Homemade Gummies made with real fruit (not juice), gelatin, and sweetened with just a little honey! A great option for an easy and healthy all-natural snack with protein and no artificial junk in them! Paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Last updated on May 12, 2021.
Check out the video to see how easy they come together!
Healthy homemade gummies!! This makes my heart so happy! Gummy candies are my absolute favorite. I was never a huge chocolate fan growing up.
Although my taste buds have changed and I like it now, gummy candies still have my heart. I don’t eat them too often, but sour patch kids, Swedish fish, gummy bears, and sour worms are some of my favorites.
It wasn’t until 7-8 years ago when I actually started reading ingredients instead of just looking at the nutrition label that I realized gummy candies are filled with crap. The ingredients pretty much look like this – sugar, sugar, corn syrup, sugar, red 40, blue 1, and yellow 5.
Well now times have changed and I’m happy to say I can still enjoy my gummy candies and make them at home with the help of a few whole food ingredients and gelatin.
These paleo healthy homemade gummies make a great easy snack or dessert for grown-up and kids! Low in sugar and each one has 2.5 grams of protein. Make them for meal prep to have on hand throughout the week!
What is gelatin?
A lot of people are familiar with collagen, but some might not be as familiar with gelatin. Basically, they are very similar but have some differences.
Gelatin is a colorless and tasteless protein made from hydrolyzed collagen, which means it is part of the broken-down collagen. It provides important amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.
Gelatin also has a lot of the same health benefits as collagen – supports digestive and gut health, maintains strong bones, helps with joint pain, strengthens tendons, improves skin health, and can even help improve sleep.
One of the main differences between gelatin and collagen is when cooled, gelatin becomes a sticky adhesive like glue and gels together. Which is how we can make homemade gummies from it.
The gelatinous quality is actually great for our bodies because it helps build strong connective tissues and cartilage and gives parts of our bodies some elasticity. Some find that gelatin is easier to digest than collagen too.
I love Vital Proteins gelatin as it is from grass-fed cows.
Homemade gummies with real fruit
You might feel like making healthy homemade gummies would be really hard, but I promise it’s super easy. Made with real fruit, gelatin, and sweetened with just a little honey! Loaded with nutrients and so much better for you than store-bought.
Homemade gummies ingredients:
- real fruit – I used oranges and strawberries
- light coconut milk
- water
- grass-fed gelatin
- honey
- salt
First, you need to blend the fruit to make a fruit puree. Add your fruit to a Vitamix or high-powered blender and blend until broken down. Depending on what fruit you use, you might need to add some water too (see below for the full recipe).
Then strain it through a nut milk bag to get out any pulp or seeds. You can use a metal strainer or something similar, you just want the puree to be smooth. Next, add in the remaining ingredients and warm up the mixture in a small pot on the stove.
Slowly whisk in the gelatin, making sure there are no clumps. You want to warm the mixture because when the gelatin is heated and cooled, it makes that chewy jelly-like consistency you love in gummies!
Once thoroughly combined, pour into silicone molds or a glass dish. Let cool in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Carefully pop them out of the molds or cut them into bite-size pieces if using a glass dish and enjoy!
Do homemade gummies need to be refrigerated?
Yes, since these homemade gummies are made with real fruit, they need to be refrigerated. They can sit out on the counter for a few hours, and will soften up a little, but best if kept in the fridge.
How long do gelatin gummies last?
Gelatin gummies will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Make sure they are kept in an air-tight storage container. Since they are made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives, be careful as they get close to 2 weeks as they could get some mold on them.
Do I need to use real fruit?
I love knowing these have real fruit blended right into them, but you could also use fruit juice. Easily substitute 1 1/2 cups fruit juice instead of blending the fruit.
Do I need to use a silicone mold?
You do not have to use a silicone mold for these. You can pour the mixture into a glass baking dish, let it cool in the refrigerator, and then just cut into equal size pieces.
I used this silicone ice cube mold to make it easy to have uniform pieces. If you want to get really fancy, try a gummy bear mold, it will just take more time to distribute the mixture.
Substitutions for homemade gummies
These homemade gummies are fairly straightforward, but you can make a few substitutions if need. Here are some suggestions:
- fruit – any fruit will work, except PINEAPPLE. Pineapple contains bromelain, which helps break down protein. It will denature the gelatin and they will not gel if using pineapple.
- fruit juice – substitute 1 1/2 cups fruit juice instead of blending fresh fruit
- gelatin – while I have not tried this, for a vegan option, you can try agar agar powder
- coconut milk – you can use water or full-fat coconut milk
- honey – maple syrup should work instead of honey
More healthy snack recipes
- Baked Plantain Chips (Paleo)
- No-Bake Protein Cookies
- Honey Rosemary Roasted Cashews
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Watermelon Sorbet
- Collagen Hot Chocolate
Paleo Homemade Gummies with Real Fruit
ingredients
Orange Creamsicle Gummies
- 2 1/2 large oranges, peeled (250 grams)
- 1/2 cup light coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch of sea salt
- 4 tablespoons Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin
Strawberry Gummies
- 2 heaping cups chopped strawberries (350 grams)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- pinch of sea salt
- 4 tablespoons Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin
instructions
Orange Creamsicle Homemade Gummies
- Place oranges in a Vitamix or high powdered blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Line a small pot with a nut milk bag or metal strainer. Pour orange puree through the bag. Squeeze puree to get all the juice out and leaving behind any pulp. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of juice.
- To the pan add coconut milk, honey, and sea salt and whisk to combine. Heat mixture over low heat until it warms. You don't want it to get too hot, just barely warmed. Slowly whisk in gelatin. Let it sit for a minute two to allow the foam to disappear.
- Pour into a silicone mold or a greased glass baking dish. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from mold or cut into bite-size pieces if using a glass dish. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Gummies will soften some (but still hold together) if left out at room temperature.
Strawberry Homemade Gummies
- Place strawberries, water, and lemon juice in a Vitamix or high powdered blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Line a small pot with a nut milk bag or metal strainer. Pour strawberry puree through the bag. Squeeze puree to get all the juice out and leaving behind any pulp or seeds. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of juice.
- To the pan add honey and sea salt and whisk to combine. Heat mixture over low heat until it warms. You don't want it to get too hot, just barely warmed. Slowly whisk in gelatin. Let it sit for a minute two to allow the foam to disappear.
- Pour into a silicone mold or a greased glass baking dish. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until firm. Remove from mold or cut into bite-size pieces if using a glass dish. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Gummies will soften some (but still hold together) if left out at room temperature.
video
notes
per 1 gummy - 18 calories, 0.1g fat, 2.2g carbs, 2.4g protein, 1.5g sugar
nutrition
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Susan L. says
Would these gummies hold up in baking, for instance, if added to a cookie recipe in much the same way as chocolate chips?
Kelly says
Hey Susan! No, they won’t. They soften as they sit out at room temperature and will definitely melt in the oven. Hope that helps!
Kate says
Hi! Have you tried this recipe with frozen fruit?
Kelly says
I haven’t but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let me know if you try it!
Jordan says
Hi! I was wondering whether you use the 2 scoops (serving size) of the gelatin or just one scoop? I saw in the videos you pouring in one but I was not sure whether you just cut off before the second pour.
Kelly says
Hi Jordan! Each recipe calls for 40 grams (approximately 4 tablespoons/4 scoops) – so it would be 2 servings sizes worth (a serving is 20 grams). Hope that helps!