These chewy treats are made with blended real fruits, so you enjoy the best and most flavorful parts in every bite. With less than 30 minutes of active preparation time, you can even involve your kids in this fun project! It's a perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthier way (and maybe sneak in some veggies too!).
This recipe is simple and can be made with any combination of fruits or vegetables as long as they add up to the amount needed in this recipe. The only tricky part is making sure you heat the fruits enough to break down the natural enzymes that otherwise might prevent the gelatin from setting. But don't worry! After some testing, I found that besides cooking the blended fruits on the stovetop, you can also easily heat them in the microwave.
Video of the Day
For the yellow hearts, I used mango. The red hearts are strawberry with beet juice instead of water for a brighter red color, and the deep purple-blue gummy bears are blueberry.
Video: Homemade Real Fruit Gummies
Quick Recipe Overview
SERVINGS: 6 mini bear tray molds or 2 1/2 heart tray moldsPREP TIME: 5 minutesACTIVE TIME: 15–20 minutesCHILL TIME: 2 hoursTOTAL TIME: 2 hours and 15–25 minutes
Things You'll Need
1/3 cup (5 Tbsp.) water, divided in half
2 Tbsp. powdered gelatin
1 cup (about 6 oz.) frozen fruits or mix of fruits and veggies, defrosted
2 Tbsp. honey (or your choice of sweetener)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1. Bloom the powdered gelatin
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of powdered gelatin over half the water to let it bloom. Set it aside.
2. Blend the fruits
Blend together 1 cup of fruit, 2 tablespoons of honey (or your choice of sweetener), and half the water until smooth. If you don't like having fruit pulp in your gummies, feel free to strain the mixture after blending.
3. Heat the fruits
Microwave the fruit mixture in 30-second intervals until hot.
Tip
If you're using fruits like mango, pineapple, or kiwi, be sure to heat them on the stovetop or in the microwave until the fruit mixture is cooked. Heating the fruits helps to break down the natural enzymes so your gelatin will set properly.
4. Mix the gelatin and fruits
Add the bloomed gelatin to the fruit mixture and mix until incorporated. Heat and mix again if the gelatin needs more time to melt.
Don't let it bubble over.
5. Pour the mixture into molds
Fill your molds with the fruit and gelatin mixture. If you'd like to make it a fun project with your kids, you can use a pipette and let them practice filling the cavities of the mold.
For a faster way to fill the mold, you can just pour the mixture directly on the mold and spread the fruit mixture until it's filled.
6. Chill the gummies
Chill the gummies in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. The gummies should peel right out of the mold when they are ready. Store them in the fridge and eat them within 3 to 7 days. Enjoy!
