Homemade Bubble Gum Recipe | Family Fun | Gum Books for Kids | Writing Research

Making Bubble Gum

While writing a fun story about bubble gum, I wondered if I could make my own gum from home.
I found a video showing how to make bubblegum and copied it. Finding the gum base to purchase took more searching than I anticipated, but don’t worry; I’m sharing my source here so you can easily find it.

Making bubble gum was a sticky process, and the first time around, we learned too late that using our nice dishes for mixing ingredients wasn’t the best option (we had to use rubbing alcohol to remove the gum base from our dishes and silverware afterward).

Once we switched to using paper bowls and a wooden stirring stick, the clean-up was a breeze. (The image on the left features gum base and flavor drop bottles.)

We purchased a gum base that is made in the USA from HungryRobot. It doesn’t smell very good when you pull it out of the package, but after adding the flavor oils and powdered sugar, it smells and tastes amazing.

We used two capfuls of either Bubblegum flavor or Cotton Candy flavor from LorAnn Oils, as we tested batches. With one batch, we also added a few drops of the LorAnn Tart and Sour Flavor Enhancer, which gave the gum a tangy sour punch. (Be aware that the more liquids you add to the gum base, the more powdered sugar you’ll need later.)

We also experimented with different food colors, but classic pink was our favorite.

After testing and verifying measurements, we invited guests to join in on the gum-making. We’ve had three bubble gum-making parties with teens and adults, followed each time by a bubble-blowing contest – what a blast!

Want to make bubble gum, too? You’ll find the recipe below. If you make homemade bubble gum, let me know. I’d love to hear your results!

Homemade Bubble Gum

Equipment

  • 1 Paper bowl
  • 1 Paper plate
  • 1 Wood craft stick or plastic spoon
  • Cutting utensil or plastic knife
  • Wax paper or parchment paper, cut into squares

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 TBLS Unflavored Gum Base (or 30 grams)
  • 3 TBLS Corn Syrup
  • Flavor Drops Such as Cotton Candy or Bubble Gum flavors. We used 2 capfuls.
  • 1 Drop Food Coloring Red provides the classic bubblegum pink color
  • 2 TBLS Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • In a paper bowl, microwave the gum base in ten-second increments until it’s fully melted. (use the wood craft stick to stir it)
  • Add the corn syrup, and continue microwaving in ten-second increments and stirring until fully mixed.
  • Add the flavor drops and stir.
  • Add the food coloring and stir. Set aside.
  • Pour the powdered sugar onto the paper plate.
  • Pour the melted ingredients into the middle of the powdered sugar.
  • Use the craft stick to pile surrounding powdered sugar onto the top of the mixture.
  • Using your fingers, press more powdered sugar in.
  • Massage the sugar in while adding more and more powdered sugar until the mixture is no longer sticky.
  • Roll the gum into a log.
  • Cut into gum-size pieces.
  • Drop the pieces back into the powdered sugar and roll.
  • Shake the sugar loose and roll each piece inside wax or parchment paper. Twist ends.

Notes

As I researched bubble gum, I learned about archeological evidence showing that chewing gum has existed for a long time. The Mayans, ancient Greeks, and others chewed gum. The world’s oldest preserved chewing gum is 9,000 years old and made from birch bark in Sweden.

More Fun Facts About Bubblegum:

*A British archeologist once discovered a 5,000-year-old piece of chewing gum in Finland. It was made from bark tar and still contained tooth imprints.

*The oldest bubble gum brand, Blibber-Blubber, started in 1906, but it was way too sticky. In 1928, Walter Diemer discovered a successful formula called Bubble Dubble, which is still being sold today.

*The most expensive chewing gum in the world is called Mastika Gum. If you’d like to try the gum that elitists and royal families worldwide chew, you can buy it online.

*The current world record for the most chewing gum chewed at one time is 250 pieces. Yikes!

*All forms of chewing gum have been banned in Singapore since 1992.

Picture Book Recommendations:

As I searched for picture books that feature bubble gum (to use as inspiration, mentor texts, and comp titles for the story I wrote), these books stood out as my favorites. Take a look!

*On Account of the Gum, by Adam Rex

*Bubble Gum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman

*Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy

Author Snapshot | Susan Thogerson Maas | Picture Imperfect

Our ‘Author Snapshot’ for November features Susan Thogerson Maas, showcasing her middle grade novel, Picture Imperfect. Susan has generously offered a book to two randomly chosen commenters!  Winners will be announced on November 28th, 2020.*

Susan shares with us:

Fiction often arises from two places: experiences of the author and the results of asking the question, “What if?” Picture Imperfect is no exception.

Picture Imperfect is the story of 12-year-old JJ, a girl who loves photography and has an opportunity to win the dreamed-of camera that her parents cannot afford. However, she faces obstacles in the forms of an annoying aunt who becomes her roommate, a beloved great-grandmother in failing health, and a cat prone to wander. Can she overcome these challenges and prove herself through her photographs?

When I began writing Picture Imperfect, my husband and I had an unexpected housemate of our own, a relative who was out of work and out of money. While she was a decent person, her presence caused tension and seemed to bring out the worst in us. “What if?” I wondered. “What if this happened to a preteen girl? What if this person was super-annoying and the girl actually had to share a room with her?” And so Aunt Lissa was created.

Around the same time, my favorite aunt became ill. As we spent time together, I recognized how important she had been in my life. And I thought of women from my church who had encouraged me and strengthened my faith. JJ’s Gram grew from these memories.

Many of the settings are from my own life—the church, the school, the county fair site, and, of course, the Columbia Gorge.

And JJ? Is she modeled after me? Perhaps a little bit. I do love photography—and cats. But JJ is a stronger girl than I was. And I never had a wacky but caring sidekick like Kat—although I wish I had. My faith also plays a big part in the story, as JJ searches for the God her Gram seems to know so well. I admit I’ve been more like JJ than Gram in this area.

As for the plot, that’s where the “What if?” questions came in. What if JJ really needed that camera? What if her best plans kept backfiring? What if she and Kat let their suspicions about Aunt Lissa override their good sense? What if every possible thing seemed to go wrong?

Picture Imperfect was fun to write, because it was a mixture of experience and possibilities. And I hope it will nudge my middle grade readers a little closer to God.

About the author:

Susan has been a part-time writer for over 35 years. Besides Picture Imperfect, she has published dozens of articles, children’s stories, and devotionals in publications such as Hopscotch, Clubhouse, Jr., Homeschooling Today, Evangel, Live!, The Upper Room, and Pathways. She has written Sunday school and homeschooling curricula. Hobbies include growing vegetables—amidst the weeds, hiking through Pacific Northwest forests, and snapping photos of mountains, flowers, and her amazing grandsons.

Social Media Links for Susan:

Website: http://www.susanmaas.com/

Blog on nature and faith: https://sparrowthoughts.wordpress.com/

Author’s page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorsusanmaas Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmaas

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maas1766/

Links to purchase book:

https://whitefire-publishing.com/read/picture-imperfect/ (Read two chapters free.)

https://www.amazon.com/Picture-Imperfect-Susan-Thogerson-Maas/dp/1941720102

*Book winners must reside within the continental U.S.