It's fun and easy to make homemade gummy candy. Your kids can safely make their own gummy bears, gummy worms, and gummy fish at home using a Nostalgia Electrics Gummy Candy Maker.
How fun would it be to make your own homemade gummy candy? I think you will be surprised at just how easy gummy candy is to make at home. It's so easy in fact that your kids can make their own gummy worms, gummy bears, gummy fish, and more.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to use a quick and easy gummy candy recipe to make all sorts of gummy candy shapes like Mickey Mousse and Snoopy. I'll even show you how to make a giant gummy bear and tiny little gummy animals.
I had so much fun making a whole batch of gummy candy and I know you will too! I originally shared this recipe during the Christmas holiday season and I made red and green Christmas gummies, pictured above, but today I'll show you that homemade gummies can be made in so many different colors and flavors.
Gummy Candy
The gummy candy recipe is simple. You blend together flavored gelatin with plain gelatin (to give your gummy candies that distinctive chew) and some liquid. You can use water, juice, and even soda.
It took me a bit of experimenting before I got the exact quantities to make the perfect gummy candies just right. I prefer my gummies to be soft, yet firm, not rubbery. You can adjust the recipe to your liking, but I think you'll enjoy the texture of the gummies that this recipe will create.
I started out using the recipe that came with the Nostalgia Electrics Gummy Candy Maker that I purchased from Amazon.com recently. When I saw this fun toy, I just had to get one to try. The basic recipe created rubbery gummies, so I adjusted it to my tastes.
The resulting candies in the recipe at the end of this post are perfectly chewy and flavorful.
Instructions
The candy maker comes with 4 silicone trays that make gummy bears, worms, and fish, as well as, a giant gummy bear. I love that this toy is actually kid friendly. Nothing gets too hot for a kid to handle.
- to assemble the gummy candy maker you put the four base pieces together, fill them with ice, and set the silicone molds on top
- heat your flavored gelatin, unflavored gelatin, and liquid in the melting pot
- pour the warm liquid into the molds
- to make multicolored gummy candy pour two liquids into the silicone mold at the same time
- let the candies harden
- peel them from the molds
It's that easy but you may be saying, "I don't have the gummy candy maker..."
How can I make gummy candy on the stove?
- heat the gelatin mixture in a saucepan set over medium-low heat on the stovetop
- pour the gelatin into the saucepan and add the liquid
- stir often until melted
- pour into the silicone gummy candy molds
- chill in the refrigerator until hardened
- peel the candies from the mold
Look at all those fun gummy candy shapes.
Since I originally wrote this post in December of 2015, companies have come out with a Peanuts Gummy Candy Maker, that has silicone molds with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Woodstock, and Snoopy's dog house. There's also a Disney Mickey Mouse Gummy Candy Maker that makes several different styles of Mickey Mouse Gummy Candies.
You can also just use any silicone mold to make your gummies. I found a mold that makes the most adorable, tiny little, penguins, lions, monkeys, and bears. It also makes cool-looking segmented gummy worms.
How to color homemade gummy candies?
You can make your gummy candies using one color and flavor of the gelatin or a mixture of colors and flavors.
To make red and green gummy candies for Christmas, you just pour two colors into one mold at the same time. I found it easier to pour the liquid candy into squeeze bottles or eye droppers for this task. But, the bowl that comes with the machine does have pour spots, so you can just use that if you prefer.
Watch this video tutorial to see how easy all this gummy candy is to make.
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Looks pretty easy right?
Giant Gummy Bears
If you buy the original gummy candy maker it comes with a giant gummy bear mold. As a kid, I would have been ridiculously excited if someone had given me a giant gummy bear as a gift. I gave the candy bears, pictured above, to my friend's kids and they went nuts.
To make the giant gummy bears
- make 4 recipes of the gummy candy
- pour into the giant gummy bear mold
- chill in the refrigerator until firm
- peel out of the mold
I attempted to make a layered, red, and green Christmas gummy bear, but it got really dark. You can see the layers on the side of the bear but the top looks a bit brown. Red and green blended together to make brown, so I should have known this would happen. It would have been better to simultaneously pour the red and green mixture into the mold to get a cool swirled look.
The single color, bright green, giant gummy bear turned out better.
You can find products you need to create this homemade gummy candy at Amazon.com (commission earned for sales).
Homemade Gummy Worms and Candies made with jello
- 1 (3 ounce) box flavored gelatin*
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup water or juice
- *To make red and green gummy candies make one batch of red and another green. You can melt one then remove it from the warmer to melt the other. Set the first one back in the warmer if needed, then pour the two colors into each mold at the same time.
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Fill the bottom trays of your gummy candy maker with ice.
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Set the silicone bear, worm, and fish molds over top.
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Stir together the flavored and unflavored gelatin in the Candy Maker mixing bowl.
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Pour in the water, as you continue to stir.
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Allow the mixture to melt and become warm.
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Pour into the molds.
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Allow the candy to harden, about 10 minutes.
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Remove the molds from the trays and peel the candies out.
NOTES about making gummy candy:
- If you don't have a Gummy Candy Maker, you can heat the ingredients on the stove and pour into silicone molds then pop them in the refrigerator for a little while until they are firm enough to remove from the mold.
- Use juice to make your gummy candies a bit sweeter.
- Grape gelatin will look pretty black.
- Do not over mix the gummy candy mixture.
- A foam will form on the top of the melted gelatin if it's mixed too much.
- It's best to remove the foam.
- Take a spoon and skim the foam off the surface of the melted gelatin.
- Use eye droppers or squeeze bottles to easily get the candy into the small gummy candy molds.
- You can also make your gummy candies using soda (pop). See my recipe for Star Wars Gummy Candies for the recipe.
- Store the gummies for up to a week in a plastic zip top bag or airtight container set at room temperature.
- Store for up to a few weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Giant Gummy Bears
If your kids are making the giant gummy bears, they can make one recipe at a time in the gummy candy maker, pour it in the mold, then make another, pour it in, make another, pour it in, and make the final one and pour in just enough to fill up the fill line in the mold.
The warmth of the second, third, and fourth layers will melt the layer underneath just enough that they will stick together.
This post is not sponsored. I just bought the gummy candy maker because I wanted to try it and I do think it would make a great Christmas gift for any kid who likes candy or likes to cook.
Homemade Gumdrop Ghosts • Gumdrop Brains
Skull and Crossbones Gumdrops • Blueberry Gumdrops (with real blueberries)
Red, White and Blue Gumdrop Stars • Sour Bunnies
Star Wars Gummy Candy • Christmas Gummy Candy
Be sure to check out all my fun Christmas Recipes too!
- Irresistible Sweets with Dixie Crystals® - July 13, 2024
- How to make peanut butter? - February 15, 2024
- OREO Penguins - December 20, 2023
Toriana
What type of juice would you recommend using?
Beth Klosterboer
I actually created a gummies recipe using juice. You can get that recipe and juice recommendations here - https://hungryhappenings.com/gummies-recipe/
Jeremy "Bumpybuckethead" Roach
are these like the gummy worms you buy in the store?
Beth
Yes, they are and the best part is that you can pick the flavors you like best.
Kristen
So, you can use store bought gelatin or do you have to order refills from the manufacturer of the candy maker?
Beth
You can definitely use store bought gelatin. No need to order anything from the manufacturer!
michelle julian
My son loves gummys but can't do gelatin. Do you have a recipe (please) with agar or pectin or both together?
Beth
Hi Michelle,
I actually do have quite a few gumdrop recipes on this blog and all contain pectin. The recipe is a bit more work but the candies taste so much better than a traditional gummy, in my opinion. They have a softer texture, which I love, and you can flavor them using any candy oil you like. My favorite it green apple. I even have a recipe where I made the gumdrops using real blueberries (https://hungryhappenings.com/tart-balsamic-blueberry-gumdrops-recipe.html/). You can find all the gumdrop recipes here - https://hungryhappenings.com/tag/gumdrops/ and a detailed tutorial here - https://hungryhappenings.com/red-white-and-blue-gumdrops-made-in.html/
Beth
They are so fun to make! I hope you enjoy.
cakespy
W H U T this is the best thing ever!!!
Beth
I'm so happy you think so!!! Thanks. 🙂
pictaram
It looks so fun to try. Thank you for sharing! My kid love gummy candy so much. This candy could be a nice idea for my kid to try and give it to her friends in Christmas.
nicole del rosario
this is so cool its so fun
thank you i sure my cousen love this!!!!!!
The partiologist
What a fun gift, I think I'll put it on my Christmas list! I LOVE Gummies!!
Trisha
I needed a smile and a pick me up so I headed here and of course I love all your new fun ideas. . . you make people smile! Happy Holidays!!!
Beth
I'm so happy to know that I made you smile. I hope all is well with you and that you have a wonderful holiday season too!
Michelle
Love this idea, need to get one for my daughter! Thanks for trying it out and your tips!
Beth
I can't wait to have my friend and her young kids over to make gummy candy. I personally, as an adult, would probably just use the stove, but would have thought this toy was the coolest thing ever when I was a kid. I would have been making gummy candy for everyone! I hope your daughter enjoys her gummy maker.
Christine
Thank you for this information! I love Gummy Bears!
Beth
🙂