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Homemade 5-Ingredient Sour Fruit Gummies. Wow, it turns out that making gummies at home is shockingly easy. All you need is a jar of high-quality fruit jam, lemon juice or water, fruit pectin, and granulated sugar. I also add collagen for added protein, but this is optional! These come together in just minutes and are so yummy! They’re a fun treat for kids and adults. You’ll soon be addicted to these adorable homemade candies!
You all? How stinking cute are these fun fruit gummies? I love them!
When I was a kid, I never ate much candy, but I do remember loving those Sour Patch Kids. My brothers and I would beg my mom to get us some while we were in the grocery checkout line.
When I shared this idea with my mom, she immediately said you have to make homemade gummies!
We both thought these could be so fun for to add to your kid’s Easter baskets! Or to share with friends.
Here are the details
Step 1: the ingredients
You need a really great jar of jam. It can be any berry flavor, but my favorites are strawberry and blueberry. Then, fresh lemon juice. You can also use water, but I think the lemon adds a nice flavor. Then, fruit pectin is the ingredient that will turn the fruit into chewy, gummy candies.
You can also use gelatin, but after testing, I found the pectin to yield a more candy-like gummy bear.
Step 2: mix and boil
Now mix the jam with the lemon juice, then whisk in the pectin and collagen powder. Bring the fruit mixture to a boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. You want the fruit to be very glassy and look like syrup. See photos for some visuals!
The longer you cook the fruit, the thicker your gummies will be. I found 8-10 minutes to be the perfect amount of time
Step 3: the molds
I found gummy bear molds at Walmart. If my Walmart here in the mountains carries them, I would think that most stores would have them. But you can also order them online. The options for molds are endless, but I have to say I love the classic gummy bear!
If you don’t have any molds, you can use a square baking pan. Then, just cut the gummies into squares.
Pour the fruit mixture into the molds and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Step 4: pop the gummies out and coat in sugar
As the last step, pop the gummies out of the mold and coat them in sugar. The sugar is crucial for these sour gummies, but how much you add is up to you. Once coated, you can enjoy them immediately or keep them in the fridge.
Note that the gummies will release some of their moisture over time. It’s best to eat these within a day or two. But that’s not hard—these are addictive!
These cute fruit gummies take me back to being a kid. There’s nothing I love more than being a kid again. So fun!
Looking for other homemade versions of childhood favorites? Try some of these.
Giant Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tart
Healthier Homemade Somoas Cookies
Homemade Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts
Lastly, if you make these Homemade 5 Ingredient Sour Fruit Gummies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!x
Homemade 5 Ingredient Sour Fruit Gummies
Servings: 40 gummies
Calories Per Serving: 4 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 jar (13 ounce) strawberry, blackberry, or blueberry jam
- 3/4 cup lemon juice, or use water
- 2 tablespoons fruit pectin
- 2 tablespoons collagen (optional)
- granulated sugar, for coating add to your liking
Instructions
- 1. In a saucepan, mix the jam with the lemon juice/water. Sprinkle the pectin and collagen on top, then whisk into the fruit. 2. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a bubble and cook 12-15 minutes, until the pectin has dissolved and you have a very smooth, syrupy liquid that is starting to look jam like.3. Pour the mixture into the gummy bear molds or into a 9x9 parchment-lined baking dish. Refrigerate for 2 hours until completely set. 4. Pop the gummy bears out of the molds (or cut into small squares). Place the sugar in a bowl and toss the gummy bears in the sugar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
The Fruit Pectin: I tested with both pectin and gelatin and whole both work well, I think using pectin give you a more candy like gummy bear.
*The calories were calculated without the sugar coating, as that is added to taste
Should have read the other comments here before wasting jam!
Hi Nora,
So sorry to hear you are having trouble, can I ask what happened or if I can help in anyway? Let me know! xx
“How can I help?” is the most empty statement and it’s always your response to someone having difficulty with “your” recipes. At this point, you can’t help. You could’ve helped by doing your job correctly the first time and not publishing a recipe that obviously has flaws. Maybe Venmo everyone for the money they wasted. That’s about all the help you can offer. Pathetic.
The number of batsh!t crazy women who actually become enraged, hostile, aggressive, and unhinged over a bloody gummy bear recipe is mind-boggling. Seriously, look at yourselves. You are like a bunch of bloodthirsty piranhas looking for a carcass to feast on. Y’all need serious help. And Jules…wow. Your self-righteous rage over a comment that wasn’t even about or to you is remarkable. Sit down. Just sit TF down.
Would the directions be the same if you use gelatin?
Excited to try! 🤩
Hey Jay,
Yes, the directions are the same for the gelatin:) Let me know if you give these gummies a try! xT
Since you used collagen in your recipe maybe that’s what helped it set. Maybe that’s why everyone else is having a problem with it setting. Maybe the collagen powder shouldn’t be optional. 🤷🏻♀️
Hi Gina,
The collagen isn’t what makes these set, it’s the fruit pectin:) I think boiling longer should help those that had issues with the gummies setting. Thanks for your suggestion! xx
After reading the comments and Tieghan’s tips I decided to give them a go and boil them for a lot longer than instructed (around 15 minutes) still didn’t work… 😞
Hi Emma,
I’m so sorry to hear the gummies didn’t set for you! Did you use the gelatin or the pectin? I know you said you boiled for 15 minutes, but I would try even a touch longer next time, you are looking for a thick jam consistency:)
Nope, nope
Hi Leah,
Please let me know if there is something that I can help with! xx
I wanted to love this recipe (as I do most HBH recipes). I followed it exactly. I used brand new Ball brand pectin. The gummy bears never set. I’m bummed!
Hi Katie,
I am so sorry to hear that these didn’t set for you! Next time, I would try boiling for 5 more minutes, the mixture should be a thick, glossy syrup. I hope this helps, again so sorry! xT
Hi! I used the exact recipe again and boiled for 15 minutes. It worked! Thanks for the recommendation. I’m using the “failed” gummie jam for a topping on homemade waffles. 😊
Hey Katie,
Yay!! So glad to hear this and so sorry about the failed gummies! I appreciate you coming back to share what worked well for you:) xT
Flavor was there. My daughter and I tried the recipe twice. Once boiling for 8 and the second for 10 min. Neither batch set! My pectin was brand new, used Ball Real fruit classic Pectin. My homemade raspberry jam, strained off all seeds and fruit pulp. measured 13oz jam, 3/4c lemon juice, 2 TBS pectin.
We ended up very disappointed and out 2 jars of jam.
Hi Megan,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I’m so sorry to hear that these never set for you. My guess is it needs to boil longer, I would do 5 more minutes, the mixture should be a thick, glossy syrup. I hope this helps! xT
These were a big fail for me and I’m generally pretty good at this stuff. I followed the directions as I haven’t made these before and as soon as I started to “pour” into the molds, it hardened up.
I would love to see a video on how to get this into those little molds. I will maybe yield ¼ of what I should have gotten and the jury is out on how they will taste. I tried some of of what didn’t make it and it was ok.
I was really hoping to like a healthier version gummy bear.
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you had some issues. I poured this into a measuring cup, the little spout helped to get the liquid into the mold. These are definitely more of a candy, not a healthy gummy bear:) xx
Hi Tieghan,
My gummies didn’t set 😕 I used CERTO fruit pectin crystals. Do you have a better suggestion on which pectin to use. Thanks I love all your recipes.
Hi Janelle,
Thanks for trying this recipe, sorry to hear you had some issues! I would use the fruit pectin powder next time, this one is linked in the recipe:
https://goto.target.com/c/2773249/81938/2092?subid1=58c18d1bf051050f829e3c0b&subid2=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.halfbakedharvest.com%2Fsour-fruit-gummies%2F&sharedid=Half%20Baked%20Harvest&subid3=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fball-4-7oz-realfruit-classic-pectin%2F-%2FA-54322240&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fball-4-7oz-realfruit-classic-pectin%2F-%2FA-54322240#donotlink
I hope this helps! xT
Mine did not turn out. I used a baking dish and followed the recipe exactly. Disappointed that I wasted a whole jar of Bonne Maman ☹️
Hi Mary,
Sorry to hear this. What happened to them? How did they not turn out? Please let me know how I can help! xx
Thank you for reaching out. I put them in the fridge (in a metal 8 in. square baking pan with parchment) overnight and this morning, they were nearly as soft as when I put them in. Maybe my fruit pectin is older (but it’s within 6 months). I cooked it for 8 minutes. I want to make them again but have to figure out what went wrong.
I would check the expiration date on the pectin to start, that really could be the only reason they didn’t work! Let me know:)
No, it couldn’t “really be the only reason these didn’t work”, as there have been several reviewers saying it didn’t work even when using brand new pectin.
How adorable. I use to make Jello Jubes for my kids when they were young. May have to start making them for my grandkids who are 5, 3 and 1.
1 package (85 g) Jello Jelly Powder (Empress brand of Jello makes more) any flavour
2 teaspoons (10 ml) cornstarch
Lightly brush inside if ice cube tray with oil or mold. Mix jello and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in ½ cup (125 ml) cold water. Bring to boil and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir for 1 minute. Pour into tray. Cool 5 minutes then refrigerate for 20 minutes to set. To remove – use your fingertips to pull away from sides of molds. Makes 10 to 12 Jello Jubes that you can eat with your fingers.
I am wondering if you can makes these as Sour? Will have to look for the Gummy Bear Mold. Thank you for sharing.
Hey Janice,
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe:) Let me know if you give these a try as well!
Here is the link for the molds:
https://shopstyle.it/l/b9Hb4
Have a great weekend! xT
did you try adding citric acid powder to the coating sugar?
Hi there,
I did not try this, I didn’t find it to be necessary:) Let me know if you give these a try! Happy Friday! xT
My family would love these! How many molds did you need to make this recipe?
Hey Martha,
The molds I used made 12 gummies, so I used 4 of the molds. There are plenty of mold options available, so it just depends on what you buy:) This will make 40 gummies. I hope this helps! xT
Is there a need to spray the mold before pouring the liquid in?
Hey there,
No need to spray the molds:) Let me know if you give these gummies a try, I hope you love them! xT
Can’t wait to make! Can you please give specifics on how much lemon juice? Many thanks.
Hey Lance,
Sorry about that, it’s 3/4 cup. I hope you love this recipe! xT
How much lemon juice is required? 3/4 of….
Hi Karen,
It’s 3/4 cup. Let me know if you give these a try! Happy Friday! xT