Homemade Fruit Gummies
Chewy fruit gummies made with blended real fruit, grass-fed beef gelatin and a squeeze of lemon. Our easy swap for store-bought fruit snacks.
A cup of blended fruit (or fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed 100% juice), grass-fed beef gelatin and a squeeze of lemon turn into bright, chewy bites in about two hours. There’s no corn syrup, no dyes and nothing you can’t pronounce, and kids love helping fill the molds.
Store-bought fruit snacks are on the skip list in our After-School Snacks guide, and these are what we make instead. They also work in a carnivore kid’s lunchbox with an ice pack. For more ideas, see our Smoothies and Snack Recipes.
🍓Why It Works
Gelatin comes from beef. It dissolves in warm liquid, and as it cools it forms a soft, springy net that holds the fruit in place. Gummies use a lot more gelatin than a jiggly dessert, so they come out firm and chewy.
Gentle heat is all gelatin needs. Boiling weakens its set and gives you soft, sticky gummies. Fresh lemon or lime juice adds tartness and brightens the fruit.
Ingredients
- •1 cup strained fruit purée (from about 1½ cups fresh or frozen fruit), or fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed 100% fruit juice
- •1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
- •¼ cup grass-fed beef gelatin
- •1–2 tbsp raw honey (optional)
- •a splash of water, if your purée is very thick (optional)
Instructions
- 1Blend the fruit until completely smooth (thaw frozen fruit first). Press it through a fine stainless strainer and measure 1 cup. If it’s very thick, stir in a splash of water. Using juice? Skip this step.
- 2Set your silicone mold on a baking sheet so it stays flat and is easy to carry. We use a mini square mold with 126 cavities, each 0.6 inch (about 1.5 cm). One batch fills it with about 25 squares to spare, so have a second mold or a small glass baking dish ready for the rest.
- 3Pour the purée or juice and the lemon juice into a small stainless saucepan, off the heat.
- 4Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Let it sit for 5 minutes, until it looks wrinkly and fully soaked.
- 5Set the pan over low heat and whisk gently until the gelatin melts and the liquid looks smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
- 6Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a minute or two. Once it’s warm but not hot, whisk in the honey, if using.
- 7Pour the mixture into a spouted glass measuring cup. Skim off any foam with a stainless spoon, then pour slowly across the mold so every square fills to the top.
- 8Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
- 9Pop the gummies out of the mold. If you used a dish, cut them into small squares, about 0.6 inch (1.5 cm), to match.
💡Tips
Cook these fruits first. Raw pineapple, kiwi, mango, papaya and fig (fresh or frozen) contain enzymes that stop gelatin from setting. Simmer the purée or juice for a few minutes, let it cool, then add the gelatin.
Low and slow. Pull the pan as soon as the gelatin melts. Boiling weakens the set, and raw honey goes in once the mix is warm, not hot.
Strain well. Pressing the purée through a fine strainer gives smooth gummies that pour easily and pop out clean.
🫙Storage
Store the gummies in an airtight glass container with a glass lid, or a stainless one, in the fridge for up to a week.
They soften as they warm up. For lunchboxes, pack them in a small glass or stainless container next to an ice pack.
We don’t freeze them. The texture turns watery when they thaw.
🔄Flavor Swaps
Berry: Strawberry with a handful of raspberries is our favorite. Blueberries make deep purple gummies.
Citrus: Use fresh-squeezed orange juice with a squeeze of lime.
Cherry: Cold-pressed 100% tart cherry juice with 1 to 2 tablespoons of raw honey makes a sweet-tart gummy.
Tropical: Mango or pineapple works well. Just simmer it first (see Tips).
❓FAQ
Why didn’t my gummies set?
Usually it’s raw pineapple, kiwi, mango, papaya or fig, a mixture that boiled, or too little gelatin.
Can I use collagen powder instead of gelatin?
No. Collagen powder dissolves but doesn’t gel, so the gummies won’t set. You need gelatin.
Can I make them without honey?
Yes. Sweet, ripe fruit like strawberries, mango or watermelon doesn’t need any. Tart fruit like cherries or raspberries tastes better with a little.
Can I pack them for school?
Yes. Pack them in a small glass or stainless container with an ice pack so they stay firm until lunch.
🛒What We Use
Perfect Bovine Gelatin: grass-fed beef gelatin with nothing else on the label.
Pure Southern Raw Unfiltered Honey: raw, unheated honey in a glass jar, for when the fruit needs a little sweetness.
Pomona Organic Blueberry Juice: our pick when we use juice. Cold-pressed, one ingredient, in glass bottles.
Sakolla Mini Square Silicone Mold: 126 squares, each 0.6 inch. We only use it for chilling, and the gummies pop right out.
NileHome Stainless Steel Whisk Set: the small one melts gelatin without lumps.
Urban Green Glass Food Containers: glass lids in a silicone frame, so the gummies only touch glass and silicone.
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