Make Your Own Gummy Candy!

So, we are a little bit obsessed with gummy candy in my house. Well, by “we” I actually mean my husband who loves it enough for two, or maybe three, people. We had a candy table at our wedding reception and made sure it was well-stocked with all the gummy candy varieties necessary for the event. Recently I started wondering if it was possible to make my own gummy candy, or if it was the type of candy process that involves beakers, candy thermometers, and a physics degree from Harvard to figure out. I tested out a few of the easiest recipes I could find, and thankfully, it is totally possible to easily make gummy candy at home—no degree required! Some of the recipes weren’t flavorful enough and some didn’t quite have the right texture for me (if there’s not enough gelatin, it feels like eating a Jell-o jiggler rather than a gummy). But perseverance and many boxes of Jell-o later, I found a way that totally gets the job done.

Gummy Candy (makes 2 trays of large letter gummies)
Slightly adapted from Skip to My Lou’s Homemade Gummi Candy

2/3 cup cold water
4 packets of unflavored gelatin
2 boxes of flavored Jell-o (3 oz boxes)
silicon molds (I used this alphabet tray and lip tray)

Optional:
Kool-Aid packet of same flavor for a more intense flavor
sugar
citric acid

In a glass measuring cup, start with 2/3 cup cold water. Slowly pour in your unflavored gelatin while stirring briskly so the gelatin doesn’t clump together. Once the gelatin is poured, add your Jell-o packets while, again, continuing to stir the mixture.

Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until it starts to thicken. It will kind of be the consistency of jelly once it has set up a bit.

Boil some water in a pot. Bring the water down to a simmer and place the glass measuring cup in the water. I found that it was really easy to burn the mixture when it was poured directly into a pan, so doing it this way protects the mixture and allows it to heat up slowly. Let the mixture warm and thin out over about 5 minutes (stirring often) until it’s much thinner and more liquid-y (it should be more like a syrup).

Remove the measuring cup and pour the liquid into your molds (use a pot holder if the handle is too warm). Place the gummies in the fridge. They should be set in about 20 minutes. Gently stretch the silicon mold in opposite directions around the gummy before pushing the mold inside out to remove.

Now you can either leave your gummies plain, or you can mix together a little citric acid into sugar and dip the gummies into that for a sour gummy twist. For some reason the sour sugar will eventually start to melt on top of the gummy. So I would dip them right before you eat them. 

If the flavor of the Jell-o isn’t intense enough for you, add a small Kool-Aid packet in a similar flavor when you add the Jell-o to the mixture. Keep the gummies in an airtight container in the fridge and they should last for up to a week. I love that I can now make my own gummy candy and personalize it for whatever occasion is coming up. Plus, with the abundance of silicon molds, you can create gummies out of any mold you can find and choose your own color and flavor. If you ask me, I think that’s pretty…well…sweet! 😉 xo. Laura

Credits// Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess Actions. 

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ ⅔ cup cold water
• ▢ 4 packets of unflavored gelatin
• ▢ 2 boxes of flavored Jell-o (3 oz boxes)
• ▢ silicon molds (I used this alphabet tray and lip tray)

Optional:

• ▢ Kool-Aid packet of same flavor for a more intense flavor
• ▢ sugar
• ▢ citric acid

Instructions

• In a glass measuring cup, start with 2/3 cup cold water. Slowly pour in your unflavored gelatin while stirring briskly so the gelatin doesn't clump together. Once the gelatin is poured, add your Jell-o packets while, again, continuing to stir the mixture. Allow the mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes until it starts to thicken. It will kind of be the consistency of jelly once it has set up a bit.
• Boil some water in a pot. Bring the water down to a simmer and place the glass measuring cup in the water. I found that it was really easy to burn the mixture when it was poured directly into a pan, so doing it this way protects the mixture and allows it to heat up slowly. Let the mixture warm and thin out over about 5 minutes (stirring often) until it's much thinner and more liquid-y (it should be more like a syrup).
• Remove the measuring cup and pour the liquid into your molds (use a pot holder if the handle is too warm). Place the gummies in the fridge. They should be set in about 20 minutes. Gently stretch the silicon mold in opposite directions around the gummy before pushing the mold inside out to remove.
• Now you can either leave your gummies plain, or you can mix together a little citric acid into sugar and dip the gummies into that for a sour gummy twist. For some reason the sour sugar will eventually start to melt on top of the gummy. So I would dip them right before you eat them.

Notes

If the flavor of the Jell-o isn't intense enough for you, add a small Kool-Aid packet in a similar flavor when you add the Jell-o to the mixture. Keep the gummies in an airtight container in the fridge and they should last for up to a week.