Healthy Homemade Gummy Bears
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Healthy Gummy Bears are a delicious treat made with only 3 ingredients & done in 15 minutes. Gluten free, refined sugar free and paleo – you’ll love them!
This post was originally shared in March of 2018 but has been updated.
These healthy homemade gummy bears are:
- simple to make
- taste amazing
- are low in sugar
- have a good amount of protein in them (compared to other candy!)
I thought it would be nearly impossibly to make a gummy bear recipe healthy… but it was surprisingly simple.
My candy of choice has always been gummy bears (after chocolate, obviously). On top of being super delicious, they’re so cute! Who doesn’t like a gummy bear?
Even though they’re super cute (and tasty)… their ingredients list is less than impressive. Most gummy bears have Corn Syrup, Sugar, Dextrose, Artificial Flavors, and Artificial Colors. Which I’m really not a fan of.
Of course, we believe in everything in moderation, and we definitely enjoy these things every once in a while.. but if you’re like me and you really love gummy bears – you’re going to need a better solution.
What makes this gummy bear recipe healthy?
If you’re wondering – can gummy bears be healthy, the answer is yes!
- Better ingredients – There are no weird additives, flavors, or dyes in these gummies!
- Gelatin rich – gelatin is amazing for gut health + high in protein!
- No refined sugar– these gummy bears are only sweetened with honey + fruit juice!
On top of having waaaay better ingredients, these gummy bears taste so good. It’s hard to believe that they’re actually good for you.
I made these gummy bears with unflavored gelatin. Before you let your mind run.. I know beef gelatin in candy sounds strange, but it doesn’t taste like beef!
Homemade Gummy Bears Ingredients
To make these healthy gummy bears you’ll only need:
- fruit juice – I like orange juice or pomegranate juice.
- gelatin powder
- honey
- You’ll also want to grab a gummy bear mold. We got our silicone gummy bear molds on amazon.
How to make Gummy Bears:
To make these homemade gummy bears, you’ll need about 10 minutes.
- Bring your fruit juice + honey to a boil.
- Add the gelatin in the mix once heated, and whisk rapidly until gelatin is dissolved.
- Pour your gummy bears into the mold.
- Place in refrigerator and allow them to solidify for 20 minutes. That’s it!
Substitutions
Fruit Juice: You can use orange, pineapple, cranberry, grape or other fruit juices. I would not use lime juice or lemon juice because it would be too tart. I haven’t tried making these with elderberry syrup but I think it would be great.
Sweeteners: I haven’t tried substituting in other sweeteners in this recipe so I can’t be sure how it will work. I think that maple syrup would work but without trying it I can’t be sure!
Gelatin: You can’t substitute gelatin in this recipe. It’s essential for making gummy candy!
Sour Gummies: I have been trying to replicate a sour gummy recipe, but I haven’t gotten in right just yet. I pulsed citric acid and organic cane sugar to make a sour powder, but it was too fine. I have also tried adding citric acid into the gummies, but haven’t gotten the desired ‘sourness’ that I want!
In case you’re still on the fence about making these and using gelatin – here are a few more reasons why we love it!
Are gummy bears a good source of gelatin? Most gummy bears are not a good source of gelatin. However these gummy candies are a good source of gelatin!
Best Molds for Healthy Homemade Gummy Bears
These are my favorite silicone molds for gummy bears.
There are tons of cute silicone gummy bear molds on amazon – this one has a bunch of different animal shapes!
Tips for How to Make Healthy Gummy Bears:
- Experiment with different flavors – We love trying different juices and adjusting the amount of honey to test the sweetness. Our favorite juices to use are orange and pomegranate.
- Get good molds – These silicone gummy bear molds are the best and so easy to use/clean!
- Have patience! These take much more time than running into the store and grabbing a bag of candy, but I promise they are the best healthy gummy bears and SO worth it!
Gummy bears that have 3 ingredients, help your hair/skin/nails, improve your gut health AND have protein in them?! Doesn’t get much better than that!
Storage for This Healthy Gummy Recipe
Because these gummy bears have no preservatives, they need to stay in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If you leave them out at room temperature, they will get moldy!
Freezing: You can’t freeze this recipe. They will become very hard!
Other Flavors for Health Gummies Like These:
Our favorite way to make these gummies are from pomegranate and orange juice. You can also make them with:
- strawberry
- cranberry
- pineapple
- apple juice
Any juice will work!
What are the healthiest gummies?
The healthiest gummies are made with organic ingredients and don’t have added dyes or loads of sugar. This best gummy bears are homemade gummy bears, but if you don’t want to make them check out these store bought gummy bears:
- These are my favorite healthy gummy bears! You can find them in most health food stores or on amazon.
- These are another good healthy gummy bear option. I’ve spotted them at costco.
- I don’t love these healthy gummy bears but many people do. I find that they have an artificial taste to them.
Check out these healthy desserts:
Looking for other easy desserts? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dessert Recipes.
Healthy Gummy Bears
Ingredients
- 1 cup fruit juice (orange or pomegranate are our favorites)
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons unflavored beef gelatin
Instructions
- Tip: For easy transport to the fridge, set your molds on a baking sheet.
- In a pan, bring the juice and honey to a low simmer.
- Once the honey is melted, add the gelatin and mix in rapidly with a whisk until it is fully dissolved. You don't need to cook the gelatin, just let it mix in.
- Pour into molds immediately. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set
- Once the bears have set, take out of the molds and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for freshness
Video
Notes
- Experiment with different flavors – We love trying different juices and adjusting the amount of honey to test the sweetness. Our favorite juices to use are orange and pomegranate
- Get good molds – These silicone gummy bear molds are the best and so easy to use/clean!
- Have patience! These take much more time than running into the store and grabbing a bag of candy, but I promise they are the best healthy gummy bears and SO worth it!
If I wanted to omit the honey, I imagine I couldn’t replace with more fruit juice. Because the bears might not firm up. Maybe a tablespoon of juice and 2 gelatin?
Hi Heidi- I’m sorry but I don’t know if that would work – I’ve never tried it. I honestly don’t think it will work, but if you try it please let me know! Wish I could be more help – but I tested this recipe multiple times to get it to work correctly!
Can these go in the freezer?
You could freeze them but they will not be as gummy-like, and will become hard.
Hi!! Awesome recipe! Can´t wait to try it. Two questions, how long do they last? and do they need to be refrigerated?
Thanks!
Hi Mar – There’s a section in the post about storage! Because these gummy bears have no preservatives, they need to stay in the fridge. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Hiya,
How long do these keep for?? And do they need to stay refrigerated?
Thanks!
Hi Amy – there’s a note in the post about how to store them! They need to stay in the fridge and should stay good in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
My kids love these! They are so easy to make and taste great.
That makes me so happy to hear, Claire!! So happy your kids are loving them 🙂
Will be trying this recipes. Which brand of juice or do you puree your own? Bought all the stuff except the juice. Thanks
Hi Nancy – you can use any juice you like. I usually pick one that is 100% juice, and has no added sugar. I have never tried making it with homemade juice.
I didn’t think these would be anywhere near as good as the gummy candy we normally get but they’re actually pretty good! Easy to make and satisfied my sugar cravings
Hi Katie! I’m glad you liked them!! They’re definitely different from regular gummy candy but we love them!
this is brilliant!
how long can you keep them after making? It is quite a big batch.
You can keep them in the fridge for about a week!
Do they freeze well?
No they don’t! I don’t recommend putting these in the freezer. They will become very hard
Could these be made into firmer gummies like H@ribo gummies maybe by adding more gelatin? I’m a little bit concerned but all the sugar in these so I will try subbing the honey for a sweetener like erythritol.
Hi Angie – That might work! I’ve never tried it but I would think adding a little more gelatin would make them firmer. I don’t know how the erythritol substitution would work. We don’t cook with erythritol because it is an artificial sweetener. If you try it let me know!
In order to make them more like Haribo, unmould the gummies and place them standing up on a sheet tray in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, then lie them on their back for another 24 hours. They should dry up and become firmer like Haribo!
I’ve never tried this but it might work! Haribo gummies have wax and a lot of preservatives/dyes added to them so that could also be why they are firmer – just a different makeup!
Can you suggest a different gelatin to use for the vegetarians and pescatarians out there?
Hi Stefanie – I’m sorry but I’ve only used it with the gelatin linked in this post. I would just search ‘vegetarian gelatin’ and see what comes up!
Sorry but are these soft gummies? Its safe to say my husband is addicted to gummies,buys a couple of bags a week, but he literally squeezes the bag to make sure they are soft
Hi Lisa! I would definitely say these are on the softer side when it comes to gummies! I think your husband will like them 🙂
Hi!
I’ve tried making homemade gummies with this recipe before, but the gummies turned out with a very strong “gelatin-y” smell and flavor…? Did this happen with you as well? Because gummies are my #1 candy, so I would love to be able to enjoy them with less guilt! Thank you!
Hi Brooke – I’ve made this a few times and haven’t had that problem. You could try adding in a little more honey, or pureed fruit for sweetness/flavor. It may also depend on the gelatin/juice you’re using. Feel free to send me an email if you want to chat more about it 🙂
Sure! Won t look exactly like a bear, of course, but you could make cool shapes or just plain bars. They re delicious, regardless of shape! Could you pour your liquid into a shallow pan and then cut it into pieces when cool instead of using a mold?
I think that would work! I’e never tried it! It might be tough to get out of the pan.
Looks awesome- thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by and checking them out, Scott!
Gummy bears used to be my favorite candy! I can’t believe they could possibly be healthy! This is amazing!
They’re pretty awesome 🙂 You gotta try em!
I had no clue you could make gummy bears that easy! They are my fav candy too, so I’ll have to give it a try! Thanks for sharing!
They’re seriously SO easy to make, Shelby! Definitely give them a try 🙂
I have ALWAYS had in my head that I wanted to make healthier gummie bears!!! And with your recipe, I now can! 😀
You gotta try ’em! And I think the ingredients list could easily be GiGi approved 🙂
These look awesome – the kids would love them!
Thank you! They’re awesome for kids and parents too 🙂
Ha! That is very clever — thank you for sharing! I just got the Vital Protein collagen and I’m looking forward to the benefits 🙂
You will love it! I have been using the Collagen for a little over a month and my hair and nails are SO strong!!
Wow, I need to try these!! Where do you buy gummy bear molds? Such a simple recipe…I, too, have a MAJOR sweet tooth…
They were so easy to make! There’s an affiliate link for the gummy bears right under the recipe. I got them from Amazon and they were super cheap!
Healthy gummy bears? I want one.. Heck, the whole pack..
Me too, Michel! I can’t stop eating them 🙂
Yum. I love Gummies but don’t eat anymore because of the ingredients. This is a great alternative and the Agave is low glycemic.
You should try these, Jennifer! You would love them 🙂
NO WAY. That easy?!?!? I’m so so so intrigued. These look amazing! Thank you for posting – I want to give these a whirl!
They’re SO simple to make! I was skeptical too – I thought they would be difficult to make, but they were so easy! You should try them 🙂
I just made my second batch today! The first batch yielded gummies that were a bit too soft, closer to a tough jello texture than a gummy, so I let them sit in the fridge uncovered for a couple of days and they got more chewy. This second time I added maple syrup (definitely err on the side of sweet to cover up that gelatin flavor) and some probiotic powder, so we will see how it goes!
OMG! I love this idea!
Thank you! They’re so fun!
these are so cute!!!! I love vital proteins!
Me too! Their products are so awesome!