Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears Recipe | Desserts With Benefits

Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears

Today, I bring to you these chewy and delicious Lemon Gummy Bears!

These healthy homemade Lemon Gummy Bears are way better than the storebought version – they’re chewy and gummy, tart and sweet, and totally guilt-free.

Best of all, this super fun and easy recipe is made without the corn syrup, white sugar, artificial flavors, and artificial food dyes.

Instead of corn syrup and sugar, we use applesauce and stevia.
Instead of artificial flavors, we use natural flavors.
Instead of artificial food dyes, we use turmeric.

Whether you’re a newbie or a maven to the healthy-eating world, you’ll fall in love with these adorable, tart but sweet treats.

These Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears taste EVEN BETTER than the storebought version – they’re chewy and gummy, tart and sweet, and totally guilt-free. This easy DIY recipe is made without refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives! -- Healthy Dessert Recipes with sugar free, low calorie, low fat, high protein, gluten free, and dairy free options at the Desserts With Benefits Blog (www.DessertsWithBenefits.com)

If you’ve read My Story, then you know what a sugar-addict I was as a kid.  Over the years I’ve grown and learned a lot, but one thing remains:  my sweet tooth.

Dessert cravings hit me daily, so I am constantly making healthy dessert recipes to satisfy my sweet tooth without overindulging in excess sugar and calories.  That’s truly my only secret to being healthy and happy.

Who needs storebought ice cream when you’ve got homemade ice cream that tastes just as good?
Who would crave candy bars when you can make ’em at home?
Who would buy gummy bears when you can whip up a batch in your own kitchen?

These Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears taste EVEN BETTER than the storebought version – they’re chewy and gummy, tart and sweet, and totally guilt-free. This easy DIY recipe is made without refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives! -- Healthy Dessert Recipes with sugar free, low calorie, low fat, high protein, gluten free, and dairy free options at the Desserts With Benefits Blog (www.DessertsWithBenefits.com)
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5 from 3 votes
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Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears

Servings: 32 Big Bears
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
These Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears are gummy, tart, sweet, and totally guilt-free.  This super easy (and fun!) DIY recipe is made without the corn syrup, white sugar, artificial flavors, and artificial food dyes.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a nonstick saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, applesauce, and turmeric.
  • Sprinkle the gelatin on top and let sit for 5 minutes.  It should absorb most of the liquid.
  • Place the pan over medium-high heat. Whisk occasionally until the mixture is smooth. When the gelatin is completely melted and the mixture is hot, remove from the heat.
  • Whisk in the stevia extract and lemon flavor.
  • Place your gummy bear molds on a cookie sheet and then fill the molds with the gummy bear mixture. Let cool on the counter for about an hour, then place the pan in the fridge. Refrigerate until firm (I leave them overnight).  Refrigerate to store. Keeps for ~3 days.

Recipe Notes

I've made TONS of gummy bears -- check out the StrawberryOrangeGreen AppleBlueberry, and Peach Mango versions!
Nutrition Facts
Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears
Amount Per Serving (4 gummy bears)
Calories 50
% Daily Value*
Sodium 10mg0%
Carbohydrates 6g2%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin C 12.4mg15%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine: Candy
Keyword: DIY

I have the same sweet tooth today as a 24-year-old as I did as a 10-year-old. I gotta eat sweets on the daily. If you’re the same way, you’ll ADORE these Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears.  It’ll squash your sweet cravings without the extra calories and sugar.  Now THAT is a match made in heaven for easy summer living.

These Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears taste EVEN BETTER than the storebought version – they’re chewy and gummy, tart and sweet, and totally guilt-free. This easy DIY recipe is made without refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives! -- Healthy Dessert Recipes with sugar free, low calorie, low fat, high protein, gluten free, and dairy free options at the Desserts With Benefits Blog (www.DessertsWithBenefits.com)

Enjoy!

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With love and good eats,

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– Jess

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31 comments on “Healthy Homemade Lemon Gummy Bears”

  1. Love the gummy bears! Love the dancing!

  2. With the applesauce would this still be a Fuel Pull candy according to THM Guidelines?

  3. I love that you used turmeric in these gummy bears to give them their color. Superfoods (super-seasonings?…) united with a tasty treat = happiness.

  4. Hi! This looks like a cute recipe! Not sure what “Lemon Flavor” is though. Where would I find that?

  5. Hey, due to an apple-allergy I have to swipe the applesauce with something else. Any suggestions?

    x

  6. Hello, I have been trying different recipes and still trying to find one that produces a chewy / gummy consistency. So far mine have come out either too much like jello or too much of a mushy texture. How would you describe the consistency of these gummies? Any advice on making them more chewy and less like jello? Thank you!!!

    • Are you having issues with the jello texture with other recipes or my recipe? Because these shouldn’t be soft like jello… they obviously aren’t as gummy as the storebought kinds because those are dried and coated in wax, but I think mine are as close as you can get. The more gelatin you have, the gummier your gummies will be 🙂

  7. Hi, Jessica! I know the Lemon Flavoring is cheap, but I was wondering if Lemon Extract might work? Thank you!

    • I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not! Lemon extract is slightly stronger in flavor than lemon flavor (or at least it is to me), so I would recommend using less. Maybe 1/4 tsp? You can give the final mixture a taste and add more if you like though 🙂

  8. Yay! I made these yesterday and ate them today. I tweaked the recipe a bit – I used hand-squeezed lemon juice and a bit less than 1/4 teaspoon because fresh lemons are very lemon-y!
    They are tasty (very lemony, just a warning) and totally have the texture of a gummy! Impressive…5 stars

  9. Loved this recipe, and so did my 3.5 year old! Thank you!!!!

  10. Girl how much gelatin ? You didn’t even add that to the ingredients? What’s that measurement???

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  12. Mine always end up with a jello texture, not gummies??? What am I doing wrong?

    Thanks!

    • These aren’t as gummy as the storebought kinds because those are made with different ingredients, they’re dried, and coated in wax… but these definitely shouldn’t be as soft as jello. Are you using plain, unflavored gelatin? And are you cooking the stovetop mixture long enough so that the gelatin is totally absorbed?
      PS: The more gelatin you have, the gummier your gummies will be… so if you want a slightly gummier texture, try adding a ½ tbs of extra gelatin 🙂

  13. Hello, I was just wondering if you can use powdered stevia instead of liquid.

  14. Making these again … the 100th time over the last two years. Love them FOREVER!5 stars

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  16. Can’t wait to try… do you think food grade lemon essential oil could be used instead of the lemon flavouring?

  17. Ekaterina Pithouse

    Can I use regular applesauce instead of the unsweetened one?

  18. Healthy and lemony recipe! Only change I would make is to add slightly less turmeric as I thought it was a bit overpowering.5 stars

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