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Hi Bold Bakers!
Store-bought Sour Gummy Bears can tend to have a ton of foreign, unpronounceable ingredients in them that would make you wonder. Did you know you can make them at home, with just a few ingredients and with all natural sugars, that’s it!
The main ingredient for Sour Gummy Bears is real fruit: strawberries, blueberries, oranges… what ever takes your fancy. The sweetness comes from the fruit and honey, so there are no artificial sugars or flavors.

My Sour Gummy Bears are set with gelatin. I recommend using a good quality grass fed and unflavored gelatin. To make vegan gummy bears you can easily substitute the honey for agave and the gelatin for Agar Powder. Agar is suitable for vegetarians because it’s derived from red seaweed and either one works really well.

While I was making my Homemade Gummy Bears recipe, I had the genius idea of making Sour Gummies. Once you know how to make gummy bears it’s so easy to make the sour version. You simply add citric acid to a sugar coating and then toss in the gummy bears. You can buy citric acid in most pharmacies or online.
BUY the Gummy Bear Mold I used from Amazon.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 40 bears
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g/7oz) frozen fruit, defrosted (strawberries, blueberry, raspberry etc)
- ⅓ cup (70g/3floz) water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey (or agave)
- 4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin*
- 1/2 cup (4oz/115g) sugar (icing or regular)
- 1-3 tsp citric acid
Instructions
Puree the fruit in a food processor until smooth.
Combine all ingredients except gelatin, sugar (for coating) and citric acid in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir with a whisk.
When it comes to a simmer gradually sprinkle and whisk the gelatin into the mixture, stirring constantly. (Avoid dumping gelatin into pan all at once, which will cause big globs of gelatin to remain in finished product.)
Continue heating over medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer and all ingredients are well combined and gelatin is completely melted. (The mixture will change from a grainy, jelly-like consistency to a more glassy, smooth consistency when gelatin is all melted.)
Take it off the heat and pass it through a sieve to remove any gelatin of fruit bits. If there are bubbles on top remove with a spoon.
Place gummy bear mold on a cookie sheet (which makes it easier to move without spilling once filled). Pour mixture into silicone mold and place in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours. Any air bubbles that appear just pop with a toothpick.
Carefully pop gummy bears out of mold and store in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks.
Mix together the sugar and citric acid and then toss in the gummies until well coated. Store in a container on the counter top. Do not place in the fridge as they will get slimy.
Recipe Notes
Don’t have a mold? You can also pour mixture into a small baking tray lined with cling wrap. After mixture is set up, cut with a knife or use cookie cutters to make any shape you like.
For vegan gummies replace the honey with agave and the gelatin with agar agar (a plant based setting agent)