These soft and chewy old-fashioned Gumdrop Cookies will take you straight back to your childhood. Sugar cookies studded with colorful gumdrops will make the most delicious Christmas Cookies this holiday season.
These festive and fun cookies start off with a soft sugar cookie recipe. Chewy gumdrops are gently folded into the dough and right before they are baked, they’re sprinkled with course white sugar that makes them glisten.
Gum Drop Cookies Recipe
This version of gumdrop cookies uses red, white and green gumdrops that are perfect for festive Christmas cookie recipes. However, if you end up having to buy a variety of different colored fruity gumdrops, save them. You can use them to make cookies several times of the year for different occasions. Yellow and purple gumdrops make beautiful Easter cookies.
I make dozens of cookies every year at Christmas. Between holiday parties, cookie exchanges, goodies for the teachers or just to have some on hand for when company comes over, cookies are perfect homemade treat.
By combining traditional family recipes, like Snowball Cookies, Chewy Chocolate Ginger Snaps, Ritz Peanut Butter Cookies with new and whimsical cookies like these Grinch Crinkle Cookies, Christmas Wreath Cookies and these Santa Nutter Butter Cookies, I am ensured there is wide variety of favorites for everyone.
What’s in this Gumdrop Cookies Recipe:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups quartered green, red and white spice-flavored gumdrops
- 2 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar
How to Make the Best Gum Drop Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Set aside.
- In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
- Add in egg and mix until combined.
- Add in vanilla.
- On low speed, add flour mixture, one cup at a time, into sugar mixture until well blended.
- Fold in 3/4 cup of the quartered gumdrops.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls using the palm of your hands. (You’ll get about 60.)
- Drop dough balls on prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass until they are about a 1-1/2-inch circle.
- Sprinkle sparkling sugar on tops of the cookies with 3 or 4 quartered gum drops.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set and lightly golden brown. You don’t want these cookies to be a dark brown so, watch them closely so they don’t overcook.
- Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
- Cool completely. Store in airtight container.
Can You Freeze Christmas Gumdrop Cookies?
Freezing these cookies is a great way to get a jump on your holiday baking. You can freeze the uncooked dough then thaw it out when you are ready to bake them. Just make sure the dough is double wrapped in plastic wrap. You can store the cookie dough for up to a couple weeks.
You can also freeze the baked cookies. Allow the cookies to completely cool. Double wrap them in plastic wrap, then stick them in a large freezer bag. They will keep well in the freezer for up to a couple months.
What Kind of Gumdrops are Best for Baking?
You can usually find classic sugar-coated gumdrops (or spice drops as they are sometimes called) in the candy aisle of your grocery store. If you can’t find those, you can use Dots or Jujube candies. You can also use gummy bears if all else fails. The only thing to note is the cookies will have more of a fruity taste than a spiced taste, but that’s okay too!
Best Way to Cut Gummy Candy
If you’ve never worked with these sweet little gems of fruity goodness, one of the things you’ll run into is when quartering them, they can gum up the sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Keep a glass of hot water close by so you can clean off the edge of the knife/kitchen shears as it gums up.
More Christmas Desserts:
Cookies aren’t the only Christmas treat that’s fun to make. Here are some other festive desserts sure to bring out the Christmas spirit in everyone:
- Christmas Wreath Cornflake Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
- Peanut butter balls
Gum Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups quartered green red and white spice-flavored gumdrops
- 2 tablespoons coarse white sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Set aside.
- In medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until fluffy.
- Add in egg and mix until combined.
- Add in vanilla.
- On low speed, add flour mixture, one cup at a time, into sugar mixture until well blended.
- Fold in 3/4 cup of the quartered gumdrops.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls using the palm of your hands. (You’ll get about 60.)
- Place balls on prepared cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass until they are about a 1-1/2-inch circle.
- Sprinkle sparkling sugar on top of each cookie with 3 or 4 quartered gumdrops.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set and light brown. (watch these closely so they don’t overcook)
- Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack to cool completely.
- Store in airtight container.
Nutrition
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