Red White & Blue Gumdrops are easy candies made with Jello, sugar & applesauce! They’re festive and delicious, making them an easy 4th of July dessert to share with family and friends.
These homemade gumdrop candies are not only delectable but they are also simple to make, calling for under 10 ingredients! The vibrant colors of red, white, and blue of this patriotic dessert make them a perfect addition to any party or event.
Homemade Gumdrop Candies- A Festive & Delicious Recipe
Looking for a fun and easy candy recipe to make for the 4th of July? Look no further than these homemade gumdrop candies! Made with just Jello, sugar, and applesauce, these candies are both tasty and festive.
Not only are these gumdrops easy to make, but they’re also customizable! You can use any flavor of Jello you like, and even mix and match flavors for a fun and unique twist. Plus, they’re a great treat to bring to any 4th of July party or BBQ. Give them a try and impress your friends and family with your candy-making skills!
Benefits of Homemade Candies Vs. Store-bought
- Control Over Ingredients: When you make your own candies, you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them. You can choose to use high-quality, organic ingredients, and avoid artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. This is especially important for people with dietary restrictions or allergies.
- Customization: Homemade candies can be easily customized to suit your taste preferences. You can adjust the sweetness level, add different flavors, and experiment with different textures. This level of customization is not possible with store-bought candies.
- Fun Activity: Making candies can be a fun activity to do with family and friends. It can be a great way to bond and create memories together. Additionally, homemade candies make great gifts for special occasions.
Ingredients for Red, White, & Blue Gumdrops
Sugar: For these sweet treats, you will need 6 ½ cups of sugar, divided for the Jello gumdrop mixture. Plus 1 ½ cups of sugar for coating the gumdrops after they are set & dry.
Applesauce: To thicken the texture of these gumdrops, add 2 ⅔ cups of applesauce, divided.
Cherry Jello: Use two 3-oz packages of cherry Jello for the red gum drops.
Berry Jello: For the festive blue gumdrops, you need two 3-oz packages of berry blue Jello.
Gelatin: You will need a total of 7 envelopes of unflavored gelatin, divided, to create all three colors of gumdrops in this candy recipe.
Water: Use 1 ¼ cup of water, divided, to make the white gumdrops.
Lemon extract: Flavor the white gumdrops using 1 teaspoon of lemon extract.
Powder sugar: Create a soft, sweet candy topping by adding ½ cup of powdered sugar with the granulated sugar.
Step by step on how to make Patriotic Gumdrops
Prep
This recipe uses two different homemade gumdrop methods to achieve the correct colors. First, spray two 9×13 baking dishes and one 8×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and then set them aside.
Red & Blue gumdrops
Next, in a large saucepan, stir together 2 cups of sugar, 1 ⅓ cup of applesauce, two packages of cherry Jello and two packages of unflavored gelatin. Let this mixture stand for 1 minute.
Then over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil the mixture for one minute, then immediately pour the mixture into one of the greased 9×13 pans.
Proceed to repeat the steps above to make the blue gumdrops, using another 2 cups of sugar, 1 ⅓ cups applesauce, two envelopes of unflavored gelatin and the two packages of berry blue Jello. Let stand, then boil, and pour into the other greased 9×13 pan.
White gumdrops
Now pour ½ cup of cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle three envelopes of the unflavored gelatin in the bowl. Let this sit.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup of water and 1 ½ cups of sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Proceed to add the bowl of gelatin, reduce the heat to low, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon extract. Continue to pour the mixture into the prepared 8×8 pan.
Chill
After that, place all three of the pans into the fridge for 3 hours to set and chill.
Shape & dry
Pull the set Jello pans from the fridge and cut each mixture into 6 large squares, then use a metal spatula to pull the squares out and transfer onto wax or parchment paper. This will be a sticky job, but they will come out of the pan!
Next, use a mini star cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place each start onto a clean sheet of parchment or wax paper lined tray. Then let the candies dry at room temperature, for 8 hours or overnight.
Coat
In a small bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar and ½ cup of powdered sugar until combined. After a minimum of 8 hours dry time, coat the gumdrops in the sugar mixture until well coated. Serve and enjoy!
Patriotic Gumdrops
Ingredients
- 6 ½ cups sugar divided
- 2 ⅔ cups applesauce divided
- 6 oz cherry jello two 3-oz packages
- 6 oz berry blue jello two 3-oz packages
- 7 envelopes unflavored gelatin divided, .25 oz each envelope
- 1 ¼ cup water divided
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- 1 ½ cups sugar for coating
- ½ cup powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Prep: This recipe uses 2 different homemade gumdrop methods to achieve the correct colors. Grease two 9×13 baking dishes and one 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.
- Red & Blue gumdrops: In a large saucepan, stir together 2 cups sugar, 1 ⅓ cups applesauce, 2 packages of cherry Jello and 2 packages unflavored gelatin. Let this mixture stand for 1 minute.
- Over medium heat bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil the mixture for one minute, then immediately pour the mixture into a greased 9×13 pan.
- Repeat the steps above to make the blue gumdrops, using another 2 cups of sugar, 1 ⅓ cups applesauce, two envelopes of unflavored gelatin and the two packages of berry blue Jello. Let stand, then boil, and pour into the other greased 9×13 pan.
- White gumdrops: Pour ½ cup of cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle three envelopes of the unflavored gelatin in the bowl. Let this sit.
- In a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup of water and 1 ½ cups of sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the bowl of gelatin, reduce the heat to low, stir and simmer for 5 minutes
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon extract. Continue to pour the mixture into the prepared 8×8 pan.
- Chill: Place all three of the pans into the fridge for 3 hours to set and chill.
- Shape & dry: Pull the set Jello pans from the fridge and cut each mixture into 6 large squares, then use a metal spatula to pull the squares out and transfer onto wax or parchment paper. This will be a sticky job, but they will come out of the pan!
- Use a mini star cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place each start onto a clean sheet of parchment or wax paper lined tray. Let the candies dry at room temperature, for 8 hours or overnight.
- Coat: In a small bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar and ½ cup of powdered sugar until combined. After a minimum of 8 hours dry time, coat the gumdrops in the sugar mixture until well coated. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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How long are Homemade Gumdrops good for?
Red White & Blue Gumdrops can be served immediately once they have set. They should be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, and they will last up to 1 week. If you want to store them for a longer period, it is recommended to refrigerate them for up to a month.
If these start to sweat, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar with 2 TBSP powdered sugar and sprinkle over gumdrops and toss them again.
Variations and Customizations for Gumdrop Candies
Red White & Blue Gumdrops are a delicious treat that can be customized to suit your preferences. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Flavor Variations: While the classic red, white, and blue flavors are perfect for the 4th of July, you can experiment with different Jello flavors to create gumdrops in a variety of flavors. Try using lemon, lime, or orange Jello to create citrus-flavored gumdrops, or use raspberry or cherry Jello for a fruity twist.
- Shape Variations: While gumdrops are traditionally round, you can use different molds to create gumdrops in a variety of shapes. Try using star-shaped molds for a patriotic touch, or use heart-shaped molds for Valentine’s Day.
- Custom Colors: While the classic red, white, and blue colors are perfect for the 4th of July, you can experiment with different color combinations to create gumdrops for any occasion. Try using green and red for Christmas, or pink and purple for a birthday party.
What other holidays can I make this recipe for using different colored Jello?
This recipe is very versatile and can be made for any holiday or occasion by simply using different colored Jello. For example, you can use green and red Jello for Christmas, orange and black Jello for Halloween, or pink and red Jello for Valentine’s Day.
Can you substitute anything for gelatin in gumdrop recipes?
Gelatin is a key ingredient in gumdrop recipes and it cannot be substituted with any other ingredient. However, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you can use agar agar instead of gelatin. Agar agar is a plant-based alternative to gelatin that works well in gumdrop recipes.
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Red White & Blue Gumdrops are made with only a handful of basic ingredients and come together easily, the hard part is waiting for them to set! This easy 4th of July dessert is a delicious homemade treat that is a great addition to your next patriotic event.
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