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How to Make Healthy Homemade Jello

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How to Make Healthy Homemade Jello – Yes, really! This homemade gelatin recipe is made from natural ingredients, and natural sweeteners, without any dye or additives. (Dairy-free, gluten-free & paleo approved!) 

Three dessert bowls of healthy homemade Jello with fresh fruit.

It’s January, the month of healthy eating resolutions, sugar-free challenges, Whole30 and All The Things. This I know. And yet, here I am, sharing a recipe for healthy homemade gelatin (like, homemade Jello from scratch, y’all!). And I don’t feel one bit bad about it.

Gelatin can be a great healthy snack or healthy dessert. It tastes great, it’s easy to make, and there are even some health benefits, too!

Here’s why I love this healthy homemade jello recipe (and why I think you and your kids will, too!)

Two dessert glasses of healthy homemade Jello (homemade gelatin)
Close up view of homemade healthy jello (homemade gelatin)

WHY WE LOVE THIS HOMEMADE GELATIN (JELLO):

WHAT’S IN HOMEMADE JELLO? JUST 2-3 NATURAL INGREDIENTS! In my homemade jello, I use fruit or veggie juice, natural sweetener (honey–and it’s totally optional!), and grass-fed beef gelatin (note: NOT gelatin protein powder). I love using fruit/veggie blends, like peach mango veggie juice for the beautiful orange colored gelatin, cranberry raspberry juice, or blueberry pomegranate juice. You can even use fresh-pressed juice!

IT’S FRESH-TASTING, BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT ANY DYES OR ADDITIVES. The 3-ingredient (or 2-ingredient!) recipe is about as simple as it gets, and all the color is from the beautiful natural colors of the juice you choose. Plus, there’s no refined sugars, artificial flavors, or additives!

HOMEMADE JELLO IS FREE OF ALL MAIN ALLERGENS–gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nuts, fish, etc. But it does contain gelatin which is derived from beef bones (so it’s not vegan). Because of that, the quality of the gelatin I use is crucial to me. Keep reading to see what I like –>

Close up view of dessert glasses filled with healthy homemade gelatin (homemade Jello)

COLLAGEN VS. GELATIN

Collagen and gelatin are great sources of protein and known to benefit digestion, hair, skin, nails, and joints. They contain the same amino acids, but each behaves differently. Here’s a quick snapshot of collagen vs. gelatin:

COLLAGEN

  • Also called collagen peptides, or hydrolyzed collagen
  • Digests faster than gelatin.
  • Can be used in hot or cold liquids. I use collagen in hot and cold things all the time, from smoothies, to soups, to herbal tea and sauces.
  • It’s flavorless (though I wouldn’t recommend drinking it mixed with straight water) and doesn’t have any gritty or chalky texture.

GELATIN

  • NOTE – We’re specifically using powdered gelatin, NOT gelatin-based protein powder
  • Creates a gel or Jello effect when prepared. 
  • Commonly used in gut-healing diet protocols, like AIP (Autimmune Paleo), GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) and SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet). Gelatin digests more slowly, and coats the small intestine, which can help with healing the gut.
  • Must be “bloomed” first in cold liquid to plump and thicken the gelatin granules, then dissolved in hot liquid.
  • Only dissolves in hot liquids. If you attempt to put it in cold liquid without heating it later, it will bloom but won’t dissolve. (And create an unpleasant thick lumpy texture.)

Want to know more? This article does a great job breaking down everything you need to know (from the chemistry (long & short chain amino acids) to how they’re made, uses, and more. 

Close up view of homemade healthy jello (homemade gelatin) topped with coconut whipped cream

NOTES & FAQ FOR HOMEMADE GELATIN:

WHAT KINDS OF FRUIT JUICE CAN YOU USE FOR HOMEMADE JELLO? Almost any flavor of juice! I recommend 100% fruit or fruit/veggie blend juices. The only exception is fresh pineapple juice. (The enzymes in pineapple can break down the gelatin so it won’t gel properly.) My favorites are a peach-mango fruit & veggie blend (the orange one you see pictured), blueberry-pomegranate, and cranberry raspberry. (all 3 are pictured in the video/photos)

WHERE DO YOU BUY GELATIN? I like Vital Proteins brand grass-fed gelatin (in the GREEN container), which I can find at Sprouts, on Amazon, or health stores, like Whole Foods. Great Lakes is another good brand I’ve tried (from Thrive Market or Amazon). If all else fails, you can look for something like Knox brand gelatin (which is more readily available but isn’t grass fed). Note: do NOT try to make this using protein powder or gelatin-based protein powder. It’s not the same product and will not work correctly.

IS HOMEMADE JELLO VEGAN? No, I’m sorry. It’s dairy-free, but homemade jello is made with gelatin, which is animal-derived. I haven’t tested it with a vegan gelatin substitute, but this article about vegan gelatin alternatives (like agar agar) might be helpful!

CAN I MAKE THIS JELLO WITHOUT ANY ADDED SWEETENER? It’s totally up to you and your taste preferences. Some juices are sweeter than others. I would never sweeten juice for drinking, but the gelatin does dilute the juice flavor slightly, and I find that adding the honey or agave brings it back up to its regular flavor. Again, it’s totally up to you!

DOES THE GELATIN ADD FLAVOR? Not to the finished product, but I will warn you it DOES smell *awful* when mixed with liquid to bloom. Don’t panic! Once it’s dissolved in the warm juice, the flavor/smell disappears. Pinky promise.

HOW LONG WILL HOMEMADE JELLO KEEP IN THE FRIDGE? My recommendation for the best texture/flavor is 4-5 days, though it usually won’t spoil or break down until the 7-10 day mark.

LOVE THIS HEALTHY JELLO? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…

Close up view of homemade healthy jello (homemade gelatin)

HELPFUL INGREDIENTS + TOOLS FOR THIS HOMEMADE JELLO RECIPE:

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Three dessert bowls of healthy homemade Jello with fresh fruit.

How to Make Healthy Homemade Jello


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  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Description

This homemade gelatin recipe is made from natural ingredients, and natural sweeteners, without any dye or additives. It’s a delicious treat for kids and grown-ups alike! (Dairy free, gluten free & paleo approved!)

*Note: the exact nutrition facts will vary based on what juice/juice blend you use. Please consider this an estimate (calculated with a peach-mango fruit & veggie juice blend)


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups of juice (See notes)
  • 2 Tbsp unflavored beef gelatin* (such as Vital Proteins or Great Lakes. Do NOT try with collagen or protein powder.)
  • 2 Tbsp honey or agave (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of the juice to a bowl or liquid measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin powder.
  2. Whisk together to combine and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes to “bloom.” The granules will plump and the mixture will look like very thick applesauce or take on a lumpy appearance.
  3. Pour the remaining (3 1/4- 3 1/2 cups) juice into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in honey (if using) and the bloomed gelatin mixture. Stir to dissolve.
  5. Pour into an 8×8 (2 quart) baking dish for thick Jello or a 9×13″ baking dish for thin Jello, or into individual glasses or jars for individual portions.
  6. Refrigerate about 4 hours, or until set. (If you’ve used a 9×13 pan, it may be set in as little as 2 hours)

Notes

*You must use unflavored beef gelatin for this recipe, not protein powder, collagen, or gelatin-based protein powders. ONLY gelatin will work.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: stovetop, refrigerator
  • Cuisine: American

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248 Comments

  1. Have made this several times. It always turns out. I pureed a mango and diluted with a pineapple coconut juice and it was delish. The mixture was very little pineapple juice, mostly mango. I thought it might not jell because I had forgotten pineapple juice was not recommended, but it was great. I just made a batch with lemon juice, coconut water and stevia. Waiting for it to jell . Love this recipe, very GAPS friendly 😊






  2. Thank you for this lovely treat. My first attempt was a success with your helpful tips. Instead of juice, I used an electrolyte powder called DripDrop per it’s instructions, dissolving it in cool water before adding at the end. Perfectly sweet and a great way to add extra nutrition to a simple dessert.






  3. Delicious and so easy. My kids love Jell-O, but we don’t do artificial colors. I had apple and white grape juice on hand and it’s great.






  4. Please let me know which juice should be used for making blue jelly. or should I just go with some blueberry essence and blue food colour……definitely won’t be healthy, but I need to make blue jelly please help me out a little!!

    1. Zoya – I have never made blue jello before, but if you can find a blue fruit punch you could probably use that! Most other juices would have too much natural color to take blue dye well. You could maybe use White Grape juice + blue dye?

  5. Thank you for this! My daughter is having her wisdom teeth out and I feel so much better giving her this rather than the boxed kind full of food color and artificial flavor.

  6. I made this last week with blood orange juice and used a little sugar instead of honey because I don’t really like honey and it worked great. It was firmer like a knox blox bit still very tasty.






  7. I feel silly admitting this but was not able to locate the video referred to (I’m on a desktop computer). I am looking forward to making homemade ‘Jello’ and wanted to watch the process that you shared. Very excited to have found this recipe!

    1. Connie – No worries! The video usually pops up right away in a new little window and will scroll with you while you scroll down. You may have accidentally closed the video without knowing it! I’d refresh your page and see if it comes up again. Otherwise, you can watch it on Facebook! 🙂

  8. I made apple cherry jello and it was delicious! I want to make this for milk teas, but I’ll need a little bit firmer jelly. I may use 1/2 cup less liquid next time:) I love this recipe. So healthy for you too.






  9. Would this work with something thicker than juice, like a puree? I want to make this for my 8 month old to play with for Valentine’s Day and use some of the fruit purees I’ve made him 😊

    1. Kimberly – I’m not totally sure, but if it’s for play it might be worth a try! (I know several have used thicker juices and nectars with good success)

  10. Just made this today! I have made other homemade gelatin recipes and they always water down the juice with boiling water. I had thought about trying it this way, then forgotten. I am happy I stumbled across this recipe! It is so good! I only had Organic juice box juices at home, next time I’ll get Cherry juice or something with a stronger flavor. All in all it is really good and this will be my forever recipe now.






    1. Yes! Yes! Yes! This is what I love to hear! I’m so glad you loved it. It’s my kids’ FAVORITE. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. It’s so helpful!

    1. Judith – I haven’t made this with Knox gelatin yet, but a quick Google search tells me there’s about 2 1/2 tsp. per envelope. 2 packets would get you 5 teaspoons. (6 tsp. = 2 Tbsp.) If you wanted to try it with 2 packets, your gelatin would likely still set, but be softer set than if you use part of the 3rd packet to get all the way up to 2 Tbsp. If you want to get the full 2 Tbsp., it sounds like you’ll need 3 envelopes.

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