Strawberry Candy Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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.
Those look like a lot of fun to make with kids! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe Christy. You are so awesome!
I was reading that first comment by Elizabeth and it also brought tears to my eyes. My Grannie is still with me, and we are also very close, but I really dread the day the Lord takes her home. Hope you have a blessed day!
Your friend from Louisiana,
Vickie
Hello Christy,
Your strawberry candies are the prettiest,sweetest, most delightful treats I’ve seen in forever. I look forward to calling them “Christy Spring Delights” and making them part of every Easter celebration! I don’t know who will love them more, Kent, the boys or me!
Hope you and your family enjoy a blessed Easter!
Maralee
Hi everyone!
I just know I have had these before, more than likely from honey-pie hubby’s Mama’s house in Augusta Ga. I remember that they look soooo purdy and taste soo good. I am eager to make these now and see how my first attempt turns out.
Thanks everyone for sharing about your Grandmama’s and Mama’s on this post. It is nice to hear how recipes/food can truly reconnect you with loved ones that have passed on. I always knew that, right Christy-poo? Thanks for sharing about your underwear too today. You know, most folks wear them….I’m jes sayin’ ……
Hugs to all ya’ll!
LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
Christy, I’m still in awe over the fact that you had 13 living grandparents a one time. How awesome is that!!! I had only one Grandmother (she died the same year my mother did ’65). I was 11, I remember going to her apartment, she had this little machine that you cranked, that made home rolled cigarettes. I bet between my brothers and I we made enough cigarettes to last a year or more.hehe Than we would play dominoes. Thanks for the memories!!!
I don’t remember ever having these! They sure are pretty, though! It does seem like anything with sweetened condensed milk is good!
I have not seen these in many years and they are so pretty sitting in a dish. I think this would be a terrific thing for my grandughter and I do do on our Saturday night “girls night in”. I always try to have something special to entertain her and these are surely special. Just think maybe somewhere a generation or two away she will think of me as she shows her children Nana’s strawberries. No hurry though LOL.
Woo Hoo!!! We had a dear friend of the family who use to make these and she has moved to GA so we don’t get to see her often. Seeing this reminds me of all the memories I shared with her. I think I will surprise everyone and make up some for Easter. She would make leaves on hers with green icing, I like the almond stem too!