Simple Fruit Jellies Candy

Jelly pumpkins

The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Setting Time: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 60 servings
Yield: 60 candies

Similar to gumdrops, these homemade jelly candies are made with gelatin, fruit juice, a little sugar, and some corn syrup. They take only 20 minutes to prepare, but you do need several hours for them to set. If you are a fan of gummy candies but want to avoid the excess sugar and preservatives, making jelly candy at home is an easy and rewarding project. Plus, you can make them any flavor and shape that you like.

You can use almost any fruit juice in this recipe, as long as it has been strained (if necessary). Try a few different varieties, such as orange, pomegranate, lime, and grapefruit, and experiment with different shapes. Cookie cutters and candy molds are great tools for customizing the jellies for special occasions and holidays. You can finish off the candies by rolling them in sugar or simply leave them plain, if you prefer.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

  • 2/3 cup fruit juice of your choice, strained if needed

  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup corn syrup

  • Food coloring, optional

  • Superfine sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Prepare a 6-inch pan by wetting it lightly with water.

  3. Pour the water into a bowl and add the gelatin; let sit for about 5 minutes to soften.

  4. Place the juice, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

  5. Stir in the gelatin and continue stirring until the gelatin dissolves.

  6. At this point, add food coloring if desired.

  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and leave until completely set. This will take about 4 hours in the refrigerator or overnight at room temperature.

  8. When set, turn out of the pan and cut with a sharp knife or cookie cutter into desired shapes.

  9. Jellies can be rolled in superfine sugar, if desired, or served plain.

  10. Enjoy.

Tips

  • Since the jelly candy is very sticky, you will have to clean off the knife or cookie cutter every so often when slicing. You can also spray the knife or cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  • It is best to leave the candies on the counter for a day or so before eating to allow them to harden.
  • Instead of using store-bought fruit juice, you can squeeze or press the juice from fresh fruit. If using berries, such as raspberries, press through a strainer into a measuring cup to remove the seeds. Also, be sure to squeeze citrus over a strainer to catch the seeds.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
11 Calories
0g Fat
3g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 60
Amount per serving
Calories 11
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 0mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 3mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)