Dr. Emily AronoffA tasty chanukah candy treat that can be created in collaboration with my kids that builds fine motor skills, encourages kiddos to practice delayed gratification, and is relatively healthy? Yes, please!
I am SO excited that I accidentally stumbled upon this yummy activity and treat in December- but the good news is that you can make these with any mold you like so these gummies can be themed to match your wildest dreams (only to be limited by the kinds of silicon molds available- but that is actually nearly limitless, too.
Chanukah food is typically made with lots of oil- but frying isn’t the activity I want to invite my toddlers to join (yet).
So we invented a new traditional chanukah candy- blue and yellow gummy ‘candy’! This batch is favored with blueberry and mango juice and puree, which have a great flavor, color, and texture- without adding sugar or dyes.
With only 3 essential ingredients, all of which are in my house already- this is the kind of chanukah candy and activity I can handle.
These are the ingredients we used- you probably have some version of these in your pantry or fridge. The baby food puree isn’t totally necessary- but it improved the flavor and texture, IMHO. The gummies felt a little less like jello to me when we added about a tablespoon of puree in with the juice.
The recipe can and should be modified to meet your needs. Experiment to find the right balance of flavor, color, and texture.
My kids haven’t really had actual candy yet- so my chanukah candy variation is SUPER low sugar for a ‘candy’ treat. I experimented with several variations before landing on a combination we liked- you can modify your ratios as you see fit.
My first batch used blueberry juice but it was WAY to tart and it made it seem like the recipe needed more sweetener- but it didn’t.
I learned quickly that the gelatin will get clumpy if you dump a whole spoonful in at once- so sprinkle lightly while mixing (or strain it before you put it in the molds).
I actually stumbled upon this idea when I found lots of ‘keto’ recipes for candy as I was trying to figure out how to get my sick, pathetic, ornery 2 tear old to take her medicine.
Consider this trick CAREFULLY, paying attention to dosing and who eats which gummy should the need arise.
I used this beef gelatin and I’m happy to have another way to get a little protein in kiddos (as I mentioned, I initially made these f or a sick 2 year old so I was excited about any actual nutrition I could get into her at that moment). There are lots of vegetarian options, too- but this worked really well. It might seem weird to put beef gelatin in candy- but there is no beefy flavor, don’t worry!
We used these silicon candy molds to make this batch- I’m really happy with the quality- the hebrew letters are clear and the size is right for little fingers.
I learned the hard way that the warm juice/syrup/gelatin mixture is INCREDIBLY sticky- so I lined the countertop with cling wrap where my kids would be assembling the chanukah candy- much easier to take that off than to scrub up the congealed drips.
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Healthy, Easy Gummies (for Chanukah, Rosh Hashanah, or any other reason!)
A ‘snacktivity’ for kids who like candy and their grown ups who prefer do reduce sugar and processed ingredients! Using silicon candy molds, these gummies can be shaped to and colored to reflect any theme or holiday you celebrate! I like to make them for Chanukah.
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup juice
- 2 tbsp gelatin
- 1 tbsp fruit puree (optional)
Boil juice and maple syrup together to dissolve (you could substitute honey, if desired)
Stir gelatin in (sprinkle slowly while stirring, don’t dump or it will clump)
Use liquid droppers to fill molds
Refrigerate in molds for 20 minutes
