Celebrate with these Star-Spangled Gumdrops this Memorial Day weekend! Perfect for 4th of July and Labor Day weekend as well!
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Hard to believe that Memorial Day is this weekend!  The boys have 11 more days of school and yes, we count down, starting around 50 days 🙂  I am already getting a tad bit nervous as I think of how I am going to be filling our days.
I just know how hard minimum days can be with both of the boys around and it’s only going to be more challenging during the summer. Â It gets so dang hot here in Sacramento that most days, playing outside after 10AM is pure torture.
Mommy needs to get creative 🙂
Fortunately, my boys DO love helping me in the kitchen. Â Especially when the result is something totally fabulous and fun like these homemade gumdrops.
Perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day – they are super festive and make the perfect treat.  While my intentions were to make red, white, and blue gumdrops, I realized the sugar coating should totally count for the white 🙂
They look so pretty it’s hard to not to snatch one up each time I walk by.
So easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser, you can make these gumdrops into whatever shape and color you prefer. Â I used a small star-shaped cookie cutter for mine.
I halved the original recipe and made it up in 8×8 pans and the thickness is really just perfect. Â You want to use a small cookie cutter for these so you end up with lots of gumdrops. Â Take the time to get the the cut-outs as close to each other as possible for maximum production.
Do NOT throw out the scraps. Â Just take a knife and cut them into smaller pieces, dredge in sugar, and then portion off into snack bags for treats for the kiddos. Â They LOVE this.
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- 1½ cups sugar, divided
- ¾ cup applesauce {I used natural, no sugar added}
- 1 pkg {3 ounces each} JELLO (I used Cherry and Berry Blue)
- .25 oz envelope unflavored gelatin (Knox brand)
- ½ tsp lemon juice {I used bottled}
- Coat a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Place in refrigerator.
- Combine 1 cup sugar, applesauce, JELLO, unflavored gelatin and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Let stand for 1 minute.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.
- Boil for 1 minute and then immediately pour into cold baking dish.
- Refrigerate until firm {about three hours should do it. I left mine in overnight.}
- Generously dust a cutting board with sugar.
- Loosen the sides of the gelatin with a spatula and invert onto cutting board.
- Use small, sharp cookie cutters to cut out gumdrops.
- Sprinkle sugar over a piece of waxed paper and place gumdrops on top of sugar. Let dry for about 8 hours or until slightly sticky.
- Roll in remaining sugar and store in an airtight container.
More red, white, and blue treats:
Red, White, and Blue Sparkler Cookies
Red, White, and Blueberry Breakfast
For all 4th of July recipes, go HERE.
For all dessert recipes, go HERE.
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Have a great day!
Sarah McKenney says
silly question…are these pretty flavorful or just a little bit of flavor? Also, is there a way to make them a little sour? We love sour gummy candies at our house and I thought how fun to make our own. Such a cute blog, new follower here for sure!!
Erin Pidgeon says
You can find crystalized pure lemon juice, like True Lemon brand, with the drink mixes in grocery stores. It would dissolve nicely in the boiling water.
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Patti says
These are adorable. I’m definitely going to keep my eye out for little star cutters like those and the recipe looks fun too. Happy Fourth
Penny says
Awesome idea…for any age! Also, I hope this does not sound awful but I actually came across your invention when logging into Pinterest to look for jello shots for adults! This is perfect for 4th of July jello-shots, would you happen to know (being in a cook) if liquor would still let these beauties turn out?
Thank you
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Penny! If you wanted to add in alcohol, you would need more unflavored gelatin to help it all set up nicely. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
Glory/ Glorious Treats says
Super cool idea! I know my girls would love these!! Pinned!
[email protected] says
Super Cute! The kids would love these! Pinned!
Maggie Unzueta @ Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
I have a yearly 4th of July BBQ. These would be perfect!
Hannah says
Would the pan break if you immediately add the boiling mixture into it?
Marah says
So, could you substitute the sugar for sour crystals?
[email protected] in the Kitchen says
These are so fun Trish!! My kids would just have so much fun making these!! I am adding these to my summer “must make” list!! 🙂
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yay! They are lots of fun and yummy too 🙂 Thanks Renee!
amanda @ fake ginger says
These are so cute! I have to make them for my boys!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thanks Amanda!
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says
These are adorable!! The kids aren’t the only ones who’d love them… 😉 And oh goodness, Sacramento is already unbearable, and it isn’t even June yet. This is going to be one long summer!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh my goodness – I know! We have a swim meet in Fair Oaks this weekend and OF COURSE, it’s supposed to be 100+. Ugh!
capturing joy with kristen duke says
THis is so cute and fun! I know my kids would love making these!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
SO much fun Kristen!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
I just love all your festive treats Trish and these are no exception! Pinned and sharing on FB!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you SO much Julie! Have a great weekend!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
SOOO adorable!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Awwww 🙂 Thanks Lori! Hope you guys have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Crystal says
How fun and cute!! The best part if eating them 🙂 Thanks for the great idea!!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank Crystal! Hope you have a fun Memorial Day weekend!
Erin says
So, maybe this is a silly question, but after you cut them and place them on the sugar on wax paper and let dry for 8 hours, you leave them out on the counter, correct? Not place back in the fridge?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
You got it Erin. And you wanna know something? I totally cheat and will roll them in the sugar as early as 30 minutes after 🙂 They don’t need to be refrigerated at all.
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
Oh these are so much fun. Trish! Pinned! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
PS, love the pics too!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Julie!!
Mary Frances says
Adorable! These would be so great as gifts or party favors for kids, I love that you can customize these for any event you want!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Absolutely! Any shape, any color 🙂
marcie says
I can imagine how hot it gets in Sacto after 10AM! This would be so much fun for the kids to help with, and especially eat. 🙂 They look so tasty and fun!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes. It is CRAZY here during the summer. Good thing we can make fun stuff like these gumdrops! Thanks Marcie!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
I need to keep this in mind for my nieces! They would love helping with these gumdrops!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Oh yes Jessica! And they are so easy too 🙂
Desiree @ The36thAvenue says
Looks so yummy… Pinning!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Desiree! Have a great weekend!
Lindsay @ Life, Love and Sugar says
Oh my gosh, Trish! These are adorable! So fun and festive – I’m completely in love with them!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you Lindsay! They are so fun!
Faun says
Any ideas on where to find a mini cookie cutter?. I would love to make these for this weekend.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Sure! Target and Walmart both have them and craft store will have them too. Also those big packs with like 100 cookie cutters should have a star small enough. Have fun!
Librarian Lavender says
This looks like such a fun thing to make! I can imagine your children love helping you with it! It looks so festive and cheerful!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
They really enjoy helping with these gumdrops. Especially since they get to dip them in sugar 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!