Strawberry Candy Recipe
This old-fashioned homemade strawberry candy recipe is made with a scrumptiously sweet combination of strawberry gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, chopped pecans, and sweetened coconut flakes. Rolled in red sugar with a dyed-green slivered almond on top, they look nearly too cute to eat (nearly…).
I have my Grandmother Cornetha to thank for this homemade strawberry candy recipe. She and my Papa Reed (mama’s daddy) got married when my mother was fourteen, adding a whole other branch to our family tree. Honestly, at this point, we got one of those HUGE oak trees with all of the branches jutting out all over the place!
But let’s get to the recipe. This deliciously sweet strawberry-flavored hard candy recipe will make your tastebuds sing! They’re also known as Christmas strawberries as back in the day they were often only made around the holidays. I’ll often wrap up these fun candy berries and give a bag as a gift nowadays. But whether you treat yourself or someone you care about to these little gems, just promise me you’ll give this candy strawberry recipe a go.
Fortunately, they’re easy candies to make. Plus, one of the steps is to let the mixture chill for up to 48 hours. They also have such a unique texture: a combination of chopped nuts and coconut flakes with creamy condensed milk and sweet strawberry gelatin powder. Add the red sugar and these totally sweet treats are so addictive! I love how we shape them to resemble , although there is no fresh in sight.
Alright, who’s ready to make some strawberry candies?
Recipe Ingredients
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Strawberry gelatin powder
- Green food coloring
- Red crystal sprinkles (red sugar)
- Sweetened flaked coconut
- Finely chopped nuts (I’m using pecans)
- Slivered almonds
How to Make Strawberry Candy
Pour your sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl.
I could just drink a whole can of this if my blood sugar would let me. I swear, anything with sweetened condensed milk in it is delicious!
Add your coconut and chopped nuts.
And gelatin powder.
Stir and stir and stir and stir and stir until it looks like this.
(It won’t take long, I just felt like being dramatic).
Cover with foil and let sit in the refrigerator for 48 hours.
24 hours later…
Oh, who are we kidding? Like I’m gonna wait 48 hours on anything. I didn’t even let my own kids wait until their due dates. I have the patience of a hyperactive gnat on sugar.
So the next day, go ahead and take out your strawberry candy mixture (unless you want to follow the original instructions and not be a rebel with me, whatever cranks yer tractor).
Spoon up about a teaspoonful like this.
Shape into a strawberry…
And then roll it around in the sugar mixture.
Now add the a whole bunch more times.
Like this.
Now we need to dye our almonds.
I place mine in a sandwich bag and pour about a tablespoon or so (I use too much so feel free to use less) of green food coloring into the bag.
Seal that and move them around to give them a good coating.
Then pour them out onto a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
If you like, you can also put them on a and bake them in the oven at 250 to speed up the drying process.
Stick one at the end of each of your berries.
Like so.
And that’s it! Aren’t they pretty? They taste YUMMY, too!
Storage
Store leftover candy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- If you want, you can make red sugar yourself using beetroot powder. Check out this recipe for DIY Beetroot powder or Kale powder.
- Swap the chopped pecans for chopped walnuts or omit them completely if you prefer.
Recipe FAQs
Where can I get red sugar?
I order mine from Amazon or Target. I usually get this red sanding sugar. If you choose to purchase from this link, Southern Plate will receive a small commission to put toward updating recipes, providing new ones as well as videos, and more. Another option is to roll each in strawberry gelatin powder if you’re in a pinch, but I definitely prefer the red sugar coating.
What else can I use to make the tops green?
You can also use green sugar crystals and just dip the tops of these candies in those crystals. That works as well. You can also add a green toothpick to the top to make for easy eating.
You may also enjoy these bite-sized treats:
Homemade Fudge With Variations
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup finely chopped nuts I used pecans
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 oz
- 3 boxes strawberry gelatin 3 oz boxes
- 1-2 jars red sugar crystals you can get by on one, but I used 1 1/2
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds you just need about three dozen pieces, 1/2 a cup is more than enough
- green food coloring
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine milk, coconut, nuts, and gelatin powder, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1 cup finely chopped nuts, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 3 boxes strawberry gelatin
- Remove and form teaspoonfuls into a strawberry shape and then roll them in red sugar.1-2 jars red sugar crystals
- Dye almonds green with food coloring and once dry, place one at the end of each strawberry as a stem. Store in refrigerator.1/2 cup slivered almonds, green food coloring
Keep a green tree in your heart
and perhaps a singing bird will come.
Chinese Proverb submitted by Leigh. Submit your quote here.
What size can of condensed milk and how big is each box of gelatin???
It’s a standard 14 oz can and 3oz box of the gelatin. Have updated the recipe to be more clear. Thanks for your questions!
Is there something that can be used instead of the coconut. Some of my people don’t like coconut (I don’t know why) but they think these would be better without coconut. Is the coconut used as a bonding agent or in other words to thicken the mixture? The recipe I have used for many years has 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar. Could I increase the powdered sugar? I think I will try that. I have also made pumpkins using this same recipe using orange jello and yellow or orange sugar. My granddaughter is getting married in September and has requested these. She is having an autumn theme so they fit right in. Also, her nickname is “Pumpkin” If you have any suggestions I would appreciate them. Thanks
You can leave the coconut out or replace with crushed nuts if you like. It’s used for texture and flavor so shouldn’t impact how it binds. Let me know what you think when you make it. For pumpkin recipes we have a good amount so head on over to southernplate.com and put pumpkin in the search box (it says ‘Help You With Something?”). You might like our mini pumpkin pies might work. I hope your granddaughter has a beautiful day. Enjoy that time 🙂
My Mom taught me to make a version of this. No nuts. And after rolling them in red sugar. We dip the tops in green sugar. Yummy!
OMG!! I am sooo excited about this receipe!!! I was just asking my sister a couple of days ago if she remembered mom making these at Christmas time. And then today I decided to google strawberry candy rolled in red sugar crystals with a green sliced almond stem, and BAM, this popped up!!! My mom has been gone for 6 years and I haven’t been able to find her recipe for these. Old Christmas tradition being born again at my house this year!!! Can’t wait to make these!!! Brings tear to my eyes just thinking about all those years ago with my mom. Thank you so much for posting this!!!
Cindi
That just made my day to hear that you are going to make these!! I know your Mom is smiling at the thought as well. I hope that y’all enjoy the candies and have a very blessed holiday season filled with precious memories!
Someone I worked with 40 years ago gave me this recipe and I haven’t made this in years! Thank you for sharing your story and the recipe! I’ll be making some in the near future!
Thank you Sally, I hope it brought back some fond memories for you!!