A staple of seaside locales and candy stores, salt water taffy is a sweet and relatively simple treat. All of the ingredients that make up the confection are common household items, with the exception perhaps of artificial flavoring and food dye.

Though the amount varies by recipe, there is not a single preparation of salt water taffy that does not call for significant amounts of sugar. Most salt water taffy is prepared with bleached, granulated sugar, as opposed to powdered or brown sugar.

Cornstarch is used in taffy recipes to act as an anti-sticking agent for the sugar, and also as a thickening agent.

Corn syrup is thick and sweet, and is used to maintain moisture and freshness. The amount of corn syrup in the taffy will greatly affect the candy's sweetness.

Though not all taffy recipes call for butter, many use it to enhance the texture and flavor of the confection.

Salt's role in salt water taffy is to offset the effects of so many sweet ingredients grouped together. Additionally, the presence of salt gives taffy its namesake.

Water binds all of the other ingredients together and adds body to the candy.

Most commercial salt water taffy is completed by the addition of artificial flavors, normally in the form of extracts, and colored with a food dye.