Your favourite fruit juice + gelatine powder + honey = homemade jelly lollies. This recipe is incredibly easy and flexible to cater to taste.
Use it to make healthy gummy bears or even lollie snakes.
Some more of our favourite health snacks include: Mango Roll Ups, Paleo Cheesy Corn Chips and Chia & Almond Bites.
I’m so excited.
Have just made these with our crushed up vitamin tablets. Now I can get essential vitamins and minerals into my two VERY fussy six year olds!
They're in the freezer now. I cant wait to see how they turn out- Nikita
Quick Look At Jelly Lollies
- ⏲️ Made in: 20 minutes (plus chilling).
- 🛒 Ingredients: Just 3!
- 🧑🍳 Difficulty: Easy (older-child-friendly with supervision).
- 🗃️ Make ahead: Keeps for up to 1 week.
- 💵 Cost: About $2 a batch.
- 🍏 Bonus: A healthy treat!
Jump to:
These jelly lollies are a regular feature in our kitchen (along with coconut & chocolate triangles for balance) - I would say we make at least a batch a week.
They're so easy to make & I love that the kids are getting a good dose of protein from the gelatine (while they think they're having a treat).
Why This Jelly Lolly Recipe?
- Healthy treat – All the flavour, none of the artificial colours & extra junk in store-bought lollies. Gelatine has some serious health benefits AND you can sneak in added goodies (see Recipe Variations).
- Fun and easy to make – With just a few simple steps and ingredients, even kids can help make them. Use fun moulds & turn it into a creative kitchen activity.
- Great for lunchboxes and snacks – These homemade lollies are perfect for a sweet treat in lunchboxes (as long as they're kept chilled).
- Customisable flavours – Use different juices, purees, or even natural flavourings to make any flavour your heart desires & you control the sweetness too.
Recipe Ingredients
To make homemade gummies you will need just three simple ingredients:
- Juice - freshly squeezed or store bought juice, either will work.
- Unflavored gelatin - make sure you're using a good quality gelatine (preferably grass-fed sourced). We recommend powdered gelatine but gelatine sheets can be used (sorry no instructions for those in this recipe). We use Nutra Organics gelatine.
- Honey - optional for sweetness.
Some of our other favourite gelatine recipes are Panna Cotta Lamingtons, Best Rose Turkish Delight and Simple No-Bake Passionfruit Tart.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Honey:
Honey is optional depending how sweet you want your gummies. If adding things like vitamin powders then honey (or maple syrup, sugar/sugar alternative) is good to disguise the flavour if needed.
Juice:
You can use any juice you like to make this. You can even use real fruit pureed. If using real fruit you will need to increase the gelatine by at least 50%. Ie if using 35g, increase it to 55g.
Vegetable juices can also be used to make jelly lollies.
Vegetarian jelly lollies:
To make vegetarian gummies, instead of gelatine, you can use agar agar powder. It is a slightly different method to using gelatine and will have a mildly different texture.
Healthy jelly lollies:
In winter, I like to add some wholefood vitamin C powder or Elderberry syrup to jelly lollies to make them more of a homemade gummy vitamin. I'm not qualified to give recommendations on this. You'd need to experiment.
For an Easter variation, try our Easter Jelly Eggs.
How To Make Jelly Lollies
Step 1 - Pour the juice (& honey if using) into your saucepan and sprinkle over the gelatine. Leave to sit for 5 minutes.
It will thicken as the gelatine 'blooms'.
Step 2 - Once the gelatine has 'bloomed' bring to a simmer, stirring, until the gelatine has dissolved.
Step 3 - Pour into moulds or a tin. Leave to cool to room temperature then refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Put silicone moulds on a plate or chopping board for easy moving.
Step 4 - Remove jellies from moulds pressing them inside out.
If you poured the jelly into a tin/dish, use a knife to cut into pieces. Alternatively, use a small cookie cutter to cut shapes. Refrigerate your jellies.
Pro Tip
If you're using a mould with small holes - like making gummy bears - use a turkey baster or similar dropper to fill them without the mess of pouring from a jug.
Recipe FAQs
If you want to make a special shape, you will need to have a mould and I highly recommend getting silicone molds (you don't have to grease them).
We have little gummy bear molds but they're really little and annoying to fill and fiddly to get out of the moulds.
I'd suggest getting something a little bigger.
You can also use silicone chocolate moulds which do the same job.
Yes. To make them, you'll add boiling water to the jelly crystals and add another 10g of gelatine powder to the mixture. This will help it to set firmly.
I prefer to make it from scratch with fresh juice to avoid the artificial ingredients in packet jelly.
Yes you can make jelly lollies out of Sprite or Coke if you'd like to. Follow the instructions omitting the honey or sugar.
You sure can. The easiest way would be to use a jelly snake mould. Otherwise, I would recommend pouring the jelly to set in a shallow layer (ie a big cake tin) and then cutting it into strips. It won't be quite as authentic.
Pro Tip
If your jellies didn't set, your juice may be a bit too acidic. All is not lost though! Just put the mixture back in the pot and add another 5-10g of gelatine, heat, mould and re-chill!
Recipe
Make your own jelly lollies
Ingredients
- 350 ml fruit juice
- 30 - 60 g raw honey or maple syrup/rice malt syrup/agave syrup (The amount depends on how sweet you would like them and on what sort of juice you're using. Some are sweeter than others).
- 35 g powdered gelatine
Instructions
STOVE TOP
- Mix all the ingredients together in a small saucepan and set aside until the gelatin has absorbed most of the water (about 10 minutes).
- Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin has dissolved.
- Transfer the mixture to a heatproof jug and pour the jelly into your moulds. Leave them to sit for about 10 minutes then put them in the freezer for another 10 minutes. If you're patient you can put them in the fridge to set.
- Remove the jellies from the moulds and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
THERMOMIX
- Add all ingredients into the bowl of the Thermomix (careful not to pour the gelatine on the middle of the blade or it will stick to it) - heat 4 minutes/50 degrees/Speed 2.
- Pour into silicon moulds and place in fridge for a few hours to set.
- Remove from the moulds and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Lisa says
Hi Claire
Just wondering what gelatine to use please?
Mooster says
How many serves does it make? If my question is a bit broad, pls just say the serves in 25g lots :)
Claire says
H Mooster. It totally depends how many you're making so sorry can't really give an answer. The liquid is about 370ml so if you know how much liquid your moulds take then you can work from there. x
Geraldine says
The recipe shows
1x85g packet of your favourite jelly
1x85g packet of your favourite jelly
20g gelatin
20g gelatin
⅓ cup of water
is that a mistake and it should be 1 packet, 20g and 1/3 cup
or is a 1/3 cup of water for the double amount?
Claire says
Hi Geraldine. Apologies for that there seems to be some glitch in how it is displaying. On my end it's one line of each x
Sharyn says
I want to make soft jellies do I halve the gelatine? I still want them to set.
Claire says
Hi Sharyn, I would still use the 20g of gelatine to ensure they set, they are not too chewy, but keep in mind they do go a little softer after a couple of days. Enjoy!
Nikita says
I'm so excited.
Have just made these with our crushed up vitamin tablets. Now I can get essential vitamins and minerals into my two VERY fussy six year olds!
Theyre in the freezer now. I cant wait to see how they turn out
Claire says
Oh wow that's a great idea! Good luck!
Kay says
Can they be left out of the fridge for 2 weeks in the tropics? Interested in making some for a competition and they would be on display in an airtight container. If they are left out for a couple of weeks could they go off or cause food poisoning or do they just go a bit soft.
Claire says
Hmm I'm not sure Kay. I think you would have to trial it first. I don't think I'd eat them after that time. I have a feeling they might go mouldy?
Kay says
Thought that might be the case. Thanks
Claire says
Not a problem.
Danica says
Hello,
I was looking at making some of these for party bags. I'm just wondering if they'd melt like jelly does when not kept in the fridge? Thank you.
Claire says
Hi Danica. Mine didn't melt but they do get a little bit softer.
Noel says
YEEAHHH
Kate says
When you say let sit until gelatin absorbs water, how long are we talking?? Minutes or hours??
Claire says
Hi Kate, about 10 minutes.
Kate says
Thanks. They worked a treat! Though when my little boy was offered one he said, through tears, "I want a reeal lolly!" Recently been spoiled by his nana! And in his defence i had just made them in ice blocks and with the myo jelly and fresh squeezed orange juice - next time will use better moulds and maybe add a little food colouring! But awesome recipe, thanks!
Claire says
You're welcome Kate. Haha that's pretty funny. I bet my little one makes similar comments when he is old enough.
Thomas says
Been looking for a simple recipe like this for awhile just made some, they are nice but makes you feel sick if you eat too many at once!
Claire says
Well yes Thomas you're quite right!
Amanda says
Such a great idea and so simple!! I added 2 tsp of dry gelatine to an 85g jelly pack and they turned out fantastic, they're as chewy as jellies from the shops and taste great! At first I couldn't work out how to get them out of the moulds and then realised you just flick up the edge of the jellies and then peel them out gently. I'll be making more flavours tomorrow :) Thanks so much for sharing!
Claire says
Glad you liked them Amanda!
Lisa says
I was wondering how long these last for?
I've made a couple of batches and I want to do some for Christmas presents but not sure how long they will store for?
Claire says
I'm not sure Lisa. I think they'd be good for at least a week.
Betty says
Hi!! I was just wondering if you used the powdered gelatin in these as well? I wanted to make these, as well as your turkish delight recipe for christmas, so wanted to see if they used the same type of gelatin :)
Claire says
Hi Betty. Yep sure did. I used a packet jelly and added powdered gelatin. If you wanted to make your own flavour entirely, Aeroplane jelly has 'build your own' flavour boxes now so you can make them out of coridal/softdrink/juice but you'll need to add a bit of extra gelatin to them too.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Haha I think we have the exact same relationship with our husbands! I'm sure Mr NQN and I have had that same conversation and it amuses and frustrates me that he doesn't like cake more! I've never made these but it sounds very possible and easy indeed!
Claire says
Isn't it frustrating?! I can't understand anyone who doesn't love cake!
Clarkie @ Beloved Green says
How adorable are these! I bet my "scientist" nephew would like to help out with making some.
Claire says
Oh yes a very 'scientific' recipe this one is.