These gut-healthy, homemade elderberry gummies are a staple during cold season (along with these homemade cough drops). The elderberry syrup is flavored with acai powder, raw honey and contains no artificial fruit juices.
Learn how to make homemade gummy bears and boost your immune system while enjoying a tasty snack!
Making homemade elderberry syrup gummies is a sure-fire way to boost the immune system during cold and flu season.
However, many recipes call for added fruit juice which as a Certified Nutrition Coach, I try not to use. Instead, these immune-boosting elderberry gummies are made without juice or dyes. This gives them maximum health benefits.
Plus, this elderberry syrup gummies recipe is:
- Simple to make
- Nourishing
- Immune-boosting
- A fun snack for kids
- A great idea for non-candy advent calendar ideas
Ingredients
Raw Honey: these elderberry syrup gummies use raw honey. The honey is whisked in while the liquid is warm (not boiling) to preserve its properties. Raw honey is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Furthermore, it's a great help to the immune system (learn more about the benefits of using raw honey).
Elderberries: elderberries have been a staple for cold and flu season for years. They’re used most in homemade cough syrup (And if you don't know what to do with the berries after making syrup with them- reuse them to make elderberry tea!) because they have such immune-boosting properties. However, make sure to use them cooked. Elderberries by themselves can have toxic effects.
Acai Powder: a small fruit with a big punch of antioxidants. This is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.
Coconut Water: super hydrating and extremely similar to our own blood plasma. Coconut water is one of the best ways to replenish electrolytes.
How To Make Elderberry Gummies
Learning how to make elderberry gummies can seem daunting as there are a few “tricks of the trade”.
Essentially you are making homemade elderberry syrup (similar to homemade cough syrup) but using it in a different way.
You can check out the video above for a quick view of how to make them. Likewise, here is a quick Facebook video that contains a few more helpful tips (and a lot of what not to do).
Step By Step Photos
How To Make Elderberry Syrup Gummies
- Make sure to prep and measure your ingredients ahead of time, you will need to move fast.
- In a small pot, combine the elderberries and ⅓ cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a rolling boil.
- Mash the elderberries with a fork. Use a small mesh strainer to strain the water and elderberry "juice".
- In a blender, add the blueberries, acai powder, honey, elderberry juice, and coconut water and blend.
- Boil ⅓ cup of water. In a large measuring bowl, whisk the water and gelatin powder really well.
- Very quickly pour the blender mixture into the measuring cup with the water and gelatin. Continue to whisk to ensure no clumps remain.
- Quickly pour the mixture into the molds, taking care to re-whisk if you're moving slowly.
- Place molds into the fridge to set.
Which Gelatin To Choose
The quality of the gelatin powder you use will impact the quality and potency of the elderberry syrup gummies. Thus, don’t just grab any old brand.
Gelatin comes from animal bones. So, you want to make sure the animals used are also healthy.
These elderberry gummies are made with gelatin from Perfect Supplements. Their gelatin (like their bone broth powder) is made from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows. It’s natural, non-GMO and pesticide, and hormone-free.
Plus, it melts well into the mixture and ensures the gummy bears don’t come out “gritty”.
Moreover, these are foods that all kids should have in their diet because they’re such great immune boosters.
Grab your gelatin from Perfect Supplements and use code mamabear10 to save some money.
Sourced EXCLUSIVELY From Brazilian Grass Pastured (Grass Fed) Cows
Important Teaching Tips
How many the batch makes will depend on the mold you choose. Do not use the very small molds as the gummy bears are horrific to remove. Instead, use regular candy molds.
You can eat 1-2 elderberry gummies each day when trying to boost your immune system.
When making the gummy bears, you need to move fast.
Gelatin binds very quickly. So, if it’s not mixed properly you end up with problems. Common problems are:
- half-hard gummies
- only half the batch too hard and the other batch too liquid
So, make sure everything is ready before you mix the gelatin.
These particular homemade gummies are a bit dense for my personal liking, but my daughter loves them. Give them a shot and then tweak as needed for your next batch (lower the amount of gelatin by a tablespoon)
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Elderberry Gummy Bears
It depends on how the gummy bears are made. Gummies made from fruit juices and sugar are more candy-like and will not help your immune system.
However, homemade elderberry syrup gummies that have no fruit juices or added processed sugars, are dye-free, and contain anti-inflammatory ingredients will boost the immune system.
This immune-boosting elderberry gummies recipe needs to be stored in the fridge. Keeping them at room temperature will not only cause them to melt slightly but they would also go bad pretty quickly. However, if stored in the fridge in an airtight container, the gummies should last 2-3 weeks.
More Cough & Cold Tips
If you want to do everything in your power to survive cold and flu season, here are some staples you need!
- Homemade cough drops
- Fire cider tonic (my full fire cider recipe)
- Homemade elderberry cough syrup
- good old-fashioned, super healthy eating
- Homemade honey and garlic elixir for coughs and colds
- this magic honey garlic elixir to help kick a cold fast!
- Gut healing smoothie
And though dairy-free probiotic foods won't relieve cold symptoms, they will help you from getting the symptoms so I try to rotate through a lot of those also.
Immune Boosting Homemade Elderberry Gummies
Video
Equipment
- Glass measuring cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1.5 tablespoons elderberies freeze dried
- ⅓ cup water
- 0.5 tbs acai powder
- ¼ cup coconut water
- 2.5 tbs gelatin
- ⅓ cup boiling water
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the elderberries and ⅓ cup of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a rolling boil for 5 minutes.
- Mash the elderberries with a fork. Use a small mesh strainer to strain the water and elderberry "juice" out (roughly ⅛ cup)
- In a blender, add the blueberries, acai powder, honey, elderberry juice and coconut water. Blend until smooth. Get your molds ready.
- Boil ⅓ cup of water. In a large measuring bowl, whisk the water and gelatin really well.
- Very quickly pour the blender mixture into the measuring cup with the water and gelatin. Continue to whisk to ensure no clumps remain.
- Quickly pour the mixture into the molds, taking care to re-whisk if you're moving slowly.
- Place molds into the fridge to set (about 3 hours)
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
These immune-boosting homemade elderberry gummies recipe makes an awesome snack for kids! They’re gluten and dairy-free, full of berry-blasting nutrients, and contain everything you need to support your gut and immune system!
Kids love the color (and the fact that they’re gummy bears!) and the taste and as a mom, I love the ingredients.
Shelby S says
This is just what I need with little kids, something that helps them out during cold season but also something they actually love!
STACEY CRAWFORD says
I'm such a gummy bear addict! These are a much better alternative! Thanks 🙂
fitasamamabear says
The funny thing is that I'm not much of a gummy person haha my girls are addicted to them though 😛
ChihYu Smith says
These gummy bears look so good. I can taste them from here. yum!
fitasamamabear says
Haha Thanks! My girls love em
Kelly says
I just started making my own gummies too and am loving it. It's a great way to a quick boost of healthy ingredients!
fitasamamabear says
Yay I love that you jumped on the gummy train! So easy and so nutritious.
Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says
I love that you used blueberries and the elderberry boost - such a powerful combo. We're a big fan of homemade gummies in our home and I love that you use PS gelatin - the best kind!
fitasamamabear says
It's an awesome company! Yes we're gummy addicts lol it's ridiculous. But if that's what it takes to keep everyone happy it's an awesome one to me!
Renee D Kohley says
I love the PS acai powder - what a great idea to put in gummies! The girls love it in their yogurt and oatmeal!
fitasamamabear says
Ohh I never thought of in yogurt- that would be yummy! Yup we love it lol such a great brand!
Ophira says
These gummies sound so yummy and a berry boost is just what kids need when sick. I will try this recipe soon.
fitasamamabear says
Try it and let me know! We just made cherry elderberry ones yesterday and they're delicious!
Daniela says
Absolutely need these for my kids! They look delicious and healthy too! Elderberries are amazing!
fitasamamabear says
Elderberries are my life existence lol and my girls looovvvee them!
linda spiker says
Homemade gummies are so fun. I make them for the grand kids and end up eating half of them myself lol.
fitasamamabear says
Haha right?! You totally need to make double batches 😀
Jamie King says
Wow, homemade gummies - that is supermom status! 🙂 They look awesome.
fitasamamabear says
Haha excellent lol we love em here
Raia Todd says
We loooove homemade gummies over here! Gonna have to get some berries and try these!
fitasamamabear says
Who doesn't love gummies?! I've been making cherry elderberry ones and we're addicted lol