How To Make Beeswax Taper Candles
Learn how to make beeswax tapered candles to add that rustic whimsy and farmhouse charm. They make wonderful gifts, perfect for birthdays or holidays, brimming with handmade thoughtfulness.
Servings 4
Cost 5
Equipment
- Deep and narrow container, such as a wide mouth mason jar
- Stockpot
- Hex nuts (for a weight)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beeswax pellets or wax from a local beekeeper cut into large pieces
- 90-100" braided candle wick
Instructions
- Place beeswax pellets into a wide mouth mason jar, a tall metal tin, or another tall, heat-safe container.
- To the bottom of a medium to large stock pot, add a folded towe or trivet, and fill with about 3-4” of water.
- Place over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
- Carefully add the jar (or jars) of wax into the simmering water. As the wax begins to melt down, you will want to add more pellets so the wax is at least 6 to 7 inches deep.
- Cut four wicks (or whatever amount of candles you want to make) to 25” in length. Tie a hex nut to each end of the wick.
- Allow the wax to completely melt.
- Fill another tall jar with cold water.
- Fold the wick with the nuts tied at both ends at the middle of the wick. Slowly dip the ends into the wax.
- Next, dip the wicks into a jar of cold water.
- Dip back into the hot wax, then back into the cool water. Repeat about 10 times total. The candle should have enough weight at this point to be fully submerged without the hex nut.
- Cut the weights off at the bottom, as close to the nut as you can get.
- Continue dipping the tapered candles back and forth, between the wax and the water, until you have reached the desired diameter of the candle.
- Allow the candles to harden by hanging them or placing them on wax paper for a few hours.
- Trim the wicks and enjoy your beautiful candles.
Notes
- Trim the wick before burning.
- As you are making candles, the wax level will continue to decrease with each candle dipped. At some point, you may want to pour wax from one jar to the other two, so that you can maintain the depth for uniform candles.
- After each dip in the wax, dip the candles into a jar of cold water to help speed up the hardening process. If you skip this step, you will be waiting some time before the wax is hard enough to dip again.