Dryden & Palmer

Dryden & Palmer rock candy was founded in 1880 during the glory years of the syrup business when companies supplied sugary solutions for medicinal products, soda fountains, as well as candies. Although Islamic writers first described the creation of this gem-like confection back in the 9th century, it’s commercial production took a little while longer to occur, really taking off in the late 1800s. This pure, translucent sweet became extremely popular for taverns and saloons, who each had a secret “Rock & Rye” elixir, consisting of rock candies dissolved in rye whiskey. However, the winds of change blew in during the prohibition years when the tavern market crashed, which subsequently caused a crisis in the sugar syrup industry. This innovative confectioner was the only company to survive the upheaval! Now operated by Richardson Premium Brands, they continue to create the classic and artisan sweets loved by both children and adults!

For well over 100 years, Dryden & Palmer has been the leader in artisan sugar candies, with their products found all over the United States and in almost every country across the globe. Candy crystals like these have many culinary uses worldwide. They are part of the tea culture of East Frisia, a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking, as well as mixed into luxury bread recipes in the Netherlands! Rock candy sticks are available in every shade of the rainbow, from light blue and pink to deep orange and black, and in flavors like blue raspberry! Fill glass jars with loose crystals in a color to match your party theme, create a dazzling display on a buffet table with strings of blue, pink, green, or white, or make your own top-shelf drinks with gourmet swizzle sticks! The sky is the limit when you’re using bulk rock candy at Candy Warehouse!

Fun Facts- You know these crystalline gems of sweetness are delicious, but how is rock candy made? Using a bit of science, and a little ingenuity, this beautiful and delicious gem-like sweet is created by heating water to an optimal temperature and adding pure sugar, allowing it to dissolve completely. This solution becomes supersaturated and is allowed to cool, forming large diamond-like crystals on objects like sticks or strings. When no object is used to collect the luminescent gems, they are harvested as loose “rocks,” and packaged in bulk quantities for a myriad of culinary uses. The process of crystal nucleation takes six to seven days, and the result is a sweet treat in the purest form of sugar possible. Even though they are utterly delicious on their own, the addition of rock candy flavors adds another level of enjoyment to this already fabulous treat!