Old Fashioned Gum Drop Cookies

This Gum Drop Cookie recipe I am sharing with you today is for an old family favorite. These are cookies that I used to make every year for the holidays when my children were growing up. They loved them.  I did too!

 I use butter in them which makes for a lovely crisp edged cookie, soft in the middle and abundantly studded throughout with soft and chewy gumdrops and sweet sultana raisins. You don't have to use the raisins if you don't wish to, but we have always loved them with raisins.

 

Living on my own as I do with grandchildren that live a fair distance away, I don't bake a lot of cookies and things for the holidays.  When my children were young, I used to start my Christmas baking in September and freeze it all for the upcoming holidays.

It was the only way that I could afford to bake all the things I wanted to bake as well as have the time to bake all the treats we looked forward to every year.  I also liked to pass along cookie platters to friends and family as holiday gifts. They were always very much appreciated.

These gumdrop cookies were always a real favorite with everyone! I think that you might like them as well!  They are quite simply delicious.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CLASSIC GUM DROP COOKIES

Just some pretty basic baking cupboard ingredients.  The gumdrops can be a bit difficult to source. You want soft sugared gumdrops, not hard ones.

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter
• 1 cup (200g) white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (80g) chopped fruit-flavored gumdrops (see notes)
• 1/2 cup (76g) sultana raisins

 

I just use regular salted butter. You could use shortening instead of butter if you wish, but I prefer to use butter. It makes for a lovely crisp cookie.

Gumdrops are a type of soft and chewy jelly candy, not hard, shaped a bit like a bell, and usually coated in sugar.  You can also, at least here in Canada, find what are called baking gumdrops, which are much smaller.  Make sure they are soft and not hard.  Baking will not soften hard gumdrops.

 

The raisins are completely optional. I add them because we really like raisins. You can simply double up on the gumdrops if you would rather.

I had a bit of a difficult time finding gumdrops this year and they were only in three colors, red, green and white. I do prefer the multi-colored ones that give you an abundance of colors.

I am not sure what the British equivalent is. I was never able to find one the whole time I lived over there. I used to buy bags of gumdrops and bring them back with me.  Wine gums are not the same thing at all.   You could use candied cherries in their place, which would be lovely.

HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED GUM DROP COOKIES

Not hard to make.  The hardest part is to stop yourself from eating the gumdrops before putting them into the cookie dough!

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*F/ gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and the egg.

Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Slowly beat this mixture into the creamed mixture until the flour has been completely amalgamated. The mixture will be stiff.

Stir in the raisins (if using) and the cut-up gum drops, mixing them in well.

Scoop out Tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Place them onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each ball.

 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for five minutes before scooping off onto wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container. These also freeze very well. Simply pack into an airtight container and freeze. Will keep for up to three months.

Notes

If you wish to leave out the raisins, simply use 1/2 cup of cut up gumdrops in their place. (80g)

 

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY FREEZE BAKED COOKIES FOR CHRISTMAS

It's not really hard to do and was something I used to do every year while my children were growing up. It is the only way that I could get everything done that I wanted to without the work of having to bake them all at the last minute!

1. Bake the cookies as per the recipe and then leave them to cool completely. 
2. Arrange cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching.
3. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for half an hour to forty-five minutes, or until the cookies are frozen solid.
4. Layer frozen cookies in airtight containers, with a piece of parchment or wax paper separating each layer.
5. Label and date the packages with the date baked and the type of cookie.
6. Store in the freezer until you want them. They thaw out very quickly.

 

 

Here are a few other delicious Christmas goodies that I used to bake for my family every year.  They were always much beloved by everyone who was able to enjoy them!  All of them freeze very well.

WHIPPED SHORTBREADS - These always turn out perfectly with no faffing about or trouble.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy as they say. Simply beat everything together, drop on the pan, decorate with a bit of cherry or some sprinkles and bake. These are the easiest and tastiest shortbread cookies you could ever make.  In our house it would not be Christmas without them!

DUTCH ALMOND COOKIES - These delicious cookies won a Christmas Cookie contest at Canadian Living Magazine. I clipped the recipe from the magazine years ago and have been making them every year since. Crisp, buttery, almondy with a sweet almond filling. These are fabulous. 

Yield: Approximately 20

Author: Marie Rayner

Classic Gumdrop Cookies

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 30 Min

These are crisp and buttery. They are simple to make and are studded generously with cut up gumdrops and raisins. You can add all gumdrops and leave out the raisins if you wish, and they will still be delicious. We just happen to love raisins in this house.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115g) butter
• 1 cup (200g) white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (80g) chopped fruit-flavored gumdrops (see notes)
• 1/2 cup (76g) sultana raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*F/ gas mark 4. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the almond extract and the egg.
3. Sift the flour, soda and salt together. Slowly beat this mixture into the creamed mixture until the flour has been completely amalgamated. The mixture will be stiff.
4. Stir in the raisins (if using) and the cut-up gum drops, mixing them in well.
5. Scoop out Tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Place them onto the baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each ball.
6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for five minutes before scooping off onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. Store in an airtight container. These also freeze very well. Simply pack into an airtight container and freeze. Will keep for up to three months.

Notes

If you wish to leave out the raisins, simply use 1/2 cup of cut up gumdrops in their place. (160g altogether)

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