homemade tootsie rolls

make your own tootsie rolls at home using this easy recipe!  there's no cooking or baking required and it's made using simple pantry staples.  go on...try it out.  up..up...up...

i never liked them when i was a child.  gave them away or traded them when i'd get them in my bag of halloween loot.  but when i ran across this recipe a couple years ago, i thought i'd try it out.  in love.  you seriously will not believe how much (better) they taste like the real dealio. cray cray.

Makes 22-24 pieces of candy

• 1/2 cup honey
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cup instant non-fat dry milk powder
• Wax paper

1. in a large bowl, combine honey, cocoa powder and vanilla using a whisk. add the melted butter and mix it up while you dance around the kitchen singing really loudly and slightly off key. add in the powdered sugar and pinch of salt; whisk again until well combined.
2. using a wooden spoon, mix in the instant milk powder ¼ cup at a time until a dough forms. when you can no longer stir the mixture with a spoon, knead it with your hands. keep adding in milk powder until a firm dough forms. you may not have to use all the milk powder. the finished dough should be firm and a little sticky but not so sticky that you can’t handle it. roll the dough into a ball and place on waxed paper lightly sprayed with cooking oil. let dough rest uncovered on the wax paper for 5-10 minutes. as the candy stands it will relax from a ball shape into a disc. cut candy into ¾-inch strips and then into 2-inch lengths. if candy sticks to the knife,  coat it with butter or oil.  
3. cut wax paper into 3 ½ x 5 inch pieces. wrap candies with the wax paper pieces and roll out the strips into tube shapes. store candies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. bring to room temperature before serving.