Description
Delightfully chewy and tangy, these homemade sour strawberry gummies burst with real fruit flavor and have a satisfyingly tart coating. Made with fresh or frozen strawberries, these candies are perfect for snacking and great for gifting. They’re easy to make at home and deliver the taste and texture of store-bought gummies, but with simple, recognizable ingredients.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Gummy Base
- 12 ounces (300 g) fresh or frozen (and thawed) strawberries, pureed
- 1 2/3 cup (330 g) granulated sugar (do not reduce)
- 2 tablespoons (44 g) corn syrup
- 1 box (48 g) regular fruit pectin (Sure Jell Original in the yellow box is recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (120 g) filtered water
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered citric acid, dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
Sour Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered citric acid
Instructions
- Prepare Molds: Set your silicone molds or a silicone cake pan (9×9 inch ideally) on a cookie sheet on a heat-proof surface. The candy mixture will be hot, so avoid materials like waxed paper or plastic wrap; you may use a regular baking pan lined with parchment paper if molds are unavailable.
- Combine Main Ingredients: In a medium (4-5 qt) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the strawberry puree, sugar, and corn syrup. Place over medium to medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
- Prepare Pectin Mixture: In a separate small saucepan, mix together pectin, baking soda, and water (it will foam). Simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the foam subsides. Then add this to the boiling strawberry mixture.
- Cook to Proper Temperature: Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan. Continue to cook mixture over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture cook until it reaches 230°F (about 45 minutes). As the temperature goes above 220°F, stir more frequently, scraping sides and bottom to prevent burning.
- Add Citric Acid: Once the candy mixture hits 230°F, remove from heat. Immediately stir in citric acid solution (watch for sputtering and steam). For easier pouring, transfer the mixture to a large spouted measuring cup.
- Mold and Cool the Gummies: Quickly pour the hot mixture into your prepared molds or pan. Work efficiently, as the mixture thickens as it cools. You should have about 400 mL (13.5 fl.oz) of candy mixture in total. Allow candy to cool completely at room temperature, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Mix Sour Sugar: In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and citric acid for the coating until well combined.
- Unmold and Coat: Remove the set candies from their molds. If using a pan, lift out the slab and cut into bite-sized pieces, or stamp out shapes using a cookie cutter. Roll each gummy in the prepared sour sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Store: Store gummies uncovered at cool room temperature for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator (layered between parchment) for up to 2 weeks, or freeze (again, between parchment layers) for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Do not attempt to reduce the sugar; it is vital for the candy’s texture and structure.
- This recipe cannot be made with low-sugar pectin, sugar substitutes, or using less sugar.
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries; thaw before pureeing if using frozen.
- Work quickly when pouring the mixture into molds, as it thickens rapidly as it cools.
- Use parchment paper if not using silicone molds. Never use waxed paper or plastic wrap.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy
- Calories: 35
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
