation. Saltwater taffy puffs up in the freeze dryer and becomes even sweeter. We suggest you cut taffy in half (or fourths) for bite-size snacking. Make sure to leave plenty of room for taffy to expand.
Jolly Ranchers
Jolly Ranchers are a tasty treat to freeze dry. These hard candies will puff up and become something entirely new. They become slightly crunchy and airy and much easier to chew than a regular Jolly Rancher. If you leave them whole, make sure to leave plenty of space for them to expand. Many customers cut them in half using All-Purpose Utility Shears.
Milk Duds
These candies may not be the first ones you think of when you think of freeze-dried desserts! However, these treats may just be the most exciting. These small, chocolate covered caramels end up going through a complete transformation in your machine. Customers love these puffed up, crunchy candies!
Gummy Bears
Gummy bears are by far one of the customer favorites to try. These small candies grow nearly double their size and become light weight and crunchy. They also become sweeter and have a richer flavor, a definite must-have for a hot summer day.
Tell us which candies have you tried freeze drying in your Harvest Right freeze dryer.
The skittles have been a big hit with the grandkids but my personal favorite is cheesecake bites. I just get a cheesecake from the grocery store (with a mix of different kinds), freeze it, cut it up into bite sizes, then freeze dry. Crunchy and delicious.
oh please tell me how we just got ours today what settings do i use
I’m learning my self but on custom settings I have it as o degrees freeze temp 1 hrs freeze time 140 145 degrees for easier candies like anything caramel fruit roll ups marshmallows skittles milk duds air heads taffy and any where from 2 to 4 hours there usually done I always set it at 12 hrs because u can always end it sooner if there done but check them at the 2 to 4 hrs mark an let them run longer if needed but usually not I do warm tray for about 10 to 15 min an always make sure to cut candy accordingly cuz most will puff an mast will stick to each other so space and cut accordingly the way u check ur candy is by turning off ur pump make sure there’s no water in the drain line than open valve take a couple candies out close door close valve and turn on pump an will start back up for harder candies like warheads jolly ranchers carmal apple lollipops the harder candies I set temp to 145 to 150 and allow to cook for 6+ hours checking them usually every two hours and heat trays 20 to 30 min to allow candy to soften all before it gets pulled I do set the fast mode on as well the Lil button next to heat temp in custom settings an always press to turn on candy mode when loading trays iam having trouble though with needs gummy clusters and gummy bears if anyone would like to share I’d much appreciate it thank you I’m new to this as well take care
Do u freeze dry your gummy’s or do u use the freeze dry mode I’m having a hard time with gummy items and red hits and help would be appreciated
You may have to test different varieties of the gummy’s not all work. for Red hots, look up “hot start”
You are so helpful. Thanks so much
Would it be easier and less crunchy waste if you cut them into the bite sized pieces BEFORE freeze drying?
Only skittles and peeps, so far. The skittles are a hit with my no-sugar relatives (for which they hate me) Peeps are just for decoration. They look so cute peeking out of the jar!
What temp is high it should be set at?
Can you freeze dry snickers or milky way?
You can, but cut them up, bc they will explode into huge things.
What freeze temp, dry temp do you use for caramels? How long is the dry time?
I use werthers chewy caramel, cut them in half and put it at 145 degrees and warm the trays for 15 min and run for an hour Anda half turn out great
No you cannot because the chocolate melts. We’ve tried but it melted
I just pop the trays in the freezer after drying is done to get the chocolate to set back up. 15 minutes later, pull them out of the freezer and bag up the candy as usual.
have you done jr minutes? if so what temp and time? having a hard time they just melt into nothing.
Jr Mints – try freezing them first, then cracking the top to have it start it’s expansion.
We did snickers- candy mode at 125- 4 hour dry time. Cut in small sections. I liked them. Not very pretty.
How are tootsie rolls?
Tootsie rolls are WONDERFUL!!! Have another 400 piece bag of them in the dryer right now.
How long did you dry them for?
How long do you freeze them for? When I run the candy mode it turns them off about 10 hours in then I did the 3 hour drying time (on gummy cherries) and they didn’t work. Do I set my drying time so in total with freeze from start to finish it ends up being 24 hours? I need guidance :/
In candy mode, you don’t do any freeze time. It will cool the chamber and go directly into drying mode.
With candy mode, you don’t freeze first, it should cool the chamber then go right into drying.
I see people saying in “candy mode” but what is this candy mode?! Do I change the settings?
Candy Mode helps you freeze dry candy much faster. Here is a video that shows how to use it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCMkycLPo_g&t=223s
What’s your secret- mine were hard as ever!
How long for tootsie rolls? After 2 hours I see no change
I bought tootsie rolls based on your post but they just turned into bricks. How did you process them? Time and temp? Did they get airy and crunchy? Help. Please s as nd thank you
If you haven’t tried air heads yet I would highly suggest it. I think air heads turn out the best so far. I love them as they are but put into the freeze dryer and they are the closest thing to heaven on this side of the planet.
For how long and at what temp?
What temp
And time?
I bought air heads based on your post but they did not turn out well. Epic fail. How did you get yours to be “the closest thing to heaven on this side of the planet”? My grandkids keep asking me to dry airheads and I would love to surprise them for Christmas. Help!
How do you make tootsie rolls and gummy bears work. The ones we have tried DON’T puff up????
Some candies need a shelf temperature that is slightly higher than the default settings.
How do you know what shelf life things need?
Just try a different brand of gummy bears, some brands are too dense and don’t do a thing. We have had a lot of luck with the Huer brand. Hope this helps 🙂
Hi can you please tell me settings you used for heur gummies? Time/heat/tray warm? I’m struggling with these. Thank you!
Black Forest brand works best according to our research and experience. However, they are so inconsistent that it is not worth it for our business.
I need help with buying a unit
scroll to bottom of the page and hit the financing option.
What would be the reason my jolly ranchers don’t react at all while other things do just as shown…I’m only 2 batches in fyi…any tips?
Sometimes Jolly Ranchers need a little higher temp. Because warm air rises the top tray gets a little warmer than the bottom tray (about 10 degrees). So, if you didn’t put them on the top tray you might try that next time.
We didn’t have any luck with the jolly ranchers until we did the candy mode update. Then they worked beautifully!! Heated the trays up ahead of time and set the temp at 140
My jolly ranchers puff up huge. Are you using the new candy mode ? Have to heat trays to 145 degrees for 7 minites and dry for 2 hrs
And they turn out fine with those specs? Thanks.
If the candy puffs up is it done? How long do I need to let it freeze dry
We love doing rhubarb, after it’s stewed we put it in straight or mix with strawberry yogurt into small silicone molds and freeze then pop them out onto the trays and into the machine. They are wonderful snacks and you can have all sorts of fun with the molds you use.
Sounds delicious
On what setting? Sounds like a great snack for kids.
I’ve done nerd clusters with great success but leave lots and lots of room, they swell huge! I’ve also done Junior Mints and love those.
How long did u do the junior mints for?
My nerd clusters puff up, but they don’t get super huge.
Bit of honeys are super good too and no risk of pulling out a filling, lol
how long does it take to freeze dry gummies ?
Most candy batches take about 24 hours to complete. In warmer conditions it could be a little longer and in cooler conditions it could be shorter.
With the new candy mode software update, I can get just about any type of candy done in under four hours. It’s a significant amount of time saved. I’m so happy that Harvest Right listens to consumers and their needs, and they actually act on it!
When did the update come out? I have been having issues with any candies. I am wondering if we aren’t up-to-date on software.
have you freeze dried octopus gummies before? I’m doing 6 hours but they just expand a lil and crunch on the outside but gummy on the inside
@145deg my Machines take about 1hour for skittles longer for gummies
I’ve had great success with Milk Duds, Werther’s caramel chews, and caramel M & M’s. They are all sooooo good!!
Try the wet there soft chews but take them out after 20-25 min into the cycle. It makes a crunchy outer shell on the outside with the Chet cookie like texture on the inside. They are ABSOLUTELY DIVINe! Have to eat them fresh though bc they will deflate.
Try vanilla soft chews! Amazing!!!
can you please help? What temp are you setting and how long of a freeze time? I getting no where with these. I use candy mode for all my others and they turn out great in like two hrs. My chocolates and caramels just turn to mush. I would appreciate any help.
Thank you.
Hi could you please tell me how you freeze dried caramel m&m’s?
Candy Mode, 150 degrees, do NOT warm the trays. 3 hours.
Try vanilla soft chews , amazing
Should I have condensation on the outside of my rubber gasket and door? This is my first batch and I can’t find any information regarding water dripping from the gasket. Thanks
Yes, this is normal. It is more often the case in warm temperatures, but has no effect on the freeze dry process.
Make sure you wipe the condensation off before you pull your trays. If water gets in the tray, your batch will be ruined.
I need help with my jolly ranchers. If I raise the temp what do I raise it to?
Use the high temperature candy mode setting. I increase the temp to 150, but it works at 135 degrees and up. Increase your dry time to at least 3 hours and they should work. Best of luck!
There is a huge difference in the brand of gummy used for us. We have used three brands and they all swell to different sizes and consistencies. Nassau(source) wild cherry swells to twice that of Albanese and even more than that with Haribo. Which is best for biggest swell for you all? density and original ingredients obviously have an impact. Thoughts? We do medicated “puffs”
Has anyone here mixed sub straights?
I’ve really been wanting the info for gummy bears as well!!! Anyone??
I have freeze dried caramel apple suckers and bit of honey, individual caramels, and peach rings, and they turned out great!
What temperature and time are you using for your peach rings?
Do jolly rancher gummies work?
Ok so I’ll try to get an answer here as head office isn’t helping.
What temperature should the freezing and dehydrating should be at when doing gummy bears.
As well how long does the batch take to be done.
Every brand of gummy bears reacts different to freeze drying. If you have the newest model of freeze dryer then I would recommend 135 or a little higher.
Has anyone done Hot Tamales or Mike and Ike type candy?
Hot Tamales and Mike and Ike candies do not change (same with jelly beans), they stay the same – even when you cut them up before freeze drying. They don’t puff or change like Skittles, Werthers, gummy bears, etc. do. I think because there’s too much corn starch and wax. The filling is like jelly in those hard shells.
Price and locatiom
You can buy direct from Harvest Right or many Ace Hardware Stores.
What state are you in.
Do I just keep adding dry time of my candy is not turning out like my nerd clusters 1 try did not change at all?
Crank heat up settings to 145f fr dry temp and space 4 -5 apart. Give room for 2-3x expansion. Once trays are loaded go into manual test mode (top left corner) and manually heat up your trays to 100-120 before starting cycle. After few minutes of preheat start cycle as normal however u are going to skip the freezing modes and go right to the dry mode which is right after “vacuum freezing” generally set machine for 2 hr dry time but they finish in 1.39 at most!!!!
How do you skip the freezing mode. I have a 2022 model and have tried to find the skip freezing mode and can’t find it.
go to custom. see the setting. there are up and down arrow. change freeze temp 0 and time to 0. if you are doing candies, set temp to 145F or 150F (harvest right recommended), candy mode on. I use normal instead of fast, I usually get a good result using normal. extra drying time I usually set it to 3 hours instead of 2 hrs (skittles), just to make sure. for Jolly Ranchers, cut in 1/2, extra drying time = 3hrs.
About how long and at what temp are you doing caramel apple suckers? I’ve tried several times and no luck.
Has anyone tried Good&Plenty licorice pastels or black licorice twizzlers?
I did peach, red licorice nibs, black licorice. I did reg candy mode, 135 and 3 hrs. All licorice was a bust. No change no crunch.
I also add jolly ranchers, gummy bears, skittles , Milky Way. These dried good.
Some bears blew up big some no change.
My gummies clump or stick together if they are touching. Has anyone had any luck preventing clumping?
We have tried countless times to make Jolly Ranchers, Gummy Worms and Gummy Bears but ours remain small and still very chewy. (We ran all batches for 24 hours.) We’ve purchased other freeze dried Jolly Ranchers, Gummy Bears and Worms online and they are huge and soft. Can anyone else us understand what we may be doing wrong or could try?
We had lots of failures and mixes successes until someone suggested always doing candy at 145. Now we see more success than failure! And failure is mostly when experimenting with new stuff on just the extra dry time (we’ve done lots of Skittles, gummies, nerd clusters, milk duds, marshmallows on extra dry at 145 with great success). Good luck!
I’m so thankful to have come across this great tip thank you so much for sharing! I can not wait to try increasing the temps for our candy. And trying the extra dry time hack. After so many failed batches I was feeling discouraged. I’ve been coming back to this blog discussion over and over looking for any helpful info. Again thank you
What gummies do you use? We have tried several kinds and we still haven’t gotten any to work.
I used Black Forest organic gummies. They expanded to at least four times original size,so leave a lot of room. I wasn’t aware of using a higher temp for candy, so don’t know if that would make a difference.
I used albanese and a generic from the dollar store. Both rose, but the generic was more dense. They weren’t as fluffy as the albanese gummy bears.
My freeze dryer is 4 or 5 years old. I just freeze dry it without changing anything settings.
Are you using the candy mode upgrade provided by Harvest Right? That was a game-changer for us.
Jolly rancher – cut in thirds.
Gummy bears – use parchment paper & Black Forest gummy bears.
Gummy worms sometimes need extra dry time. Like 4 hours
I set my temp on 145 degrees and it runs on the candy mode and only takes 2 hours.
Jolly Ranchers and Gummy Bears, I recommend you to freeze dry them separately for their drying time are different. JR, 0 freezing time, 145F candy mode, normal. extra drying time =3hrs. Same as Trolli worms. However, I am still trying to figure Haribo Gummy Bears out. it is a little tricky
Can you freeze dry Rolos caramel chocolates
We have. They are delicious!!
Do the candies need to dry at 145 degrees for 24 hours?
With the new candy update candies are done in about 2 hours
Jennifer, ours take about 8-10 hours. We set it on candy mode with the temp at 150. How are you running it in 2 hours? Please help!! Thanks for any input.
Dianne
no, all candies are different. once i figure out which candies can be done in 2 hours, i place them in the same batch, same as 3hrs drying time candies.
So, skittles are the easiest, only 145F for 2 hours drying time. Other candies are 3 hrs up.
Do you warm the trays before hand? Also, have you found any success with gummy bears? If so, what temp, duration, etc are you using?
Which candies ? Any specific brands ?
The easiest way to do most canies fast is the test mode. Load the candy, shut the drain, and go to test screen. Turn on heat and vacuum. When the heat hits 135-140 shut it off and continue to vacuum til you get to the size w
You want. Leave vacuum on and turn freeze on to under 100. I do Carmel m&ms and Charlestown chew rollers but keep the temp at about 125 so all the chocolate doesn’t melt off and cool them to about 60. You can do a batch of skittles in maybe 30 minutes like this.
Does this work with an older machine? I’m brand new to this but have an older machine I got from someone who never used it.
Never mind. I figured it out. I found how to turn the temperature up and had a good batch of assorted candy. Some turned out, some didn’t. I froze them before I read that you didn’t need to. Now I’ve got it loaded with taffy, charleston chews, bit-o-honey, gummy bears and more. 2 stores have not had jolly ranchers. Can’t wait to give them a try.
Does anyone know the secret for Warheads? I have got them to work like twice about a year ago and now for some reason they arent.
Great question! I cannot get them to work either… I put them on a tray with the jolly ranchers… JR’s worked perfect… Warheads… nothin! Anyone have good settings to make them work?
Just did a few batches of ice cream sandwiches, skittles, milk duds, blue gummy sharks, gummy worms, gummy bears, and jolly ranchers. All were pretty good except for the sharks, gummy bears and jolly ranchers. Any ideas on why some candies work and why some don’t? I’m guessing they need to be freeze dried longer since they don’t puff up as much and are still hard/gummy. Thought about doing the same type candies for every cycle, but we’ll see as I’m still experimenting!
Do you mind sharing the details how to freeze dried ice cream sandwiches? Freeze time and temp? Extra drying time? candy mode on or off? normal or fast? Thanks in advance
We have used the salted caramels that we purchased at Sam’s Club we cut them into pieces because they expand yummy yummy.
they are delicious! I cut them in quarters and puff so big! However, you need to put them in air tight containers immediately after they cool down or they will go sticky and flat…. like melted caramel snowman LOL
What is the new candy mode I’m hearing about? How do I find it on the machine?
You have to get the down load from Harvest Rigjt. Call them or email them and they will send you the link. You can not use a link from another customer
How long should I put in Jolly Ranchers? On what temperature?
How long should I put in Starburst? On what temperature?
How long should I put in salt water taffy? on what temperature?
Hoe long should I put in skittles? On what temperature?
Yup. This info would be helpful. I have a new freeze dryer, medium size.
It would be helpful.
I posted a couple of replies on JR above. For starburts, i have tried mini and they dont change much but they turn crunchy. salty water taffy is very easy. cut each in 1/4, must be 1/4 or they will take too long to dry to the core. JR and salt water taffy are same, 0 freeze time, 145F candy mode on normal, extra drying time 3.5 hrs. warm tray 5 min.
Yes but they get really big and can make a mess I am going to cut them in half and try them that way because we had a huge mess to clean up
We have tried lemon heads several times with no success.
Would someone mind giving us the temp and times you had them turn out successfully?
i have tried. they dont change much, just more crunchier than what they originally are. I also want to know how other sellers make them so popped open
I just did lemon heads, 0 freeze 145* 2 1/2 -3 hrs dry, warmed trays 20 min and they turned out great. I’ve decided like candies need to be in FD, and not mixed types, JR, lemonheads, did great together.
What temp and extra time do you find successful for Jolly Ranchers and Gummy bears?
Wonder if anyone can help. When I put candy in, it puffs up whilst drying but once I turn vacuum off and drain the valve they deflate. Am I doing something wrong?
I know it’s common sense. Wait till the cycle stops. Open the valve. If you’re turning the vacuum off before hand you’re deflating your candies.
Any advice for junior mints in candy mode? I have tried 3 hours, 2 hours and 1 hour but they just come out a melted mess?
My gummy bears and worms are coming out still partly chewy. I heat tray for only 1 minute because that was factory…. Also only dry for 2 hours. How to I make this crispy and airy I do have them in the candy setting at 150° drying.
Trolli gummy worms. 150 @6hrs
Has anyone tried York peppermint patties?
I have done much searching the net and cannot find anything about FD or not FD nerds. Regular nerds, not the nerd clusters. Can anyone enlighten me?
Regular nerds do not freeze dry, just the clusters.
How is everyone getting such great results in just a few hours? My shortest drying time with gummies and nerd clusters is 8 hours. That’s at 150 on high heat candy mode.
Warming the trays is what helps, try 10-15 min it is what worked for me, also I did 145*
How do you freeze dry butter scotch hard candy. What settings and how long does it take
do you put o2 absorbers in jars with freeze-dried skittles?
No, do not use o2 absorbers, it’ll cause the candy to become rock hard. Just get rid of all the air you can and put in a moisture absorber if you have them.
I use small oxygen absorbers in my candy and none have gotten rock hard. Maybe it’s because they are smaller they don’t cause that issue.
Do not put 02 absorbers in jars with candy, it will cause it to be rock hard. Just vacuum out the air and put in a moisture absorber.
Nerd clusters should be done in 5 hours, some things take more time, some less. No freezing needed, should be in candy mode if you have it.
Please someone help me with peach rings setting I have been having a hard time having it to work out.
I have been scrolling and watching videos for hours. Would anyone be so kind as to share your process for peach gummy rings? I just need specific settings and length of time. I have thrown out so many batches and it’s the number one candy my daughter has requested
For peach rings I’ve had success using Trolli brand. 150 degrees for 6 hrs. No warming the tray.
I put my machine on candy mode and turned off the freezer, but it still froze the candy. Does heating the try first make it not freeze?
Another candy we’ve had a lot of success with are the Lucky Charms Marshmallows in Candy Mode. 0F Initial, 0h Extra Freeze, Normal, 145F, 2-3h Dry Time, Candy Mode On, Skip the Tray Warming.
The marshmallows are fun to look at (they only puff up a bit which I like), have a nice crunch to them, and work great in hot cocoa!
I’ve also added mini marshmallows to the same batch (as the bottom tray in our medium dryer) and they’ve worked well together.
Hi can you please tell me settings you used for heur gummies? Time/heat/tray warm? I’m struggling with these. Thank you!