Holiday Gumdrop Squares

Sometimes a recipe needs to be quick and easy. That’s exactly what these Holiday Gumdrop Squares are – and, there are only 4 ingredients in the whole recipe! These are simple to make too, because it’s a mix, pour and bake type of recipe. When fully cooled, cut into squares and enjoy!

Even though gumdrops were always present in my mom’s kitchen, I never grew up eating Holiday Gumdrop Squares. No, those gumdrops were saved for Mom’s Gumdrop Cake which she would make quite often – not just at Christmastime, which is when you normally see them. I think all moms yell at their kids for eating something she has been saving for a recipe. In my case, there were two things we wouldn’t dare eat without asking first – those were gumdrops and chocolate chips!

Gumdrops are quite common in Newfoundland, although I must say, unless you go to a baking supply store, they’re really not that common elsewhere. I tend to buy gumdrops in bulk rather than in a factory-sealed plastic bag like my mom used to get them. And even though most people argue that they all taste the same, I always reach for the red or green ones first. Do they taste the same? Is my mind playing tricks on me; like, you know how we all think green tastes like lime? If you know for sure, please share it with me!

Today is Sunday and also the seventh day in my 12 Cookies of Christmas series. So, since I’ve been baking so much lately, I thought I would take it easy today with this kid-friendly, mom-approved recipe. It’s super easy and only one bowl to clean up. Sunday is for relaxing, after all!

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

• Canned Condensed Milk – This recipe has not been tested with low-fat condensed milk.  Depending on where you live, the size of the can may differ.  Be sure to have the full 14 ounces!
• Gumdrops – It’s important to use baking gumdrops, not gumdrop candy. Yes, there are two types! See the section below on gumdrops for more clarification.
• Self-raising Flour – This is basically just a regular all-purpose flour that has salt and baking powder already mixed into it.  If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own by mixing 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt into every cup of flour you need for your recipe.
• Sanding Sugar – Coarse sugar, sometimes referred to as sanding sugar, is used sometimes for decorative purposes.  It is sometimes called pearl sugar or coarse baking sugar.

SELF-RAISING FLOUR

Don’t have any self-raising flour? Don’t you worry, Dear Reader, we can fix that! Self-raising flour is just a store-bought item that you can easily make at home. In a nutshell, self-raising flour is all-purpose flour that has salt and baking powder mixed right in.

There is no need to run out and buy it if you don’t want to. You can make your own, but please be warned! I think the already mixed stuff that you buy at the store works just a bit better than a homemade version.

To make self-raising flour, you add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of very fine salt to 1 cup of flour. That’s the ratio you will need. Since you need 1 1/4 cups of self-raising flour for this recipe, 1 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt will work just fine. It doesn’t need to be exact!

WHAT ARE GUMDROPS?

Are you familiar with gumdrops, Dear Reader? Okay, so there are two kinds of gumdrops. There are gumdrops that are sugar-coated candy that you can buy from the candy store. They are soft like jelly candy and are not meant for baking.   Contrary to popular belief, gumdrops are not the same as jube jubes or wine gums.  Gumdrops are a type of baking candy.  They are brightly coloured pectin-based pieces, shaped like a narrow dome with a flattened top.  They come in fruit flavours. I usually find them at Fortinos.

Then, there are gumdrops that are specifically meant for baking even though they can be eaten as candy too. These types of gumdrops are sometimes referred to as baking gums. They are harder than the candy-type gumdrops, much like a jube jube.

Don’t think you can substitute a jube jube for a baking gum though! They are not the same and will melt like butter when they come in contact with the heat from your oven. These are the type of gumdrops/baking gums you need for baking.

Gumdrops are used in baking, candy crafting, decorating, and for eating out of hand to mouth. They are often used for decorating cakes and cupcakes. Around Christmastime, this candy is an ingredient commonly used in the making and decorating of gingerbread houses.  

SANDING VS GRANULATED SUGAR

I’ve been using coarse sanding sugar quite a bit in this 24 Cookies of Christmas series. I hope it hasn’t been too difficult for you to find. Sanding sugar is sometimes referred to as baking sugar, and there are some substitutes.

You can use other sugars – which are basically the same, but named something differently – there’s pearl sugar and coarse sugar. You cannot, however, use granulated sugar. Let me explain why.

Whereas an individual granule of sanding sugar is large and hard, a single granule of granulated sugar is quite small. Sanding sugar will hold up to the heat in your oven without melting; granulated sugar will not.

If you can only find granulated sugar, you can either skip the coating in the sugar step, or you can use turbinado sugar. Turbinado sugar is a golden brown though, so it will throw off the colour of your finished cookie. Alternatively, you can dust the top of your squares with confectioner’s sugar once they are fully cooled.

HOW TO MAKE HOLIDAY GUMDROP SQUARES

This is a very easy recipe. If you happen to have children who love to bake or cook, this is most certainly a recipe that you can get them to help with. If you don’t have any children of your own, or if you’re like me and they’re grown up and in university, borrow some kids. I’m sure your family or your neighbours would love for you to take their kids off their hands for an afternoon of baking.

Maybe you like to spend time alone in your kitchen. And, that’s okay too. Either way, here’s how to make these delicious squares! First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Next, line a square 9×9 inch cake pan with parchment paper and set it aside.

In a large bowl, use a sturdy spoon or spatula to stir together the sweetened condensed milk, flour and gumdrops until well combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.  The batter is very sticky!  Press the batter into the pan, being sure to get into the corners.  try to get the top as evenly flat as possible.  Sprinkle over the sanding sugar, if using and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from pan.  Cut into 24 squares. Enjoy!

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Holiday Gumdrop Squares, you certainly can! Once they are completely cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out onto a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 100 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!