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Christmas Gumdrop Nougat

Christmas Gumdrop Nougat is a festive homemade candy that combines soft, chewy nougat with colorful gumdrops for a cheerful holiday treat. The nougat has a creamy, slightly vanilla-sweet flavor, while the gumdrops add little bursts of fruity flavor and a beautiful pop of red, green, and other Christmas-inspired colors.

This candy is especially lovely for holiday cookie trays, homemade Christmas gift boxes, dessert tables, or simply keeping a batch on hand when you want something sweet. Despite its impressive appearance, the recipe uses a relatively short list of ingredients and comes together with a few important techniques.

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Nougat

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about homemade nougat. It is soft enough to chew but firm enough to cut into neat squares, and the colorful gumdrops make every piece look like a tiny Christmas confection.

This recipe is also easy to customize. You can use red and green gumdrops for a traditional Christmas appearance, or choose a mixture of colors for a brighter candy assortment. White chocolate helps create a rich, creamy base, while vanilla gives the nougat its classic sweet aroma.

The most important part of making successful nougat is patience. The mixture needs to reach the proper consistency before the gumdrops are incorporated and the candy is pressed into the pan.

Ingredients

2 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups assorted gumdrops, preferably cut into small pieces
¼ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
¼ cup cornstarch, plus extra if needed

Optional Additions

For a slightly different flavor or texture, you can also add:

A small pinch of salt
Finely chopped almonds or pistachios
Red and green gumdrops only for a traditional Christmas color scheme
A few drops of almond extract in place of part of the vanilla

If using nuts, make sure they are finely chopped so the nougat remains easy to slice.

Equipment

You will need:

8-inch square baking pan
Parchment paper
Microwave-safe mixing bowl or double boiler
Rubber spatula
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Small bowl for combining powdered sugar and cornstarch

Step 1: Prepare the Pan

Begin by lining an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Leave a little extra parchment hanging over two opposite sides. This will make it much easier to lift the finished nougat from the pan.

Lightly dust the parchment with a mixture of powdered sugar and cornstarch. The coating helps prevent the sticky nougat from adhering to the paper.

Set the prepared pan aside while you make the candy.

Step 2: Prepare the Gumdrops

Before starting the nougat mixture, cut the gumdrops into small pieces.

If the gumdrops are particularly sticky, lightly coat your knife with a small amount of butter or cooking spray. Aim for pieces that are small enough to distribute throughout the candy without making the squares difficult to cut.

For a classic Christmas appearance, use mostly red and green gumdrops. You can also mix in yellow, orange, or white pieces for additional color.

Set the prepared gumdrops aside.

Step 3: Melt the Butter and White Chocolate

Place the butter and white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.

Heat the mixture in short 15- to 20-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval. Continue until the chocolate is almost completely melted.

Stir until the remaining chocolate melts from the residual heat.

Do not overheat the chocolate. White chocolate can become thick or seize when exposed to excessive heat, so gentle heating and frequent stirring are important.

If preferred, you can melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler using low heat.