This Fruity Gumdrop Nougat Candy is a popular marshmallow and white chocolate-based confection that has a sweet, chewy texture. I found this easy recipe in an old cookbook for gumdrop nougat that can be made at home. With only four ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on time, this is the perfect holiday treat!
If you’re looking for a delicious giftable sweet treat for friends or family this holiday season, this nougat is perfect! It has a lovely white chocolate & vanilla flavoring and is loaded with fruit Dots candy gumdrops. Kids and adults alike love this tasty treat which is a little messy to make, but worth it once you have the right tips and tricks.
Why I love this Candy
Around the holiday season, I love to make homemade candies like this Turtle Candy recipe. There is just something so magical about being in the kitchen creating tasty confections that put a smile on my loved ones’ faces. I love this Fruity Gumdrop Nougat for a few reasons.
- It doesn’t require a thermometer
- Is a no-bake sweet treat.
- Can be made in the microwave.
- Features my favorite candy – Dots!
- Stores well in the refrigerator.
- Is light and airy – not a heavy fudge!
How to Make Gumdrop Nougat Candy
Making gumdrop nougat is pretty easy, but can get kind of messy pretty quickly!
You will want to measure out all your ingredients. Have them all ready to go since this process happens quickly!
Make sure your pan is lined with wax or parchment paper as well.
Since these will set in the refrigerator make sure you have space set aside in there too.
Add the marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and butter to a large microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for 90 seconds. Pause the microwave around the 45-second mark and stir the mixture.
Microwave for an additional 30 seconds, pausing to stir again at the 15-second mark. The mixture will be fluffy, thick, and creamy.
Add 2 cups of Dots to the mixture, and mix them in to combine.
Quickly add the nougat onto the lined pan. You will need to work quickly to spread the mixture because it cools fast. This is the messiest part of this process.
Once all the mixture is in the pan, I suggest using clean hands sprayed with nonstick spray to spread the mixture and make sure it is smooth.
Once spread, place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or until set.
When it is time to cut the squares, spray a knife with nonstick baking spray and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. These can get sticky so be sure to store them in the refrigerator *see below for tips.
Recipe Tips
My favorite tip for making this recipe is to make sure you have everything prepared before you get started.
If you feel like your nougat is still sticky when it comes time to cut it, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes and try again.
Spray your hands with nonstick spray to prevent the nougat from sticking while smoothing it out. Do the same to your knife when it comes time to cut the candy into squares.
You can use holiday-colored gumdrops to make this as well. Traditional spice drops, sugar gumdrops, or even quartered fruit jellies can be used in this recipe.
Milk chocolate can also be used in this recipe if you prefer that type of flavor.
Help my Nougat is Sticking
If your nougat is not set enough, it will stick to your wax or parchment paper. Some cheaper brands of parchment paper also do not have good nonstick abilities (Dollar Tree kind). To prevent any mishaps, consider the following:
- Never make this candy without a nonstick paper like wax or parchment paper.
- Coat your paper with nonstick spray or a little shortening to make peeling it off easier.
- Add nougat to the freezer before peeling off the paper to make this easier.
- If your paper is sticking regardless, slice off a thin layer with the paper and discard.
How to Store Nougat Candy
Store nougat in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in-between each row to prevent sticking.
You can also freeze this candy for up to 3 months when stored in a freezer-safe, airtight container.
More Candy Recipes to Try Today
Fruity Gumdrop Nougat Candy
Equipment
- 9 x 13 pan
- wax or parchment paper
- microwave-sage large glass bowl
- Microwave
- Rubber Spatula
- measuring cups
- nonstick baking spray
Ingredients
- 18 ounces white chocolate chips
- 16 ounces mini marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 2 cups Dots Fruity Candy
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13 pan with wax or parchment paper. Spray the wax or parchment paper with nonstick spray.
- Add the marshmallows, white chocolate chips, and butter to a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 90 seconds. Pause the microwave around the 45-second mark and stir the mixture.
- Microwave for an additional 30 seconds, pausing to stir again at the 15-second mark. The mixture will be fluffy, thick, and creamy.
- Add 2 cups of Dots to the mixture, and mix them in to combine.
- Quickly add the nougat onto the lined pan. You will need to work quickly to spread the mixture because it cools fast. This is the messiest part of this process.
- Once all the mixture is in the pan, I suggest using clean hands sprayed with nonstick spray to spread the mixture and make sure it is smooth.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or until set. To speed up the process, use the freezer and freeze for about 2 hours or until set.
- When it is time to cut the squares, remove the baking paper from the nougat. Place it (while cold) on a cutting board. Spray a knife with nonstick baking spray and cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. These can get sticky so be sure to store them in the refrigerator (or freezer) between coated wax or parchment paper.
Notes
- Never make this candy without a nonstick paper like wax or parchment paper. Dollar store parchment paper is subpar and does not have good nonstick agents on it–trust me, I have learned the hard way over, and over.
- Coat your paper with nonstick spray or a little shortening to make peeling it off easier.
- Add nougat to the freezer before peeling off the paper to make this easier.
- If your paper is sticking regardless, slice off a thin layer with the paper and discard.
Hi Amy,
I just have a quick question for you….do you put any parchment on top of the candy when it goes in the fridge to cool? Just wondering… Kathy
Hello Kathy, I do not! Just make sure you grease the bottom parchment & freeze to set if the fridge is taking too long.
Amy, I would not say my ingredients was fluffy before I added my dots. what level on your microwave did you use🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Hello,
Ours is set to standard power. 1000 watts.
It probably depends on the marshmallow brand might cause that. It should still work!
Just make sure everything is greased. You might want to freeze to set.
I made these (as well as your yummy turtles) for my upcoming “sweets” exchange. I’m not sure these flavors will be everyone’s cup of tea but I think it’s a super fun treat and a good pretty easy recipe. I love the colors and I think it tastes delicious (hello…marshmallows, DOTS, and white chocolate)! Thank you again Amy!!
Thank you so much! So kind of you Mindy to try my recipes! Appreciate it!
Hi Amy! Such a happy recipe to make! Quick question, please. We just made a batch and it’s chilling in the fridge. After we cut them, how can we store them so they last for a week or two? Thanks!
i haven’t thought of these in years. My mother used to make this when I was a little girl. Thank you for this recipe and I can’t wait to make them!
Would you wrap individual pieces in parchment or wax paper?
Wax paper would be better!
Love the recipe
I wrap individually in plastic wrap
Has anyone ever made these with almonds instead of dots ?
Never thought about individually wrapping them. Great idea! Makes for nice gift giving. Hobby Lobby sells the type of wrappers one would use for this. I’ve used their wrappers for years for my homemade caramels.
Can white chocolate bark be used instead of the chips. Or candy melts be used.
I would only advise following this recipe as written for best results.
This is delicious and turned out perfect! Thank you!
I prefer to cut the Dots into quarters as it seems to be easier to eat. I like the flavor with the smaller pieces as it seems to blend better and not have the Dots flavor overpower the nougat flavor.
I’ve made this candy many times and it is always a hit! Even if the person eating it is not a kid!
How do you clean the bowls without a bunch of gooey marshmallow going down the drain!? And do you melt your butter beforehand?
Hi, it slipped right out for me. If you’ve ever made rice krispies treats, it is similar to that.
Can I use nuts with this recipe?
Hello, I suppose you could but I have not tried it.
I use cut up gummy worms instead of the dots. A bulk bag of worms is a lot cheaper and they are softer. Just cut them up with a pair of scissors.
I ask you not to write the recipe using the microwave. Use a 12″ pan. There’s no way this delightful mess would fit in a microwave.
Also, do not use cheap white chocolate chips. They don’t melt.
The first time I made these the recipe hadn’t been changed.
Hello, it does fit in the microwave in a large, microwave safe bowl as shown.
I prefer Ghirardelhi chips the most from trial and error.
I have made this recipe using a double boiler instead of a microwave. It works just as well. I have also used cheap (store brand) white baking chips and it turns out just like the Brach’s Nougats I remember as a child in the 70s and 80s.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I am excited to make my own batch for this season soon!
Could you do it on the stove?
Hello, microwave or double boiler just to have some control over the consistency and temp. Enjoy!
Could these be dusted with powdered sugar to help with the stickiness?
Hi, I wouldn’t! Mine were not sticky but with a good chill and wax paper pieces they should be good!
I love this recipe so much. It’s so easy! I just made some and forgot most of the marshmallows. I had measured out an extra 6oz and forgotten the other entire bag! I was afraid it was ruined but I went ahead and added them and microwaved a little longer and they turned out great! I use store brand chips and they’re always good. Thank you, this candy takes me back to childhood.
I made some for a Super Bowl party last year and used all red Valentine dots, both teams were red. They were a big hit.
Thank you so much for sharing! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi I have a question about the marshmallow 16 ozs is two cups is that right? 🤔
Hello, no that is not the case for marshmallows. 16 ounces is the full bag that states 16 ounces. If you only use two cups it will not work.
Thank you so much, Amy! This candy look like the ones I used to eat during Christmas time back when I was a kid. I haven’t seen them for a while and today I decided to make them. It was easy to make barely any extra batter in my bowl and they taste JUST LIKE A REMEMBER. Thank so so much! I cannot wait for my kids and friends to eat those. I know they will love them
Hello, thank you so much for stopping by! So glad this recipe evoked childhood nostalgia!
Just a question, the white chips are pictured in the ingredients but are made of soy and not white chocolate at all. The recipe mentions both. It’s my understanding the white chips do not melt as well as white chocolate. Which do you recommend?
Hi, overall, white chocolate does work the best but they both can be used. Ghirardelli is the best though in my opinion.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I just made a batch for my husband and IMO they are better than most (if not all) store-bought nougat. I did take a little extra time to cut the Dots in half as I was concerned the whole pieces might be too much for our liking. I also used white chocolate wafers and frozen butter so I had to microwave everything a little longer but perfecto! I will be making these all the time now and can’t wait to surprise him with this super tasty sweet treat! I just hope they hold up okay in the fridge for a couple weeks . 🤞🏻 Thank you again!!!
Hello Jill, so glad you enjoyed them! These should hold up well for a couple of weeks! Enjoy!
Good
This is reminiscent of the old Brachs candy, and so easy to do and almost fool proof
Hello, these are what inspired me. Thanks for stopping by!
Omg! This used to be my favorite treat as a kid! It’s a good thing I didn’t know how to make them, or how easy it was, until now,.. I made a batch and divided it up into treat baskets for Christmas…. Then made a batch just for me! Yum!!!