These low carb sour gummy bears are the ideal sweet treat! They're sugar free - but with that classic mixture of sweet and sour flavors! If you've been looking for a sour gummy recipe that fits a low carb lifestyle, these sugar free sour gummies are chewy, tangy and about 3g net carbs for a generous handful of 25 bears.
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My recipes for zero carb gummy candy and keto gummy bears are two of the most popular recipes on my site!
A quick scroll through the comments on either post (apart from the Aspartame-haters - yes, I know why some of you don't like it!) is that people love the recipes, but also crave SOUR gummy candy.
I've heard many suggestions of how to adapt the recipe, mainly involving citric acid. So I finally put it to the test and worked out a recipe for you! For these treats you'll need a set of gummy bear molds. Mine has three trays, 50 bears to a tray, and three droppers too! (The set linked here comes with four trays, so you'll have a spare.)
I don't have a recipe video for these sour bears yet, but here's the one for the basic gummy bears which might help. Or scroll down for the full details and printable recipe card:
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sugar free Jello. Each 0.3 oz packet gives one tray of bears its flavor and color. I used lemon, lime and orange, but any flavor works. Simply Delish Jel is a good swap if you'd rather skip aspartame.
- Unflavored powdered gelatin. One envelope per flavor (I use Knox) is what makes these properly chewy instead of wobbly like a Jello cup. Don't leave it out.
- Citric acid. The star of any sour gummy recipe. A little goes into the gummy mixture and the rest goes into the coating. Look for food grade citric acid powder; it's sold near the canning supplies in many stores.
- Powdered low carb sweetener. This balances the pucker in the coating. Pick one you like the taste of on its own, like Lakanto powdered monk fruit. Powdered (not granulated) sticks to the bears much better.
- Water. Just ¼ cup per tray, which gives a pleasantly firm chew. See the note on quantities below if you like softer gummies.
How to Make Low Carb Sour Gummy Bears
Add some sugar free Jello, unflavored powdered gelatin (eg Knox), citric acid and water to a small saucepan.
Update: Try using Simply Delish Jel mix instead - it is aspartame free, gelatin free, and doesn't contain any artificial flavors or colors!
Cook over a low heat, until all the crystals have dissolved. Remove from the heat and use the dropper to fill the cavities. It is useful to place the silicone tray on a small tray or chopping board first as it makes it easier to move around after it's filled!
Repeat with other flavors - I chose lemon, lime, and orange!
A note on quantities: ¼ cup of water really doesn't seem like very much, but it's what you need to fill one of these trays of 50 bears. The bears have a pleasant chewy quality to them! If you prefer softer gummy bears, use ⅓ cup water instead - but bear in mind you'll have more liquid than you need for one tray, so you might like to use another tray or a different mold.
Leave the bears at room temperature until fully set - at least an hour. Carefully remove the keto gummies from the molds and place in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together more citric acid and a powdered sweetener that you like the taste of when "neat" - like Lakanto powdered monk fruit.
Add the citric acid mixture to the gummy bears and stir well to mix.
How the Sour Coating Works
The pucker in store-bought sour candy comes from food acids, and citric acid is the big one. It's the same acid that makes lemons and limes taste sharp, just in a dry, concentrated powder. In this recipe it does two jobs. A little goes into the gummy mixture so the bears taste tangy all the way through, and the rest is mixed with powdered sweetener and tossed over the outside, so the sour hits your tongue first and the sweet, fruity gummy follows.
Citric acid is also hygroscopic, which means it pulls moisture from the air and from the gummies themselves. That's why the coating looks sparkly and dry at first, then slowly turns a bit sticky and syrupy. Mixing it with powdered sweetener helps, and so does coating the bears shortly before you plan to eat them. Start with the amounts in the recipe card and add a pinch more citric acid if you like your sugar free sour gummies really mouth-puckering.
Helpful Tips
Keep the heat low. Gelatin doesn't like to boil. Warm the mixture gently and stir just until the crystals disappear; boiling can weaken the set and give you softer, stickier bears.
Work quickly with the dropper. The mixture starts to thicken as it cools. If it gets too stiff to draw up, set the pan back over very low heat for a few seconds to loosen it again.
Let them set fully. An hour at room temperature is the minimum. If the bears feel tacky or tear when you pop them out, give them longer. Chilling them for 15 minutes can make unmolding easier.
Coat just before serving. Because citric acid draws out moisture, the coating is at its best within a few hours. If you're making these ahead, store the plain bears and toss them in the sour mix on the day.
Taste your sweetener first. In the coating you'll really taste it, so use a powdered sweetener you enjoy on its own. A tiny pinch more or less citric acid lets you dial in the sour level for your family.
Halloween Sour Gummy Worms
Sour candy is having a big moment this Halloween, and this recipe is an easy way to join in without the sugar crash. Pour the same mixture into a silicone gummy worm mold to make sour gummy worms, then toss them in the citric acid coating just like the bears.
For spooky colors, go with lime (slime green) and orange for a classic Halloween look, or use black cherry or grape Jello for dark "bloody" worms. Two-tone worms are fun too: fill each cavity halfway with one flavor, let it set for 10 minutes, then top up with a second color. Pile them on a Keto Halloween Snack Tray, tuck them into a bowl of sugar free chocolate pudding "dirt", or bag them up as low carb treats for your own kids.
Variations
- Sour gummy worms. Use a worm mold and spooky colors for Halloween (see above).
- Extra sour. Double the citric acid in the coating, or add a pinch of malic acid for that sharp green-apple style sour.
- Sweet gummy bears. Skip the coating and the citric acid for the original keto gummy bears.
- Different shapes. Hearts, stars, dinosaurs or any small silicone mold will work. Larger molds need a little longer to set.
- Single flavor batch. Make just one tray of your favorite flavor by using a third of the coating.
Serving Ideas
These are a great grab-a-handful snack when a sweet craving hits, and a serving of 25 bears goes a long way. They're also a fun addition to lunch boxes, movie nights and party snack bowls, where nobody will guess they're sugar free.
For a party, set out a candy bar with these next to Zero Carb Gummy Candy and a few other low carb goodies. In October, add them to a spooky dessert table with Halloween Brownies.
Storing & Freezing
Store the gummies in an airtight container. I've tried keeping them on the counter and in the fridge - and I think they do better on the counter. But best eaten within a couple of days! Uncoated bears keep a little longer, so if you want to make them ahead, store them plain and add the sour coating later.
I don't recommend freezing these. Gelatin candy can turn watery and lose its chew when it thaws, and the sour coating dissolves into a sticky syrup. They're so quick to make that a fresh batch is the better option.
These cute little bears are great for a sweet treat! You might also like to check out my guide to low carb candy!
More Low Carb Candy & Halloween Treats
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Zero Carb Gummy Candy
- Keto Low Carb Gummy Bears
- Keto Gummies
- A Guide to Low Carb Candy
- Low Carb Halloween Recipes
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Sour Gummy Bears
Ingredients
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place the gummy bear molds on a small tray or chopping board so they're easy to move once filled.
- In a small saucepan, combine one flavor of sugar free Jello, one envelope of unflavored gelatin, ¼ teaspoon citric acid and ¼ cup water. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until all the crystals have dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and use the dropper to fill the 50 cavities of one mold.
- Repeat with the two other flavors, filling one mold per flavor.
- Leave the bears at room temperature until fully set, at least 1 hour.
- Carefully pop the bears out of the molds and place them in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the powdered sweetener with ¼ teaspoon citric acid.
- Sprinkle the sour coating over the gummy bears and stir well until they're evenly coated.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
Nicol says
Hi, I just wanted to see what powdered low carb sweetener you recommend?
Georgina says
I recommend using whichever powdered sweetener that you like the taste of when "neat" - my preferences are Lakanto or Swerve!