2-Ingredient Homemade Gummy Candy

Homemade Gummy Candy is a fun, kid-pleasing snack.  Make gummy bunnies for Easter, gummy worms for Halloween or gummy bears for anytime!  Just 2 ingredients!

Gummy candy…gummy bears, gummy worms–or today’s gummy Easter bunnies and eggs, holds a fascination for kids that I’ll never understand.  Though I do admit to an off and on obsession with Swedish fish (shhh)!

But since my kids loved them, I decided to try make some healthier Homemade Gummy Candy. And given that they are basically a flavored liquid (such as juice) and gelatin, healthier wasn’t even hard!

I first made these a decade ago with the goal of assembling a natural Easter basket.  That year they also got Homemade Peanut Butter Cups, (spring colored) M&M Cookies in a Jar,  Homemade Salted Caramels and Homemade Peeps!  It was so much fun!

And whether you’re making gummy bears or duckies, it’s pretty much the same.  So now I can’t wait to make dirt cups oozing with candy worms when Halloween comes around! 

Why You’ll Love This!

Healthier.  With just two ingredients—gelatin and juice, you don’t need to worry about dyes and additives.  You can even go all organic!

Easy.  How many 2-ingredient recipes do you see!  So even if time if short, you can give Homemade Gummy Candy a try. 

Fun.  There are so many different candy molds available you can make fun gummies for almost any occasion!

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

• Juice.  This provides the flavor and sweetness.  You can use regular juice, but the flavor sometimes ends up quite mild.  So if it works out, start with a concentrate and dilute it less for more intense flavor.  Avoid pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava unless they have been heated first (see note under “Tips” for more info on this.)
• Unflavored Gelatin.  This causes the gummies to gel without giving you any additives.  I even use an organic pork gelatin I got from Canada.  My second choice would probably be grass-fed beef gelatin–or for convenience even the Knox gelatin from the grocers.
• Non-stick spray. For plastic molds only, you’ll want to spray first with a nonspray like PAM.  Silicone molds should release fine without any pre-treatment.

Special Tools

• You’ll need molds to create the shapes. These are typically silicone or plastic.

Today you will probably find most of your molds made out of silicone.  But since I’ve been making these for years, I have some old plastic molds too with designs that I like.  And there are companies still selling these today.   

Silicone molds are probably slightly easier to unmold, but I didn’t have much trouble with the plastic either, once sprayed with PAM.  With either type of mold, just remember to pull gently, especially if you have a design with more detail.

Step by Step Overview

If using a plastic mold, spray with nonstick spray.  Silicone molds don’t need any special prep.

Pour juice into small saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin thinly over juice (no clumps) and let sit 5 minutes.

Heat slowly stirring on the stove, or alternating heating and stirring in the microwave.  You want the gelatin to be warm but not too hot. Continue stirring until the gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  I lift up a spoonful of the mixture to check for undissolved grains, since they’re easier to see in a thin layer.  If it’s cooling and still not dissolved, heat the mixture again briefly and continue stirring.

Skim any foam  (it’s okay if you don’t get it all) then spoon into mold cavities.

Cool in refrigerator until firmly set, a couple hours.  Maximum set may require longer.

Remove carefully from mold. Store sealed in the refrigerator.

Variations

On boosting flavor

While we thought the homemade gummy candy was good even with regular juice, people sometimes use different techniques for boosting flavor.  Besides using a less diluted juice concentrate like I suggest, they sometimes add sugar, lemon juice or citric acid.  Since I’m trying to reduce sugar usage, I’d probably add a few drops of stevia instead if I wanted to sweeten.

On the Gelatin to Juice Ratio (Thickness)

This year, I decide to retest my gelatin to juice ratio after feeling they might be a little firmer than I wanted.  When I reduced the gelatin however (I tried 1 ½ Tablespoons per half cup of juice), I found that the candies were more fragile, and I had more breakage—especially with a more detailed design. 

The other thing you need to know about gelatin is that it has what is called a “bloom strength.”  This is a measure of how firm the final gel will be and is measured on a scale of 30-325.  The gelatin I used has a bloom strength of 200, while the Knox brand you find in grocery stores is 225, so results should be similar.

And since making this is so quick in terms of working time, you can even experiment to see what you like best.

Tips & FAQs

Consider setting your mold in a 9 x 13 rimmed baking pan to aid in moving to the refrigerator.  Or you can let them sit on the counter until lightly set before moving. 

Some of the more delicate designs may have a level of breakage as you unmold.  I had the least problem when I loosen around all sides of the gummy before pulling it out from the mold.

As mentioned, certain juices may impact the ability of gelatin to gel.  According to ThoughtCo, problem fruits “contain high levels of proteases. Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin. Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava are examples of fruits that cause a problem.”  Heating deactivates proteases, so if you use something that’s been heated (like pouring the juice out of canned pineapple), it shouldn’t be a problem.

How to store?  With my latest gummy candies, I decided to experiment with leaving them sitting on the kitchen counter for a few days.  Unwrapped, they didn’t mold as I’d feared (though if they were sealed, this might have been different).

But what did happen is they dried out quite quickly and by 48 hours were noticeably shriveled. One thin gummy even looked like a dried-out contact lens!  So I stand by my original recommendation to seal and refrigerate.

Gummy Candy

Homemade Gummy Candy is a fun, kid-pleasing snack.  Make gummy bunnies for Easter, gummy worms for Halloween or gummy bears for anytime!  Just 2 ingredients!

Author: Inger

5 from 2 votes

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Inactive Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Cookies & Candies

Cuisine American

Servings 26

Calories 18 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 cup apple cider or other juice (see note)
• 2 Tablespoons gelatin or 2-2 1/2 teaspoon Knox packets
• Non-stick spray use for plastic molds

Instructions

 

• If using a plastic mold, spray with nonstick spray. Silicone molds don’t need any special prep.
• Pour juice into small saucepan or microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle gelatin thinly over juice (no clumps) and let sit 5 minutes.
• Heat slowly stirring on the stove, or alternating heating and stirring in the microwave. You want the gelatin to be warm but not too hot. Continue stirring until the gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. I lift up a spoonful of the mixture to check for undissolved grains, since they’re easier to see in a thin layer. If it’s cooling and still not dissolved, heat the mixture again briefly and continue stirring.
• Skim any foam (it's okay if you don't get it all) then spoon into mold cavities.
• Cool in refrigerator until set, from 30 minutes to a couple hours. Maximum set may require longer.
• Remove carefully from mold. Store sealed in the refrigerator.

Notes

Avoid pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava juices unless they have been heated.  To intensify flavor, consider using a juice concentrate that’s been made with less water, or adding a little sugar or lemon juice. 

Calories will vary based on juice type and candy size.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 2 piecesCalories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gSodium: 14mgSugar: 3g

I am not a health professional and nutrition data is calculated programatically. Accuracy may vary with product selection, calculator accuracy, etc. Consult a professional for the best information.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Updated from the original post dated Apr 14, 2014.

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