Jolly Rancher Moonshine
Growing up one of my favorite candies were Jolly Ranchers…ok they still are! One of my teachers had a special box where we could pick out a treat when we got good grades. For me, I always chose Cherry Jolly Ranchers or Airheads. Gotta love that sweet and sour candy!
Ingredients
The following ingredients are to make one batch or flavor. You can use this same recipe to make different flavors, using different colors of candy.
10 Jolly Ranchers of the Same Color, unwrapped
14-16 Ounces Vodka or Everclear
Items Needed:
16oz Mason Jar (Pint size)
Recipe intended for readers 21+; please enjoy responsibly!
Instructions
Take the candies out of their wrappers.
Place the candies into the bottom of the mason jar. Use different jars for different flavors.
Pour the vodka into the jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace.
Allow to steep in a cool, dark location (the pantry would be fine) for one week. Pour the mixture through a strainer and into a clean mason jar for storage. You can discard any remaining candy or start another batch.
Prep Tips
Shortcut: If you have a little extra time, you can speed up the process by shaking your jar every half hour for a few hours. This will help the candy dissolve faster so you can enjoy your jolly rancher moonshine the first day, probably after 8-10 hours for optimum flavor.
Mixing: If doing the “set it and forget it” method, halfway through the steeping process, give the jar a good shake to mix things up. So if you’re planning to soak the candy for a week, on day 3 or 4, shake it up.
Flavor Intensity: For a more intense fruity flavor, add a few more jolly rancher candies to your jar. I use 10 candies as my starting point. If at the halfway point it looks like the color is very light I might add some more candy for the rest of the week. On the flip side, if you want just a hint of fruit flavor, you could use half the suggested amount of candy.
Clean-Up: If any of the candy gets stuck to the bottom of the mason jar after you empty it, simply add a squirt of dishwashing liquid, such as Dawn, and hot water and allow to soak. They should clean right up after a little soaking.
Cocktails: This Jolly Rancher Moonshine tastes fantastic when mixed with lemon lime soda, such as a little bit of Sprite or 7-up. It would also be yummy when mixed with cream soda.
