Gumdrop Nougat Candy (Easy No‑Bake Christmas Treat)

A Retro Candy That Brings the Holidays Home

Pull up a kitchen stool and let’s talk Christmas candy. If you grew up with a grandmother who kept a cut‑glass dish of something sweet on the coffee table from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, chances are you already know this chewy, marshmallow‑white nougat studded with ruby‑red and emerald‑green gumdrops. One square tastes like vintage Christmas cards, tinsel on the tree, and staying up late to watch the snow.

This Gumdrop Nougat Candy recipe is my slightly updated spin on the one clipped from Taste of Home in the early ’90s—and yes, it still uses just four common pantry items: butter, white chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and gumdrops. No candy thermometer, no powdered sugar clouding the kitchen, and definitely no frantic clean‑up before company arrives. If you can stir, you can make this!

Kitchen story time: My mom made tray after tray of this nougat the year the oven stopped working three days before Christmas. She pressed it into a cookie sheet, chilled it on the back porch, and hacked it into bars with Dad’s pizza rocker. The power of a no‑bake recipe, friends!

Below you’ll find everything you need to nail your own batch: clear step‑by‑step photos, pro troubleshooting tips, fun twists (hello, gummy bears), and answers to the People Also Ask questions filling Google this season. Let’s get those gumdrops glistening.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

No‑Bake & Foolproof: A gentle double boiler melt and an overnight chill—done!
Only 4 Ingredients: Most of them probably live in your pantry already.
Make‑Ahead Friendly: Keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Customizable: Swap in fruit‑slice candies, spice drops, or even chopped peppermint bark for a new flavor each year.
Perfect for Gifts: One 9×13‑inch pan yields 60 bite‑size squares—just right for cookie trays and teacher tins.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups (about 24 oz) white chocolate chips
5 cups (two 250 g bags) mini marshmallows
2 cups gumdrops (classic red & green work great—cut larger candies in half)

Pro Tip: Use fresh gumdrops. Stale candies turn rock‑hard once chilled.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Prep Your Pan

Line a 9 × 13‑inch baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang “handles.” Lightly mist with non‑stick spray. This guarantees a clean release.

2. Melt the Butter & Chocolate

Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer. Set a heatproof bowl over top, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Add the butter and white chocolate chips; stir until silky‑smooth.

3. Fold in the Marshmallows

Remove the bowl from heat. Working quickly, stir in half the marshmallows until partially melted. Add the remaining marshmallows and continue folding. If streaks remain, microwave the bowl for 20–30 seconds to finish the job.

4. Add Gumdrops

Switch to a sturdy silicone spatula, then fold in the gumdrops until every scoop of nougat gleams with color.

5. Press & Chill

Scrape the sticky mixture into your prepared pan. Mist an offset spatula—or your clean hands—with cooking spray and press the candy into an even layer, paying attention to the corners. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

6. Slice & Serve

Lift the slab onto a cutting board. For the cleanest edges, warm a chef’s knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the candy into 1‑inch squares. (Or channel my dad and use a rocking pizza cutter!)

Variations & Substitutions

Dots Over Gumdrops: Dots brand fruit gum drops melt slightly less in the nougat, giving cleaner edges.
Peppermint Party: Replace half the gumdrops with crushed peppermint candies for a candy‑cane crunch.
Snowy White Version: Omit the colored gumdrops and stir in toasted slivered almonds for an irresistibly nutty white nougat reminiscent of Italian torrone.
Gluten‑Free Swap: All listed ingredients are naturally gluten‑free, but always double‑check candy labels for wheat starch.

Storage & Freezing

Store nougat squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator with sheets of parchment between layers for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wrap the slab (uncut) tightly in plastic and foil; freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before slicing.

Serving Suggestions

Add squares to a vintage holiday cookie tray alongside Christmas Glass Candy (Hard Tack Candy) Recipe and Rocky Road Fudge for a trio of textures.
Wrap individual pieces in wax paper twists for stocking stuffers.
Stir chopped leftovers into homemade vanilla ice cream—trust me!

Fun Kitchen Question

Do you pick out the red gumdrops or the green ones first? Tell us your candy‑color strategy in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use vegan marshmallows?
Yes. Vegan mini marshmallows behave almost identically, though they may take an extra minute to melt.

Why did my nougat turn hard instead of chewy?
Overheating the white chocolate can cause the mixture to seize and set too firmly. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and remove the bowl as soon as the chips melt.

Can I freeze the finished candy?
Absolutely. Freeze the whole slab (well‑wrapped) for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge before cutting to avoid condensation.

Join the Conversation!

If you whip up a batch, drop a comment telling us your favorite gumdrop color, pin this recipe for later, and share a photo in our Facebook group. Your kitchen nostalgia might just spark someone else’s sweet holiday memory!