Dandelion & Honey Gummy Bears
These dandelion gummies are soft, chewy gummy bears made with a quick dandelion petal tea, honey, and gelatin. Kids can help with nearly every step, from picking the flowers to filling the molds.
Servings: 160 servings, makes about 160 small gummy bears
Equipment
- Whisk
- Rimmed Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dandelion petals yellow parts only, loosely packed
- 1 1/4 cups boiling water see notes
- 1/4 cup honey see notes
- 1/4 cup unflavored gelatin not collagen peptides
Instructions
- Pour the boiling water over the dandelion petals in a heatproof jar or bowl, and let them steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Strain the tea, pressing on the petals, and top it off with water if it comes up short (see notes). Let it cool to room temperature, setting the jar in a bowl of cold water to speed it up.
- Pour about half of the tea into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes, until it's thick and spongy.
- Add the rest of the tea and the honey. Warm over low heat, whisking, until the gelatin melts completely and the liquid turns clear, 2 to 4 minutes. Don't let it boil.
- Let it sit for a few minutes and skim off the foam. Set the silicone molds on a baking sheet and fill them with a dropper, warming the mixture on low for a few seconds if it gets too thick.
- Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, until the gummies are firm and pull away cleanly, then pop them out of the molds.
- Store the gummies in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat them within about a week.
Notes
Yield: About 2 cups of whole dandelion flowers gives 1/2 cup of petals. The petals steep in a little more than a cup of boiling water, which strains down to the 1 cup of tea the recipe needs, so top it off with plain water if it's short. One batch makes about 1 1/3 cups of mixture, or about 160 small gummy bears. A mini mold makes more.
Gelatin: Use unflavored powdered gelatin. Collagen peptides won't set. The 1/4 cup is about 5 Knox envelopes, and for chewier gummies you can use up to 5 tablespoons.
Honey: For sweeter gummies, use up to 1/2 cup. Honey isn't safe for babies under a year old.
Juice: Use 1 cup of juice in place of the tea and cut back on the honey. Fresh or frozen pineapple, kiwi, mango, and papaya juice, and cold-pressed juice, keep gelatin from setting.
Storage: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Layer them with parchment paper if they stick.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 gummy bear | Calories: 2kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.4g | Protein: 0.2g | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 0.3mg | Fiber: 0.001g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 0.1mg | Iron: 0.004mg