Cactus fruit makes wonderfully flavorful Prickly Pear gumdrops. This is a fun recipe to try, but be mindful of your climate—humid conditions may require a bit more pectin to ensure the candies set firmly.
When I lived in Arizona, prickly pear candy was everywhere. I didn’t have to make it because shops carried it in abundance, and I loved it. Those memories inspired me to recreate that flavor at home: Prickly Pear gumdrops.
Did you see these fun Prickly Pear Gum Drops made from cactus fruit?
I’ll be honest—I wasn’t sure this would work at first. Prickly pear (cactus fruit) behaves differently than most fruits, and working with it felt uncertain.
But it worked beautifully. The texture and flavor are excellent.
Note: I live in St. Louis, Missouri, and our local chain stores carry cactus fruit/prickly pear seasonally, usually in spring and summer. It often appears in a small, separate display. If you can’t find it, ask your produce manager when shipments arrive—stores may receive limited amounts that sell quickly.
Have you ever used an unusual ingredient to make candy?
Recipe for Cactus Fruit – Prickly Pear Gum Drops
Cactus Fruit | Prickly Pear Gum Drops
Nicole Cook
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cups prickly pear cactus fruit peeled, pureed and de-seeded
- 1 ½ cups applesauce plain, no sugar added
- 3 teaspoons powdered pectin I used Sure Jell
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar divided
- Sugar for dusting each gumdrop at the end
Instructions
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Spray an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
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In a large saucepan, combine the pureed, de-seeded prickly pear cactus fruit with the applesauce.
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Whisk the pectin with ½ cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Once combined, stir it into the cactus fruit mixture.
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Clip a candy thermometer to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil.
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Whisk in the remaining 2 cups of sugar.
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Bring everything to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 225°F. This usually takes under five minutes.
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Remove the pan from heat.
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Pour the hot mixture into the prepared 8×8 dish.
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When slightly cooled (about an hour), sprinkle sugar over the top.
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Allow the candy to set for several hours. Drying time varies with humidity; aim for at least 12 hours—12+ hours works best, so plan ahead.
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Once the candy is firm enough to cut, slice into 1-inch squares or use a small cookie cutter (sprayed with nonstick spray) to make shapes. If you use cutters, you may need to let pieces dry a bit longer after cutting.
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Toss the pieces in sugar and allow them to dry another 6+ hours or overnight on parchment. Store covered for up to two weeks.
Nutrition Facts
| Carbohydrates: 92g
| Protein: 0.2g
| Fat: 0.3g
| Sugar: 89g
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