Homemade tallow candles are so inexpensive to make, and provide a wonder toxin-free alternative to modern-day candles. I mean who wants store-bought products that are full of synthetic fragrances and other nasties?

Tallow Candles

Being relatively inexpensive to make, it is always good to have a couple of these homemade tallow candles on hand, especially for emergencies or power outages. They even make great gifts for friends and family!

Tallow is a simple, non-toxic product that can be used for so many things including eating, facial care products and candles.

Homemade Candle Tips

Be careful at what glass jars you use as some may shatter with the heat. To avoid this shattering, you can heat up the jars slightly in the oven or dishwasher before pouring in the tallow. Canning jars are made to withstand high temperatures, so they would be the best to use.
If you don’t have enough tallow for your jars, you can always melt more and top up your jars
Make sure to trim the wick to around ¼” to allow the candle to burn correctly
Essential Oils are optional for these candles, just make sure you use ones with a high flash point such as sandalwood, patchouli and cinnamon
For a more solid candle, or if your tallow is quite soft, you can add some beeswax to this recipe. Just melt ¼ cup beeswax with 1 cup tallow and follow the recipe

Ingredients for Making Tallow Candles

This recipe is easy to adjust to make as many candles as you wish.

To make an 8 oz candle or two 4 oz candles, you will need:

8 Ounces (about 1 cup) of Rendered Beef Tallow
Candle Wicks – This Candle Making Kit is great for beginners and those who are building their supplies
Glass Jar
Glue/sticky dot and pencils can help keep the wick in place
30-40 Drops Essential Oils, optional

Making Tallow Candles

Place the tallow in a glass bowl or jar and then into a double boiler until melted. This step can also be done in a microwave.

Once melted, allow the tallow to cool down for around 15 minutes.

While waiting, gently warm the jars and then attach the wicks to the bottom of the jars.

Use two pencils to hold the wick in place or you can use a hot glue gun or sticky dots to hold the wick in place.

If using essential oils, then this is the time to add them and mix thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the warm glass jars.

Allow the candles to harden completely, then trim the wick.

Storing Homemade Tallow Candles

To store the candles, keep them in a cool, dark place when not in use. They should last a very long time, though if you don’t store them correctly, you may find the tallow can go rancid.

More Tallow Recipes