Description
Homemade gumdrops are a delightful, chewy candy made from gelatin, fruit-flavored Jello, and applesauce, coated generously in sugar for a sweet finish. This recipe walks you through creating colorful, fun-shaped treats perfect for candy lovers and enjoyable as homemade gifts.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 ⅓ cups unsweetened applesauce
- 6 ounces Jello, such as lime or cherry
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin, such as Knox
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish: Spray an 11×7 or 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside to avoid sticking.
- Combine ingredients: In a large saucepan, stir together 2 cups of granulated sugar, unsweetened applesauce, Jello, and unflavored gelatin. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute to hydrate the gelatin.
- Cook the mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Once boiling, allow it to boil for 1 full minute to activate the gelatin properly.
- Pour and set: Immediately pour the hot gelatin mixture into the greased baking dish. Let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for 3 hours or until the mixture is firm.
- Prepare the cutting surface: Line a large cutting board with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the gumdrop sheet: Use a metal spatula to carefully loosen the gumdrop mixture from the sides and bottom of the dish. Transfer the entire set sheet or cut into 6-8 large pieces and transfer stepwise onto the sugar-lined cutting board.
- Cut shapes: Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the gumdrop sheet and place them on a lined baking sheet. If cookie cutters are unavailable, use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice into small pieces.
- Dry the gumdrops: Allow the gumdrops to sit at room temperature overnight or at least 8 hours to firm up further.
- Coat with sugar: Pour the remaining granulated sugar into a shallow bowl and roll each gumdrop until fully coated. This adds a sweet, sparkling finish and prevents sticking.
Notes
- Store gumdrops in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
- Prepare the recipe twice using different Jello flavors (lime and cherry) to make red and green gumdrops.
- Heat cookie cutters in hot water before cutting to easily slice through the chewy gumdrops without sticking.
- If you don’t have cookie cutters, a pizza cutter or sharp knife works well for neat slicing.
- The gelatin mixture is very sticky but use a metal spatula to gently slide under and lift it out of the baking dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 35 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
