These fun and tasty gumdrop cookies will delight kids of all ages with each bite of colorful fruit-flavored candies packed in a tender sugar cookie! They're also incredibly easy-to-make cookies with no chilling required before popping them in the oven to bake. Though they make great holiday cookies, they are so tasty you'll want to bake them year-round!
Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer cream together the butter (or butter and shortening blend) with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and almond extract until well combined, then mix in the baking soda and salt.
Gradually mix in the flour until the dough is smooth, then fold in the chopped gumdrops until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Drop the cookies onto your prepared baking sheet in tablespoon portions, leaving 2-inches of spacing between the cookies.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-14 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Kitchen shears are best for chopping gumdrops. Let the cut pieces drop into a small plate of sugar to coat the sticky side so that the cut pieces don't stick together. I like to do this before beginning any of the other steps so that they are ready to drop in the dough and mix.
I've baked these cookies as balls, drop cookies, and the way I like them best - a slightly flattened shape after forming the 1-inch round balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon portion each).
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet. The gum drop cookies will continue to cook a bit while sitting on the baking sheet.
You may make the cookie dough in advance by forming it into a ball or disc and wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap. Keep the ball of dough in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. *I suggest baking within 24 hours for the freshest cookies.
Store gumdrop cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Wrap bundles of the gumdrop cookies in plastic cling film then store in an airtight container or freezer storage bag to freeze for up to 3 months.