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If you’re looking for a fun and festive treat to make this holiday season, gumdrop nougat candy is the perfect no-bake recipe to try! This delightful candy combines the creamy goodness of white chocolate and marshmallows with colorful, chewy gumdrops for a sweet explosion of flavor in every bite. It’s incredibly easy to whip up, making it a great activity to do with the kids or a quick addition to your holiday treat platter. Plus, these vibrant squares make for thoughtful homemade gifts that are sure to impress friends and family. Once you taste these sweet, chewy bites, you’ll be hooked!

A plate of gumdrop nougat candy squares embedded with colorful Dots candy, with a box of Dots and a glass jar of gumdrops in the background.

Sink your teeth into gumdrop nougat and you’ll feel all Christmassy! This is a nostalgic homemade treat that’s incredibly easy to prepare.

Also whip up some panettone (Christmas bread), Rudolph the Reindeer donuts, divinity candy, and gingerbread man cookies.

A stack of white gum drop nougat pieces embedded with colorful candy dots sits on a white surface with a glass jar and a yellow box in the background.

Why You’ll Love It

So easy to make: You only need 4 ingredients to make gumdrop nougat and the recipe is straightforward too, involving not much more than microwaving and stirring.
A classic sweet treat: Although it’s fun to try new recipes, recreating the older ones is also satisfying, and many of us will remember these fondly from Christmases past!
No fancy baking equipment needed: All you really need is a mixing bowl, a wooden spoon and a baking dish for the gumdrop nougat candies – no candy thermometer or stand mixer required!

Close-up of colorful gumdrop nougat neatly arranged in a grid pattern on a light background.

Nougat Gumdrop Candy Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Dots candy: Cute and colorful gumdrops (just grab the 13½-ounce package).
Mini marshmallows: For the white color and also to give gumdrop nougat its characteristic chewy texture.
White chocolate chips: Blends with the mini marshmallows to make the nougat.
Unsalted butter: For richness and flavor. If you only have salted, that would work too.

A bag of mini marshmallows, a box of Dots candy, a bowl of white chocolate chips, a bowl of butter, and a striped cloth are arranged on a white surface, ready to create some delightful gumdrop nougat.

How to Make Gumdrop Nougat Candy

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Melt the white chocolate chips: Microwave the chocolate chips until creamy and smooth.
Melt the marshmallows: Put them in a bowl with the butter and melt.
Combine the two: Stir the melted chocolate with the marshmallow mixture, working quickly to mix them before they set.
Add some Dots: Add most of the Dots (reserve some) and mix them in.
The finishing touches: Spread mixture into a wax paper or parchment paper lined pan and press the rest of the Dots in wherever needs more color. Let it rest until set and then cut into squares to serve.

A stack of gumdrop nougat candy pieces embedded with colorful, translucent candy bits in red, green, and yellow arranged on a white surface.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: Dots gumdrops are gluten-free and so is butter, so you just need to make sure you’re using gluten-free chocolate chips and mini marshmallows (try these gluten free mini marshmallows) for this Christmas candy.
Not a white chocolate fan? You can use milk chocolate or even dark chocolate which will result in a light brown rather than white nougat but you’ll still be able to see the colorful Dots gumdrops in there.
No microwave? Use a double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water) instead.
Chopped gumdrops: Instead of adding whole Dots, cut them into slices or smaller pieces. Or use another kind of colored candy altogether.

Christmas gumdrop nougat squares with colorful candies embedded inside, stacked on top of each other. A yellow package is partially visible in the background.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with other sweet treats: Enjoy nougat gumdrops with some Santa cupcakes or cranberry cookies.
As a cupcake decoration:
Chop your Christmas gumdrop nougat finely and press the pieces into white chocolate cupcake frosting. Or add some to a gingerbread trifle!
Enjoy with a holiday beverage:
Gumdrop nougat is delicious paired with Santa hat coconut rum cocktails.

Squares of white fudge with colorful jelly pieces are arranged on a white surface. A glass container with a red and white striped lid is in the upper part of the image, surrounded by some candy pieces.

How to Store Nougat Candy with Gumdrops

Store: Keep gumdrop nougat in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Freeze: These aren’t good for freezing because they will thaw out too hard and chewy.

A stack of candy nougat squares with colorful jelly candy pieces is in the foreground, with a jar containing similar candies blurred in the background.

Top Tips

Dots candies: You will have some Dots left over (as the chef, of course you are allowed to enjoy the remainder!)
Red and green gumdrops theme: Making this for the holidays? You can use only red and green Dots if you want. The classic version was multicolored so you might prefer to recreate that though.
Soften the chocolate: If the chocolate is too thick by when the marshmallows melt, microwave it for another 30 minutes and then add it to the marshmallows.

A plate stacked with nougat containing colorful Dots gumdrops, resembling a delightful gumdrop nougat. One piece at the top has a bite taken out of it.

Gumdrop Nougat FAQs

What size squares should you cut the gumdrop nougat into?

That’s up to you! It’s very sweet though, so I tend to cut quite small squares, maybe 1-inch squares.

Why hasn’t the gumdrop nougat set properly?

Sometimes that happens and it can depend on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen. If your Christmas gumdrop nougat candy is still sticky after a few hours, give it an hour in the refrigerator or refrigerate overnight to set it.

Can you add other flavors to the recipe?

Try a few drops of vanilla extract or hazelnut extract. You might even like to try a splash of festive peppermint extract!

A stack of nougat with brightly colored candy dots on top placed in front of a glass jar filled with similar candies against a white background.

Easy Gumdrop Nougat Candy Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Gumdrop Nougat

Sink your teeth into gumdrop nougat and you’ll be reminiscing about Christmas! This is a nostalgic homemade treat that’s incredibly easy to prepare.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Setting Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 32

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Microwave the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 2 and a half minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
  • Set the bowl aside when the chocolate is creamy and smooth..
  • Add the butter and marshmallows to a mixing bowl and microwave for a couple of minutes on high or until the marshmallows rise up to the top of the bowl.
  • Take the bowl out of the microwave and stir until the marshmallows are smooth and the butter has completely melted.
  • Immediately add the chocolate to the marshmallow mixture and stir well (and fast – before it sets!)
  • Reserve ⅓ cup of Dots and add the rest of them to the bowl and stir to distribute evenly throughout.
  • Pour this mixture into your prepared pan immediately.
  • Use cooking spray to grease your hands and them spread the mixture out in the pan evenly.
  • Press the rest of the Dots into the top of the nougat so the whole thing is colorful with no big gaps.
  • Cover the baking dish and let the nougat sit on the counter for about 4 hours or until completely set. If it’s still too tacky, you can pop it in the fridge for an hour.
  • Cut into small squares once set (you can pick the size) and serve.

Notes

Dots candies: You will have some Dots left over (as the chef, of course you are allowed to enjoy the remainder!)
Red and green gumdrops theme: Making this for the holidays? You can use only red and green Dots if you want. The classic version was multicolored so you might prefer to recreate that though.
Soften the chocolate: If the chocolate is too thick by when the marshmallows melt, microwave it for another 30 minutes and then add it to the marshmallows.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.04mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Gumdrop nougat is wonderfully easy to make. It looks pretty and is ideal for the holiday season. You might remember this flavorful sweet treat and now you can recreate it in your own kitchen. Make sure you print or bookmark this easy candy recipe because you’ll be craving it around Christmas time!

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Bella Bucchiotti

Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.

 

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5 from 2 votes

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