Healthy Gummy Bears
If you’re looking for a homemade Healthy Gummy Bear Recipe that is yummy and fun to eat, then you are going to want to check out this recipe. This yummy treat has antioxidants, vitamin C, and collagen protein.
Did you eat gummy bears growing up? They were one of my favorite candies! Of course, the gummy treats of our childhoods were not healthy given that they were full of sugar and artificial coloring and flavors.
There is something just so satisfying about chewing up something small and sweet.
If you have the same craving or you want to make a healthy snack for your kids, then I think you’re really going to love these Homemade Healthy Gummy Bears!
Why You Need This Recipe
- Skip the packaged gummy bears that are loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients.
- These homemade gummy bears only have four ingredients and they are health-promoting to boot!
- This is a healthy snack you can feel good about eating or serving to kids. Each serving has approximately 60 calories, 3 grams of protein, and 3% of the recommended intake of vitamin C.
Key Ingredients
This homemade gummy bear recipe is super easy to make, although it does take a little effort.
You only need 3-4 ingredients, depending on what flavor of gummy bear you want to make. I decided to make a Pomegranate Lime Gummy Bear, so I used pomegranate juice, fresh lime juice, honey, and gelatin.
The main ingredient in gummy bears is gelatin. This is not a vegan or vegetarian recipe, though, since gelatin is made from the collagen of animals. I recommend buying grass-fed beef gelatin to ensure you are getting a quality ingredient.
Gelatin is similar to collagen protein, although collagen tends to dissolve a little easier in smoothies or hot drinks. Gelatin has the special property of being able to add that thick, jelly-like texture to foods when it is prepared properly.
Gelatin is also incredibly nutritious and may have gut-healing properties. Learn more about the potential benefits of collagen and gelatin.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Grab your gummy bear molds and lay them on a baking sheet. This will make it easier to put the molds in the refrigerator or the freezer.
I like this inexpensive silicone gummy bear mold set that comes with a dropper.
Step Two
Combine the gummy ingredients in a saucepan and slowly stir in the gelatin.
Step Three
Use a dropper to get the gummy bear mixture from the saucepan into the molds. Then, refrigerator or freeze the molds to get the bears to set.
Step Four
Remove the gummy bears from the molds and serve right away. Or, transfer them to a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to make this gummy bear recipe at home, you can use whatever 100% fruit juice you have on hand or like. The proportions of juice, gelatin, and sweetener should remain the same.
- I recommend storing the prepared gummy bears in the refrigerator to make sure they stay fresh. They should last up to a week.
- The gummy bears will set very fast, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer.
- To make different flavors other than pomegranate, you can substitute any other flavor of 100% juice, including orange juice, blueberry juice, or cherry juice.
- Be sure to use gelatin in this recipe, not collagen peptides.
Recipe FAQs
Not all packaged gummy bears are gluten-free. But, yes, this recipe as written is gluten-free.
Gummy bears made with gelatin are not vegan or vegetarian.
You can make these using any liquid sweetener you like. Maple syrup or honey are my favorite options.
Recommended Items
More Healthy Snack Recipes You Might Like
- Homemade Paleo Jello
- Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
- Double Chocolate Almond Butter Energy Balls
- 2-Minute Instant Pot Hardboiled Eggs
- Vegan Gummies
Don’t Miss These Yummy Snack Lists!
Healthy Gummy Bears
If you’re looking for a homemade Gummy Bear Recipe that is yummy and fun to eat, then you are going to want to check out this recipe. This healthy treat has antioxidants, vitamin C, and protein.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup pomegranate juice (or juice of your flavor)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons gelatin
Instructions
- Lay out your molds on a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the juice and honey. Turn the heat to low and whisk the ingredients together.
- Slowly, add the gelatin to the saucepan one tablespoon at a time, whisking the ingredients to help the gelatin to dissolve.
- Let the mixture come to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice, if you are using.
- Use a dropper to divide the mixture into the gummy bear molds. Place the molds into the refrigerator or freezer to set.
- Once the gummy bears have set, remove them from the molds and store them in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- The gummy bears will set very fast, about 20 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer.
- To make different flavors other than pomegranate, you can substitute any other flavor of 100% juice, including orange juice, blueberry juice, or cherry juice.
- Be sure to use gelatin in this recipe, not collagen peptides.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Paleo
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 62
- Sugar: 12.6 g
- Sodium: 10.2 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.2 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 3.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
If I leave out the lime juice, do I have to adjust the amount of juice or does it not matter?
Also, honey is too sweet for me. Can I replace the honey with sugar and use less than the listed amount of honey (to taste)?
Thank you!!!
The recipe is pretty flexible. You can leave out the lime juice, just shoot for about a cup of liquid. If you use sugar, you’ll need to make sure it gets dissolved. Or, just use less honey than recommended.
Can I use lemon juice instead of lime?
Yes! Or just leave it out.
Awesome recipe for adults and kids! I love the taste and we make fun shapes with different molds.
These are so tasty!!!!