Blue Raspberry Gushers
These blue raspberry Gushers are a homemade version of the classic! They’re made with real fruit, gelatin, and natural dyes.
Why you’ll love these blue raspberry gushers
Remember Gushers? They were basically a gummy candy that was filled with a jelly filling that burst in your mouth. I love recreating nostalgic candies but with better ingredients like my peach ring gummies and homemade fruit roll-ups. Last month was a 90s snack theme for my snail mail club, and Gushers crossed my mind, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it in time. I spent some time thinking through the flavors and landed on the absolutely perfect recipe.
I’m not kidding when I say that these homemade blue raspberry Gushers go fast in my house. They have the most satisfying flavor, and they’re just so darned cute. Here’s why you’ll love them…
- Made with natural food dye. Obviously, blue raspberry is kind of a food dye-dependent flavor in conventional food, but this version only uses blue spirulina for the perfect blue color.
- A real raspberry filling. This is the best part in my opinion. A simple homemade raspberry filling that bursts in your mouth for the perfect bite.
Table of contents
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Apple juice. Apple juice is the perfect neutral color that’s still plenty sweet for the base of the gummies!
- Blue spirulina. This is the natural blue dye that gives blue raspberry its blue!
- Raspberries. You can use frozen raspberries; just keep in mind that it may release a little more liquid, so you may need more arrowroot to compensate.
- Honey. You can also use maple syrup.
- Arrowroot starch. This helps thicken the filling!
- Gelatin. This helps make the gummies.
How to make homemade blue raspberry gushers
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step One. Combine the apple juice and blue spirulina then sprinkle over the gelatin and allow to harden. Transfer to the stove and heat until the mixture returns to liquid.
Step Two. Use a dropper to transfer the gummy mixture into a mold of your choice and fill only half way. Set aside the rest of the apple juice mixture and transfer the gummy mold to the freezer to set.
Step Three. While the gummy base sets, combine the raspberries, honey, and water in a pot and simmer. Carefully mash the berries until the mixture is mostly liquid. Remove from the stove. Strain the raspberries through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, adding the lemon juice at the end. Then combine the arrowroot starch with 1 tsp of water and whisk well. Add it to the raspberry mixture and stir until thickened.
Step Four. Remove the gummy mold with the base set and add a small dot of filling into the center of each gummy.
Step Five. Use a dropper to fill the rest of the gummy molds.
Step Six. Return the full gummy molds to the fridge and allow to set for 3-4 hours. Store in the fridge and enjoy!
Michelle’s Tips & Tricks
- Pop the filling in the microwave if it’s not thickening enough. I prefer to add the arrowroot starch after you strain the raspberry filling so it doesn’t get stuck, but it will cool down during the straining process. You want the consistency to kind of be like a jelly, so if it still seems too thin after adding the arrowroot, pop it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. The heat will further activate the arrowroot, thickening it!
- Keep in mind that the filling will lose color over time. Since the filling is totally naturally colored from the raspberries, it does oxidize a bit over time. So even though you can keep these in the fridge for 2-3 days, keep in mind that the filling won’t be as bright on day 2 as it was on day 1.
- Save time with jam as the filling. The filling in this recipe basically just mimics jam. And though I way prefer making it fresh, you can also just use a shortcut and get some jam!
Storage Instructions
Store in the fridge for 2-3 days. They need to be kept in the fridge to maintain their texture. But keep in mind the color of the filling will fade with time.
If you tried these Blue Raspberry Gushers or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Other Homemade Fruit Gummy Recipes to Try…
Blue Raspberry Gushers
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Ingredients
For the gummies
- 1 cup apple juice
- ½ tsp blue spirulina
- 2 ½ tbsp gelatin
For the filling
- 6 oz raspberries
- 2 tbsp honey
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
Instructions
- Combine the apple juice and blue spirulina in a pot and whisk well. Sprinkle over the gelatin. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to harden.
- Transfer to the stove and heat on medium-low for 2-3 minutes until the mixture returns to liquid.
- While the gummy base sets, combine the raspberries, honey, and water in a pot. Set on the stove over medium-low heat and allow to come to a low simmer. Carefully mash the berries with a potato masher (or a fork) until the mixture is mostly liquid. Remove from the stove.
- Carefully strain the raspberries through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, adding the lemon juice at the end.
- Combine the arrowroot starch with 1 tsp of water and whisk well. Add it to the raspberry mixture and stir until thickened.
- Remove the gummy mold from the freezer. The base should be set. Use a piping bag or a dropper to add a small dot of filling into the center of each gummy.
- If the rest of the blue apple juice mixture has set, place it back on the stove for a minute or so (whisking well) to return it to liquid. Allow to cool slightly before using a dropper to fill the rest of the gummy molds.
- Return the full gummy molds to the fridge and allow to set for 3-4 hours. Store in the fridge and enjoy!
