Have you ever tried freeze dried Skittles? They're all the rage! Once freeze dried, the Skittles' soft, chewy texture becomes crunchy, light, and airy. After you learn about freeze drying Skittles, check out my freeze dried candy post, too!
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Updated November 2026: I made a fresh batch on Harvest Right's newer software (version 6.5) and updated the steps, photos, and video.
Freeze dried candies are really popular right now. You may be surprised to learn you can freeze dry anything from Jolly Ranchers and Lifesavers to gummy worms, jelly beans, and taffy. You can even make freeze dried Starburst! In this post, we'll focus on freeze drying Skittles.
You can buy freeze dried Skittles on Amazon, Etsy, and local farmers' markets, but did you know you can make them yourself for way less?
Freeze dried Skittles expand to the size of marbles, and their familiar chewy texture becomes light and crunchy. However, they retain their unique flavor and are a delight to the taste buds!
If you don't have a freeze dryer, maybe you have a friend who does? I finally purchased mine after trying some of the freeze dried foods that my friends were making. Yes, it was a pricey decision, but I regret nothing!
Gummy worms, Life Savers, and Australian licorice before and after freeze drying.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
All you need to make freeze dried Skittles is Skittles! What are Skittles? Skittles are bite-sized candies in a rainbow of fruity flavors. The flavors include strawberry, grape, green apple, orange, and lemon.
For my latest batch, I used a 3.3 lb party-size bag, which filled 3 trays at about 1 pound per tray. If you just want to try it, a regular 15.6-ounce bag is plenty.
Helpful Tools
- freeze dryer (I used an extra-large Harvest Right freeze dryer)
- mylar bags or quart-sized mason jars for storing your candy
- oxygen absorbers to help preserve your freeze dried Skittles
- mason jar vacuum sealer (paid link) to seal jars.
What Is Candy Mode?
Before we go into the freeze drying instructions, I'd like to point out that there's more than one way to freeze dry candy. You can do a normal freeze drying cycle, which can take 20+ hours, but why waste so much energy, time, and money?
Harvest Right freeze dryers have a candy mode that skips the freezing step and dries the candy at a higher temperature (I use 150°F). That means a batch of Skittles is done in about 2 hours instead of a full day, with great results.
Another option is to add 2 hours of extra drying time after you are done processing other food through the freeze dryer. All you have to do is load your candy trays and freeze dry them for 2 hours. It's that simple!
My freeze dryer is now on software version 6.5, which has a Candy button right on the home screen, so the steps below are for the newer software. If you don't see Candy mode on your machine, check for a software update.
How to Freeze Dry Skittles in Candy Mode
Step 1: Turn on your freeze dryer and tap Candy on the home screen.
Step 2: On the Candy Drying screen, leave the tray loading temperature at 70°F. Pre-Warm is turned on by default (the button is green), so tap it to turn it off until it reads Skip Warm (see why below). Make sure the dry time is set to 2:00 and the temperature to 150°F, then tap Start.
Step 3: The screen will say Preparing Freeze Dryer while it gets ready, which takes about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, line your trays with parchment paper or silicone mats and spread the Skittles out in a single layer, about 1 pound per tray for an extra-large model. Don't overcrowd the trays; otherwise, the Skittles will stick together.
Pro Tip: Silicone liners or parchment paper will keep the candy from sticking to your trays and make for easy cleanup.
Step 4: When the screen says Load Trays into Freeze Dryer, load your trays, close and latch the door, then close the drain valve. Tap Continue.
Step 5: The drying countdown starts at 2 hours. You can adjust the time with the arrows, but I recommend sticking with 2 hours.
Pro Tip: You can run up to 5 batches back-to-back without having to defrost the freeze dryer.
Step 6: When the screen says Process Complete, open the drain valve to vent, then open the door and remove the trays. From there, you can tap Defrost, or Start New Candy Batch to run another batch right away. Most of the Skittles should be puffed up. A few may not pop, which is normal, but if a lot of them didn't, add a little extra drying time.
How to Tell When They're Done
Finished Skittles are puffed, feel light, and crunch all the way through. Break one open to check. It should be airy inside with no chewy center.
Should You Warm the Trays?
Candy mode has a warming option that heats the trays before drying. I skip it. The first time I tried it, the warming cycle took over an hour to reach 150°F, and most of the Skittles disintegrated into powder. The newer software lets you set the warming time, but I still skip it. My latest batch, with warming skipped, came out whole with no powder at all.
Troubleshooting
- Skittles stuck together: The trays were too crowded. Spread them out in a single layer with a little space between them.
- Long, snake-like strands: This happened to me with a full freeze drying cycle of 12+ hours, when the filling oozed out. With candy mode, my Skittles puffed nicely without overdoing it.
How to Store Freeze Dried Candy
Add cooled freeze dried Skittles to mylar bags or mason jars and toss in an oxygen absorber before sealing. For longer storage, store in mylar bags and keep in a cool, dark location. Bag them as soon as they've cooled, since freeze dried candy pulls moisture from the air and can turn sticky if it sits out.
Want to learn more about purchasing a freeze dryer? Check out my detailed Harvest Right freeze dryer review!
FAQs
Can you make freeze dried Skittles without a freeze dryer?
No. Freeze drying removes the moisture under a vacuum, so you need a freeze dryer. And no, you can't use a clothes dryer to make them, as some viral TikTok videos suggest! An oven or air fryer will just melt them.
Are freeze-dried Skittles better than regular Skittles?
Freeze dried Skittles are not necessarily better, but they are different! Freeze dried Skittles puff up like popcorn, and their texture changes from chewy to light, airy, and crunchy.
Pro Tips
- When buying oxygen absorbers, choose the ones that are individually packaged. Avoid the ones that come in a pack of 10 or more because once the packaging is opened, they begin to deteriorate.
- When stored in sealed Mylar bags with an oxygen absorber, freeze dried Skittles stay crunchy for about a year.
- Both regular Skittles and sour Skittles can be freeze dried, so try both and see which ones you prefer.
- I tried 3 different batches (30 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours). Some of the Skittles did not expand and get properly freeze dried using the 30-minute and 1-hour options, so I recommend sticking with 2 hours.
- Crushed Skittles can be used as an ice cream topping!
Related Recipes
Looking for more ways to use your freeze dryer? You'll find them all in my freeze dryer recipes collection.
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Turn on your freeze dryer and tap Candy on the home screen.
- On the Candy Drying screen, leave the tray loading temperature at 70°F. Pre-Warm is on by default, so tap it to turn it off until it reads Skip Warm. Make sure the dry time is set to 2:00 and the temperature to 150°F, then tap Start.
- While the screen says Preparing Freeze Dryer (about 15 minutes), line your trays with parchment paper or silicone mats and spread the Skittles out in a single layer, about 1 pound per tray for an extra-large model. Don't overcrowd the trays; otherwise, the Skittles will stick together.
- When the screen says Load Trays into Freeze Dryer, load your trays, close and latch the door, then close the drain valve. Tap Continue.
- The drying countdown starts at 2 hours. You can adjust the time with the arrows, but I recommend sticking with 2 hours.
- When the screen says Process Complete, open the drain valve to vent, then open the door and remove the trays. Tap Defrost or Start New Candy Batch to run another batch. If a lot of the Skittles didn't puff up, add a little extra drying time.
- Add cooled freeze dried Skittles to Mylar bags or mason jars and toss in an oxygen absorber before sealing. For longer storage, store in mylar bags and keep in a cool, dark location. Bag them as soon as they've cooled so they don't turn sticky.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Silicone liners or parchment paper will keep the candy from sticking to your trays and make for easy cleanup.
- I skip the Pre-Warm option. The first time I warmed the trays, most of the Skittles disintegrated into powder. With warming skipped, they come out whole.
- I tried 3 different batches (30 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours). Some of the Skittles did not expand and get properly freeze dried using the 30-minute and 1-hour options, so I recommend sticking with 2 hours.
- When buying oxygen absorbers, choose the ones that are individually packaged. Avoid the ones that come in a pack of 10 or more because once the packaging is opened, they begin to deteriorate.
- When stored in sealed Mylar bags with an oxygen absorber, freeze dried Skittles stay crunchy for about a year.
- Both regular Skittles and sour Skittles can be freeze dried, so try both and see which ones you prefer.
- You can run up to 5 batches back-to-back without having to defrost the freeze dryer.
Kezia says
Thank you so much for adding pictures of your customized settings. This helps me so much. I am new to the freeze drying world and I’m trying to get the hang of it so nice to find a blog that I could read through. Hope you do more freeze drying tips. Thank you.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kezia,
You're very welcome, thank you so much for your comment! I am posting more freeze drying posts, however, it's on my new homesteading blog. You can find them here: https://montanahomesteadharvest.com/category/freeze-drying/
Julie says
Thank you, Hilda- your article really helped me trouble shoot my skittles process! They were getting way too big and merging into each other, and skipping the tray warming made them turn out perfectly.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Julie, So glad to hear that I could help. Thank you for your comment!
Kynda says
I tried freeze dried Skittles for the first time tonight. They were crunchy but the shells felt tacky/sticky to me... I can't believe that that is how they are supposed to feel.
My settings were 145 degrees for 3 hours. I did warm the trays, but it only took a few minutes... nothing past 5 minutes or so.
I use a Harvest Right Medium.
Thank you for helping me brainstorm.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kynda,
If they feel tacky at all, you can just add additional drying time. That's what I do.
Lori Ross says
I Love Hilda's recipes! They are easy to follow and I especially like when she tell's you not to do something and gives you the reason why. I would have warmed my trays had she not warned me in advance. Thanks Hilda for all your work to make our lives easier:)
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Lori, I'm glad my detailed posts aren't overkill. I hope the kids enjoyed the freeze dried Skittles!