Pomegranate Caramels

Name: Pomegranate Caramels
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2 ¼ cups pomegranate juice; ½ cup unsalted butter; 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar; ¼ cup light corn syrup; ¼ teaspoon salt; 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk (canned)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Pomegranate Caramels take ordinary caramels up a notch or two. Think chewy, creamy caramel with a fruity touch. This easy to make pomegranate candy is a festive treat and make wonderful Rosh Hashanah gifts.

Pomegranate Caramels wrapped in pink foil with a pomegranate on a white serving platter.

Why you'll love this recipe

This week was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is a time of celebration, reflection, and renewal. Traditionally, family and friends gather to celebrate and often there are foods served that are symbolic of our New Year’s wishes.

Apples are dipped in honey in the hope of a sweet New Year and the many seeds of the pomegranate represent our merits and the hope is to increase our merits in the year to come.

The number of seeds in each pomegranate is also said to correlate with the 613 commandments, or good deeds, of the Torah. The fruit represents knowledge, learning, and wisdom.

Pomegranate Caramels embody all of those hopes and wishes along with easy to make deliciousness.

A pomegranate surrounded by Pomegranate Caramels wrapped in pink foil.

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the pomegranate juice to a boil. Lower temperature and simmer uncovered until the juice is reduced to ¾ cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar, corn syrup, salt, condensed milk, and reduced pomegranate juice. Stir continually until the mixture reaches 248° F on a candy thermometer.
Pour the mixture into an 8” x 8” baking pan lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool at room temperature.
For easier cutting, refrigerate for 15-30 minutes until quite firm.

Storage

Wrap caramels in wax paper, then decorative foil.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Pomegranate Caramels sliced into bite sized rectangles.

Tips

This pomegranate candy recipe requires juice concentrate for flavor. Many fruit juices come in frozen concentrates. Pomegranate juice isn't readily available in frozen concentrate, but making your own concentrate adds less than 15 minutes to the recipe.
I had excellent results with both the Pom brand (refrigerated) and the Trader Joe’s brand ( shelf stable) of pomegranate juice.
The recipe requires ¾ cup of juice concentrate. Starting with 3 times that amount (2 ¼ cups), the juice is simmered to evaporate the liquid and concentrate the flavor until ¾ cup of juice remains.
For a lovely, soft, chewy consistency, Pomegranate Caramels should be stored at room temperature. However, for easy cutting and wrapping, I recommend chilling the caramel (for about 15 minutes) to temporarily harden.
Waxed paper can be cut in squares (4”x 4”) for wrapping with twisted ends or can be purchased pre-cut. For celebrations and gift giving, cellophane or foil wrappers provide sparkle.
Wrapping on a flat surface (rather than holding the caramel in your hand) helps keep the candy from warming and the foil from wrinkling.

Caramels wrapped in wax paper being wrapped in pink foil.

Frequently asked questions

Is a candy thermometer required for making caramel candy?

For best results, a candy thermometer is recommended for this recipe to ensure that the mixture reaches the correct temperature to provide the chewy consistency.

Can this recipe be made in other flavors?

Yes! Subsitute the pomegranate concentrate with the same amount of any other fruit juice concentrate.

Do you have to wrap the caramels in wax paper?

I recommend wrapping caramel candy in thin strips of waxed paper (hand cut) as extra protection from sticking, even if the foil wrappers are labeled “anti-stick candy wrappers”. Then, cover each caramel in foil.

Caramels in pink foil and a pomegranate on a serving plate.

More Rosh Hashanah gift ideas

This Rosh Hashanah Gift Guide is full of great ideas for New Year gifts and recipes!

Honey Applesauce Cake is a year round favorite. This moist, flavorful loaf is ideal for gifting and snacking.

Biscotti are a welcome gift any time of year. With flavors like Honey Biscotti and Apple Biscotti, they are perfect for High Holy Day sharing.

Apple and Honey Cookies are a Rosh Hashanah treat! The cookies get their fruity flavor and chewy texture from apple butter and are topped with honey icing!

You may be surprised to find that the apples and honey combination is fabulous on crunchy Apples and Honey Popcorn and in Apples and Honey Chocolate Bars!

These Honey Lollipops are a show stopper! Make them in an apple shaped mold for the perfect New Year sweet.

If you enjoyed making and sharing these caramels for Rosh Hashanah, don’t miss Golden Chocolate Coins for Hanukkah, my family's favorite Hamantaschen Recipe for Purim, and Passover Mandel Bread!

Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and peace-filled New Year. L’Shana Tova!

Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!