Immune Boosting Homemade Gummy Bears

Healthy homemade gummies help boost the immune system, prevent colds, and taste great! Plus, kiddos love these little snacks so-win! They’re a staple during cold season (along with these homemade cough drops) and an easy way to boost nutrients in kids!

Finding healthy snacks that your kids actually want to eat can be a challenge . . . more than a challenge (though here are a few of our favorites!). Finding snacks that are not just healthy but help boost the immune system … priceless 😀 But that’s exactly what these homemade elderberry gummies do!

Don’t want to read? JUMP to the recipe!

To be honest, there was a time when the thought of my making homemade gummies was laughable. I mean really… who does that!?

Long before my journey to health, I could barely succeed at microwaving a pizza pocket without burning it.

Thought that a homemade meal consisted of a sidekick (a pre-packaged, creamy noodle mixture) and frozen ribs/burgers/chicken fingers.

And now I’m the crazy mom making homemade elderberry gummies?

But truthfully, it didn’t happen overnight. I didn’t wake up wanting to be uber-healthy. And I promise, there’s been a lot of eff ups when it comes too homemade gummies.

So if you’re still figuring your sh*t out, it’s okay mama. Trying is half the battle.

Why You’ll Love The Homemade Gummy Bears

• simple to make
• nourishing
• immune-boosting
• great as snacks
• a fun idea for non-candy advent calendar ideas

How To Make Homemade Gummies

Here is a quick Facebook video I made for a friend of mine when she was asking how I made the gummy bears. At the time, I didn’t have an exact recipe but there are some good pointers in there (basically what not to do lol)

But I did finally get around to testing out some homemade gummies recipes and here we are. There are, however, still a few notes:

Use quality gelatin!

My personal preference is perfect supplements. Perfect supplements carries quality product and the gelatin powder melts well into the homemade gummies mixture. 

The thing is, gelatin is amazingly healthy for you. It’s basically derived from an animals’ bones and helps give your gut some love. Similar to collagen which comes from bone broth and is one of the three foods I think all kids should have in their diet.

Side note: Perfect supplement actually has bone broth powder now which is insanity but awesome. So instead of having to take eight hours and make your own, you can just mix this into the water!

However, if you’re going to use the gelatin powder to heal or boost your immune system, make sure it is from a quality source! Perfect supplements gelatin is sourced from pasture-raised cows and is 100% Natural and Pesticide and Hormone Free.

Move FAST

You need to move quickly when making homemade gummy bears! The gelatin really does gel in super speed and if it’s not mixed properly you end up with half-hard gummies or 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)

Sweetness

My daughters now go through phases as to how sweet they like things (eye roll). This homemade gummies recipe isn’t too sweet. If your kiddo has a sweeter palate (or you want them for yourself), I’d suggest adding in some stevia drops to the batch!

Don’t get small molds

I used basic silicone molds in a variety of shapes and sometimes grab a gummy bear one if I see it at the dollar store. Warning though, do not ever get the mini gummy bear molds with an eyedropper.  They’re cute but horrendous and you won’t be able to make anything. You’ll just cry 😛 (said from the experience of course!)

Why You Should Make Homemade Gummy Bears

If you’ve never heard of elderberries before- they’re amazing! We make elderberry cough syrup each year for wintertime as well as homemade honey cough drops (for mamas only!) and it works beautifully for the girls, Though now that everything hippie is becoming more mainstream, I’ve noticed you can buy it too 😉

And since elderberries are so potent when it comes to fighting colds (though I also use a sore throat protocol if I do feel something coming on!). I love sneaking them into other recipes (like this one) as well. And if you don’t know what to do with the berries after making syrup with them-  reuse them to make elderberry tea!

Every single ingredient in the homemade gummies recipe comes with a host of health benefits and thus, not only do they help your gut, but they help boost your immune system and health also.

Another age-old way to prevent colds and to help relieve a sore throat or general sickness is homemade bone broth! It’s soothing, full of collagen, and a great way to help boost your immune system (your gut!). I typically make my own but sometimes life gets in the way. So I totally keep some bone broth powder on hand to make the process a bit more simple 😉

My girls love these little gummies and I love doing everything possible to help boost her immune system and fight colds, so I hope yours does too (psst… here’s a few other tips to fight a cold naturally!).

How To Make Homemade Gummies – Berry Blaster Flavor

• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon freeze-dried elderberries
• 1 scoop perfect supplements acai powder
• ½ cup of coconut water
• ¼ cup gelatin
• ½ cup + 1 tbs near-boiling water (separated)

I get my elderberries (freeze-dried) from well.ca!

Tips: these homemade gummies I find a bit too hard, so when I make them for myself (versus just my kiddos) I use 1/2 cup + 3 tbs boiling water

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful For The Homemade Gummy Bears

• Gummy Mold
• Whisk
• Glass measuring bowls

Don’t forget to pin these immune-boosting homemade gummies!

Grab your printable!

0 from 0 votes

Print

Immune Boosting Homemade Gummies – DF/GF

These immune-boosting homemade gummies make the perfect snack for kids! Free from processed sugars these gummies are dairy-free, gluten-free, and delicious.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Servings 18 gummies

Calories 13 kcal

Author Fit as a Mama Bear

Ingredients

• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon elderberies freeze dried
• 1 acai powder
• ½ cup coconut water
• ¼ cup gelatin
• 1/2 cup water near boiling
• 1 tbs water near boiling

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the first five ingredients
   
2. Blend until completely smooth.
   
3. Pour into a large glass bowl.
4. Before mixing the gelatin and water, make sure you have our molds and a whisk ready. You need to move fast
   

5. In another larger bowl, place the gelatin. Pour the ½ cup water over the gelatin and mix quickly until all chunks are gone

6. Quickly pour the mixture into half of your gummy molds.

   

7. Add in the last tablespoon of boiling water, re-whisk and pour into remaining molds.

8. Place molds into the fridge to set (about 3 hours)

Recipe Notes

Yield depends on molds. 

These homemade gummies I find a bit too hard, so when I make them for myself (versus just my kiddos) I use 1/2 cup + 3 tbs boiling water

If you have a sweeter palate, add in some stevia drops to make them sweeter.

 

Nutrition Facts

Immune Boosting Homemade Gummies – DF/GF

Amount Per Serving

Calories 13 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 8mg0%

Potassium 22mg1%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 5IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 2mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

These immune-boosting homemade gummy bears make 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.