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Learn how to make homemade strawberry gummies with real fruit. These chewy, addictive little treats are a healthier alternative to store-bought fruit snacks that both kids and adults will love!
Did you know that you can make gummies that are actually good for you? What?!?
That’s right! These homemade strawberry gummies are made from real fruit, gut healthy gelatin and naturally sweetened with a touch of honey and vanilla. Chewy, delicious and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor!
Also, let’s just take a moment to admire how stinking cute these are! Homemade gummies are so much fun to make. You can find silicone molds in pretty much any shape imaginable. So have some fun with it!
Here’s Why You’ll Love Them
These strawberry gummies are…
- Made with real ingredients: NO additives, artificial flavors, colors or refined sugars. Just real fruit, gelatin and sweetened with a bit of honey and vanilla.
- Easy to make: Just 10 minutes of active prep time!
- Kid friendly: Kids love them as a snack or as a lunch box treat.
- A healthy snack: Great option to meal prep and keep in the fridge. Also happens to be naturally gluten and dairy free.
- Fun to make: There are so many fun shapes. Find a cute mold that you love or something that your kids are really into.
A Few Tips
Before we get started, I wanted to share a few helpful tips. I attempted 6 variations of these gummies and these are some of my findings.
- Blooming (softening) the gelatin first gives the smoothest result. Many gummy recipes sprinkle the gelatin powder directly over the top of the warm liquid mixture but this always left me with lumps. Therefore, this recipe calls for softening the gelatin first in some water before stirring into the warm strawberry mixture.
- Simmering the strawberries for a few minutes makes them sweeter and more flavourful.
- Make sure that the strawberry mixture is not boiling when the gelatin is added. If it is too hot, it could denature the gelatin protein and your gummies may not set.
- Use super flexible silicone molds and let the gummies set in the fridge until completely firm. Otherwise, your gummies will tear apart when trying to remove them.
Ingredients Needed
You only need a few ingredients to make these strawberry gummies…
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries that will be blended up into a puree.
- Gelatin Powder: I recommend using a good quality, unflavoured, grass-fed and pasture raised gelatin. Great Lakes Gelatin and Vital Proteins Gelatin are two great options.
- Water: To soften or “bloom” the gelatin.
- Honey: To sweeten the gummies.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds nice flavor that complements the strawberries.
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
Equipment Needed
You will need a blender (to make the strawberry puree), whisk, medium saucepan and a mold.
Silicone Molds
In order to make fun shapes, you want to look for a silicone gummy mold (US | Canada). They are also sometimes called a candy mold or chocolate mold. Basically, you want to make sure that the silicone mold is super soft and flexible so that the gummies pop out easily. Harder silicone ice cube molds don’t work as well.
Where To Find Silicone Gummy Molds
You can find them in craft stores like Michaels, most shops that carry baking and decorating supplies or online.
Here are a few cute molds that I found on Amazon (you can find just about any shape you can think of!):
- Traditional gummy bear shape
- Gummy worm mold
- Unicorn head mold
- Car shaped mold
- Fish shaped mold
- Tropical value set (includes 4 molds: cactus, coconut tree, flamingo and cherry)
Can I still make these without a silicone mold? Making cute gummies is a lot of fun but you can still make them without a special mold. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture into an 8×8 glass dish and cut into cubes once set.
Let’s Talk About Gelatin
Let’s take a moment to chat a little bit about gelatin – one of the required ingredients in this gummy recipe.
What is gelatin?
Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen which is the protein found in the skin, bones and connective tissue of animals. It is made almost entirely of protein, packed with amino acids and offers many healthy benefits.
Benefits of gelatin
- Supports digestive and gut health
- Maintains strong bones and helps with joint pain
- Improves skin health
- Strengthens hair, skin and nails
- and more! You can read all about the health benefits of gelatin in these articles by Healthline and Medical News Today.
Difference between gelatin and collagen
They have very similar health benefits since gelatin is just the cooked form of collagen. However, there are major differences in how they each behave with liquid. Gelatin has the unique ability to cause liquids to gel. The powdered form of collagen, on the other hand, dissolves instantly and does not gel. Therefore, powdered collagen is great for adding to drinks but not useful for making gummies. So make sure you are using gelatin in this recipe!
Sources of gelatin
Homemade bone broth is a great source of gelatin that is also very economical. Learn how to make bone broth (includes Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop instructions).
Powdered gelatin is an easy option and is a great way to incorporate gelatin into sweet treats. This is what we will be using in these gummies to make them gel. I like to use high quality gelatin powder (grass-fed and pasture raised). I used the Great Lakes Gelatin in these gummies. Vital Proteins Gelatin is another great option.
How To Make Healthy Strawberry Gummies
These strawberry gummies are easy and fun to make! Simply…
- Make Strawberry Puree: Place fresh strawberries in a blender and blend on high until smooth. You will need 1 cup of puree for this recipe which requires approximately 2 heaping cups of hulled, quartered strawberries.
- Simmer Strawberry Mixture: Place strawberry puree, honey and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it smells sweet and delicious.
- Soften The Gelatin: Meanwhile, add the water to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top. Stir to combine. It will become very thick.
- Whisk In Gelatin: Turn off the heat and whisk in the bloomed (softened) gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved (place saucepan over low heat if needed). Note: Make sure that the strawberry mixture is not boiling when you whisk in the gelatin. If it is too hot, it could denature the gelatin protein and your gummies may not set.
- Pour Into Molds: Place silicone molds on a baking sheet so that they can easily be moved once filled. Pour warm gummy mixture into the molds. Tip: To make filling the molds easier, you can first pour the mixture into a liquid measuring cup with a spout or use an eye dropper for really small gummies.
- Refrigerate To Set: Place baking sheet with filled molds in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours or until firm. The timing will depend on the size of mold used. Once fully set, the gummies will pop out easily. If they are tearing when you try to pop them out of the mold they are not firm enough yet. Once set, pop the gummies out of the molds and ENJOY!
Storage Info
Carefully pop the strawberry gummies out of the mold and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. They tend to disappear pretty quickly though!
More Healthy Snacks
Looking for some more healthy snack recipes? Check these out…
- Mango Jelly (Homemade Mango Jello)
- Coconut Jelly (Vanilla & Chocolate Flavors)
- Healthy Strawberry Slushie
- Homemade Popsicles: Mango Popsicles, Orange Lemon Lime Popsicles, Watermelon Strawberry Popsicles
- Healthy After School Snacks For Kids (lots of sweet and savory snack ideas that are great for adults too!)
I hope you love these homemade strawberry gummies! Leave me a comment below if you give them a try:) If you love strawberries then here are some more Easy Strawberry Recipes to try as well!
Homemade Strawberry Gummies
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 15 min (plus refrigeration time)
- Yield: 30–40 medium size gummies 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Learn how to make homemade strawberry gummies with real fruit. These chewy, addictive little treats are a healthier alternative to store-bought fruit snacks that both kids and adults will love!
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberry puree (see notes)
- 2 – 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 tablespoons gelatin powder, unflavored + grass-fed
- Special equipment: silicone molds (see notes)
Instructions
- Simmer Strawberry Mixture: Place strawberry puree, honey and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes or until it smells sweet and delicious.
- Soften Gelatin: Meanwhile, add the water to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin powder over top. Stir to combine (it will become very thick).
- Whisk In Gelatin: Turn off the heat and whisk in the softened (bloomed) gelatin mixture. Stir until completely dissolved (place saucepan over low heat if needed).
- Fill Molds: Place silicone molds on a baking sheet (to easily move once filled). Pour mixture into the molds. Tip: To make filling the molds easier, first pour the mixture into a measuring cup with spout.
- Refrigerate: Place baking sheet with filled molds in the fridge for at least 2-4 hours or until firm. Carefully pop the gummies out of the mold and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- Strawberry Puree: To make strawberry puree, simply place fresh strawberries in a blender and blend on high until smooth. You will need approx. 2 heaping cups of hulled, quartered strawberries to yield 1 cup of puree.
- Gelatin Powder: I recommend using a good quality, unflavoured, grass-fed and pasture raised gelatin. I used Great Lakes Gelatin in this recipe. Vital Proteins Gelatin is another great option.
- Silicone Molds: Use a soft and flexible silicone gummy mold (sometimes also called a candy or chocolate mold). They come in tons of fun shapes! Find them in shops that carry baking and decorating supplies, some craft stores or online. Here are a few cute ones I found online: gummy bear shape, gummy worm mold, unicorn head mold, car shaped mold, fish shaped mold, tropical value set.
- No Mold?: Alternatively, you can pour the mixture into an 8×8 glass dish and cut into cubes once set.
- Refrigeration Time: 2-4 hours or until firm – depends on the size of mold used. Once fully set, the gummies will pop out easily. If they are tearing when you try to pop them out of the mold, they are not firm enough yet.
- Make sure strawberry mixture is not boiling when the gelatin is added. If it is too hot, it could denature the gelatin protein and the gummies may not set.
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Great recipe! Super simple and they turned out great. I used frozen strawberries which worked just fine. I made these with my four year old and she loved it!
Yay! So happy your four year old loved them….they truly are the toughest critics lol.
What a neat idea! I’ve never made them or even thought about it, but I love these. Great for snacks and really great for kids!
They are tons of fun for kids – especially if you find molds in shapes that they are really into.
Can these be made with frozen fruit (thawed) instead of fresh fruit?
Hi Andrea! I haven’t tried using frozen strawberries but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work since the fruit is simmered afterwards anyways. Just thaw them before creating the puree in the blender. Measure out one cup of puree and then continue on with the recipe as written.
I love how these aren’t filled with strange chemical crap! And talk about serious silicone mold envy … those are so cute. 🙂
Thanks so much! Cute molds definitely make it super fun!
These are unbelievably adorable! I never realized how easy they are to make. I will be making these!
Aren’t they cute! Have fun making them!
We love making homemade gummies! I’m going to try and add a little vanilla in next time.
Enjoy!
Who doesn’t love gummies? Especially when they are this cute. 😊
Right! The cute shapes are part of the fun:)
oh yum! I’m a sucker for gummies, especially gummy bears but I know they are not good for me at all. I’d love to try making my own out of fresh fruit…especially if I had these adorable gummy molds.
They are so much fun to make…and cute gummy molds make them so much better lol.
These are the cutest! It’s so hard to find candies that aren’t loaded with additives, chemicals etc. I can’t see how anyone can go back to store bought when you can make these! Awesome!
Aren’t they fun! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Can’t wait to try these!
Hope you love them! They are a fun way to add some gut healthy gelatin into your diet.