These festive red and green Christmas gumdrops are one of my favorite holiday treats to make with my kids. I mix flavored Jell-O, food coloring, and sugar to make these delicious little gumdrop candies. Once they’re all set up, I love to let my kids cut out the shapes and dip them in sugar. It’s so fun for the whole family!
Making these Christmas gumdrops is a lot like making Jell-O. I only needed a few ingredients, and it was so easy to let my kids help. They loved making them almost as much as they loved eating them!
What’s in This Christmas Gumdrops Recipe?
- KNOX Unflavored Gelatine: Helps the gumdrops harden and creates a chewier texture.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds additional sweetness to the candies, while coarse sugar adds a bit of crunch..
- Cherry Jell-O: Flavors (and colors) the red gumdrops. Feel free to use any red Jell-O flavor you like.
- Lime Jell-O: Flavors (and colors) the green gumdrops. Feel free to use any green Jell-O you like.
- Food Coloring: While optional, I like to add a little red and green food coloring to enhance the colors of these candies.
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How to Store
Store Christmas gumdrops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving cold or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- You can use any colors/flavors of Jell-O you like; feel free to change them up for different holidays.
- To “bloom” gelatine means to let sit in cold water until it gets dissolved and it will jell, but when stirred it is fine and can be microwaved.
- These gumdrops will have a little more liquid that will dry out some over time. You can still cut the shapes out and just pat dry a little with a paper towel before rolling in the sugar.
- I used Christmas-themed cookie cutters, like stars and Christmas trees, to cut shapes out of the hardened Jell-O sheets. You can also pour the liquid (before refrigerating) into silicone molds, and let it set.
Christmas Gumdrops Recipe
Ingredients
- 2½ cups water divided
- ½ ounce KNOX unflavored gelatine divided (2 (¼-ounce) envelopes)
- 6 ounces cherry flavored Jell-O (1 package)
- 6 ounces lime flavored Jell-O (1 package)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- Red and green food coloring optional, for vivid colors
- 1 cup coarse sugar for coating
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 2 8×8 Baking Pan
- Mini cookie cutters (optional)
Instructions
- Line 2 8×8-inch baking pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Place ¼ cup of water in a small bowl and empty 1 envelope of unflavored gelatine over the water. Don’t stir! Let sit and “bloom” for 2 minutes. Then, you can stir and microwave for 10 seconds if necessary. Repeat with another ¼ cup of water and envelope unflavored gelatine, keeping them separate. Set aside for now.2½ cups water, ½ ounce KNOX unflavored gelatine
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the remaining 2 cups of water to boiling. Remove and divide into 2 small bowls, placing 1 cup of water in each.
- Sprinkle the cherry Jell-O in one bowl of water and the lime on the other. Stir until the Jell-O has melted, then add 3 tablespoons of sugar to each bowl of Jell-O.6 ounces cherry flavored Jell-O, 6 ounces lime flavored Jell-O, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Add one of the bowls of unflavored gelatine to the cherry Jell-O and stir until combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring if so desired. Pour into one of the prepared baking pans and place in the refrigerator. Repeat this step with the lime Jell-O and place it in the refrigerator once it is poured into the pan. Refrigerate until set hard — this may take 2 or more hours. You want these to get very jellied and dryer.Red and green food coloring
- Remove the pans and lift the parchment paper with the Jell-O out of the pan. Set on a hard surface and cut out shapes or cut into small cubes, using cookie cutters or a knife.
- Place the coarse sugar in a bowl and roll each piece until coated.1 cup coarse sugar
- Place the gumdrops on a platter or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
How to Make Christmas Gum Drops Step-by-Step
Mix the Gelatin: Line two 8×8-inch baking pans with parchment paper, spray with nonstick spray, and set aside. Place ¼ cup of water in a small bowl and empty 1 envelope of unflavored gelatine over the water. Don’t stir! Let sit and “bloom” for 2 minutes. Then, you can stir and microwave for 10 seconds if necessary. Repeat with another ¼ cup of water and envelope unflavored gelatine, keeping them separate. Set aside for now. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the remaining 2 cups of water to boiling. Remove and divide into 2 small bowls, placing 1 cup of water in each. Sprinkle 6 ounces (1 package) of cherry Jell-O in one bowl of water and 6 ounces (1 package) of lime on the other. Stir until the Jell-O has melted, then add 3 tablespoons of sugar to each bowl of Jell-O.
Set the Gelatin: Add one of the bowls of unflavored gelatine to the cherry Jell-O and stir until combined. Add a few drops of red food coloring if so desired. Pour into one of the prepared baking pans and place in the refrigerator. Repeat this step with the lime Jell-O and place it in the refrigerator once it is poured into the pan. Refrigerate until set hard — this may take 2 or more hours. You want these to get very jellied and dryer.
Cut the Gum Drops: Remove the pans and lift the parchment paper with the Jell-O out of the pan. Set on a hard surface and cut out shapes or cut into small cubes, using cookie cutters or a knife.
Candy the Gum Drops: Place 1 cup of coarse sugar in a bowl and roll each piece until coated. Place the gumdrops on a platter or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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