Rainbow Hard Candy Lollipops

This project is a glimmering, shimmering rainbow of colors and flavors that is super fun for kids and adults to do together.

Start by gathering different colors and flavors of hard candy. Arrange the candy by color, then store each color in separate resealable plastic bags until ready to use.

You will need:

• parchment-lined baking sheet
• hard candy in a rainbow of colors
• ovensafe lollipop molds, like these stainless steel molds from Get Suckered
• ovensafe (nonplastic) sticks

We used 6-inch sticks and 3-inch lollipop molds. Insert the sticks into the molds before adding the candy and make sure that the molds lie flat against the baking sheets. This minimizes the amount of melted candy that leaks out around the edges. All of the following lollipops were baked at 350 degrees F for approximately 5 minutes unless otherwise noted. Be careful, because the candy and molds are hot (this part requires adult supervision!). Be sure to let the candy cool completely before removing the molds.

Starting at the bottom left, arrange the candy in the molds in the order of the colors in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 5 minutes. Opaque candy usually takes longer to melt than transparent candy, so in this case we are left with a green striped buttermint intact in the middle to serve as a reminder that when light from all of the colors of the rainbow are combined, white light is made!

Arrange oblong hard candy such as Jolly Ranchers or candy rods into a striped pattern. Bake until the candy is melted but before the colors totally blend together. Remove from the oven and quickly arrange candy sugar pearls on top of the melted candy while it’s still hot.

Will the joy of Funfetti ever cease? These lollipops are a giddy, sprinkles-filled extravaganza of flavor and color.

Smash a sealed bag filled with pale-colored hard candy with a mallet. Then spoon in 2 to 3 tablespoons of rainbow jimmies. Heat at 350 degrees F until the hard candy melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute. Then cover the melted candy with a thick layer of jimmies. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the top of the melted candy, then gently rub with your hand then remove the parchment to reveal the sprinkles melted and flattened into pretty patterns.

Fill one resalable plastic bag with butterscotch candies and another with red and white peppermints. Smash both with a mallet, being sure to leave some bigger pieces as shown.

Fill the lollipop mold three-quarters of the way with butterscotch pieces and melt. Remove from the oven then add a layer of crushed butterscotch on one half, followed by a layer of crushed peppermints on the other. Return to the oven and bake until the candy on top just starts to melt, about 1 minute.

Arrange a single layer of hard candies in rainbow pattern, similar to the rainbow heart lollipops. Bake until melted. Remove from the oven and spoon on crushed red and white hard candy. We used green apple flavored candy barrels for the large gem which have a slightly slower melting point than the other hard candy. Return to the oven for 1 minute or until the crushed candy just starts to melt.