Healthier, refined sugar-free Gummy Bears!! Plus, a wine version for mom! This easy and healthier Gummy Bears recipe is a perfect treat for kids.
My friend tagged me on a gummy bears recipe one day and I knew I had to investigate how to make them healthier for my kids. The result is this 3 ingredient recipe for low-honey (refined sugar-free) fruit juice Gummy Bears and little adaptation for some adult Wine Gummy Bears.
Because why should the kids get all the goodies?
Needless to say my kids went bananas for the fruit gummy bears and all the adults adored the wine gummy bears. I love that they’re not overly sweet. Your teeth won’t feel like they’re going to fallout from eating a bunch.
This recipe makes 150 gummy bears and I stretched serving them to various my kids and friends over a 5 day period. Since my kid never eat candy enjoying 5 at once for a few days was a special treat for them.
Gelatin is used in this recipe. I tried both the regular everyday (found everywhere) gelatine as well as some fancy pants organic gelatin. The results were the same. It would probably come down to your personal preference on which to use. I tried to cut the gelatin in one recipe testing session, but it didn’t work so I’d recommend sticking with the 3 packages.
I used (from left to right) pomegranate juice and mango juice and wine for the gummy bears above. The mango flavoured were the big winner for the kids.
Another occasion I made pineapple coconut juice gummy bears, but the gelatin didn’t hold. I think it’s because this juice is thicker and made it difficult for the gelatine to set. I’d suggest sticking with more clear juices*.
* I’ve been told it’s from the enzymes in pineapple, so stay away from that flavour!
Another fail in this Gummy Bears recipe was when I tried to sugarcoat the wine gummy bears and I watched the sugar melted off almost instantly. I tried it with regular sugar and berry (fine) sugar; neither stuck unfortunately.
If you take up the challenge to make this work, tag me as I’d love to see it. I think it would be fantastic on the wine gummy bears.
I purchased my ($13) moulds and dropper on Amazon.
As a huge chocolate peanut butter fan, I adore these homemade Peanut Butter Pretzel Cups with Dark Chocolate. SO good. What is your favourite candy to make at home?
All natural refined sugar-free gummy bears for kids and wine gummy bears for adults.
- 1 cup fruit juice (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 x 1 tbsp packages gelatin (or 3 tbsp gelatin)
- 1 cup wine (red, white, rose will work)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 x 1 tbsp packages gelatin (or 3 tbsp gelatin)
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Place gummy bear moulds* on a baking sheet (easier to transport to fridge). Have dropper nearby.
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In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat add juice or wine and honey or sugar. Heat until honey/sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
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Whisk in lemon juice.
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Very gradually add one package of gelatin at a time, lightly sprinkling gelatin over liquid before whisking to combine.
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Working quickly place liquid in gummy bear molds using a dropper.
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Refrigerate for 20 minutes until solid (or can be left for a few hours).
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Pop out of moulds and enjoy.
* I used these moulds purchased on Amazon.
Enjoy! xo
Banh Mi Pork Fried Rice Recipe
OMG! I love these homemade gummies Samantha! These are super duper cute! Your kids must have been over the moon eating them! I will have to give these homemade gummies a try! My kids love them(yes I give them occasionally shhh! ) 🙂
You’re a cool mom though Amisha! And there’s nothing wrong with a little treat every now and then. I’d prefer to give mine other treats to candy, but at the end of the day they all have the same impact.
Samantha–these are SO fun! I so want to make them for a Girls Night In
That’s a great idea! I took them to cookbook club where they were thoroughly enjoyed, but Girls Night sounds fab too.
These are awesome! I can think of a million places I would love to bring them!
They’re pretty awesome. 🙂
There’ll be loads of fun making this!
What a good idea! My kids would love these!
Mine certainly do 🙂
These are so adorable! If I make these, I will have to hide these from my husband coz he will make them vanish in one sitting.
My kids love them but I ration them out over the course of week or take them to friend’s houses as a nice treat so we don’t end up like your husband (eating them all in one sitting) 😉
They are so cute!! I can’t wait to try them, I was never allowed gummy lollies (or any kind of candy) as a kid and I still have guilt about eating them now but I would have no issues with these 🙂 love your site x
Thank you! Your words mean a lot. That’s a great way of looking at these “candies” – guilt-free!
No way, wine gummies! What a fun idea.
Thanks so much! They’re a fun spin 🙂
It’s very good idea to make healthy gummy. But I have tried once 1 cup of water with 3 tbsp of gellatin, I got problem about chewing. The texture is not like “Halibo”.
I agree with you on the texture; they’re not like the regular “Halibo” gummy bears, but they’re much fresher and don’t have all the additives and preservatives in them which can attribute to a change in texture.
Make this what gelatin did u used
It depends on what I have around. The first few times it was the grocery store available (I believe it is Knox brand). The last time I used a bulk purchase from a cooking store store in Vancouver.
These look beautiful! Can you store them for a longer period in the freezer?
I’ve never tried as they’re usually gone pretty quick around here. I’d say most likely.
Regarding the pineapple coconut ones, I read somewhere that pineapple juice prevents gelatin from “gelling”.
Yes! I should update the post … there’s an enzyme that won’t allow the pineapple juice to gel. You’re correct 🙂
Theses look and sound amazing! Pineapple juice as also prevent jams & jellies form setting as well.
Looking forward to trying them, the mango ones will be devoured.
Hey Redawna! 🙂 We love them. I’m going to make the wine ones for moms movie night this upcoming week. The pineapple juice is apparently something to do with the enzymes. Let me know if you get a chance to make the mango ones 🙂
This looks wild! i might use this recipe for a competition in a month or so!
Two questions, can these gummy bears be frozen and can they be dipped in chocolate???
Hi! I am unsure if they can do either as I haven’t tried. Maybe give them a go before hand to see. What competition?
This is the second gummy bear recipe I’ve tried this week without success. I used cherry juice but no luck….they never hardened up enough for them to come out of the mold. You had good instructions and suggestion to use cookie sheet to put them in the freezer was appreciated. Not sure why they’re not turning out well for me.
Hi … I’m not too sure. I haven’t tried cherry juice before. From a brief research online, it appears as though cherry juice might need more gelatine in it to bond properly. I’d maybe try it one more time with an extra tablespoon of gelatine. Or if you’re too frustrated try a different juice (besides pineapple, which won’t form due to the enzymes).
Hi Samantha! What a fun idea! Do you think vegetarian gelatin or other non-pork gelatin would work?
I’m not too sure. I know grass-fed beef gelatine would work, but I can’t be certain about the vegetarian version.
This looks yummy! For the Mom version, could I sub honey for the sugar? (Can’t do Sugar unfortunately) Would they still firm up?
The wine gummy bears will definitely still firm up with honey substituting the sugar.
Has anyone tried peach juice? Boyfriend loves peaches! And can any other alcohol beside wine be used?
Peach juice should definitely work for this Gummy Bears recipe. I think Cider could be good or even a play on rum and coke or a cosmopolitan will work well 🙂 If you give another beverage a try please let me know how it works out. Cheers!
I’m loving how fun these are. Surely dangerous, but fun none the less.
🙂 very fun!
I’m all about tasty gummy bears! And yours are so cute! I enjoy special formulations for multi-vitamins, as well as the snack/dessert type. My friend made a batch of these for me last fall, and I’ve been wanting to assemble a batch or two for my family! Thanks for sharing this fun recipe.
I really want to try these out, but I find it difficult to find unsweetened juice, does it HAVE to be unsweetened?
Nope, just adjust the sweetener of choice accordingly, so I’d reduce the amount of honey for the recipe if the fruit juice is sweetened.
GUMMYS!!!
So incredibly fun–to make and to eat! Love being able to adapt to using different juices, as well. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
🙂
Oh my, these gummy bears look amazingly delicious and very tasty! Kids will definitely love this! Loved it already! Thanks for sharing this with us
Glad you think so 🙂
Oh my goodness, what a great idea! My kids will love making and eating these! Thanks for sharing an adult version too 😉
Pleasure 🙂
First, these gummy bears are so cute. Second, I have never thought how easy to make these gummies and these look delicious!
So easy! And such a kid fave!
Thank you for the recipe, I would like to know, how long ahead of time they can be made. My granddaughters birthday is on Saturday, can I start making them today? What’s the shelf life?
It kind of depends on how you like your gummy bears. I prefer these day 2 and my kids love them days 1-3. They will last up to 7 days in an airtight container.
Great recipe, thank you.
Bromelain is the enzyme in pineapple that prevents gelatin from gelling. It’s found in mango and papaya too. Heating the juice to boiling neutralizes the bromelaim and tour gummies will jell.
Thank for the information. Good to know 🙂
Is ordinary orange juice ok to use in these (like the undiluted one). Can anyone tell me. If not which one is best to use.
That should work Mark.