What’s Inside: Making elderberry gummies is a fun and easy kitchen handicraft that is easily adapted to other flavors of gummies. This simple cooking skill is appropriate for anyone who can mix, measure, and pour.
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Making Elderberry Gummies
Do you look for healthy snacks for your kids? Sometimes, “kid snacks” from the store can be full of undesirable ingredients like GMO corn syrup and artificial colors and flavors.
Those semi-irresistibly cute gummy bears come to mind.
But what if you could make your own healthy version of this treat? And better yet, what if your kids could make them? Handicraft gives your kids life skills and the confidence to handle new projects easily.
We think this recipe for Elderberry Gummies makes an excellent handicraft project.
Recipe Credit
The recipe I use for gummies is based on Wellness Mama’s Elderberry Gummies. Big shout-out to Katie Wells and her recipe – Thanks!
Recipe
I’ve adjusted the recipe to fit my needs.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Elderberry Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons grass-fed beef gelatin
- ¼ cup just boiled water
Special Equipment
- Silicon gummy bear molds (semi-optional)
Method
- Put half of the syrup in a mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the beef gelatin on top of the syrup.
- Whisk it together until it seems dissolved.
- Pour the hot water into it and whisk quickly until there are no lumps and it looks dissolved again.
- Add the remaining syrup and whisk again until smooth.
- Pour into the silicon molds and put in refrigerator for a few hours until set.
- Take out of molds and enjoy!
Notes on my equipment
The reason I make such a small batch is because I have 2 molds and that’s what fits in them.
It’s like the joke about cooking a ham by first slicing off both ends and putting in the oven – the child asks the mom why she does that. The mom replies, “Because that’s how Grandma makes it.” So the child asks why to Grandma. Grandma replies, “Because it won’t fit in my oven if I don’t cut it.”
So I’m giving you complete transparency here – I only have 2 molds and this little amount of syrup fits exactly in my molds.
Side note
The only reason I ever tried making these is because I found my silicon molds on deep discount at the hobby store one day. I thought I would try them for fun.
One mold is the traditional gummy bear shape and the other is assorted fruit shapes. I think I like the gummy bear shape better because it makes a bigger gummy.
What if I don’t have a mold?
No worries! If you don’t have a mold, you can just pour into a baking pan – I used a glass baking dish – as long as you “grease” the pan so you can unmold the gummies. Wellness Mama uses coconut oil.
You can slice and unmold into little square blocks. They end up like little jello squares. Not quite as much fun as a little bear, but still a fun finger food.
Why else do I make these?
Another reason I make the elderberry gummies is because I traditionally harvest elderberries each year and make up a number of batches of syrups and jellies.
If it’s been a good winter – meaning we haven’t had to consume all the syrup – I will have leftover syrup from the year before when I go to make this year’s syrup.
A great way to use up your syrup (because most people recommend consuming your canned goods before they lose their shelf life) is to make the syrup into gummies.
I can’t keep a batch of gummies for longer than a day or so – everyone seems to gobble them up. So I use up all my extra stock quite quickly.
Variations
What’s nice about gummy making is that it is SUPER easy. Your youngest kids can make these if they can mix and measure. Help really young kids with the very hot water, of course, and use all of your kitchen safety measures!
You know what your kids are capable of, and what works for your family.
Other flavors
I’ve made other flavors from plain juice – apple is especially nice. But it always seems like when we open a jug of apple juice or cider, the last cup or two sits in the jug and no one finishes it.
That’s when I make apple juice gummies. Just substitute apple juice for the syrup. I think this works because apples are high in pectin so they don’t need the syrup consistency when starting.
I’m not sure about other flavors of juice – you might need a bit more gelatin.
How does it taste?
The Elderberry Gummies taste great. The apple ones are a bit plain. But it’s an okay flavor. And conveniently kid-sized packaged.
Conclusion
If you’ve got extra elderberry syrup you need to use, or if you want a cute little snack treat with all the benefits of elderberry syrup, then these gummies are a fun thing to make.
