Grape Gummy Bears
Made with real fruit juice, these Grape Juice Gummy Bears are a healthier alternative to store-bought gummy candy. Plus they’re fun and easy to make at home!
Grape Juice Gummy Bears
Fruit snacks and gummy snacks were one of my go-to treats as a kid. They’re often marketed as being “healthier” than other types of snacks…but are they?
Turns out, packaged gummies are usually loaded with sugar โ and often multiple kinds! Looking at a bag of a popular gummy bear brand, I saw that three of the first four ingredients are types of sugars: glucose syrup, sugar, and dextrose. Yikes!
But it also turns out that it is pretty easy to make your own homemade gummies! And they’re way better for you than the store-bought kind!
These grape juice gummy bears are made with just FOUR simple ingredients! There’s nothing funny in the ingredients list โ we used all real foods with names that are easy to pronounce. They are also lightly sweetened with natural honey. No lab-created sugars here!
Flavored with grape juice, these flavorful gummy bears taste just like the real deal! Your kids will have a blast making these fun gummy bears, and you can have this classic candy ready to go in under an hour, including cool time.
Related: Check out our strawberry gummy bears too! They’re made with real fruit!
Ingredients
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- 1 1/2 cups grape juice
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons gelatin
Kitchen Supplies Used
- Gummy bear moldsย โย this set of silicone molds comes with 2 handy droppers
- Silicone pastry brush
- Measuring cup
- Saucepan
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. and bring to a boil while whisking.
- Bring to a boil, whisking constantly as the mixture heats, until the gelatin is completely dissolved. When it’s reached a rolling boil, remove pan from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Use a dropper to fill the silicone candy molds with the grape juice liquid. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture into a squeeze bottle and use that to fill the molds.
- When the molds are filled, place them in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
Check the molds at 30 minutes and if the gummies are fully set, you can pop them out of the mold and into a storage container.
Repeat the above steps until you’ve used up all of the grape juice gelatin mixture.
Prep Tips
- When filling the gummy bear molds, place them on a baking sheet so they will be stable. This will make it easier to transfer them in and out of the fridge, avoiding spills.
- These gummy bears are lightly sweetened with honey. If you like them sweeter, or need an alternative to honey, you can substitute 1/2 cup of granulated sugar.
More tips below in the frequently asked questions section!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Keep Gummy Bears from Sticking Together?
Proper storage is the best way to keep gummies from sticking to each other. Make sure that they are not left somewhere where they could soften or melt together. I recommend keeping them refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Another trick is to place all the gummy bears in a large ziplock bag and add a couple Tablespoons of either cornstarch or powdered sugar. Shake the bag until all of the gummy bears are coated in the powder. This will provide a barrier to keep them from being so sticky on the outside.
How Do You Fix Gummies that Didn’t Set?
If you’ve given your gummy bears ample chill time in the fridge, but they are still wet or soft, you might need to add more gelatin. It’s important to make sure that the gelatin you use is not expired, so you know it is working as it should.
The good news is that you can remelt your gummies over a double boiler, stir in more gelatin powder, then pour them back into the molds and allow them to set again.
How Many Packets of Gelatin Are in a Tablespoon?
Unflavored gelatin is often sold in a box of individual 0.25 ounce packets, but our recipe is written in Tablespoons. Fortunately, no math needed here! The Knox Gelatin company website makes it easy for us, explaining, “if a recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon, use 1 pouch of unflavored gelatine.” So for this recipe, you’ll use 3 packets of gelatin.
Can You Use a Different Flavor of Juice?
Sure, with a few exceptions. If you prefer white grape juice, this substitutes perfectly. Strawberry, cherry, pomegranate, orange juice, and mango juice would all taste fabulous too.
Juices to avoid include: kiwi, pineapple, and papaya, which all contain an enzyme that neutralizes the gelatin’s effects.
How Do I Make Gummy Bears Vegan?
Gelatin is an animal-based ingredient. However, it can be substituted with agar agar powder in 1:1 proportions to make this a vegan recipe.
Are Gummy Bears Gluten Free?
Yes, these gummy bears are gluten-free. As always I recommend checking product packaging to ensure that they are made in facilities without cross-contamination, if that is a concern.
More Healthy Kids Snacks
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Grape Gummy Bears
Equipment
- 1 Gummy Bear Molds
- 1 Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Grape juice
- 3 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons Unflavored gelatin
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking consistently.
- When the mixture reaches a rolling boil, remove pan from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Use a dropper to fill gummy bear molds and place in the fridge to set.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
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