One of the fun perks of having a freeze dryer is being able to make freeze dried candies. And with the update on the current Harvest Right machines, they now come with a candy mode which makes freeze drying candies super fast.

Learn how to make freeze dried skittles in your Harvest Right machine.

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Freeze dried candies are all the rage right now. So many people are loving these tasty treats. Freeze dried candy is fun because the texture and flavor of each candy changes and becomes more enhanced.

This post will be focusing on how to make freeze dried Skittles. But you can learn all about freeze drying other foods and candies in this post. Freeze dried Skittles just happen to be our family favorite and on of the favorites of much of the freeze dried candy community.

But what is freeze drying? Learn all about freeze drying and how it can benefit your family.

What are freeze dried Skittles?

Freeze dried Skittles are a candy snack made by drying out the original Skittles candy (you can also freeze dry the specialty Skittles). The freeze drying process removes moisture from the candy, resulting in crunchy bite-sized pieces with all of the flavor of regular Skittles without the chewy texture. In fact, freeze dried Skittles are very crunchy.

Are dehydrated Skittles the same as freeze dried?

No, dehydrated Skittles are very different from freeze dried Skittles. When foods or candies are dehydrated, the product is made by using heat to dry. The product usually has a chewy texture and some flavor loss.

The freeze drying process removes moisture from the candy without using any heat, resulting in crunchy and flavorful pieces of candy. Most candies will expand as the moisture is released and have kind of a puffy look. Freeze drying also enhances the flavors of the candy.

How long does it take to make freeze dried skittles?

Usually it takes 2-4 hours using candy mode on the freeze dryer.

If your machine does not have a candy mode, it can take a little longer. However, you can change the settings on your machine to: 0 for initial freeze, 4 hours extended dry time, and 145°F for temperature. This process can take anywhere from 4-10 hours. It really just depends on what candy and how your machine reacts.

Can you freeze dry Skittles and sell them?

Yes, you can sell freeze dry Skittles and other candies. But each state and country has different laws on producing and handling food. In our state, we can sell freeze dried candies under cottage laws without penalty to those in our state. But if we sell outside of the state, we are required to have health and food permits.

Make sure to check your laws for sell, distributing and labeling products and candies you sell from your freeze drier.

What supplies do you need to freeze dry Skittles?

For successful freeze drying, you'll need:

Harvest Right Freeze Dryer -We use the large Harvest Right Freeze Dryer. We decided to go with the large because it can hold more, which means filling less often versus running the machine more often. But they come in small, medium and large. And they released an Ex-Large version in 2023.
Skittles - we usually buy ours from Costco
Colored Mylar Bags - 5.9x8.6 or 4x6
Impulse Sealer - or you can use a flat iron to seal as well

You can purchase these in many places including from Harvest Right and even on Amazon. We've had success with both, but you may need to try a few brands until you find one that works best for you.