If you have a fruit snack lover in your house, these Homemade Jello Fruit Snacks are for you!
Only 3 simple ingredients (one of them is water!) and making them is a great summer activity to do with your kids.
I decided to give homemade fruit snacks a whirl and my son (who is absolutely fruit snack OBSESSED) loved them.
This recipe uses gelatin, jello, and water. Even though you may think they’ll come out like jello jigglers, the extra gelatin makes them firmer and chewier. They’re more like the texture of fruit store bought snacks.
These don’t last long at our house, but we do have a great time making them.
Reader Review
“Just made these (regular and sugar free) and they came out great! Thanks for the wonderful idea 🙂” – Breanna
Ingredient Notes for Homemade Fruit Snacks
To make Homemade Jello Fruit Snacks, you will need the following ingredients:
- Jello: 1 (3 ounce) package, any flavor. One of the things we absolutely love about this recipe is that you can make any flavor you want! We love strawberry, lime, pineapple, and blue raspberry.
- Gelatin: you need .5 ounces of unflavored gelatin (we usually use 2 .25 ounce envelopes). This is what helps it set up from a “jello jiggler” texture to a “fruit snack” texture.
- Water: you need ⅓ cup of water. If you want to substitute fruit juice for water to add more flavor instead, you can.
Equipment needed to make homemade fruit snacks
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
- Saucepan (Large)
- Spatula
- Liquid Dropper
- Mold for shaping fruit snacks (see notes below)
Molds to use for Homemade Fruit Snacks
You can use simple $1 ice molds (found at the dollar store or dollar spot at Target), or ice cube trays you already have on hand.
We’ve also used candy and chocolate molds, too. You can switch it out and make them for special occasions or holidays! Here are some of our favorites:
- Gummy Bears or Legos (for birthdays!)
- Jelly Beans for Easter
- Candy canes, presents, and snowflakes for Christmas
- Flowers for spring or summer (and we use these for cakes, too!)
How to make homemade fruit snacks
- Dissolve Gelatin. Pour the water into a small saucepan, then sprinkle the unflavored gelatin and flavored jello into it and give it a mix (this will help prevent clumping). Add it to the stove, heating it over medium heat, stirring regularly until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Pour into molds. We like to use a dropper for this part if you’re working with smaller, more intricate molds. You can also use a spoon, but it may be a little messier. Let it set up on the counter for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the molds. Remove the fruit snacks from the molds and serve.
Cost Breakdown – Homemade vs Store Bought Fruit Snacks
One reader did a full cost-analysis breakdown of buying fruit snacks versus making these at home (Thanks, Yen!). Here’s what it showed:
Store bought
Treetop Fruit Snacks (80 pouches): $12.24. Each pouch came with an average of about 8 individual fruit snacks. This comes to ~$0.15/pouch
Homemade
Heart silicone mold* (~8 pouches): $1.19. This made 60 fruit snacks from one batch using this recipe. This comes to ~$.015/pouch
Comparing the two
Basically, it costs almost exactly the same to make them at home versus buying them. If you wanted 80 packs of the homemade kind, you’d spend about $11.90, only $0.34 less than buying store bought.
Making them at home is much more time-intensive, but you do get to choose your own flavor and shape. There’s also something to be said for the experimental factor of it all and letting kids in on the fun in the kitchen.
Storage
These fruit snacks don’t need to be refrigerated, although in warmer environments (hot cars, direct sunlight) they won’t hold up well. Keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week (if they’ll last that long!).
FAQs and Troubleshooting:
We would not recommend making more than one batch at a time. The mixture tends to set up quickly, so if you don’t work fast enough to fill your molds it will set in the pan.
Yes! We’ve had multiple readers report that switching from regular to sugar free jello works well. One box of sugar free jello can be substituted for one box of regular.
Yes. To use juice for flavoring, omit the water and add ⅓ cup of juice and 2 Tablespoons sweetener (like honey or sugar). Add the two (.25 ounce) packets of plain gelatin and continue with the recipe as written (the texture may be slightly different, but it should still work).
If the gelatin isn’t fully dissolved, your fruit snacks can turn out sticky. Even when it is completely dissolved, you might still notice some stickiness – placing them in the fridge can help them firm up more. Keep in mind that thicker molds may require longer than 30 minutes to fully set.
If you’re nervous about the fruit snacks sticking, you can lightly spray the molds with cooking spray before pouring the gelatin mixture into them.
If you overcook the gelatin, it can go from chewy to rubber really quick. Make sure you’re cooking it over medium heat until the gelatin is just dissolved. Watch it closely when it’s cooking and stir regularly.
More homemade snack recipes
Homemade snacks are a lifesaver for us and our kids. Check out our comprehensive collection of delicious homemade snack recipes.
Homemade Jello Fruit Snacks Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces Jello, 1 package, any flavor
- .50 ounces Unflavored Gelatin, 2 ( .25 ounce envelopes)
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Sprinkle the jello and unflavored gelatin over the water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until completely dissolved.
- Pour into molds (or use a dropper) and allow to set up on the counter at least 20 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
Wow, I never have to eat a green one again, omg, I love it!!!!!! My grandkids never like the green ones and always give them to me, yuk!!! Thank you so much for this, now to find some little molds.
Where did you find your molds?
I just used a small ice tray I found at the dollar store. Thanks!
Love this! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Awesome!! Gelatin is now on the grocery list!
How easily did they come out of the molds?
Could you use sugar free jello?
you’ve just made my day – my son, the “frui nack” addict will love these i’m sure 🙂
I’m so going to have to try this… thank you!! a bunch.
Simple enough, yet I would have never thought of it!
http://hopefullittleone.blogspot.com/
You ladies never cease to amaze me, I am so pinning this and putting it on Miss Informations facebook page
These are very good! I had silicone lego molds that I used for them and they turned out SO cute!
Could you use juice instead of water?
How long will they stay good? How do you store them?
Do these need to stay refrigerated?
This was a lot easier than I thought it would be! I definitely need to try it out.
-Kylie
absolutelyarkansas.blogspot.com
My boys would love this! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I’d love for you to link up to my first ever linky party, Ta-Da Tuesday 🙂 check it out HERE ! <3 from your newest follower and newbie blogger, I'd be delighted if you'd follow back!
Misty@
413 Sparrow Lane
This is wonderful! My daughter eats a ton of them too and they are expensive! We’ll have to give these a try! Thanks!
Hi Cara!
They don’t need to be refrigerated. Thanks!
Julie,
I think they would be great with juice!
Elizabeth,
I am not sure how long they will stay good for. I stored them in an airtight container on my kitchen counter for 2-3 days and they were fine. I am sure you could even store them in little bags. Thanks!
Tina,
I think that sugar free jello would be fine! Let me know how it goes!
Mrs. Fitz,
I didn’t have any problems getting them out of the mold. I just used my fingers and they came right out!
Hi! I found your blog via Pinterist and I have a few questions:
Do you think that you could just pour them into a pan and cut them into cubes when they set?
If you store them in a baggie do they get stuck into a big mass? Hoy sticky/messy are they for a toddler?
Are they hard to get out of the molds?
Thanks!
Thanks for the great idea! I scoured the house for something to use as a mold, and ended up using the case that my alphabet stamps came in (60 perfect little plastic squares) and sprayed it really good with pam. They popped out easily with a knife! …oh, and I used sugar free jello
I pinned this. I should really try this. My son likes fruit snacks and with a toddler in the house again I’m sure she will be all about the fruit snacks, too.
I bet if you dusted them with a little corn starch after taking them out of the molds, they would not stick at all.
Hi Amy! I think you could pour them into a pan and cut them into cubes after they have set. Another reader said that they did that and just used a little non stick cooking spray in the bottom of the pan and they didn’t have any problems with sticking. They were maybe slightly more sticky than a regular fruit snack but my 2 year old didn’t have any trouble with them. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for stopping by and inviting us over! What a darling blog!
Those look yummy.
We made these today in 3 flavors and they are great! More are on the horizon I’m sure!
Okay I feel dumb, do I let them set up in the fridge or the counter?
Hi thanks for sharing the recipe. I just wrote about it on my site with photos of the candy I made. They taste awesome and I had great results. THis recipe is a keeper. I’ll be checking out my dollar store for more molds next time I’m there. 🙂 – Taryn Easy, Half an Hour Gummy Candies
Just a little bit confused on the directions — after pouring the gelatin packets over the water, do you wait until the water is heated (and does it need to be boiling, or about how warm should the water be?) to stir in the gelatin, or do you stir in the gelatin at the same time that the water is heating up?
Hi!
So after sprinkling the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan just stir in the gelatin at the same time the water is heating up over medium heat until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Hi Jamie!
You can just let them set up on the counter. Thanks!
How much does this make? It doesn’t seem like it would make very much at all with only 1/3 cup water.
I can’t wait to try these! Thanks!
Hi!
It depends on how big your molds are. I used an ice tray and filled them up about 2/3 of the way full and it made about 20 large fruit snacks. Thanks!
I tried these today, and they came out great! I used sugar free jello, and I had no problems 🙂
so neat! thank you for sharing!
You’re too kind! Thank you have a blessed day!
Wow! These are so fun! Thanks for the recipe
I just stocked up on jello! Thanks! This is great.
Those of you that used Sugar Free Jello, did you use 10 boxes to get the 3 oz stated in the recipe or just one box?
I saw these on good ol pinterest and just had to try it. I think I may have done it wrong, because it only made 6 small shapes. (i bought an apple shaped ice cub try) I’m from Canada and don’t do oz. very well, so I tried to convert everything and they were soooo dense. My daughter wouldn’t eat them. I put in one box of Jello and 3 tsp of gelatin. Does this sound right? Thanks for any help!!!
Hi Steph!
I am not sure how the ounces convert either. I just went by the amounts that were on the boxes that I purchased which were 1 (3 oz) package gelatin, 2 (.25 oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin and 1/3 c. water. I am sorry I’m not more help!
im super picky when it comes to textures, do they truly have a fruitsnack texture as opposed to a jell-o texture?
I’m really picky when it comes to textures. Do they truly have a fruit snack texture as opposed to a jello texture?
Always looking for low calorie snacks! I am super excited to try this. Do they need to be in the fridge after they are made?
Just made these (regular and sugar free) and they came out great! Thanks for the wonderful idea 🙂
They don’t need to be refrigerated. Thanks!
Hi Brandy!
Yes, it is more the texture of a fruit snack rather than jello. It is firmer and chewier than jello would be.
I’m gladsome to mature so more serviceable and informative assemblage on your website.
cookingrecipetips
Just 1! It’s the same amount of gelatin as a regular box, not sure the whole miniscule weight thing on sugar free, that confuses me too!
Found on Pinterest. Put on my summer bucket list. Made these with my boys just now. Can’t wait for them to set up!! Thanks!!
Do you do this to be healthier or because they are cheaper? 1/3 C of water doesn’t seem like much compared to the price you can get a box at Costco….
I am not sure but I think 1 packet of unflavored gelatin is about 1 Tablespoon.
How many does this make? Just curious since knox isn’t the cheapest thing!
Ahhh so gonna make these, gotta find the jello mold I got a couple of years ago that made jelly bean shapes 🙂
Just made them and they turned out yummy but very sticky. I think if I put them in a plastic baggie they would just mush together. I used a chocolate mold from Joann’s and it worked perfectly, although I would recommend getting 2 because they was a lot more gelatin left over.
Found you via pinterest! Finally I have a use for my jello bean mold they had at the grocery store around easter time about 9 years ago. They are just the right size and shape for fruit snacks!
My friend just made the sugar free kind and said that they were a little tart. She also used V-fusion juice instead of water to boost the nutrition!
Could you not just use two packs of flavored gelatin instead of the unflavored or will that not work? Thanks!
Made these today, did not come out well, I followed recipe exactly, but poured into a baking dish instead of molds because I didnt have any…were extremely sticky and had a weird texture to them, my son didnt have any interest in them. Not sure if I did something wrong, or if thats how they are…
AKK I used 3 sugar free packets and 1/2 of a sugar one and it was tart but the boys liked it, they are sticky do you need to leave them in the fridge if they are not all eaten?
Hi Courtney!
I think that would work fine but they might be really flavorful! Let us know if you try it!
Hi Jamy!
Mine made about 15-20 fruit snacks that were the size of ice cubes, because I only had ice trays. It just depends on what size of molds you use. Sorry I’m not more help!
Hi Kelley!
Sorry it took a few days to get back to you. They don’t need to be refrigerated!
I found them online and decided to give them a whirl. We still buy regular fruit snacks, but just wanted to try something new for the kiddos. 🙂
I wanted to make them with sugar-free jello but when I got home I realized that the regular jello comes in 3 oz boxes but the sugar-free jello comes in 0.3 oz boxes…..that’s 10 boxes of sugar-free jello for one recipe! Did your friend use 10 boxes?
It’s because there is more weight to actual sugar than the substitute 🙂
The regular Jello has a higher weight because the sugar weighs more than artificial sweetener, they still yield the same amount of final product.
Thanks!
Hope you like the post due to your inspiration!
http://www.missinformationblog.com/2012/07/lego-fruit-snacks.html
Just tried this today! Ours were extremely sticky and very difficult to get out of the ice trays. Any suggestions?
Yah mine were way sticky too! Am I doing it wrong? I’d like some pointers 🙂
Just made these with my two girls 9 and 6. I have used plain gelatin in the past. I did a couple of things different.First, I let the gelatin bloom in the 1/3 cup water for about a minute. I poured into my small sauce put until it melted and was clear and then poured in the flavored gelatin. Stirred constantly for about 2-3 mins until dissloved. I also used regular jello and sugar-free, they both worked fine. I hope this hepls those that a little bit of trouble. My kids say that it taste like candy. Thanks for sharing the easy recipe.
Mine were sticky at first but I put them in the fridge for ten minutes and came out much better. They don’t need to be refrigerated after that though.
I was so excited to make these today and although they turned out just fine-they had a weird consistency to them. I used 1 package of sugar free jello (.3 oz), 1/3 C water, and 2 (.25 oz) unflavored gelatin. They tasted like a hardened piece of jello. I’m glad I tried it, but I wasn’t impressed.
Does anyone else have issue of the gelatine clumping ?????
Does anyone else have issue of the gelatine clumping ?????
could I replace the water with fruit juice or fruit puree?
I made some of these the other day, and they definitely satisfied my craving for fruit snacks but I had a harder time getting them out of the mold I used (probably because it was weird). Thanks!
This is awesome and look so tasty. I will definitely have to try this with my kids. I am your newest follower. Have a terrific week. Athena http://www.thestuffofsuccess.com.
Just made them a few minutes ago. From what have read so far they should turn out great. I just hope that I would be able to get them out easily & I hope my picky eater will like them too. Thank you for sharing this with the world. I am a home-school mom who is on a very tight budget. So I try to make ways of making snacks healthier, less expensive, not a lot of ingredients and easy to make with out all the fuss and muss. Again, thank you very much for posting.
I used hard candy molds I found at Hobby Lobby, once you get one to release from the mold it’s easy to get the rest out!
I just used sugar free Walmart brand jello, it’s definently got a tartness to it! The question right now is if my sugar addicted 6 year old will eat these!
In Target’s dollar section they always have all kinds of ice molds and they even have the silicon ones.
Just made these! Easy, cute, and yummy! I spent a $1 on two silicone candy trays from Walmart that were perfect for these treats! I ended up with 24 grape and strawberry shaped treats, plus a little extra. For that, I sprayed a (coated type) paper plate with a little cooking spray. I poured the extra into a thin layer. In less than two minutes, it was a squishy fun fruit roll type treat that my three year old loved! Would be easy to do and cut into various shapes…and good for keeping busy while we wait for the others to set up! Thanks for the fun idea!
Sorry I realize this post is older but I just wanted to chime in…
Any time I need a conversion I google “how many __ in a __” and I just did it and it’s 1 US oz = 6 US teaspoons. Hope that helps.
Can’t wait to try the recipe! Thanks!
I wonder if you could replace the water with fruit juice for an added punch of flavor? Can’t wait to try.
Maybe try half sugar free half regular…I think that is what I may do….
Thank you! I made this and it was so much easier and quicker than I expected.
I used ice cube trays as my mold, and I had to let them set a little longer than you recommended, but it was still great!
Also, I used V8 Fusion instead of water, and it worked perfectly! In fact, compared to the ones I made with water, the V8 ones were prettier and had much more flavor. They seemed to set up a little thicker too, which I enjoyed.
Since my Albertsons has had unflavored gelatin on clearance for $0.25 each, I’m well beyond stocked up. Would it make a big difference if I used all unflavored gelatin along with fruit juice instead?
Awesome! My daughter calls them “gummie fruit”. I can’t wait to try a homemade version! Thanks for sharing and linking to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
I just found your site on pinterest and am so excited to have wandered onto your site! Thank you for such wonderful recipes.
I am not sure how that would work! Let us know if you try it! It seems like it would be ok.
Hi!
I have never tried it but I am sure that would work! Let us know how it goes!
Raed, I believe the oz in this scenario are a weight, so it would not always correspond to a volume measurement. Ounces correspond to teaspoons only when they are also a volume — like with liquids.
To keep them from sticking together in a big mass, I dusted mine with corn starch and it worked.
Saw these repinnd and had to come visit. Can’t wait to check out more of your posts. These look great
Thanks for this! I’m adding gelatin to my shopping list and making these for my kiddos lunch boxes.
can’t wait to try them…I’m going to use my chocolate candy molds as they are smaller like the packaged fruit snacks
I just made poured mine into a food dehydrator fruit roll up tray! I’m beyond excited!
Fruit snacks are bad for your child’s teeth,use the molds and make chocolate instead ,Chocolate is not only beneficial to your health with antioxidants known to help fight cancer,but the chocolate will dissolve in your mouth /teeth unlike gummy fruit snack which pull out filling and damage teeth by sticking in the crevices rotting the tooth.Good Luck with the dentist bill.
So I’ve made my own marshmallows in the past, first using gelatin as per the original recipe,
and then later, replacing the gelatin with pectin, which is a nice fruit-based alternative to animal products… I wonder if pectin would work in this recipe also? Perhaps using pectin and fruit juice, like so many others have suggested?
what a great idea! Can’t wait to pick up gelatin!
I just made the gummys and I loved them. I just used the tinyest bit of canola oil in the mold and they popped right. Thank you for the recipe.
I found Jell-O jelly bean mold trays. They are the perfect size, and about 100 molds per tray. (I found 3 of them). Can’t wait to try these!!!
I found jelly bean molds also. How well did they turn out? I can’t wait to try them out.
HUGE hit at my house today and they were all made by my 8 year old!
I can’t wait to try these! We have the Jello Jelly Bean mold and I think it will work perfectly.
YES! GROSS!
love this. pin it~ i m a snack person.and i eat sweets a lot in the off~ i cant wait to make these~ these are definately more healthy. thanks for sharing
I made these with walmart brand jello, and they are really sweet and I think too sugary, so I do not recommend walmart brand.
I made these with walmart brand jello, and they are really sweet and I think too sugary, so I do not recommend walmart brand.
The only chocolate that is beneficial to your health is dark chocolate. And even then, the health benefits are negligible at best. The sugar content of any chocolate (except 100% chocolate) is going to be just as bad for teeth as fruit snacks. If you want the most and the best antioxidants, eat fruits and vegetables of all colors (not only green).
I am a little confused on the directions as well. So do I make the jello following the directions on the box and then pour the gelatin over that? How much water do I use? Thanks!
Tried making these but they turned out hard and difficult to chew…any suggestions?
Tried making these but they turned out hard and difficult to chew…any suggestions?
just made these, was so suprised, they came out great, super easy. I bought new ice cube trays cause I didnt get a chance to get molds, and that worked great, just poured a spoonful in each spot. I tried mango first, yummmmmm thank you. we grab like two or three store bought fruit snack packs each time we reach for them, they are expensive and go fast. This recipe is easy, inexpensive and fun, thanks!!!!!!
I used one box of jello mango flavor and two packages of the knox unflavored gelatin packs. I wisked like the devil each time I added a pack of the gelatin, it firms up kind of quick. Also I used new ice cube trays and put like a spoonful in each spot and they came out great!
where did you find jelly jelly bean mold trays, I would love to check those out!
Hi Shellise,
Just put the water in a saucepan and sprinkle the Jello and gelatin on top. Don’t follow the directions on the box. Hope that helps!
I have made these several times now. I use a large box of SF jello and a 1 oz box of gelatine with 2/3 c water. They are great! Love finding such a simple, easy to make sugarless, low calorie snack that also tastes great. Only takes a couple minutes to mix up and I have a great SF snack for when I have a sweet tooth. I keep a batch on hand in tupperware in the fridge all the time now. Seriously one of my best finds in 2012. Thank you to whoever shared this on Pinterest!
Made these yesterday with sugar free jello, no need to sweeten as they are sweetened with aspartame. I doubled the recipe and bought gelatin from the bulk food store and ice cube trays from the dollar store, as well as a candy mold. I used a shot glass (half a glass is 1 oz) to measure gelatin. I did spray molds with cooking spray before filling. I also did this in the microwave by boiling the water in a glass measuring cup (makes it a lot easier to pour in the mold) before adding the jello and gelatin, then microwaved again until dissolved.
Just made these a few minutes ago, they tasted really good but had the consistency of rubber! My teeth almost bounced when chewing them, what did I do wrong? Maybe I didn’t let the jello dissolve enough – I will try again but my 3 year old took a bite and spit it out.
Second try was just as bad… good thing it only cost about 3 bucks…
These are reminescent of the 60’s & 70’s .. we called it finger jello & pored it into a cake pan to set. Once it was set up, we’d cut into pieces or with a cookie cutter into shapes. The kids, grandkids always loved them. So do I!
Could you make a Video of you making these and where you got the molds from, that would be very helpful
How can 1/3 cup water make that many snacks?
1 Box of sugar free Jell-O is the same as 1 regular box Jell-O. Use them interchangeably. Weight makes no difference here.
How can 1/3 cup water make that many snacks?
Yes I’m wondering what the price comparison is for these. I don’t seem to make too many, though delicious, for each batch. This is a great idea and allows for unique creations, but at 3 dollars for two batches, I wonder if I am saving money. Has anyone done a cost comparison by chance?
did you use regular ice cube trays that seems like they would be quite large I am having a hard time trying to figure out what is the best mold to use to make these?
^ I don’t understand how 1/3 cup water can make that many snacks either.
When I made these, my jello/water mix had “foam”. Did I not let it heat up enough? The snacks were good, but some of them had the chewy part of jello at one of the mold. Anyone else have this happen?
Is unflavored gelatin the same as sure jell pectin?
Have you ever used juice instead of water?
These are cooling as I type this. I can’t wait to try.
What’t’s old is new. When my children now in their 40’s were small, I got the recipe from a magazine it was called finger Jello. Made it in a 13 x 9 cut into squares and dumed in a bowl and kept in frig. Wish I have a dollar for every square of the “Finger Jello” I made. Glad to see it’s recirculating with a twist.
Just made these with my 9yo. We poured them into a Pam sprayed cookie sheet and then cut them into strips like, fruit roll-ups. Went over well!
Where is the homemade. This requires a box.
My family loves there now They want different flácida.
My family loves there now They want different flácida.
I just finished making some of these. I used sugar free Jell-O and apple juice instead of water. I poured the mixture into a mini ice cube tray (the tray makes 72 mini cubes) and it filled the tray 2/3 of the way full. One they were set I really had no problem getting them out, and I let my daughter try one. She loved it and ate a handful more. I tried one and found that they’re not exactly fruit snack texture, but still not bad! I’m waiting for my son to get home from school and give me his impression, but I think this is a keeper!
I am late to the party here, but, I’m gonna try to just have them set up in an 8×8 pan and cut them into cubes. I don’t have enough or tiny enough mold. I’ll post the results.
Any idea about the calorie count?
Any idea about the calorie count?
Tried this. The kids loved the taste. But, I wasn’t too happy with the execution… they turned out looking all frothy. Also, they set very quickly – – literally, as I was pouring it out of the pan. By the time I got to the end of the pan, the jello was coming out in strands b/c it was setting. I must be doing something wrong… I’m not sure if I’m cooking it too long or not enough. Do you know? Thanks!
Yes. Not sure what I did wrong. Also waiting on a reply from Six Sisters.
No, unflavored gelatin and sure jell pectin are very different.
Not sure what could have gone wrong. We didn’t experience any of that so I’m not much help. Sorry about that.
Just tried this tonight, I used sugar free jello. Mine came our more like jello jigglers instead of a chewy snack. I put the water in, sprinkled on the jello/gelatin and stirred, it dissolved in about 3 minutes, did I maybe need to leave it on longer? The flavor was good (I used cherry so it was a little tart but I like that with the cherry flavor), but I was hoping for a chewy texture not a jiggly one lol. Any suggestions? Or is this recipe supposed to be jiggly?
The recipe should come out quite chewy. It may have to do with the sugar free jello. I know a few readers have mentioned having the same problem when they have used that type of jello. I would suggest trying it with regular jello and see how it goes! Sorry about that!
I was wondering if anyone had organic version? Maybe just gelatin or agar and juice?
I tried these yesterday and today…they were great! We did Jolly Rancher Watermelon and Blue Raspberry. Super yummy and so neat to make your own fruit snacks. I was curious for price comparison though, too, so I sat down and did the math.
At my local Costco (Seattle area), Treetop Fruit Snacks cost $12.24 for 80 pouches. Each pouch came with an average of about 8 individual fruit snacks (not nearly as much as I thought! Some only had six!!).
When I made the snacks using a heart silicone mold (I filled them to the same depth as the Treetop Fruit Snacks for a true comparison; they are not very thick, which I had never really noticed about the store bought kind, but it’s true, they’re pretty thin) at home, I was able to make 60 fruit snacks from one batch using the above recipe. 60/8 (8 snacks in one pouch compared to TreeTop) is 7.5 pouches, so the homemade way makes almost 8 pouches of fruit snacks.
At Walmart, each jello box was $0.50. The unflavored gelatin was $1.38 for four packets. Since you only need two packets per batch, that cost comes to $0.69. So, for 8 pouches of fruit snacks, it cost $0.50+$0.69= $1.19, making one pouch cost $1.19/8= $0.14875, so lets just say $0.15. One pouch of Treetop costs $12.24/80= $0.153.
So basically, costs almost exactly the same. If you wanted 80 packs of the homemade kind, you’d spend about $11.90, only $0.34 less than buying store bought.
Pros about homemade vs store bought:
-You can pick your favorite flavor! You can even create flavors by mixing and layering.
-Much less packaging involved; less waste
-You can choose your own design based on your mold
Pros about store bought vs homemade
-Convenience
-Not as sticky; a bit more chewy for those who like the chewier texture
Thanks for the recipe!!!
I did a price compare below based on Seattle/Olympia prices.
These turned out great! My unflavored gelatin didn’t have the weight marked on the packets, so I just assumed it was the right amount, but then when I mixed everything, the mixture looked way too thick, so I just kept adding water until I thought it looked right – I probably doubled the water at least. I later found out they were the right amount, so I shouldn’t have added the water – but in the end it made more fruit snacks, they set up just fine, and aren’t bitter even though I used sugar free jello, so I’d probably do it the same way again!
Also if you use sugar free jello, they’re carb free, which is awesome! My husband and I have been trying to do low carb, and whenever you get a craving for sweets you’re basically out of luck.
You guys should sell the jello molds you used for the picture in your store. I can’t find them anywhere!
They have the mini egg jello molds on ebay.com.
Fruit snacks is a misnomer; they’d be more accurately called sugar snacks…
All that gelatin in only 2/3 cup water? How many and size did you get?
AMAZING!!!! thanks so much for sharing…awesome snack that you can actually know whats in!
It doesn’t make very many. I probably won’t use this recipe again. I have used others that made a lot more.
It doesn’t make very many. I probably won’t use this recipe again. I have used others that made a lot more.
Most single sized shot glasses only hold 1 to 1.5 ounces so I don’t know how you’re getting 1 ounce out of half a glass.
That’s the downside, though: they’re just as expensive (or even more expensive) than regular fruit snacks and they don’t even have the benefit of being edible. Overall, they’re not worth it.
These should just be called gummies since there isn’t actually any fruit in them. These really aren’t all that better than regular fruit snacks since there’s still a lot of questionable things inside the jello mix besides all the sugar. I can see just making these for fun but not as a replacement because you’re still going to pay the same price (if not more) for these sugar snacks.
Thanks for stopping by! We like to offer all kinds of recipes on our blog. They are not for everyone. This is a fun activity to do with your kids sometime. We had a lot of fun with it last summer as we are always looking for different activities with the kids. Have a great day! 🙂
I just made these in the microwave took 45 seconds! So easy!
I just made 2 batches of these, and [using a Jell-O Brand “bean” try] made 78 fruit snacks.
Just made them, one problem: silicone molds may not have been the best idea. They won’t come out! And they’re super sticky. Any advice to get them out?
You could spray the molds with nonstick cooking spray before putting the jello in.
Hi! Thanks so much for sharing this, its really great! I just have a few questions about them. Are they supposed to be very sticky? Mine are!! And mine only made 10… is that a lot less than yours? I don’t know what I could have done wrong.
Hi! We have had a few people say that theirs are sticky. I would boil them a little longer and you can use a nonstick cooking spray in your molds to help them slide right out. I also used very small molds so I was able to get more out of it. It just all depends on the size of your molds. Thanks!
I just made this, but I layered three flavors together! I did peach, mango and raspberry, and waited about 5 minutes before starting another layer so the flavor underneath could be partially set up. I layered the flavors in a 9×9 pan, greased with Pam. SOOOOOO YUMMY!! I think I will just leave them in the pan and cut some out as I want some:) I am a college student and can guarantee that this will be re-used! Thank you!!!
Made this with fruit juice (apple and grape, orange juice not so good) instead of the 3 oz flavored gelatin. Not as thick but still has a good consistency for fruit snacks and the kiddos loved them. Friend told me she would at a pinch of sugar, but we love them as is. One happy mama 🙂
For regular jello at home I use knox unflavored gelatin packs and 100% fruit juice (no sugar added). I’ll have to try it with just less juice for these, great idea! I always need the gelatin for my really soft nails.
How much does this yield?? If I were to make a large batch should I use more than 5 flavored boxes?
Homemade yes, but still you are using processed packages…
I use unflavored gelatin in many other recipes. Any recipe I’ve used that required unflavored gelatin required that the gelatin ‘bloom’ in the liquid for about 5 minutes before heating, to eliminate clumps. I would suggest that you sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over the cool water in the saucepan and let it sit for a few minutes. If you see any white/dry gelatin after a few minutes, press it down and let it sit for a little longer until it all looks translucent. It will turn into a weird-looking, firm blob in the saucepan. No worries. Add the flavored gelatin and being heating. It will melt nicely, no clumping.
Thanks for asking, that was my question too!
Do you let them set in the frig or at room temp?
Thanks.
Let them set up on the counter. They don’t need to be refrigerated.
now she is either shamelessly flirting with him (ever hear of subtlety?) or high as a kite. Tone the high pitch giggles down a knotch after everything he says would ya. we’re only talking kids snacks. Nothing hilarious there.
I have 10 children and we rarely buy fruit snacks cause they go so fast. I can’t wait to try these! Thanks so much!
I am planning on making some of these for my son’s birthday party coming up, but had one question. I realized that with the ice cube molds I’ll be using I won’t be able to make the entire batch at once, but I’m not sure how to keep the rest of the mix liquid while the first round is setting. Any suggestions?
Thanks! Just wanted you to know I shared on my blog! Sent my readers here for your directions.
Know that this is an old post but I read all the comments and replies and still do not understand WHY these do not have to be stored in the refrigerator? It must be the chemical preservatives in the boxed jello?
I’m sure you could store them in the fridge. Maybe just try a few and make sure the refrigerate well.
So I used honey with the sugar free jello, which balanced the tartness with a healthier option. 2 tbsp added to the original recipe was sufficient. With the new sour gummie craze this was a hit with my 11yr old and friends. I also did one with stevia, but it still comes out tart, so I think next I will wait for it to set, spritz with water and roll it in the stevia for that sweet n sour candy effect! Hope this helps!
Sugar free works great.
Could you use vodka in this as a grown up snack???
I’m wondering if I did something wrong. I used the same molds you used in the picture and I only got 6 . I thought I read it makes 20?
I’m confused