Learn how to make gummy bears with our foolproof recipe! It’s SO EASY to make these adorable and tasty treats, using 2 simple ingredients. No fancy candy making skills required here!
Choose your favourite flavour of Jello and combine it with gelatin to make these homemade gummy bears in the microwave. They’re so much fun to make and they taste just like real gummy bears!
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Check out our How to Make Gummy Bears video tutorial:
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How to Make Gummy Bears
Equipment
- Measuring cup (or microwavable bowl)
- Baking sheet (for under silicone mold)
Instructions
- Gather your supplies and ingredients!
- Add a packet of gelatin to a measuring cup or microwavable bowl.
- Pour in a package of Jello and stir to combine.
- Measure 1/3 cup of water in a separate container, then a it to the gelatin mixture. Stir until the gelatin and Jello are combined with the water.
- Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds on high power and then stir gently.Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir. Microwave 15 more seconds, stirring a final time.Microwave time will depend on the power of your microwave. The Jello powder should be completely dissolved (no sandy bits at the bottom) and starting to thicken a tiny bit.
- Use a food safe eye dropper to pick up some of the gummy bear mixture. Our gummy bear molds came with droppers.
- Fill the molds with the gummy bear mixture. Go slowly and carefully at first until you get a good idea of how much liquid is needed to fill each spot.The top part of your eye dropper might be filled with bubbles. Try to avoid adding these to the mold. No worries if a few bubbles get added - you can leave them as is, or pop them with a toothpick.
- Fill the rest of the mold and then place the bears in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
- Once the gummy bears have set you can remove them from the silicone mold. To do this, press up on the bottom part of the mold while lifting the bears out.Optional: Set the gummy bears on a parchment lined tray for 1 - 2 hours to dry out a bit.
- Your homemade gummy bears are ready to serve!
- Repeat the same process to make gummy bears in all your favourite colours and flavours!
Notes
How do I store my homemade gummy bears? How long will they last?
After your homemade gummy bears have dried for an hour or two, we suggest storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. If stored properly in the refrigerator, the homemade gummy bears should last 2 – 3 weeks!
Can I make sour gummy bears?
Yes, you can easily make sour gummy bears by adding a bit of citric acid to your mixture! Stir 1/2 teaspoon to the powders and follow the rest of the recipe as usual.
Do you need to use an eye dropper to make this gummy bears recipe?
We definitely recommend using an eye dropper to add the gummy bear mixture to the silicone mold! Eye droppers add air into the mixture, which isn’t ideal, but it’s almost impossible to pour neatly into the tiny sections.
If you have the control, definitely feel free to pour the liquid out of a measuring cup with a spout.
Do I need to spray the silicone mold?
No need to use cooking spray on your silicone gummy bear mold! It’s just an extra step that may leave a greasy residue on your gummy bears. The bears will pop right out of the mold, no oil required.
Why are my homemade gummy bears sticky?
If your gummy bears are really sticky when you try to remove them from the mold, put them back in the fridge for another 10 – 15 minutes! They may just need a bit more time to set.
Because Jello gummy bears aren’t made with the same ingredients as store-bought gummy candy, they’re naturally a bit sticky. We could still put ours in the bowl all mixed together and they didn’t stick to each other.
What colours and flavours of gummy bears can I make?
You can use all the different colours of Jello to make homemade gummy bears in all your favourite flavours!
- Red: Raspberry, Cherry, or Strawberry Jello
- Green: Lime Jello
- Yellow: Lemon Jello
- Orange: Orange Jello
- Blue: Berry Blue Jello
- Purple: Grape Jello
Can I make gummy bears with sugar free Jello?
Yes, you can use the same recipe to make gummy bears using sugar free Jello. However, we found that these gummy bears were best the day of making. The next day, the sugar free bears shrunk and got quite hard.
Have fun creating these adorable and squishy gummy bear candies. They’re deliciously sweet and chewy, and you can make a batch in less than an hour!
Here’s even more fun recipe ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon |  Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound |  Amazon Canada
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