Apple cider gummy candy is an easy to make soft and chewy candy. Give it some pucker by rolling the candies in citric acid mixed with sugar!
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Where are my sour candy fans? These apple cider sour gummy candies can pack as much of a sour punch as you’d like. The basic gummy candy is made seasonal with some apple cider and unflavored gelatin. You can leave ’em plain or you can roll them in some sugar for more of an orange slice kind of candy. But if you’re feeling brave, mix a little bit of citric acid in with your sugar and roll the candies in that. I find a little citric acid goes a long way! (First time I made them so sour I couldn’t stand it)!
Ingredients and Substitutions for Apple Cider Sour Gummy Candy:
- Apple Cider-considering apple cider is in the name, I suppose this makes sense. You can swap out pretty much any fruit juice but then you’ll have to rename your gummies.
- Citric Acid-for pucker. If you don’t have citric acid, you can use lemon juice IN the candy and use Kool Aid powder mixed with sugar for rolling the finished candies.
- Unflavored Gelatin-to make our gummies “gummy”
- Granulated Sugar-for sweetness and for preservation
- Water-I hate it when water isn’t listed in the ingredients-we need it to bloom the gelatin.
Some notes about gelatin:
Gelatin makes a candy that is elastic and also melts below body temperature so the candies are chewy and melt in the mouth. We have to be careful not to cook the gelatin too hot or it will be damaged and won’t set. It has to be added to water before it can be heated or it won’t melt but we don’t want to add too much water and make a softer finished gummy. It also takes about 20 hours to fully set so you’ll need to let your candy set overnight.
Where can you buy unflavored gelatin? I usually can find it in the Jello section of my grocery store. The brand that is carried most often in my area is Knox. You can also get it online.
What is citric acid?
Citric acid occurs in citric fruits, but citric acid powder that we are using for these candies is actually created from a mold that makes citric acid as a byproduct when it metabolizes sugar. It’s much easier to produce citric acid commercially this way rather than extracting the citric acid from citrus fruit.
How do we use it? It’s usually used as a food preservative. I use it frequently in my home canning recipes and then obviously in candy. Commercially it’s used to preserve foods because an acidic environment makes it hard for bacteria to grow. It’s also used to make ice cream and caramel. It’s even used to make cheese!
Where can you buy citric acid? I usually just order mine from Amazon. I haven’t had much luck finding it in grocery stores around me, although sometimes I can find it in the canning section of my grocery store during the summer and fall. If you can’t find citric acid, it’s sometimes called “sour salt.” Because I use citric acid in my canning, I go through a pouch every year, but if you’re only using it for candy making, it will last up to 3 years once opened.
Why are my homemade gummies wet and sticky?
You didn’t let them dry long enough before putting the sugar/citric acid coating on. The citric acid tends to pull water out of the gummies and will then leave them a shiny sticky mess. Allow your gummies to sit overnight on a cooling rack to dry and then coat them in sugar/citric acid. I initially made this mistake and my gummies were a damp sticky mess. It was gross. But, I let them dry overnight and then re-coated them in sugar and citric acid and we were good to go.
Alternatively, if you don’t want sugar coated or sour gummies, you can toss your candy in a baggie with some corn starch and that will keep them from being too sticky.
How long do homemade gummies last?
5 days to a week in an airtight container.
Tips for success:
- Use a silicon mold-that way you can turn it inside out to get your gummies out. Don’t have a mold? Spray a 9×9 cake pan with cooking spray and then cut gummies into shapes with small cookie cutters or just into squares
- Spray your mold with cooking spray-so your candy doesn’t stick to the mold
- Dry your gummies overnight-to keep them from getting “wet”
Apple Cider Gummy Candy
Equipment
- candy thermometer
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 2 teaspoons citric acid split-some goes in the candy and some is used for rolling the finished candies
- 1 ounce unflavored powdered gelatin 4 (.25 oz) envelopes or about 3 tablespoons
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 more for rolling finished candies
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together juice, 1/4 cup water and citric acid. Stir to dissolve. Add in gelatin and stir. Allow to sit 15 minutes to soften the gelatin.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat mix 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees Farenheight on your candy thermometer. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- In a medium size saucepan over low heat add sugar syrup and gelatin mixture. Cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Don't allow mixture to boil.
- Pour candy mixture into greased molds (or a greased cake pan) and allow to sit for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Remove from molds. Roll candy in sugar or sugar and citric acid. (1/4 cup sugar to 1 teaspoon citric acid). Lay on cooling rack to dry for 8 hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Like making candy? You should try making some candied grapefruit or some no bake peanut butter balls. Both make excellent food gift ideas.
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