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
It is so great someone finally put the real recipe. I don’t understand all the carrying on and leading people on. So unnecessary.
Thank you. God Bless.
I am making this with organic Strawberry Watermelon juice! So excited to try. I am curious if this could be made with cold brew coffee? Could be an interesting snack 🤔 Thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! I’m not a coffee person, so I haven’t tried it with coffee, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
It shows that u used acv and baking soda but that’s not in the recipe??
I never add AVC or baking soda in the photos, video, or recipe. It’s just juice, honey or agave (if desired), and grass-fed gelatin.
Will kosher gelatin work?
Hi Joan! What brand did you have in mind? Some Kosher gelatin brands like Great Lakes work really well!
Thanks for the recipie. My favorite jellow salad used to be orange jello with crushed canned pineapple with shredded carrots in it. (Felt I had to stop making jello because of artificial colors and processed sugar.) Sounds like I can use oj, but I don’t want it to taste like a glass of oj. I want it to taste like the orange jello I was used to. Do you think there’s a certain kind of orange to use? And are there Natural fruit flavorings, like orange? Thanks a lot.
Hi Kris! We love this recipe! If you want it to taste like boxed orange jello, you’d likely need to use a juice-like product with artificial orange flavoring, like SunnyD. Most real orange juice or natural orange juices will taste like orange juice. You can sometimes get away with an orange juice blend, like orange-mango, that can soften that orange juice flavor a bit.
There are orange extracts and orange flavorings used for baking that can have more natural ingredients, but I haven’t experimented with these and would use them with a VERY gentle hand as they can be quite strong.
Unless you can find a orange powder that doesnt have all the junk, I think strained, fresh squeezed oranges or mandarins would be closer to the orange flavor jello than store bought OJ.
How much gr would you say are in the 2 tablespoons?
Hi! The Vital Proteins brand I recommend states that 2 Tablespoons = 20 grams. If you use another brand, you may want to consult the nutrition facts to verify!
Can u use store bought juice
Yep! Just not fresh pineapple or fresh guava juice.
Made apple jello – turned out fantastic! Beautiful there are no dyes or preservatives. Will definately be trying other flavours. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
how much gelatine powder 🤔
Hi! It’s the second ingredient in the recipe card–2 Tablespoons!
I have not made the recipe yet, but I’m going to tonight so thank you for letting me use your comment. I well appreciate making your Jell-O. Have a nice evening.
I made homemade jello tonight using 1/2 cup of cold water to bloom 1 tablespoon of beef gelatin. then I added another 1/2 cup hot water and mixed until all the gelatin was desolved. Then I added cranberry rasberry water flavor drops. adjust to your taste. Then i like a creamy jello, so instead of adding more water I put 1 yogurt into a 1 cup and top it off with Cream 10%. I then let both bowls come to room temp. then add together and put in fridge. This 1/2 batch turned out so well I’ll be making much more. thank you for the recipe.
Wow! So glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing your variation!
it was the best jello ever.
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it!
This turned out amazing! I used fresh watermelon juice, ginger, and lime juice, with agave to sweeten, and a dusting of Chinese five spice for serving. Perfect amount of set; melt in the mouth delicious! One question: can I use more than 1/2 cup of juice to bloom the gelatin? The liquid amount wasn’t enough to incorporate the 2 T of powder, and I got some hard little lumps of gelatin that wouldn’t blend in, even when I stirred it into the hot juice. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’m so glad it worked for you! That combo sounds delicious! You can absolutely use more juice–3/4 cup will likely be plenty to work with! You just want to use a small enough amount that you can visibly see that it’s bloomed properly.
Would grapefruit juice work?
It will, though it will definitely be on the tart side!
I love this recipe because you gave us more options to make and the step by step instructions are easy to follow. Thank you so much for sharing your healthy and yummy recipes!
Can I make this with home made juice or does bottled juice work better?
Fresh juice should work, too! Just keep in mind you’ll still need to heat it to help melt the bloomed gelatin. And fresh guava and pineapple juices will not set properly, since they contain an enzyme that prevents the gelatin from working properly.
Hello,
is there a way to make a white jello? Thank you?
Hi Laura! I’m not sure about pure white, but you can get pretty clear jello with white grape juice. It’ll be a pale cream color. You could try stirring a few tablespoons of yogurt into it (like those old recipes from the 50s & 60s), but I haven’t tested that myself.
Milk Jello
I’m not thinking that would be delicious…
i love jelly
thank you for this recipe. I was so excited to try it that I accidentally bought 3 large containers of the pasture raised beef gelatin. it’s not a problem though because my husband is asking for it every day. I either add blueberries or blackberries and we sometimes top it with whipped cream which is beyond delicious. I took a big tray to a church dinner and it disappeared. the healthy fruit floating in a naturally colored jello is a real beauty. I like to speed up making it so I don’t heat up all the juice that wasn’t used in the bloom. I just heat up a cup. Then add the rest cold so it sets up faster. it also preserves the vitamins in more of the juice and fruit. we haven’t tried any other options because we love this so much. I use the dark Simply Nature Black Cherry Plum organic juice from ALDI’S and organic fruit. I think you can taste the difference organic makes. I make mine just a little firmer to hold the fruit better.
Thanks so much for sharing, Linda! I’m so glad it was a win for you!
Do you know if it’s possible to use coconut water instead of juice?
Hi Melissa! I haven’t made it with coconut water yet. It would *probably* work as far as structure, but the flavor will be weak, especially since the gelatin will mute the flavor a bit.
Hi Emily,
I couldn’t find where to comment so I hit a Reply. I hope that’s okay.
I’m excited to try this recipe with my Granddaughter!
I’ve never done this before. Can you please tell me if I need to oil the glass 8×8 pan before pouring in the cooked jello, or do I just pour it in? Thanks so much! Ursula
Hi, Ursula! No need to grease the pan first! It can go right in!
can I add collagen in addition to the gelatine?
I don’t recommend it, since it can impact the taste and texture.
Does this work with orange juice?
It should set up fine with orange juice! I’ve done mango orange juice with great results.
I don’t know if it’s because I used old gelatin but the mango juice did not set up at all. I used a mix of mango and apple juice and followed recipe exactly and it did not set? Will try again with fresh gelatin and different juice…
Hi Laura! Old gelatin may have been the problem. Did your gelatin bloom like mine did?
Hi! Actually I came back to try to edit my review. It finally set up! It took overnight to set! The gelatin did bloom like normal. I have read different things online with some sources saying it doesn’t expire and others saying it can loose potency so it’s hard to know why it took so long to set? I am also wondering if I heated the juice too hot. So for others passing by I read online that temps above 212F will start to denature the proteins in gelatin and can affect it setting up. So I will probably try a newer pack and keep the temps under 212f just to experiment and see if it sets quicker…regardless happy it finally did set! Lol
Sounds like a perfect plan Laura!
Can you make this recipe with pectin instead ? I’d like to avoid animal products. I’ll be making this soon. Thank you!
Hi Kat! It wouldn’t be a 1:1 substitute. I recommend looking up a recipe that uses a vegan alternative like agar agar or pectin instead.
Great recipe! Made with tart cherry juice and gelatin.
i have not yet made this jelly but im sure it is yummy yummy
I made this recipe with pomegranate juice (without honey). It came out well and people liked it. However, it was more solid than I was expecting (not jiggly). If I reduce the amount of gelatin, will it be more jiggly and typically jello-like? Or should I increase the amount of juice?
Hi! I’d recommend decreasing the gelatin slightly rather than increasing the juice.
please my gelatine is sold in sachets of 10g.
the tbsp is gelatin is how much in grams?
Hi Val! For the brand I use (Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin), 2 Tablespoons is 20 grams.
I would like to make this recipe in a Bundt mold, which quantity should l go with? Double triple?
Thanks
Hi there! I haven’t made this in a bundt pan yet, but it’ll depend on the volume of your pan. The recipe makes about 4 cups of Jello, so if you have a 10-cup bundt pan, a double recipe would be your best fit. If you’ve got a 12-cup bundt, you can decide whether you’d like to do a double or triple batch.
My favorite was lime Jello. Can I use lime juice in this recipe? Also, if someone cooks pineapple juice to inactivate the digesting enzyme, will that bypass the concern? Thank you.
Hi Tre! Lime juice will be VERRRRY tart, so I don’t recommend it for this recipe.
I haven’t made it with cooked pineapple juice yet, but several other readers have with good results!
diluted and sweetened lime juice should work fine. The lime flavor your looking for is in the zest though so I would zest, squeeze, add water, boil it all together and add sweetener of choice (I like monk fruit personally), then follow the directions for the gelatin and all that.
Can a little cane sugar be used instead of the honey? so excited to try this recipe! Thanks!
Yes! That should work just fine!
I have made a jello salad with store-bought jello and adding oranges, apples, cranberries, etc to it for Thanksgiving and it’s always delicious. I wanted to make a slightly healthier version this year- have you tried adding fruit pieces to this homemade dish before?
I haven’t, but several readers have with good results!
Could this work with blended fruit instead of juice?
I wouldn’t recommend it for jello. The texture would be significantly different, and it likely wouldn’t bloom & gel properly without some adjusting.
I am going to make this recipe today. Can I add a scoop of collagen powder? Wondering if I add more gelatin, am I able to make gummies?
For the collagen: no! I don’t recommend adding any collagen powder here.
As for texture, if you add more gelatin, you can get a firmer texture, more like gummies.
Hello. The directions say “see notes” for the juice but it doesn’t say what juice to use. Thanks!
Hi Mariah! You can see the recommendation in the FAQ and the notes section of the recipe card. “Almost any flavor of juice will work! 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)”
My daughter has an intolerance to beef and so she bought Knox pork gelatine.
For the first step of sprinkling the gelatine on 1/2-3/4 cup juice, does the juice have to be at room temperature or chilled in the fridge before adding the gelatine.
Hi Leonora! I haven’t made this with pork gelatin before–cheering you on! You can double-check your package to see if it gives you any other direction, but I would think room temperature or chilled juice will work for blooming the gelatin.
Hi Emily, I just saw your response to my comment/question. Thank you! I have been making jello quite frequently now the pork gelatine and it turns out well except for the first time because something was wrong with the proportions.
How long will this store for?
Hi, Jenna! 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.
I have been keeping mine for 14 days because I had read taht elsewhere and it has remained good. In fact, the batch I made 2 weeks ago still looks good but I am not sure if it is safe to consume especially since it is for my daughter who has several food allergies.
Hi, Leonora. I tend to play it safe with foods, so I usually don’t keep this more than a week. You’ll need to make the choice you feel most comfortable with!
I’m going to try and make some of those recipes but is it good for me being a diabetic
Hi Gregory! Since I’m not part of your care team, I can’t give you health advice (your other lifestyle factors, such as diet, medication, and other interventions would all have an impact on whether this recipe could be a good choice for you!), but you can decrease the impact on your glucose by choosing a lite juice, or using herbal tea with a keto/diabetic friendly sweetener instead of honey.
Can I reduce the beef gelatin? I found it to ridge, want more of a wiggle in it. It’s a texture thing with me.
Yes! You can reduce it slightly if you want thinner jello. Or, you can add slightly more juice.
Great recipe! Does the gelatin in the recipe offer the same health benefits as drinking it (like in a broth)?
Thanks
Hi Jill! Many of the health benefits of gelatin and beef broth are the same, but this article has some good info about some of the subtle differences!
What kind of juices would you recommend?
Hi, Liz! I love using fruit/veggie blends, like V8 peach mango fruit & veggie juice for the beautiful orange colored gelatin, cranberry raspberry juice, or blueberry pomegranate juice. You can even use fresh-pressed juice! We love passion fruit juice, white grape juice, and more.
Tried the recipe with sugar reduced apple juice for a liquid diet in advance of a colonoscopy. It worked perfectly!
I’m SO GLAD it was a win for you Maria!
can I make this with homemade juice?
Yes! The only stipulation is to avoid fresh pineapple or guava juice, which contain an enzyme that interferes with the gelling process.
I want to make this with homemade juice, will that work?
It should! The only stipulation is to avoid fresh pineapple or guava juice, which contain an enzyme that interferes with the gelling process.
I just made with freshly juiced watermelon & lemon. It is in the fridge chilling now! Thanks for the recipe.
YUM! That sounds delicious.
thank you very much for this simple yummy recipe. I’ve tried it and it’s great fast and easy🥰
Do you have to heat the Juice?
Yes. If you don’t, the gelatin can’t dissolve properly. (It doesn’t dissolve in cool or room temperature liquid)
looks great!
I want to make a flavorless jello—can I replace juice with water in this recipe?
You can certainly give it a try! The biggest issue you’ll run into is that beef gelatin *does* have a flavor on its own, so it won’t be totally flavorless.
Super good!
We loved this!
Used cranberry juice and it turned out great
Made this for sick kids and they loved it
I wish we’d tried this sooner! SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!!!
Made this twice now with different juices and it was really good.
Tried with passion fruit juice like you suggest and it was really good!
Not as flavorful or sweet as box Jello, but pretty good for a homemade version!
I was nervous about making something as “scientific” as Jello, but these instructions were super easy to follow and the result was delicious!
Can this have mix-ins like store bought jello? Want to add crushed pineapple and cream cheese. Thank you
Hi Desiree! I haven’t tried adding cream cheese before, but lots of other readers have made it with added fruit!
I used to make juice jello with Knox and had the same issue with it tasting diluted, so I used frozen (concentrated) juice and didn’t add the entire amount of water the juice can called for. Thank you for reminding me of this simple healthy treat.
My four year old said, “Mommy, I like this better than the ones we bought at the store.” Thanks for sharing this recipe! It was a big hit with my family!
Whaaaat!? I LOVE THIS!!!
This looks so good. I plan on trying it this weekend. Never thought about making it with peach tea, but I have some at home. yum.
Easy, fun, and delicious. Used the Vital Farms brand gelatin powder, white cranberry peach juice, and agave. Probably will try without agave next time. I’m making it with orange mango juice when this batch is gone! Thanks!
I just tried it and it didn’t set, not sure what I did wrong. I used pomegranate juice, honey and the Great Lakes gelatin powder. Would love your insight – bummed it didn’t work! Thanks 😊
Julie – I’d love to help! The two big things to check are:
1. Did you “bloom” the gelatin in part of the juice as directed until it was thick like very thick applesauce? (if you didn’t bloom the gelatin first, it won’t ever set)
2.) Did you dissolve the bloomed gelatin in the rest of the juice? The rest of the juice should be heated as directed so that it can dissolve the bloomed gelatin. If you didn’t heat the rest of the juice, it won’t set.
BONUS THING TO CHECK: Make sure you measured the gelatin and juice out correctly. If you added extra juice or not enough gelatin, this can impact your set.
I’d love to know how it goes if you try it again!
I just made it with peach tea! Any herbal or fruit tea would be great 🙂 add a touch of sweetness if you want with whatever your sweetener is choice is.
YUM! Love this option!
juice has to much sugar for diabetics was looking for other way to flavor the gelatin.
Sandra – I’m not sure what you had in mind for using as a liquid, but you could certainly try with a more diabetic-friendly juice blend, such as a lite/sugar-free/reduced-sugar lemonade or juice cocktail.
Wow, thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I made it with apple juice and it’s so good. A fun and easy way to get more healthy gelatin in the diet! <3 Shared with family and friends.
This was great! I made it last night and was skeptical it would work just because of how simple it was… but it did! I was so excited — I grew up on box Jello but haven’t eaten it for years because of all the additives and artificial flavorings/color, and now the possibilities seem endless 🙂 I had no idea you could make it with such simple ingredients. I found this recipe because I was searching for a solution to days of an upset stomach from an allergic reaction and craving warm jello my mom used to make us when we were sick. I had a mug last night and the chilled cubes this morning with my 6yo who was delighted to have jello as a breakfast side (which I didn’t mind because it’s basically just juice!) Thank you for sharing!
Virginia – I’m SO GLAD this was what you were looking for and that it could provide some comfort after an allergic reaction. (I’m so sorry!) Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful, kind review!
Can you freeze this?
Lindsay – Jello doesn’t freeze well. I’m sorry!
Hi! I need to make jelly for recovery for an upcoming surgery and I was wondering, can this be made with maple syrup? Thanks so much!
Hi Eve! Yes, you can make it without the syrup. The syrup or honey is only added to help bring the sweetness of the juice back up to base level after adding the gelatin. You may notice the flavor is less vibrant than the straight juice, but it should still work!
Probably a stupid question but I have Sure Jell that I’m using to make Jam’s and Jelly’s, will this work as well or is it just to thicken for Jams/Jelly’s? I did notice (after I bought it) that it has other preserves such as Dextros so eventually I’ll probably lean from it for Jams/Jelly’s too but I thought I at least ask. I hate wasting stuff.
Not a stupid question! I hate food waste too. Sure Jell is pectin, rather than gelatin, so it won’t work for making jello/gelatin. The properties aren’t quite the same, so it won’t set up as firmly and your preparation process would require much more sugar to work. Best to stick with gelatin here.
If I want to enhance the color, can I use safe food coloring like Watkins?
I would think so! Just keep in mind that the dye will not be working with a blank slate like it would when working with white frosting. It will be interacting with the color of the juice. So using something like red dye to enhance red juice would work better than trying to dye yellow juice blue, for instance.
Hi, I’m not sure if this is possible but I’m allergic to all fruit and some raw veggies (late in life allergy due to autoimmune issues) and I was wondering if you could suggest anything else that could be a possible substitute for the juice? I have been trying to brainstorm but besides mint, I couldn’t think of anything. Cooked beets or corn would probably taste gross…or…🫣🤷🏻♀️
Hi Andrea! I haven’t tried this myself but several readers have had good luck with tea!
How about coffee or an herb tea?
Herbal tea works!
Hi! How would I adapt this to make “healthier” Jell-O shots?
I don’t drink, so I’m not a great resource for this. I’m sorry!
Is there a non-meat gelatin that can be used?
Hi! Gelatin is a meat-based protein, so there isn’t a vegan option. You can google recipes that use agar-agar though!
You can find kosher vegan jello on Amazon
How long does this stay fresh in fridge
I usually aim to finish it within 5 days, though it can last up to 7.
I never made home made jello before and got the idea from a prenatal book when I was pregnant, also where I learned about the benefits of gelatin. I also loveee jell-o but hate the additives and never found a decent clean brand jello. I have made this recipe about 5 times now throughout pregnancy and postpartum and I am in love! This was the best recipe I have tried among others, thank you so so much!!
I’m so glad it’s been helpful for you! We love it SO MUCH.
I must say, I was delightfully impressed by this recipe! I accidentally bought too large of a watermelon and hate wasting, so I juiced it, added a little lemon, mint, and a touch of honey – made for a refreshing jello during summer 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve also made this with this excess juice that came out if a watermelon! So refreshing!
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing Joanna!
Can i use fresh or cold pressed juice?
That should work just great! (You will still need to heat it as directed in the post.)
This sounds so healthy and perfect for my tendon/ligament recovery post surgery! I was wondering if you have tried tart cherry juice? Just adds extra nutrients for healing. I would like to go sans sweetener but am aware of the tartness. Any thoughts??
Monica – It totally depends on your taste, but one way you can cut the tartness is by mixing the tart cherry with a sweet juice, like apple or white grape. 🙂 Best of luck with your recovery!
I like the recipe, however it saw to see notes beside the fruit juice in the ingredients list yet there’s only a note regarding the gelatin.
Thank you
Use this excellent recipe for every family colonoscopy lol! Seriously, thanks for sharing it!
😂😂😂 I’m so glad it was helpful!!
I’m making it now using a raspberry compote or sorts. Can’t wait!
That sounds delicious!
Love this recipe and it’s boundless possibilities! Thank you!! (I’ve tried it with canned pineapple juice and canned coconut milk for a piña colada treat-delish!)
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s our favorite 🙂
I’m living outside the US with my two kids. The 18 month old got a stomach bug and they do not sell Jello here. Your recipe saved the day…found Gelatin and an organic Apple Strawberry juice. Little guy loved this recipe, got his appetite back and doing much better.
I’m SO glad it was a win for you Sean! My little guy was sick with a stomach bug recently and this was so great while he was on the mend.
I am SO looking forward to making this healthy option! Do you think kombucha would work???
Liz – That sounds yummy! I haven’t tried it, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
Is there anyway that pineapple bits from a can or fresh could be used either alone with a juice other than pineapple. I wanted to make a vegetable salad with carrots and celery?
Kathy – I’m not totally sure I understand your question, but to try to answer here’s what I think:
– Canned pineapple can be used as the heat treatment removes the enzyme issue.
– I would recommend using another juice besides pineapple juice when possible so you don’t run into issues with the set
– Are you planning to add carrots, celery, and pineapple to the jello?
This looks wonderful! I’m wondering how this would compare to a standard 3 oz box of jello in quantity. I’m looking to replace the jello in a family recipe with a healthier option but I’m not sure how to translate this to replacing a 3 oz box. Thank you!
Allison – I checked a box of store-bought jello and because we’re adding 4 cups of liquid, I think it compares more to the 6oz size box of Jell-o brand (which also uses 4 cups of liquid). As for swapping it into a family recipe, the conversion might depend a bit on what the recipe is–I’d love to know more if you have a minute!
Can you mix in fresh fruit too? For example, when making a cranberry salad?
Christie – I’ve never made it with fruit, but other readers have. I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Could you substitute Monk fruit for the honey?
I haven’t tried it, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try! 🙂
I had to do a liquid diet to prep for a medical procedure, and jell-o was allowed, but I wasn’t keen to use artificial sweeteners, and couldn’t find anything that didn’t use them, or sugar. A quick Google search landed me on this recipe, and I couldn’t be happier!
I ordered the gelatin online, and bought a bottle of organic apple juice from a local store. It was AMAZING. Seriously, the BEST jello I’ve ever had. I don’t think the brand names even offer Apple flavor – but I have no idea why – it’s fantastic!
I wanted to do lemon and lime as well, but because they weren’t transparent juices, the doctor’s office said no. So, I made a 2nd batch for after the procedure. Since Lemon juice can be so sour, I used mostly Apple juice again, and about 1/2 cup of lemon juice. I’m sad to report that it was still wayyyyy too sour. Edible, but not in large helpings. I haven’t yet tried lime, but considering my experience with the lemon, I think I’ll try orange next.
Thanks for sharing this recipe
Kerin – I’m SO glad you loved it!!! Thanks for sharing your tips for everyone too!
Could you use lemonade instead of fruit juice?
You’re welcome to give it a try! I haven’t tried that yet, but it sounds yummy!
This is a great idea! I’ll have to try it!
as a athlete with tendonitis in my knees this recipe makes ingesting beef gelatin so much more tasty, you truly did a miracle with this one
I’m so glad it was a win for you! THANK YOU for leaving a review! I appreciate it so much!
Will this work with fish gelatin?
I haven’t tried that before. I’m not familiar with fish gelatin. I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try! (Be sure it’s gelatin NOT collagen)
Excellent recipe! Your clear and precise directions make this recipe so simple to follow. I am overjoyed to have healthy Jello in my life again. Thank you !
Oh, I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing this sweet comment with me and for taking the time to leave a review. It’s so helpful!
It was delicious and the kids are barely noticed the difference, would highly recommend!
YAY!!! That’s the best!
I miss read this recipe when I first bookmarked it for later use, thought it was some special product, so any gelatin powder is good to use? Also could I use this recipe to make a multi layered jello in a bunt pan? My grandpa loves jello and I wanna make something fancier for his 80th birthday this week coming up.
Shyla – You can use just about any brand of unsweetened beef gelatin. Knox, Vital Proteins, and Great Lakes brands are 3 of our favorites. I’ve never used it to make layered jello before, but I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try for your grandpa!
I made it yesterday and it turned out amazing. I love it so much. Yummy!
I love this! I have gastroparesis which doesn’t allow me to eat normal food. This was so good and I cant wait to try it with different juices. I just used orange juice this time.
I’m so glad it was a win for you!!!
Hi,
I’ve tried it twice with the GoBIO gelatin powder and failed twice. I used apple juice. Not sure what I did wrong?
Hannah – I’d love to help! It looks like some of the GoBio products are actually collagen not gelatin… which one are you using specifically? Is it blooming/thickening in the small cup of juice before you add the hot juice?
THANK YOU! I successfully made this yesterday using fruit juice and they are perfect! I tried another recipe before using puree fruits and it turned out to be a bit watery. After reading other reader’s reviews, I now know why. Next time, I will try to use a combination of juice & puree fruits to see how they turn out. Thanks again 🙂
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that! Fantastic!
You specified beef gelatin for this recipe. I have a package of GoBio’s porcine gelatin. Is there any reason that won’t work? Thanks!
Leia – I haven’t used porcine gelatin before, so I just can’t guarantee the results will be exactly the same. I’d love to know how it works if you give it a try!
Thanks! My husband has started to be hungry for Jello lately, but shouldn’t eat a lot if sugar. This helps!
I’m so glad!
It turned out great after follow your recipe, just added a table spoon of honey and the rest were the same. thank you!
I’m so glad it was a winner for you Amy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review–it’s so helpful!
Heyy! I was wondering are the calories counted here with or without honey? If it’s with then do you know the calories without honey?☺️
Hi! The calories are calculated with the honey. 2 Tbsp. honey is about 128 calories, so if you divide that by the number of servings, you’ll get how many calories to subtract from each serving. (For instance, if you have 8 servings, you’d divide 128 by 8 and would subtract 16 calories per serving. If you cut it into 12 servings, you’d subtract 10-11 calories per serving). Hope that helps!
Thank you very much Emily!
I will try that and let you know what happened 🙂
Hi Emily, I would llike to know if I can use the powder of juice fruit. I have Maqui powder. I just need to add some stevia or raw honey or a combination of both to sweeten it up. Do you think a powder will work? Help me please. Thanks!
Monica – this is a great question! I’ve never used powdered fruit juice before, but my guess is that you’d need to reconstitute it in liquid and you’d likely need to sweeten it. If it’s totally smooth and dissolved in the liquid first, and sweet enough for your taste, it would probably set up! (But again, I haven’t tried it, so I’m not 100% sure). I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi Emily, I tried it and it worked perfectly. I used some stevia and 1 spoonish of maple syrup. I mixed it well in the blender before I heated it up,
Thank you!
Monica – That’s FANTASTIC! I’m so happy to hear it. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and share 🙂
OMG YOU ARE AMAAAAAZING THIS WAS SO GOOD and it good to do during COVID thank u soooo much your the best
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review–I appreciate it SO MUCH!
If I use Knox Gelatin powder how many of the envelopes will I need to use to equal the 2 tbsp? Thanks.
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.
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.
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!
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 😊
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)
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.
Ooh yum! That sounds great!
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!
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! 🙂
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.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Renee! Thanks so much for sharing and taking the time to leave a review!
Best jelly!! Reminds me of jelly my mother made.
I’m so glad you loved it Olga!
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.
I hope her procedure and recovery go smoothly! (And I hope the jello helps!😉)
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!!
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?
can i use collagen protein powder instead of gelatin to make this recipe?
Giselle – No, collagen will not work in this recipe. It doesn’t gel the way that gelatin does and will not set up. I’m sorry!
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!
I’d like to make my yogurt jell-o dish doing this method for a cleaner treat, so could I use half the hot liquid and then pour in cold (I use So Delicious coconut yogurt alternative) afterward? Hoping you know so I don’t risk wasting ingredients on a failed experiment 🙂
Pamela – I’m loving this idea! My mom used to make a yogurt/jello dish when I was little!
I haven’t tried this recipe with yogurt yet, but if I was going to, I’d follow a similar method that you’d use for a boxed mix. (Just like you said) So, I’d bloom the gelatin in juice as directed, then heat the remaining juice you plan to use as directed. Once you’ve mixed the bloomed gelatin and the steaming hot juice together and stir to dissolve. Then, you’d stir in the yogurt.
I would *love* to know how it turns out if you give it a try! I’m sure others would love to try it, too! 🙂
Emily,
It worked! I made a banana spice custard with Greek yogurt, but I am going to try it with strawberry puree and the So Delicious Coconut alternative. I found the Greek yogurt to be a little sour since I don’t like to add refined sugar, and of course I’m still experimenting with the ratio of gelatin.
Oh, hooray! I’ve been wondering how it went! THANK YOU for following up with me! 🙂
Hi Emily,
Well, the recipe turned out super! I didn’t have fruit juice on hand, so I used diluted raw coconut water. I used a smidgin of Yacon syrup to add a bit of sweetness, layered a half of banana along with fresh raspberries; it was delicious.
Thanks so much!
Oh good! I’m so glad it turned out for you!
Hi Emily,
Do you think I could make this with flavored sweetened tea? I have a mango, hibiscus herbal tea that I would like to try.
Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Ooh! That sounds tasty. I’ve never made it with tea, but it could be worth a try if you think it’ll be sweet enough for you!
You were right about the tea not being sweet enough. I fixed it by putting Trader Joe’s coconut whipped cream on top. This recipe has endless possibilities 😊, I feel like a mad scientist in my kitchen and the kids love ❤️ it.
Ooh! I bet the whipped cream was delicious! I’m so glad you’re having fun with the recipe–I LOVE hearing that! 🙂
It does indeedy, thank you! I’ll keep you posted.
I am going to try this recipe using fresh raspberries and bananas.
That sounds tasty! Hope you love it!
Hello,
This recipe sounds delicious. Could I make it with grass-fed collagen instead of gelatin? I know you mentioned it behaves differently. However, were you actually saying it wouldn’t work?
Thank you in advance!
Stacey – Sorry for the confusion! When I said it behaves differently, I was referring to its structure and uses. Collagen can blend into hot or cold liquids, but it won’t gel the way that gelatin does. So it’s important that you use gelatin NOT collagen. Hope that helps!
Is there a brand that you recommend for the gelatin? I used agar agar and it came out very gritty and with a bad taste. TIA
Ladan – Yes! If you scroll above the recipe card, I linked our favorite brands in the FAQ under the question “Where do you buy gelatin?” I linked to our exact favorite brands 🙂
Sorry if you have had this question before, but can you make this with just water instead of fruit juice?
Eva – You technically could, but it would taste pretty awful. It would taste like beef gelatin powder + honey. I wouldn’t recommend it.
OMG! this was so easy! I always loved jello but wanted something healthier with no sugar. Used black cherry juice for the base and Tart cherry concentrate for the blooming part. Love that you don’t need to chill the juice.
Am thinking of adding VP Beauty Collagen to the next batch but saw that it has Pineapple powder, do you think that break down the jello?
Yaaaaaay! I’m so glad you loved it! I’d think that because the pineapple powder has likely been heat-treated, you might be ok? And it’s probably such a small amount…I’d say it’d be worth a shot! (PS – I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!)
Hi Emily,
I recently started eating more Jello due to digestion problems (diverticulitis), and have been searching for a recipe without artificial ingredients. I tried your recipe today for the first time, and made the best “Jello” I have ever had! I made it only for myself (but my wife likes it too), so I divided the recipe in half ( 2 cups liquid). I used 1.5 oz of fresh squeezed lemon-lime juice with about 2 cups of water, and 4 tbs of Erythritol. Wow! How simple, natural and delicious. I can’t wait to expand the fruits and juices and also experiment with sweetener blends (Xilitrol, Erythritol, Stevia, Pruvia, etc). Thank you for sharing this recipe! Richard.
Richard – I’m so glad you loved it! It’s my favorite–so easy and tasty. I love your lemon-lime idea. I’m totally trying that!
I have continued to experiment. Another good variation is the lemon lime recipe with some fresh blueberries thrown in as it cools down (a dozen per bowl). Sweeteners now are: 1 tbs xylitol 2 tbs erythritol 1/2 tbs pyure also 1/4 tsp salt. Will throw in a fresh piece of pineapple for a test next time. Had no real luck taste-wise so far without the lemon-lime base. (want fairly low carb final results)
Thanks for sharing! I’m sure some other low-carb folks will so so glad to have this idea! 🙂
Thank you Emily for this yummy recipe! First batch came out fantastic using Tart Cherry Juice. Second batch came out cloudy using Pomegranate Juice?? Both were unsweetened. What could have caused the jello to become cloudy?
Anita – I’m so glad you liked it! I don’t think that you did anything wrong. In my experience, some juices are a bit murkier than others. If there’s any pulp or body in the juice (as I sometimes find with pomegranate juice), that can cause the cloudiness.
This is now my go-to recipe for homemade jello!Love it!She’s so JIGGLY!
Ha! Right? I love the texture so much!
This was amazing!!! Yours is the best!!!
Just yummy-licious 😋 I just had to thank you so much! Cuz I was able to recreate one of my husbands favorite recipes from childhood.
He said it had jello brand orange flavored, canned mandarin oranges and cool whip. I knew that I wasn’t going to make it with those ingredients.
So I went on the hunt for orange jello made with collagen. I had tried a couple others and they were just like a gummy. So I gave up for awhile. Then I looked again at different recipes and they were all saying the same thing. Except for yours… I’m like maybe because it has more juice in it that it just may work. And I’m SO GLAD that I tried it.
So I made your jello, juicing oranges and cuties. And I added some peeled cuties to the jello. And let it firm up. Then I made some whip cream: organic pasture raised heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla, and squeezed some juice of a mandarin. I spread it over the top of the jello. He said it was delicious 😋
And that it wasn’t grainy like he remembered from his childhood. I’m so happy that I found your recipe for the jello. 💗
Oh my goodness! What a sweet comment! I love that you were able to channel all those yummy creamsicle vibes into your own jello creation! Yum!
This recipe is amazing!I just tried making my first batch last night! It’s the perfect texture and everything!I haven’t yet tried it but I bet it’l be amazing as my first ever homemade jello!
YAY! I’m so glad!!!
Can this be made with fruit pectin? My husband and I own a jam company and have tons of pectin but no gelatin.
Kayla – I have only ever tried using pectin when making jam, so I haven’t tested this recipe using pectin. I believe the properties are different enough that it probably wouldn’t be a direct substitute. I’m so sorry!
This is such an amazing recipe – thank you! Has anyone tried adding vodka or have a thought on how you might do that so you would have the right mix of liquid and Gelatin. Asking for a friend 😉
Lindsey – I haven’t, but maybe someone else will chime in with a good idea for you! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe Emily! I have these emoji jello molds that have 32 molds and each mold holds 2tbsp each. I was wondering if this recipe will yield enough for me to fill all 32 molds? Thank you again!
Hi, Jacob! I haven’t measured the exact volume to the tablespoon, but I think you’ll have just enough! With 4 cups of juice (32 Tbsp.) + a little honey, it should be just about the amount you’re looking for.
Super excited to try this. I do have a question though, you mentioned pineapple juice and the enzymes not allowing the jello to form. Would this happen with other acidic fruits such as citrus? I’m curious as i want to do a lemon strawberry. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Stay safe and healthy during this time
Veronica – I think you’d be ok with lemon strawberry! I’ve used lime with cherry juice before and not had any problem. 🙂
ok thanks
Can you use jelly instead of fruit juice?
You can’t, I’m sorry. Jelly would already be set and wouldn’t texturally work the same as fruit juice. I don’t think it would work well.
Hi Emily!
Thanks for this recipe! I have the Great Lakes Gelatin and there aren’t directions on the can that pertain to making actual “Jell-O,” so I was happy to find your recipe.
One question: Have you ever taken your recipe beyond “squares” and made Jell-O mold/Jigglers?
I have some cute Easter Egg Jiggler molds and vintage Jell-O Beans molds. If I remember correctly, the recipe for Jell-O changes a little to make them work.
I didn’t want to experiment if you have already tried it with success/error 🙂
Jen – I haven’t tried this in molds before, but typically you reduce the liquid for jigglers or molds for firmer Jell-O. I’m not totally sure what to recommend with this recipe in molds (since I haven’t tried it before), but you could also increase the amount of gelatin from 2 Tbsp to 2 1/2 or 3 Tbsp. for firmer jello instead of reducing the liquid.
If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it turns out!
It’s so delicious and it’s my go to jello recipe. Amazing and easy!!!! Thank you!!!! What flavours do you recommend? I’ve tried grape, apple and pomegranate.
I LOVE hearing this! I’m so glad you liked it! We really like this peach mango juice, white grape, and Passion Fruit (Ceres brand is a good one!).
Can I eat jello and take collagen or is that too much of a good thing?
Virginia – I’m not a doctor or nutritionist (and would recommend asking a professional if you’re concerned!), but this hasn’t been a problem for me. I often put collagen into smoothies, drinks, soups, etc. and eat jello on occasion and haven’t run into any issues. If you eat a massive amount of protein in addition to those two things, you could start to stress your body.
Thanks for this recipe! Turned out perfecto! 🙂 My 5 y/o and I really enjoyed it!
Oh, that’s awesome to hear! So glad you loved it!
Hi! I was about to make this and then realized I only have porcine gelatin. I read all the reviews *hoping* that someone had used it with success but didn’t see anything. Do you think beef gelatin is the only way to go?? I also have beef collagen peptides and thought about mixing them but then thought, ummmm, hmmmm, cow/pig jello?? : )~
Thanks!
Natalie -I’ve never worked with porcine gelatin, but a quick google search tells me that’s what they often use in Jell-o brand gelatin. If you give it a try, I’d LOVE to know how it goes.
I would not recommend using collagen peptides since they won’t gel or set the way gelatin will.
Wishing you lots of luck!
Hi Emily, thank you for the recipe. I was just wondering what would be the exact amount of a ‘sprinkle’ when using 1/2 cup of juice? I am trying to get a firm finish. Thank you!
For the “bloom,” you’ll mix the full 2 Tbsp of gelatin with 1/2c or 3/4c of room temp juice then leave it to bloom and thicken while you heat the remaining juice. Once the bloomed gelatin has thickened significantly (the video shows what it should look like), you’ll mix it into the steaming hot juice. Does that make sense?
Hi, I’ve been trying to find a way to make healthy jello, & this recipe is great! But I want to know about using 100% lime juice, and would that turn out just as well?
Tiarah – I’d imagine that would be pretty tart unless you added more honey! You could also try mixing two juices together (a sweeter juice + lime juice) to help temper the tartness?
Do you think it would work with a good quality cordial? I was thinking elderflower and hibiscus.
And citric acid? I’m trying to cut sugar down /out.
Thanks,
Nancy
Nancy – I have never worked with cordial or citric acid, so I’m afraid I can’t advise you. If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
I used apple juice, gelatin and honey and this turned out great and the kids loved it!
Yum! That sounds delicious! 🙂
My jello came out a little soft and grainier than I expected. I used orange mango juice. Do you think its the juice that was the issue? My son still ate it though. 🙂 I am just wondering how yours came out so clear and firm?
The juice could possibly have contributed if it had pulp, but it sounds like the bloomed gelatin mixture may not have fully dissolved in the hot juice. Next time, I’d get the hot juice almost boiling and make sure you whisk whisk whisk the bloomed mixture for a super smooth finish. Hopefully it’s just the way you want it next time! 😊
Delicious! Spilled half on the floor though, so we’ll try to make it again! 🙂
Oops! I’m so sorry about the spill! Glad you enjoyed what you got to have, and hope you get the WHOLE pan to yourself netxt time 🙂
Have you ever tried adding fruit, such as a cranberry orange relish to the jello? This is a family favorite and I make my own relish now (cranberries, water, juice of orange, orange zest, and some maple syrup) I am going to try the jello tonight, but wondered if you have ever added fruit and or nuts. Excited to test this out for a healthy option.
Sarah, I haven’t tried cranberry relish or nuts, but I have put frozen raspberries in before with good results. Several other readers have tried other fruits with good results too! I’d say that if you’re sure you’ve really combined and dissolved the gelatin and juice mixture, you’d probably be able to add the other ingredients.
I’d LOVE to know how it turns out if you give it a go!
It worked! I used Lakewood Organic Kokomo Friut punch. I think I may try it with guava juice next time. I used to use Strawberry jello. Thank you for this great recipe.
Oh good! I was thinking of you as I made a batch for us yesterday. So glad you liked it! 🙂
Hello
What is the self life of homemade jello? After it’s been made? Thank you
Great question Victoria! Our usually keeps at least 4-5 days in the fridge, though it could probably last up to 6-7 days.
I like to use hibiscus 🌺 in my Jell-O. I also put collagen peptides in it for an extra bonus- why not lol. Put fresh fruit. Nice after work snack with vitamins and good stuff. I notice my nails growing everyday. It’s crazy. Never had nails like this before. Losing weight too and not tired all the time
I bet hibiscus is amazing! I’ll have to try that!
what would you recommend to make the jello pink and green?
Some folks have made it using fresh-pressed juice for green, and another reader made it using pink lemonade for pink!
You could also consider using a more neutral colored juice (like white grape) and using a natural food dye, like these. The colors won’t be as vibrant as artificially dyed jell-o, but might give you the effect you’re looking for.
If you’re okay with the flavor, you could also try adding a small amount of powdered freeze-dried raspberries or beet powder for pink, or try these homemade food dyes from natural ingredients!
Hope that helps!
I’m trying a batch with lime juice for a keto friendly option. Lime juice bottle says it has no carbs so we’ll see how it turns out! Replaced honey with granulated monk fruit/erythritol blend.
I’d love to hear how it goes and how your changes worked out!
What type of collagen do you buy to add to your smoothies.
Thank you for your amazing recipe.
I take exception to your comments about PINEAPPLE. Fresh pineapple should not be used with gelatine, you are correct about the enzyme in fresh pineapple ruining the gelatine & the gelatine will not set. However, canned pineapple & bottle/canned pineapple juice are just fine. The canned/bottle pineapple products have been “heat treated”, which destroys the enzyme & the gelatine sets perfectly. Pineapple/orange jelly, anyone?!
Susan – You’re right! I should have been more clear. I meant with fresh or frozen pineapple. You’re absolutely right. Canned pineapple has been heat treated. Thanks for clarifying!
What happens if the gelatin doesbt become clumpy? Mine is just liquid still. Do I just leave it there until it becomes clumpy? Please help!
Sofie – Oh dear! I’d love to help. It should definitely bloom & thicken. Did you add the gelatin to 1/2-3/4 cup of the juice, or the entire 4 cups? If you added the gelatin to the whole thing, it likely won’t thicken the same. It *may* still gel, but if it didn’t bloom, it might not.
Mine didn’t either, added to 1/2 cup of 100% white grape let it sit for a while. Did I over mix it?
Alyssa – Oh dear! Hmm… If the gelatin doesn’t set, it’s usually because the gelatin either didn’t fully bloom in the initial juice or didn’t dissolve fully in the heated juice after blooming.
The video has a good visual for what it should look like when bloomed. You’re looking for the initial juice/gelatin mixture to get thick and a bit grainy like applesauce before adding to the hot juice. To help make sure it’s fully dissolved in the heated juice, be sure to heat the remaining juice to scalding hot before stirring in the bloomed gelatin/juice mixture and then stir until it’s completely dissolved. I hope you’ll get a chance to try again! (It really is so yummy when it sets!)
There are two different types of vital gelatin, only the green label one that she shows on the page will bloom. I don’t use that brand so just make sure your gelatin is not gelatin protein.
Thanks for the clarification!
Can you use pureed fruit or add it in at some point in the process?
You know, I haven’t done that yet, but I’d think you could probably get away with it (in much the same way you would with boxed jello). I’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
Why not .. I’m going to try strawberries in blueberry juice .
That sounds yummy!
I tried several different recipes to make home made gelatin. Some were to thick, some to grainy, I feel like Goldilocks. I finally found the one that was just right! Thank you for sharing
Anne, what a sweet comment! You absolutely MADE my day. Thank you so much for sharing!
hello! Quick question! How much Gelatin do we add in?
You’ll use 2 Tbsp. 🙂
I agree with Anne, I don’t think I’ve ever finished a batch of homemade Jell-O before for these reasons. The texture (and instruction for making) is perfect! Thank you. I used a half full bottle of knudsons cranberry juice + water to make up for it and then honey – great flavor.
Oh, I’m so happy to hear that!!! So glad you enjoyed it!!!
I totally know what you mean about the awful smell of gelatin. Haha! But it’s so worth it. That’s so interesting about pineapple juice – I had no idea!
SO worth it!!!
Canned pineapple juice should gel fine, but fresh will not.