Homemade Button Candy Recipe

Surprise yourself, the kids or your friends by making these colorful candies at home! These cute button candies are always a hit with kids and adults alike! Making them yourself is fun and the recipe is easy. They make great party favors and treats! This kid friendly project is great for any time of year, it's fun to tailor the colors to the season - red and green for Christmas, pastels for Spring, green for St. Patrick’s Day, red for Valentine’s Day! A fun rainy day activity!

At our kid's birthday parties we've used the candy buttons as a fun game! Give each child a strip of candy buttons and the child who finishes eating the candies first wins a prize. We've had a few cheaters over the years who get halfway through and start eating the paper!

1 Pound of Confectioners Sugar
3 Tablespoons of Meringue Powder*
5 Tablespoons of warm water
½ Teaspoon Vanilla
(purchase Meringue Powder using discount coupons at A.C.Moore or Michaels Craft stores or online at Amazon)

Other supplies needed:
Variety of food colorings (3 or 4 colors)
Plain white sheets of paper (8 ½ x 11 sheets of computer paper).Cut the paper into three long strips and lay the strips on a cookie baking sheet.
Cake Decorating bags or ziploc type sandwich bags

Add the sugar, meringue powder, water and vanilla to a large bowl and beat for approximately 10 minutes, until the icing forms stiff peaks. You may need to add a little more water or sugar depending on the humidity in your kitchen. It should be the consistency of sour cream.

Divide the icing into three or four bowls, add a few drops of color to each bowl and mix well. Continue until you are happy with the colors. Spoon each color of frosting into a sandwich bag which you will use like a piping bag (snip a tiny piece off of one of the corners, squeeze the frosting down toward the corner and twist the top so the frosting doesn’t come out the top into your hands.

Squeeze the icing out onto the paper strips in small dots, 3 across the strip of paper. Continue down the paper, changing the color every 4 to 6 rows. Keep the rows and columns of dots even and in line with each other. Place the baking sheets in a dry cool place to dry for about 12 hours. Enjoy!