These Fruit Snacks (which some call fruit gummies) have fruits and veggies, are easy to make, and taste super yummy. They even have protein and are soft enough for toddlers to safely chew. They’re a seriously fun snack!

fruit snacks in blue bowls.

Fruit Snacks

Raise your hand if your kiddo loves fruit snacks! Mine sure does! We usually save the store-bought ones for road trips or holidays because I like to make them at home when we’re needing a little something special.

This recipe is made similarly to how you’d make Jell-O with dissolving gelatin and other ingredients stirred together. It’s very easy and you can adjust the sweetness according to what your kids prefer. I’m showing you how to make these using real fruit and veggies including strawberries and carrots—this is our favorite flavor combo—but you can try out a few flavor combinations I suggest below, too.

Call them fruit snacks or call them fruit gummies, but either way, this kids snack (or dessert, depending on the day) is nutritious and really easy for little ones to eat. They are firm enough for little hands to hold and yet soft enough for even young eaters to enjoy. They’re convenient since you can make them ahead and pull them out for snacks whenever you need them, and they stay fresh for weeks in the fridge.

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Ingredients You Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to make this healthy gummy bears recipe so you know what you need to have on hand from the store.

Ingredients for fruit snacks.
  • Strawberries: You can use fresh strawberries or thawed frozen ones according to what you have access to or prefer.
  • Carrots: I used no-salt-added canned carrots here to save the step of cooking, but any plain, unseasoned carrots will work once steamed or boiled. (You could also use Carrot Puree.)
  • Water or apple juice: Either one of these work to help the fruit mixture blend. If you use apple juice, the gummies will be slightly sweeter.
  • Honey or maple syrup: I like to add a little sweetener to ensure the fruit snacks taste sweet. You can use either of these, though always avoid honey for kids under age 1.
  • Unflavored gelatin: Use your preferred type of unflavored gelatin here to help the gummies have structure and shape.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a preview of how to make this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.

how to make fruit snacks step by step grid of images.
  1. Add the berries and carrots to a blender.
  2. Puree smooth.
  3. Add the berry mixture to a small pot set over low heat. Bring to a simmer.
  4. Dissolve the gelatin. Whisk into the fruit mixture. Add to the mold and set.
gummy bear mold for homemade fruit snacks on baking tray.

How to Store

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They hold their shape fine at room temperature and aren’t sticky, but they will stay freshest stored in the fridge in a container.

Fruit snacks coming out of mold.

Best Tips for Success

  • Use fresh or thawed frozen berries and cooked or canned carrots according to what you prefer.
  • Fully dissolve the gelatin in the liquid before stirring into the fruit mixture to ensure there are no clumps and the gummies set up properly.
  • Sweeten a little with maple syrup or honey (for kids over age 1).
  • Trade in another berry if you prefer. Note that berries with seeds, such as raspberries or blackberries, may have a seedy texture. You can strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to make a smooth gummy. Or try using mango in place of the strawberries.
  • I have many more homemade versions of store-bought favorites, so check them out!

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fruit snacks in blue bowls

Easy Fruit Snacks (Gummies)

These Fruit Snacks (sometimes called gummies) have fruits and veggies and are so easy to make. They have a fruit-forward flavor, lots of protein, and are soft enough for toddlers to safely chew. Plus: They store so well!
5 from 15 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 18 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Snack
Calories 45kcal
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup strawberries
  • ¼ cup carrots
  • ½ cup water (or apple juice)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
  • 6 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

Instructions

  • Add the berries, carrots, and water or juice to a blender. Puree smooth.
  • Add the berry mixture to a small pot set over low heat. Add the honey or maple syrup. Bring to a simmer.
  • (Plan to do this step and the next one quickly.) Add the gelatin to a bowl with ⅓ cup cold water. Stir well to completely dissolve the gelatin to ensure the fruit snacks are lump-free.
  • Working quickly, whisk the gelatin mixture into the simmering fruit mixture to thoroughly combine. Whisk constantly for a minute or two as the mixture starts to thicken. Turn off the heat.
  • (Alternatively, you can sprinkle the gelatin right over the simmering fruit and whisk vigorously to combine. Omit the water if you do that. Know you may have some small clumps of gelatin.)
  • Portion out into a silicone gummy bear mold (or other silicone mold) set on a small baking tray (which is more stable than the mold on its own). Refrigerate for at least an hour and up to overnight to set up.
  • Remove from the mold to serve.

Notes

    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
    • Use fresh or thawed frozen berries and cooked or canned carrots according to what you prefer.
    • Fully dissolve the gelatin in the liquid before stirring into the fruit mixture to ensure there are no clumps and the gummies set up properly. This step needs to be done quickly and immediately added to the simmering fruit mixture. If you put the bowl of dissolved gelatin down and step away from it, it will start to solidify.
    • Trade in another berry if you prefer. Note that berries with seeds, such as raspberries or blackberries, may have a seedy texture. You can strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to make a smooth gummy. Or use mango for the strawberries.

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.01g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 13mg, Potassium: 58mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 894IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This recipe was first posted August 2015.

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Comments

  1. I feel like I am missing something. These are horribly gross. Rubbery and little flavor? I doubled the fruit, knocked out 1/3 gelatin and had much better but still not delicious results. The search continues on how to feed yogurt to kids who don’t want spoon fed.

    1. I’m really (really) sorry to hear that you didn’t have good results. Ours have never turned out rubbery so I’m not sure what happened. Did you use regular gelatin or a natural kind?

  2. If you want the good bacteria from the yoghurt, you do need to allow it to cool to room temp before adding yoghurt.

  3. I am going to try these and I have the gelatin you posted in the comments. I hope it works after the review I saw from the other mom. I bought the wrong yogurt and I need to use it up. I bought a non-fat Greek yogurt. Do you think the fat content matters in the making of this other than it tasting better or having more nutritional value for the kiddos?

    Thanks!
    Connie

    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008D6WBA/?yumtodfoo-20

  4. Or as my mum used to make occasionally, pick a jelly flavour, make up with half the water content and half yogurt and blitz the yogurt in with a stick blender. Then set in the fridge as usual she used to just put it into individual bowls, could use pretty moulds too.

  5. If you use the jam do you still have to heat, mash, and seperate? Or can you just mix the jam in?

    1. About 3-5 days for maximum freshness. You may want to line the bottom of your storage container with a paper towel or cloth napkin to absorb any excess moisture.

    1. Yes! Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. You may want to line the bottom of it with a paper towel or cloth napkin to absorb any excess moisture.

  6. Would coconut milk or almond milk work? As well as coconut yogurt or almond yogurt? ? We don’t do dairy products just yet. …….

    1. I have not tried those combinations so I can’t say for sure. I have plans to try a coconut version soon, so I can let you know when that’s up if you’d like.

    2. I’m making some with almond milk right now and I’ll let you know how it turns out! We don’t use dairy either.

    1. Hi Karina-
      I have not tried these with agar agar and I am not familiar enough with it to predict how much you would need. The liquids in this are thicker than fruit snacks/gummies made with fruit juice though, so they tend to need more to make them gel.

  7. Any idea if you could substitute soya milk and yoghurt for whole milk and yoghurt as my daughter is cmpa. Thanks. X

    1. I have not made these with nondairy milk or yogurt so I can’t say whether they would work. I do plan to try a coconut version soon and I can let you know when that recipe is up if you’d like. Thanks!

  8. I choose option C: do whatever Amy does and call it a day. Ordering some pectin now. Thank you as always! 🙂

      1. I tried making this tonight with that brand of gelatin and it flopped. I’ve tried making gummies with it before using different recipes and I haven’t had any luck–maybe 2.5t per packet is too much? The texture was weird (almost curdled) and it also smelled really odd. I chucked it and made another batch with knox packets and it was perfect. My daughter loves them!

      2. You mean the natural brand that I mentioned below didn’t work? I haven’t tried it, so it might not work the same as Knox—the way it dissolves might be different… BUT, I am glad that the second batch turned out well with regular Knox and that your daughter enjoyed them!

      3. I bought that gelatin for a gummy recipe a few months ago. The kids ate the gummies right up, but I thought it all smelled horrible. Threw out the can.

      4. I have seen that same comment on other posts that use that type of gelatin…it’s a shame since it’s pretty expensive.

    1. I don’t think that pectin would result in a firm enough texture since it’s usually used in jam, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Maybe look into natural or organic gelatins that share more info on the source of their product? Or play around with pectin:)

  9. Madeline is excited to make these! Quick question about the gelatin – how much is in 3 packets? I have a large container of gelatin for fun foods like these so I need actual measurements. Thank you!