Learn how to make homemade spiced gumdrops with unflavored gelatin and peppermint extract, cinnamon oil, and more. These are chewy and sweet spice drops that are made from scratch. Give this colorful candy a try this holiday season. Or whip them up for serving throughout the year.
Spice gumdrops are something I grew up eating and I still love them today. Cloves and cinnamon-flavored gumdrops are my favorite. But today I wanted to do a mint, peppermint, and cinnamon flavor that all have the colors of Christmas. These make a great Christmas candy to gift loved ones in a candy tin.
What Are Spiced Gumdrops?
Spice gumdrops are a gummy that is flavored with spices like cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen, cloves, etc. These are similar to a gumdrop but they have a spicy flavor instead of a fruity flavor.
You can buy these at the grocery store in the candy aisle, or shop online. But today, I wanted to create a homemade spice drop that you can make in the comfort of your own home. Easy, delicious, and simple everyday ingredients.
Reasons To Make Homemade Spice Drops
- This gumdrop recipe contains simple ingredients that are easy to find.
- You control how much of the oils and extracts you want to add to the drops to control the flavor.
- Easy to make and you can make these drop into any shape to fit a theme or holiday.
- Fun to make, and budget friendly!
- The spiced drops store well so you can keep them on hand for snacking.
Ingredients Needed
Unflavored Gelatin – Reach for unflavored gelatin for the base of these gumdrops. This is what provides that chewy gummy texture.
Water – I recommend reaching for filtered water for this recipe. You will find that if your water has a bit of a flavor it will alter the flavor of gum drops.
Sugar – Sugar is a key ingredient in this recipe. While it sweetens the gummies you also roll the gumdrops in the sugar.
Extracts and Oils – So I used peppermint extract, mint extract (more like spearmint or wintergreen flavor), and cinnamon oil.
Food Coloring – Food coloring is optional but it is good to use to separate the flavors of the gumdrops so you know what flavors are what.
Variations to Recipe
Flavors of Gumdrops – You can use any extracts or oils you would like. Feel free to play around with flavors and find what you like. Wintergreen, spearmint, cloves, cinnamon, peppermint, and more are all great ones.
Colors – You can use any colors of food coloring you would like. I like to match the color to the flavor of the spiced gumdrop. Or if you don’t want artificial colors then leave it out.
Shape of Gumdrops – I used just a basic square shape but you can use cookie cutters to create different shapes to fit a theme or look you want. Have fun and be creative!
Make As Many Colors As You Want – If you want more flavors than just three, go right ahead and make more. You can divide the mixtures and create more or double the recipe!
Storing Leftovers
Place gumdrops in a sealed container or sealable bag on the counter. These spice gumdrops will last for around 7-12 days when stored properly. Now as they sit they can dry out a bit, and become a bit harder.
I like to place wax paper between layers to help prevent the gum drops from sticking. This is optional but it is helpful.
Tips For Success
Sweating or Weep
If you find the gummies begin to sweat or weep, and become sticky, roll in powdered sugar and granulated sugar that is mixed. This will help get them back to not being sticky when touched.
Cutting
I recommend using a shape nice for slicing into squares. Or reach for smaller cookie cutters to make these gumdrops into any shape you would like.
Food Coloring
Add a little or a lot to create the perfect vibrancy of color you are going for in the gumdrop recipe.
Flavoring
You will find that you can add less or more of the extracts and oil to fit your flavor preference. Most spice-flavored oils or extracts go a long way in terms of using a little. They tend to be pretty strong.
Allow Time for Setting Up
Make sure you allow time for the jello mixture to fully set up before you go to slice and coat in sugar. Otherwise, the spice drops will not hold shape and will be extra soft when you bite into them.
FAQs
Can I store homemade spice drops in the refrigerator?
It is best to keep the spice drops at room temperature as if stored in the fridge it can melt off the sugar coating on the outside. You will find they will stick and become gooey if they get condensation built up.
Are homemade spice drops similar to gumdrops?
Gumdrops are a fruity-flavored chewy candy. While spice drops use a spicy option like cinnamon or mint. But the texture and such are very similar.
More Candy Ideas
Spiced Gumdrops
Ingredients
- 9 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/2 cup water divided
- 2 ¼ cups water divided
- 4 1/2 cups sugar divided
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- Few drops cinnamon oil
- Red food coloring
- Green food coloring
- Additional sugar for coating
Instructions
- This recipe makes 3 different colors and flavors of these gumdrops so the steps will be repeated 3 times.
- Grease 3 8×8 square pans.
- Get 3 small bowls and add ½ cup cold water to each bowl.
- Sprinkle 3 envelopes of gelatin over each bowl of water.
- Meanwhile in a small saucepan bring ¾ cup of water and 1 ½ cups of sugar to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.
- Add one bowl of gelatin, reduce heat, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 drops cinnamon oil and a couple drops of red food coloring.
- Pour this mix into one of the 8×8 pans.
- Repeat steps 5-8 again, this time using the green food coloring and mint extract.
- Repeat steps 5-8 again this time with no food coloring and the peppermint extract.
- Refrigerate all three pans for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours run a knife along the edges of each pan and cut into 4 pieces.
- Using a spatula lift each square out and place on a piece of parchment paper.
- Using a knife cut each piece of candy into little squares.
- Let the gumdrop squares sit at room temperature overnight.
- When ready pour about 2 cups of sugar into a baking dish or bowl and place the gumdrops squares in.
- Toss them around to coat with sugar and place back on parchment paper.
- Serve!
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