Description
Delightfully chewy and colorful homemade gumdrops made from simple pantry ingredients like sugar, applesauce, gelatin, and flavored Jello. These classic candy treats are perfect for snacking, decorating baked goods, or gifting. The recipe involves boiling the mixture, setting it in the fridge, and then cutting and coating the gumdrops in sugar for a sweet finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Gumdrop Mixture
- 2½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1½ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 6 oz flavored Jello (cherry, lime, or your choice)
- ½ oz unflavored gelatin (2 envelopes)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish: Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking, and set it aside.
- Combine ingredients: In a large saucepan, combine 2 cups of the granulated sugar, the unsweetened applesauce, flavored Jello, unflavored gelatin, and lemon juice. Stir these ingredients well to evenly distribute the gelatin and Jello powder. Let the mixture rest for about 1 minute to allow the gelatin to hydrate.
- Cook the mixture: Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly as the mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, maintain the boil for exactly 1 minute while continuing to stir to prevent burning or clumping.
- Set the mixture: Immediately pour the hot gelatin mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Refrigerate the dish for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight, until the mixture is fully firm and set.
- Prepare to cut gumdrops: Cover a large cutting board with parchment paper and sprinkle it generously with the remaining ½ cup of sugar. Loosen the edges of the gelatin block with a spatula, then carefully invert it onto the prepared sugar-coated parchment paper.
- Cut gumdrops: Using small, sharp cookie cutters dipped briefly in hot water to prevent sticking, cut the gelatin block into desired shapes. Rinse and dip the cutters as needed to keep clean and working smoothly.
- Dry gumdrops: Leave the cut gumdrops spread out on the sugar-coated parchment paper for about 8 hours, or until they are just slightly sticky to the touch.
- Coat and store: Once dried, roll the gumdrops in the remaining sugar to coat evenly. Store finished gumdrops in an airtight container to maintain freshness and chewiness.
Notes
- Use flavored Jello to give your gumdrops a vibrant color and sweet fruit flavor – popular options include cherry, lime, or orange.
- Dipping cookie cutters in hot water ensures clean cuts and prevents sticking while shaping the gumdrops.
- Allowing gumdrops to dry slightly before coating them in sugar helps the sugar stick better and avoid excess clumping.
- Store gumdrops in a cool, dry place in an airtight container to keep their texture and flavor for up to 2 weeks.
- This recipe yields approximately 60 small gumdrops, depending on the size of cookie cutters used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 gumdrop
- Calories: 25
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
