Many vegans struggled to find tasty alternatives to their favorite sweets and snacks a few years ago. However, given that approximately 79 million people are following a vegan diet worldwide, access to these delicious snacks has improved.
However, if you don’t like the products on the shelves, you can always make your own at home. In this article, we’ll share a simple and delicious recipe you can use to make vegan gummies!
Easy Vegan Gummy Recipe
The majority of gummies contain gelatin, which is a protein derived from animal products. For this reason, it’s an ingredient that plays no role whatsoever in a vegan diet, meaning many vegans have to wave goodbye to their favorite sweet treats. However, this does not have to be the case anymore!
As you can now buy a wide range of vegan (and vegetarian-friendly) gelatin alternatives online and in-store, you can now recreate your favorite gummies at home – and our simple recipe will talk you through every step of the process!
Ingredients for Vegan Gummies
Believe it or not, very few ingredients are needed to create vegan gummies. For example, you need to purchase the following:
- Fruit Juice (or Vegan flavorings)
- Gelatin substitute
- Sweetener
Fruit Juice.
Fruit juice is used in various homemade and store-bought gummies and is incorporated into the recipe due to its flavor-boosting properties. For this reason, you must choose a juice with a strong flavor so that you’re able to give your gummies a distinctive taste. Otherwise, you may find that they are slightly bland.
Alternatively, you could purchase vegan-friendly flavorings or extracts like vanilla extract.
Gelatin Substitute
There are a wide variety of gelatin substitutes that you can purchase to use when making gummies. The most popular is Agar-Agar, a jelly-like substance made from seaweed. As an ingredient, it is colorless and tasteless but acts as the perfect substitute for gelatin.
Pectin is another excellent example of a vegan-friendly substitute for gelatin. Much like gelatin, it is a thickening agent, though it is “found in the cell walls of plants.” However, it is worth noting that pectin is often not set as “firmly” as gelatin.
Other alternatives that you may wish to experiment with include:
- Guar Gum
- Carrageenan
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Cornstarch
Sweetener
Adding a sweetener to the mix will (of course) improve the overall taste of your gummies. If you do not like artificial sweeteners, consider using ingredients such as:
- Agave nectar
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- Coconut syrup
Step-by-Step Vegan Gummy Guide
The following recipe will make approximately 50-100 small gummies. However, you may have to adjust the ingredient measurements based on the size of your molds.
Ingredients.
1 Cup of Fruit Juice
2-3 tbsp gelatin substitute
1tbs sweetener
Method
- Lay out all of your ingredients, including your choice of molds. Molds can be purchased online, whether you’re looking for a traditional gummy bear shape or something more creative.
- Mix your ingredients. In a large bowl, mix your fruit juice, sweetener, and gelatin alternative. Continue stirring until the gelatin substitute has fully dissolved into the mixture. Add the combined mixture to a saucepan.
- Heat the mixture. Gently heat the mixture by turning on the hob to medium heat. Avoid overheating, and stir regularly. Once the mixture simmers, heat for 2-3 minutes, ensuring the gummy mixture remains smooth.
- Remove from heat. Turn off the hob, and carefully pour the mixture into your pre-prepared molds. Leave to cool until the mixture reaches room temperature.
- Place in the fridge. Place the filled molds into the refrigerator and allow to set for at least 10 hours. Then, remove it and enjoy it at your leisure!
Tips for Perfect Vegan Gummies
- Divide the ingredients listed above, and use different juices to create multiple flavors of gummies.
- Add vegan-friendly food coloring to the mixture to add an extra splash of color. There is a wide variety of plant-based food colorings available in grocery stores or online, or you could use ingredients you already have in your pantry, such as turmeric.
- Use a pipet or similar tool to transfer the ingredients from the saucepan into the molds. This helps prevent spillage and ensures that you fill each mold as evenly as possible.
- If time allows, leave your gummies to set overnight in the fridge. This will help you to replicate the texture of traditional gummy sweets better.
- If you are running short on time, leave your gummies to set in the freezer instead of the fridge. Doing so means that they’ll set within a few short hours.
- Experiment with different flavors, sweeteners, and gelatin alternatives until you find a recipe you love.
Delicious Vegan Gummy Variations
As the recipe above is a template that is easy to customize based on your choice of flavor, you could make many variations of vegan gummies. For example, you may want to experiment using the following juices/flavorings:
- Apple
- Blackcurrant
- Raspberry
- Orange
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mango
- Pineapple
If you’re a big soda drinker, you could use a cup of your favorite soda instead of juice. This will add a unique touch to your gummies, as they’ll have that slightly “fizzy” quality. However, it would be best if you again took great care to ensure the mixture does not boil, as this could impair the flavor.
Vegan Gummies: A Tasty Plant-Based Treat
Vegan gummies are a great plant-based treat, whether you’re enjoying a snack when watching a movie or looking for a midday pick-me-up. However, learning to make your gummies at home can save you a great deal of money – especially as store-bought vegan products are often far more expensive than their non-plant-based alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vegan Gummies
What are vegan gummies made from?
Vegan gummies are made from fruit juice, syrups, sweeteners, and gelatin alternatives. This could include Agar-agar and pectin, though there is a wide variety of these products depending on your taste.
What is the difference between vegan and non-vegan gummies?
The main difference between vegan and non-vegan gummies is that the former contains no traces of gelatin. This means they are entirely plant-based, making them suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Do vegan gummies taste different to non-vegan gummies?
Gelatin is a flavorless ingredient that is typically used as a binding or thickening agent. As a result, there’s little to no difference in taste between vegan and non-vegan gummies.
Are vegan gummies difficult to make?
The process of making vegan gummies is very straightforward. As outlined above, you can make vegan gummies in as little as five steps. Furthermore, while they take several hours to set, the actual preparation will likely take up less than thirty minutes of your time.
How long do vegan gummies last?
Once you’ve made your vegan gummies, they can last around a week to ten days, depending on the exact choice of ingredients. However, you can extend their shelf life by storing them correctly.
How should I store my vegan gummies?
Storing your gummies in an air-tight container, such as a ziplock bag or Tupperware, will extend their lifespan. This is because it prevents the ingredients from drying out while preserving flavor.
