National Gum Drop Day – Recipes Using Gum Drops

Celebrate National Gum Drop Day (February 15) with this recipe from Pastry Sampler:

Jewels
These cookies are topped with small gumdrops before being baked.

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Sugar for rolling
• Mini gumdrops for decoration, or cut up larger ones into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place flour, sugar and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until the mixture forms a dough. With lightly floured dusted hands, roll 1 teaspoon scoops into balls, placing them on a sheet of wax paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Next, roll each ball in sugar and place on lightly greased baking sheet; flatten slightly. Press three gumdrops onto each cookie and bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Image courtesy morguefile.