If you haven't tried making your own homemade low carb gumdrops, you are missing out! This sour lemon gumdrops recipe comes together in just a few minutes and tastes much better than the store-bought ones made with artificial flavors and tons of sugar. And they are very kid-friendly!
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Hi, Joy Filled Eats community! Erin from My Flourless Kitchen here and I'm thrilled to share this recipe for homemade Sour Lemon Gumdrops with you.
I have been a fan of sour candy since my childhood. Once when I was studying for exams and mindlessly eating I ate so many sour candies that I burnt all of my taste buds on my tongue. I don't do that anymore but I do make this recipe often. It's in my "Go To" category! I hope you will try it and see how easy it is to make this homemade Sour Lemon Gumdrops Recipe.
What Equipment is Required for this Sour Lemon Gumdrops Recipe
Whenever I make homemade candy or chocolate chips, I use silicone molds or ice cube trays. I love how easy they are to use and I have a huge collection. For this batch of gumdrops, I used a plain rounded ice cube mold (like this one), but if you have a silicone mold with cute shapes, even better! Sometimes I use my dinosaur-shaped mold to make dinosaur-shaped gumdrops, just like I use when I make my son his favorite Toasted Coconut Butter Candy.
If you don't have a silicone candy mold or ice cube tray, line a small pan (like a banana bread pan or an 8x8 pan) with plastic wrap and make one large gumdrop and then cut it into small squares after it has set.
How to Make the Crunchy Sweet Sour Coating
To give these gumdrops the classic crunchy coating that you remember from your childhood, I used granulated sweetener mixed with food coloring. I just add the sweetener to a glass jar, add the food coloring (about 8 drops per ½ cup) and shake it up.
This is the same crunchy coating that I use for my Marshmallow Peeps.
How to Make Sour Candies
To make a delicious sweet *sour* crunchy coating, which is delicious, add a little bit of food grade granular citric acid to your colored sugar. You can find citric acid in the candy making section or the canning section of your grocery store or on Amazon here. Add the gumdrops to the jar and shake them up to give them a nice even coat of the sweet-sour crunchy coating.
Here's a pro tip for you: although citric acid is delicious, don't be tempted to make extra sour crunchy coating by adding more citric acid. It attracts moisture so a few minutes after the gumdrops have been coated they get all wet and sticky. I have experimented with the ratios of sweetener to citric acid and found that 1 teaspoon citric acid to ½ cup sweetener is best. It still gives a nice sour taste without making the gumdrops get all sweaty.
UPDATE: After extensive recipe testing I have found that the best method is to just add the coating right before eating these. With storage, they get wet and sweaty no matter what.
What to do with Leftover Sweet Sour Crunchy Coating
If you have extra sour crunchy coating, it keeps for a long time in the pantry. Or for another idea, try sweet and sour frozen grapes. Another crowd pleaser that is very kid-friendly! All you do is toss some slightly damp grapes in this sour crunchy coating and then freeze them for an hour. So yummy!
Love gummies? Try these sugar-free recipes next:
Low Carb Gummies with only 3 Ingredients
Passion Tea Lemonade Homemade Gummies
Orange Creamsicle Easy Gummies Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup lemon juice (from a bottle is fine)
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon powdered sweetener
- 3 tablespoon gelatin
For Crunchy Coating:
- ½ cup granular sweetener (1:1 ratio)
- 1 teaspoon citric acid (food grade, granular)
- 8 drops yellow food coloring optional
Instructions
- Mix the lemon juice, water and sweetener in a small saucepan over very low heat.
- Slowly add the gelatin a little at a time, while stirring.
- If you have any chunks, continue to stir until they melt and break down.
- Strain the mixture through a wire sieve and into a measuring cup or another vessel with a pouring spout.
- Pour the mixture into silicone molds and put in the fridge to set.
For Crunchy Coating:
- Transfer the granulated sweetener and citric acid to a glass jar with a lid.
- Add food coloring and shake well to combine.
- Put the amount of gumdrops you would like to eat in the jar, a few at a time, and shake well to coat evenly with the crunchy coating. Transfer the coated gumdrops to a tray and repeat.
- ONLY COAT THE GUMMIES YOU WANT TO EAT IMMEDIATELY. This is very important. You can save the jar of coating and just coat them as you eat them. If you coat them and try to store them they release liquid.
Notes
Nutrition
Shari says
These came out so so so good! Thank you! Shari shark
LINDA HUBBARD says
I used fresh squeezed and oh my goodness they are sooo tart! Is the problem that I used fresh? Also, mine are very soft. What could I have done wrong? How long should they cook?
Taryn says
I think it really depends on your lemons. I've had other people saying they couldn't taste the lemon at all from the same amount.
I also think the brand of gelatin can make a difference. Next time just add an additional tablespoon to make them firmer.
Linda says
Young Lady, You are Awesome, your recipes are keeping my husband and I away from bad sugar,
I am forever in the kitchen, and where else should one be in the Winter, but warming up the kitchen,
my husband says, I have a new saying, "come try this"...
Thank you so much for all your time and effort, in creating these recipes for us...
Of course we don't stay in the Keto diet, as some of your recipes, are all eaten in one day...
Thank you, Linda
Kristin says
What can I use in place of the food coloring to make the crunchy coating stick? Or will it stick without the food coloring or a substitute?
Taryn says
It says optional next to food coloring. You can just omit it.
Kimm says
Disappointed. I followed this recipe to the TEE and they taste as much like lemon as I do. If I try these again, I will use lemon extract.
Taryn says
With 1/2 cup lemon juice they should have a nice lemon flavor. Lemon extract is a good idea for a very potent lemon flavor. I hope you enjoy them more next time.
Lisa Pepper says
Mine had a great lemon flavor but I used the exact citric acid and erythritol and still were slimy in the fridge. What did I do wrong? Thank you!
Taryn says
I'm going to work on troubleshooting this asap. Did they get sweaty right away or with longer storage?
Julie says
I added the citric acid into the batch to my sour taste level. Less messy
Taryn says
Thanks for the tip! It's on my to do list to troubleshoot this recipe this week.
Phynix says
How many constitute a serving?
Taryn says
The number of servings is up near the top of the recipe card. You need to count how many gummies you get and divide by 6.
Claudia says
Where did you get the loverly moulds from?
Taryn says
You can get them on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YRud7m
Jennifer says
Not what I was expecting- but in a good way. A bit more tart than I thought they would be- but that can be adjusted, if needed. Nice recipe!!! Thanks 🙂
Beth says
Perfect sweet & tangy treat to make with my kiddos this summer!
Shiho says
It look so good to be true! sugar free and low carb and Keto! Love it.
Jennifer says
As I tossed mine into the coating mixture and added them to a container the coating started turning to mush at the bottom. By the time all we’re coated and tossed in the container and I shook the container I was left with a container of gooey mush. Did you use a special form of citrus acid? Mine is labeled anhydrous citric acid. The only ingredient in the acid is “pure citric acid.” I first made tiny batch of coating to flavor test and it was way too tart for me. I adjusted and onl6 used a fraction of the citric acid called for. I used xylitol as the sweetener in gelatin and coating.
Taryn says
Yes, there are different types of citric acid. Was that one labeled as food grade? 'Anhydrous Citric Acid' is most commonly used in cleaning products and bath bombs... That type is a powder whereas food grade citric acid is granular. I'm sorry the recipe didn't work for you. The words 'citric acid' in the post and recipe are clickable to the product I used.
Marilyn says
I had the same problem and I used a good grade citric acid
Leanna says
How do you store these? Do they need to be refrigerated?
Taryn says
Yes. I keep them in the fridge.