Description
Homemade Gumdrops are a delightful, chewy candy made from a simple mixture of sugar, applesauce, gelatin, and flavored Jello. These colorful treats can be shaped into fun shapes and coated with sugar, making them perfect for snacking or gifting. This recipe uses basic ingredients and straightforward stovetop cooking, followed by cooling and setting times to achieve the perfect gummy texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Gumdrops
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 ⅓ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 6 ounces Jello (lime or cherry)
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dish: Spray an 11×7 or 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large saucepan, stir to combine 2 cups of the granulated sugar, unsweetened applesauce, Jello, and unflavored gelatin. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute to blend.
- Cook the Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar and gelatin completely. Allow it to boil for 1 minute to activate the gelatin.
- Set the Mixture: Immediately pour the hot gelatin mixture into the prepared greased baking dish.
- Cool and Refrigerate: Let the dish cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 3 hours or until the mixture is firm and set.
- Prepare for Cutting: Line a large cutting board with parchment paper and generously sprinkle with sugar to prevent sticking.
- Remove and Transfer: Use a metal spatula to loosen the gumdrop mixture from the sides and bottom of the baking dish. Transfer the whole sheet or cut into 6-8 large pieces and place onto the sugared parchment paper.
- Cut Shapes: Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the gumdrop sheet, then return the cut pieces to the lined baking sheet.
- Dry the Gumdrops: Let the gumdrops rest at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours to dry and develop their chewy texture.
- Coat with Sugar: Place the remaining granulated sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each gumdrop until fully coated in sugar, adding sweetness and preventing sticking.
Notes
- Store gumdrops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
- For red and green gumdrops, prepare the recipe twice using lime Jello for green and cherry Jello for red to get vibrant colors.
- Heat cookie cutters in hot water before using to easily cut through chewy gumdrops without sticking.
- If you do not have cookie cutters, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to neatly slice gumdrops into small pieces.
- The gelatin mixture will be very sticky; use a metal spatula to slide under it and keep pulling to remove it from the pan smoothly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 40 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
