Made from orange juice, this 3 ingredient gummy recipe for orange pumpkin treats are perfect for Halloween parties or just as a fun, healthier alternative to candy.
Oh No! Halloween is in just weeks and you still haven’t had a chance to make any of those amazing DIY Halloween desserts you pinned last month?
No worries, these Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern Pop DIY Halloween Treats are quick and easy to whip up!
Halloween has become such a fun holiday for kids and adults alike. Whether you celebrate by dressing up like ghosts and goblins or just enjoy watching children dress up in their costumes, most everyone enjoys celebrating Halloween.
What a lot of us parents don’t necessarily enjoy is all the candy and sugar.
However, if you want to give the kids something fun while still sticking to healthier food options, this recipe fro cute gummy pumpkins might be for you.
With no added sugar, these halloween gummy pumpkins candy recipe isn’t really “candy” at all.
These are fun and just sweet enough that your kids won’t even realize it’s just made of orange juice, gelatin and water.
Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern Halloween Gummy Snacks
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or store bought orange juice (COLD)
- ¼ cup unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup really HOT water
Supplies Needed
- Wilton Pumpkin Faces silicone mold
- black food coloring
- a small dispenser (I used a 1ml plastic syringe)
- reusable cake pop sticks
- small whisk
- small spatula
- measuring cups
How to make homemade gummies
Have all your ingredients pre-measured and supplies laid out, including the small dispenser (I used a plastic syringe), small whisk, small spatula, measuring cups and the silicone mold.
Combine ¼ cup of the COLD juice and the ¼ cup of gelatin together with a whisk.
Add in the HOT water and continue whisking until smooth.
Finally, pour in the rest of the juice while continuing to whisk. You’re getting your arm workout today!
Set aside a little bit of liquid to make the faces (see instructions below). If you are skipping making the faces a different color, just go ahead and pour all of it into the molds.
Let the gummies sit for at least 30 minutes before putting them in the fridge. Then allow to cool in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes.
Allow the gummies to fully cool before removing from silicone molds (no cheating!). You can insert cake pop sticks just before serving.
To make the faces in a different color
Separate out just enough mixture to fill in the crevices for the faces (about 3 teaspoons should be enough).
You may need to reheat the mixture just a bit. You can simply do this in a pot on the stove or in the microwave for a few seconds at a time. To save time, I always mix it in a small pot and keep it on a burner on low.
Add coloring and then fill your plastic syringe. Carefully add to the silicone mold in just the eyes, nose and mouth depressions.
Place the mold in the freezer on the baking or cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before adding the rest of the orange juice and gelatin mixture.
IMPORTANT: For best results, avoid pouring really hot liquid over the faces you just made. Instead, make sure the orange mixture has cooled a bit before pouring. This will keep the two colors from melting and running together.
What if I don’t want to use food coloring but still want a distinct face?
You can use another natural darker juice like grape or prune juice if you like! You will need to combine it with gelatin just like you did with the orange juice.
You could also just pour it all orange and then color the face with a black food pen after removing them from the mold. Be aware that it may not turn out as good.
What if I don’t have cake pop sticks?
It’s ok! Reusable cake pop sticks worked perfectly for these or they could be enjoyed on their own, without the sticks. Your kids won’t mind at all.
How long do homemade gummies last?
You can store these homemade gummies at room temperature in a cool, dry space for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Since our recipe does not contain any added citric acid (a commonly used preservative for homemade gummy candy), we recommend that you store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Do you have other Halloween recipes and crafts?
We sure do! Check out these other fun Halloween posts.
- Halloween Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Sausage Mummies
- 5 of the Most Adorable Halloween Bento Box Ideas
- 10 Fun Halloween Craft Ideas for Kids
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Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern Halloween Gummy Treats
Equipment
- Wilton Pumpkin Faces silicone mold
- black food coloring
- a small dispenser (I used a 1ml plastic syringe)
- reusable cake pop sticks
- small whisk
- small spatula
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or store bought orange juice COLD
- ¼ cup unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup really HOT water
Instructions
- Combine ¼ cup of the COLD juice and the ¼ cup of gelatin together with a whisk.
- Add in the HOT water and continue whisking until smooth.
- Finally, pour in the rest of the juice while continuing to whisk. You’re getting your arm workout today!
- Set aside a little bit of liquid to make the faces (see instructions below). If you are skipping the faces, just pour all of it into the molds.
- Let the gummies sit for at least 30 minutes before putting them in the fridge. Then allow to cool in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes.
- Allow the gummies to fully cool before removing from silicone molds.
To make the faces in a different color
- Separate out just enough mixture to fill in the crevices for the faces (about 3 teaspoons should be enough).
- You may need to reheat the mixture just a bit. You can simply do this in a pot on the stove or in the microwave for a few seconds at a time. To save time, I always mix it in a small pot and keep it on a burner on low.
- Add coloring and then fill your plastic syringe. Carefully add to the silicone mold in just the eyes, nose and mouth depressions.
- Place the mold in the freezer on the baking or cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before adding the rest of the orange juice and gelatin mixture.