Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (2024)

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These Homemade Gumdrops are the perfect treat to make for friends and family during the holidays! Made with just a handful of ingredients – including applesauce – this easy gumdrop are sure to become a holiday tradition! A Christmas favorite with our family!Check out these Christmas favorites too:Buttermilk Pecan Pralines, Martha Washington Candies, and Christmas Peppermint Patties.

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (1)

Homemade Gumdrops

Making homemade candies for Christmas is the highlight of the season for me. We love making fudge, divinity, and all sorts of treats! This easy recipe for homemade gumdrops is sure to be a new family favorite for you too!

This recipe is not only easy, but perfect for kids that want to help out. Now, you’re going to want to make two batches so that you have contrasting colors. I, obviously, chose red and green for Christmas, but any combination of colors you like will work.

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (2)

You’re going to love how easy these gumdrops are to make! It’s like making Jell-O and then dipping them in sugar – so simple yet so delicious!

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What Ingredients Do I Need For Gumdrops

You’ll need the six-ounce Jell-O boxes as well as unflavored gelatin to make the gumdrops. The best part of making the gumdrops is the leftover tidbits after cutting out the shapes. I cut them down into small pieces, rollin sugar and the boys and I have been enjoying the “scraps” and saving the pretties for gifts 🙂

  1. Applesauce
  2. Sugar
  3. Jello
  4. Unflavored Gelatin
  5. Lemon Juice

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (3)

What Else Do I Need?

You will need a set of small, metal cookie cutters to cut out the gumdrops.

I like to have an assortment of cellophane treat bags on hand during the holiday season. It makes giving gifts that much more special. I think they look so cute!

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (4)

The gumdrops do need to sit out overnight, or for about 8 hours before they are rolled in sugar so make sure you calculate that into your time.

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (5)

Store the gumdrops in an airtight container or package up for small gifts. Teachers really LOVE these gumdrops!

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (6)

We are OBSESSED with candy making during the holidays. Make sure to give some of our favorite a try!

  • Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls
  • Chocolate Covered Mint Patties
  • Peppermint Mocha Fudge
  • Maple Nut Fudge
  • Coconut Macaroons

I hope you give this easy recipe a try this year! Merry Christmas!

How To Make Homemade Gumdrops

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (7)

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5 from 29 votes

Homemade Gumdrops

These Homemade Gumdrops are the perfect treat to make for friends and family during the holidays! Made with just a handful of ingredients – including applesauce – these gumdrops are sure to become a holiday tradition! A Christmas favorite with our family!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword candy, Christmas, dessert, gumdrop, gumdrops

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Resting Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 60

Calories 46kcal

Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

  • cups granulated sugar divided
  • cups applesauce - no sugar added
  • 6 oz Jello {i.e. cherry, lime, etc.}
  • ½ oz unflavored gelatin 2 envelopes
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  • Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

  • Combine 2 cups sugar, applesauce, Jell-O, unflavored gelatin and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Stir to combine. Let stand for 1 minute.

  • Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.

  • Boil for 1 minute and then immediately pour into prepared baking dish.

  • Refrigerate until firm - about three hours should do it. I left mine in overnight.

  • Cover a large cutting board with parchment paper and sprinkle with sugar.

  • Loosen the sides of the gelatin with a spatula and invert onto parchment paper.

  • Use small, sharp cookie cutters to cut out gumdrops. If needed, you can dip the cutters into hot water first. You may need to periodically rinse off the cutters as well to keep them clean.

  • Leave the cutout gumdrops on top of the sugar-coated parchment paper for about 8 hours or until just slightly sticky.

  • Roll the gumdrops in the remaining sugar and store in an airtight container.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 4mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (8)

More easy holiday treats!

Reese’s Holiday Pretzel Bites

Easy Christmas Peppermint Patties

Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (13)

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Homemade Gumdrops Recipe - Mom On Timeout (2024)

FAQs

What are gum drops made of? ›

Candy gum drops are made from sugar, corn syrup and a gelling agent (a natural polymer!) such as starch, pectin, natural gum or gelatin.

How do you soften stale gum drops? ›

Toss them in a bowl of hot or warm water (don't use cold water - gelatin is only soluble in warmer water) until they reach the desired consistency - usually around 20 minutes or so. The longer you leave them in the water, the more water they'll absorb, the more they'll grow and the softer they'll get.

What are the different types of gum drops? ›

Red gumdrops in a normal mix are cherry, in a spice mix they are cinnamon. Likewise, orange = clove; yellow =allspice; green = spearmint; purple = anise; white = wintergreen or peppermint; and black = licorice.

What is the difference between gumdrops and spice drops? ›

Gumdrops are fruit-flavored and spice drops are, well, spicier with flavors like clove, anise, etc.

How much pectin to use for gummies? ›

Pectin Gummy Bear Recipe
  1. 3 tbsp Pectin (Rapid Set HM Pectin preferred)
  2. 3 cups Sugar.
  3. 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Isomalt or Glucose DE42 (replace with normal sugar if unavailable)
  4. 1 Tbsp Citric Acid.
  5. 1 cup and 1 tbsp Water.
  6. Flavorings.
  7. Coloring (natural colors, liquid food coloring, or gel food coloring)
Nov 29, 2023

How long do gumdrops last? ›

Hard candies can last up to a year, and jellied candies with the consistency of gumdrops or jelly beans should last six to nine months — again, depending on how they're stored.

Is stale gum bad for you? ›

According to the International Chewing Gum Association, gum is a "stable product" and "not required by law to be labeled with an expiration date in most countries." Old gum may become brittle or lose its taste over time, but generally remains safe to chew.

What are gum drops most associated with? ›

The gelatin-based candy has not only been used for decorating cakes and gingerbread houses, but has also: Appeared in the popular Milton Bradley game, Candy Land, in the form of Gumdrop Mountain as well as Gumdrop Pass.

Why are gum drop grapes so sweet? ›

On their web site, https://grapery.biz/, the Grapery says they achieved the flavor through natural breeding practices, experimenting and cross-pollination. And no, the they “didn't apply any “cotton candy flavoring” or plant any sort of flavoring materials into the soil to attain the cotton candy flavor.

Why are gum drops called gum drops? ›

The term "gum drop" first appears in print in 1860 on a list of confections. It was described as a soft gelatin-based candy that stretches like rubber when pulled, although some manufacturers made a less pliable potato-based gumdrop that was less expensive to produce.

Where did gum drops come from? ›

Some were soft and pliable and made of gelatin, but some were potato-based and cheaper. By the 1890s, "gumdrop" had become a slang term for a sweetheart. Modern gumdrops were created by Percy Truesdell in 1915. After experimenting at The Ohio State University, he was able to enhance their texture by making them softer.

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