Sugar Crystals and Rock Candy

You don't have to visit a candy store to get colorful rock candy. See how easy it is to grow your own sparkling (and tasty) rock candy crystals at home.

Sugar crystals are also known as rock candy since the crystallized sucrose resembles rock crystals and because you can eat your finished product. You can grow clear sugar crystals with sugar and water or you can add food coloring to get colored crystals. It's simple, safe, and fun.

Do you know what rock candy looks like? See rock candy and other images of sugar crystals including a micrograph of a sucrose crystal.

Sugar crystals, also known as rock candy, are great crystals to grow because they are beautiful, can be grown in any color of the rainbow, and because you can eat them. They aren't always the easiest crystals to grow. Here's how to solve problems growing sugar crystals.

Sugar and string Easter egg ornaments are a fun family craft idea, plus you can include a lot of science in this project. You can make smaller hollow string ornaments to hang or put in baskets or you can make a large crystal egg to use as an Easter basket.

Rock candy is candy made by crystallizing sugar. You can grow sugar crystals yourself, plus add color and flavor to make rock candy that you can eat.

Making maple syrup crystals is a fun project for children. It's great for adults, too, since the maple syrup crystals may be used in place of sugar as a pretty addition to drinks or other treats. Here's how to make the crystals.

If you are having trouble growing rock candy or sugar crystals or just want to prevent problems before they arise, see these tips for growing sugar crystals.