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. (Bonus: it’s Dairy-free, gluten-free & paleo-approved!)
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 jello recipe (and why I think you and your kids will, too!)
- IT’S EASY TO MAKE. If you can stir, you can make this recipe!
- IT’S FRESH-TASTING, BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL WITHOUT ANY DYES OR ADDITIVES. All the color is from the beautiful natural colors of the juice you choose. Plus, there’s no refined sugars, artificial flavors, food dyes, artificial colors, 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.
Here’s all you need to get started on a batch of healthy homemade Jello…
Simple Ingredients To Start
So, what’s in homemade Jello recipe? Just 2-3 INGREDIENTS! Let’s take a look:
- Juice. The base of this homemade jello is fruit or veggie juice! I’ve made this jello with all different flavors of 100% juice, fruit and veggie juice blends, light juice, etc. You can even use green juice, if you prefer.
- Grass-Fed Beef Gelatin. The key ingredient for this jello recipe is grass-fed beef gelatin. Note that this is NOT gelatin protein powder, collagen protein powder, etc. We recommend brands like Vital Proteins Grass-Fed Beef Gelatin or Great Lakes Grass-Fed Gelatin.
- Maybe: A Little Natural Sweetener. Since the gelatin will dull some of the sweetness of the juice, I recommend adding 1-2 Tablespoons of honey or agave syrup to the juice to bring it back up to its usual vibrancy. (You can also use cane sugar, if you like for AIP!)
What Kind Of Juice Works?
Almost any flavor of juice can be used for homemade gelatin! 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)
If you’re aiming for a certain color (for a party or special occasion), you can also even use store-bought sweetened juices like fruit punch or lemonade, though they’ll have added sugar.
How To Make Homemade Jello, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Bloom The Gelatin. Pour 1/2 cup of the juice into a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the juice and stir to combine. Set aside for about 5 minutes while you heat the juice. The gelatin will thicken up significantly during this time, and should be VERY thick and grainy looking.
- Heat The Remaining Juice. While the gelatin blooms, add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of juice to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until steaming. (It doesn’t need to come to a boil or simmer, but should be VERY hot.)
- Melt The Bloomed Gelatin. Add honey/sweetener (if using) and the bloomed gelatin to the hot juice and stir to dissolve completely. This is a crucial step, so make sure it’s completely dissolved!
- Set. Pour gelatin mixture into a 2-quart ceramic pan (8×8, 9×9, or 11×7 works!) or heat proof containers and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Chill at least 3-4 hours or until set completely.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy once it’s set or store in the refrigerator. My recommendation for the best texture/flavor is to enjoy within 4-5 days, though it usually won’t spoil or break down until the 7-10 day mark.
How To Make Jello With Fruit
If you want to make homemade jello with fruit, this recipe should work for that, too. Just like when you make boxed jello, you’ll want to let the jello set partially before adding the fruit. So, follow the recipe through step 3, then add the gelatin to your container. Chill the jello for about 1-1 1/2 hours before stirring in the fresh fruit or frozen fruit. You want it to be roughly an egg white consistency (not fully set!) before adding the fruit. The exact time will vary based on the container size and the temperature of your refrigerator.
Collagen vs. Gelatin
To be super clear: you cannot use collagen powder to make jello. You need gelatin powder for this recipe. Collagen and gelatin are great sources of protein and known to benefit digestion, gut health, hair, skin, nails, and joint health. 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.)
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Homemade Gelatin
CAN I USE SOMETHING BESIDES JUICE FOR JELLO? This recipe was specifically formatted to work with fruit juice or vegetable juice, but some folks have also made it with herbal tea with decent results.
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 if you need a vegan version.
CAN I MAKE JELLO WITHOUT ANY ADDED SWEETENER? It’s totally up to you and your taste preferences. Some juices are sweeter than others. I 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!
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.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Healthy Homemade Jello recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
How to Make Healthy Homemade Jello
Ingredients
- 4 cups of juice See notes
- 2 Tablespoons unflavored beef gelatin* such as Vital Proteins or Great Lakes. Do NOT try with collagen or protein powder.
- 2 Tablespoons honey agave, or cane sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Bloom The Gelatin. Pour 1/2 cup of the juice into a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the juice and stir to combine. Set aside for about 5 minutes while you heat the juice. The gelatin will thicken up significantly during this time, and should be VERY thick and grainy looking.
- Heat The Remaining Juice. While the gelatin blooms, add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of juice to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until steaming. (It doesn’t need to come to a boil or simmer, but should be VERY hot.)
- Melt The Bloomed Gelatin. Add honey/sweetener (if using) and the bloomed gelatin to the hot juice and stir to dissolve completely. This is a crucial step, so make sure it’s completely dissolved!
- Set. Pour gelatin mixture into a 2-quart ceramic pan (8×8, 9×9, or 11×7 works!) or heat proof containers and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Chill at least 3-4 hours or until set completely.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy once it’s set or store in the refrigerator. My recommendation for the best texture/flavor is to enjoy within 4-5 days, though it usually won’t spoil or break down until the 7-10 day mark.
Notes
- Gelatin. You must use unflavored beef gelatin for this recipe, not protein powder, collagen, or gelatin-based protein powders. ONLY gelatin will work.
- Juice. Almost any flavor of juice will work for homemade jello! 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 passion fruit.
- Nutrition. the exact nutrition facts will vary based on what juice/juice blend you use. Please consider this an estimate (calculated with a 100% juice peach-mango fruit & veggie juice blend)
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/healthy-homemade-jello/Recipe originally shared January 2019. Fully updated with more detailed notes, step-by-step photos & new video and republished January 2025
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.
Oh, yum! That’s a tasty combination!
Thank you for this recipe! I haven’t made jello in about 15 years! But this I will try! I love how easy it is :0)!
Hope you love it Angelica!
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.
Ooh! That sounds like a great idea! I’ll have to try that!
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 😊
I’m so glad you love it! Your flavor combinations sound AMAZING. I’m totally inspired!
Hi Emily,
Having problems finding beef gelatine on Amazon. Do you think I can you collagen peptides instead?
Collagen peptides will NOT work in this recipe, I’m sorry! You really do need gelatin. Hopefully you’ll be able to find some soon!
Hi, Emily, my name is Annabelle.
I am a blind woman who absolutely loooooooooooooooooooooooooves to cook! And I’m one of those girlies who absolutely loooooooooooooooooooooooooves anything sweet! I guess you could say I’m a sweetoholic! This being said, I wonder if Jello could be made with plain gelatin, juice, fruit puree and water? What I would do is, I’d add the gelatin to a bowl with a cup of juice, let it sit, then add boiling water to let it “bloom” as you would say. Then, I would add it to the cold juice and fruit puree, then whisk together. Last time I tried this, I ended up with more of a fruit sauce than jello-like consistancy. Perhaps I didn’t let it sit and bloom. That’s interesting. I never knew gelatin powder could bloom. I thought it would just dissolve in any liquid. For the first time when I made Jello at home, I used Giusto’s Vitagrain (I hope I spelled that right) plain gelatin, which I buy from Market Of Choice in Eugene, Oregon. I go there to buy stuff in bulk. To that, I added mangos and peaches, which I pureed in my Kitchenaid Blender. Next, I added a cup of Langer’s Mango Peach Juice. And of course I have the boiling water, 1 cup of boiling water. That’s when the Jello became fruit sauce. What should I do to prevent that from happening again?
Annabelle – Hi! Nice to “meet” you!
I haven’t made this gelatin with fruit puree yet, but here’s what I’d do if I were going to. First, I’d make sure that the volume of the liquid ingredients (the puree and the juice together) wasn’t greater than 4 cups total so that the ratio of liquid ingredients to gelatin stays the same. 4 cups of liquid + 2 Tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder. For this example, let’s say we’re using 3 cups juice + 1 cup fruit puree.
I’d probably bloom the gelatin in 1/2 cup of the cold or room temperature juice for 3-5 minutes. Once it’s thick and feels like lumpy applesauce, you’re ready to add the other ingredients. (This thickening of the gelatin in cold liquid is the blooming step. Gelatin will not bloom when added to hot water.)
Then, you’d heat the remaining 2 1/2 cups juice in a saucepan until it’s almost boiling.
Remove the hot juice from the heat, and add the bloomed gelatin and honey or agave (if using) to the hot juice and whisk, whisk, whisk until it’s completely smooth and dissolved. Then, you could stir in your 1 cup fruit puree.
Several readers who have made this using added fruit or fruit puree have mentioned their gelatin can end up softer set. For some folks, that’s because they’ve ended up adding a lot more fruit puree so the liquid to gelatin ratio is off. For others, it’s simply because the puree they are using is thicker, so it would require more setting power in the form of more gelatin. You could experiment with adding more gelatin powder for a more firm set, just know that a little goes a long way.
Again, I haven’t tried it myself, but I think that following the steps of blooming the gelatin in cold liquid, then adding it to hot liquid can help activate and set the gelatin. Another thing to consider is that I’ve used Knox gelatin or Vital Proteins Unflavored Beef Gelatin (in the green container–not their protein powder!). There could be some variation with the variety of gelatin powder you’re using as well.
I wish you the VERY best of luck and hope you’re able to come up with a version you LOVE!
For example, when I made butterscotch pudding from scratch, I made it with this recipe:
You’ll Need:
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1¼ cups butterscotch chips
1½ tablespoons gelatin
You Do:
1. Place ½ cup of the milk in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over. Let sit for 5 minutes in the cold milk, allowing the gelatin to bloom, while you gather your containers and the rest of the ingredients.
2. When everything is gathered, heat the milk very gently over low heat just until the gelatin is dissolved. (Dip your thumb and forefinger in the warm-ish
milk and rub them together. You won’t feel any granules when they are fully dissolved.)
3. Meanwhile, melt the butterscotch chips on the stovetop over low heat.
4. Make sure to stir the melting butterscotch so it won’t stick to the bottom and burn.
5. Pour the remaining milk and the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer.
6. Using the whip attachment, mix until very smooth, then with the motor running, pour in the gelatin-milk mix.
7. After they’ve cooled slightly, slowly add the melted butterscotch chips, and mix until smooth.
8. Pour immediately into your containers and place in the refrigerator. Let sit for at least two hours.
9. Serve and enjoy!
When I made this the first time, 1. It was like drinking butterscotch milk with grains of rice inside. Probably because we didn’t let the gelatin sit before turning the heat on.
2. It tasted amazing, but it didn’t thicken like pudding. Instead, what was supposed to be a smooth, thick texture, turned out to be runny with rice-like beads in the bottom of the bucket.
I think you’re right! Hopefully this helps solve the problem! 🙂
Do you think I could make this with flavored sweetened tea? I have a mango, hibiscus herbal tea that I would like to try.
That does sound like a tasty combination! Another reader recently made it with herbal tea and said it wasn’t quite as sweet as they’d hoped. But if yours is sweet enough, feel free to go ahead!
Thanks for the tips! I made my first batch of
Gummies today and came searching for what I did wrong online and came to your recipe. Mystery solved. I used organic pineapple juice and now I know why it didn’t ever set properly. Now I know I just need to pick a different juice to try!
So glad I could help! I hope the next batch works like a charm!
Thank you for a great recipe Emily!!!I’m a BIG jello fan so when I saw this recipe I was sooo happy!!!!I’ 11 years old and love to bake and decorate cakes. Hoping to have a baking blog REALLY soon.AAAAND I’m a christian ( I love you Jesus!!!)Thanks again!!!❤️Have a blessed day!
Oh fun! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! Best of luck on your new blog!
I can’t wait to try this recipe out! I like in the UK and they do not have the V8 fruit/veggie juice you recommended. I do have a vitamix though. Could I blend carrots, peaches and mangos? Or does the pulp have to be out for it to work? I’d like to sneak in more veggies if possible– so if I can just blend spinach apples and strawberries (I’m dreaming up loads of concoctions!) this could be a great way to add some nutrients for the kids. Thanks for your help!
Joy – At least the first time you make it, I’d recommend using just juice–no pulp–so you’re sure you have the hang of the recipe and that it sets up properly.
One reader made this with mango nectar (which has the pulp) and said it was a little less set than she’d have preferred. Another did a similar thing with homemade purees and it didn’t set quite enough. You could possibly compensate by adding more gelatin, but you’d have to strike the right balance so it ends up as gelatin and not more set (fruit snack texture).
Several people have tried adding fruit to the gelatin with good success, though!
Hope you love it!