How cool is a 2 ingredient healthy version of food snacks or fruit gummies? For an allergy mom, that sounds like heaven! No extra fillers like corn syrup or artificial dyes to worry about and it’s a form of candy you don’t have to feel bad about giving to the kids.
Candy was such a big part of my life as a kid. Do you ever get nostalgic with certain candies?? It brings back so many fun memories of riding my bike 2 miles to the local gas station for 10 cent boxes of Red Hots, Lemon Heads and gum. We’d stay out all day and ride around our little town without a care. We were super spoiled living right off the Glacial Drumlin Trail which has 52 miles of gravel trails that were once a working train route.
Living by a train was pretty fun too. Our street had tiny one lane bridge where we’d peer over to see passing trains. I have to admit at times we threw things off like pebbles and sand to watch them fall bounce off the train.
I can’t believe some to the things our parents let us do unsupervised… But then again, the 80’s and 90’s were a different time. And our little town was so tiny everyone knew everyone and where they lived. I cringe thinkin of all the bad things that could have happened with a train or strangers passing by on the trail along the trail.
That trail was my gateway for one of my absolute favorites candies as a kid: Life Saver Gummies. Life Savers were good but there’s something about gummy candy and kids. It’s a little ironic since I can’t stand gummy candy or the fake fruit snacks now as an adult.
Since it’s close to another holiday, I finally decided to try my luck a homemade candy. I never thought I’d be making my own candy… but with food allergies (and being a mom) never said never. Candy is only for special occasions in our house.
And fruit snacks are candy.
But here’s one that so easy and has the natural sugar of fruit juice. Just heat the juice and mix while adding the gelatin until dissolved. Once it’s set, cut into any shape you’d like. I chose hearts and made them look a little fancy with a lollipop stick. You could also just pour into a silicone mold if you have one.
You can make these using any fruit juice. Depending upon how tart and if the juice is truly unsweetened, a little sugar might be needed. I made these a few times without adding sugar and the kids loved them… with the sugar, and the kids LOVED them even more. Go figure. Sugar and kids, right? 😉
Enjoy!
Healthy Natural Fruit Gummy Lollipops
Author: Laura @Petite Allergy Treats
Ingredients
- 3 cups cranberry juice (I used unsweetened)
- 11 packets gelatin (8T + 3/4 tsp)
- 4 T sugar or 2 T maple syrup (optional)
- Pour juice in a sauce pan with about half the gelatin and stir.
- Turn stove on very low heat to help dissolve gelatin. Add more gelatin in small amounts and gently stir until all is dissolved.
- Heat for about 5 minutes on low heat not allowing to boil. Add sugar if using.
- Gently pour to avoid bubbles into a nonstick 8×8 pan. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Use heart shaped cookie cutter for desired size. Gently insert lollipop stick in the center of the heart.
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Hello, I’m Laura! Thanks for stopping by… I hope this blog will help you or someone you know and love. 
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