these easy vegan fruit snacks are made from only 3 ingredients and they are actually made with fruit! we will make 3 different flavors: blueberry, strawberry, and peach. they are all made the same way and they are so delicious.
the inspiration
I think we can all relate to loving a little fruit snack of fruit gummy. To be honest I even look forward to my gummy multi vitamin. So, I really wanted to make a vegan fruit snack. I also wanted to make sure that by eating these we were actually getting in real fruit. These vegan fruit snacks use agar powder to create a fun texture and turn them into gummies.
the ingredients
- Fruit: for this recipe I am using blueberries, strawberries, and peach. Feel free to change up the fruit you use as long as you use ⅔ cup (100g) of fruit it should work out fine.
- Agar Powder: agar powder is a substitute for gelatin. There is no replacement and this ingredient is crucial as it creates the texture and helps to turn these from liquid to a gummy-like texture. you can find agar powder at most health stores, bigger food stores or online.
- Grade A Maple Syrup: this will be used to enhance the natural sweetness of the fruit. We only use 1 tablespoon per fruit so it is a small additional of natural sugar in each gummy.
- Water: this will help us to blend everything.
the first steps
The first thing you will do to make these vegan fruit snacks is cook your fruit with water and maple syrup. This will help to break the fruit down and get it softer. It only takes 5 to 10 minutes depending on the fruit. Things like berries and grapes will break down much quicker compared to something like a peach. Once you break them down you will add them into a blender with a bit more water and the agar powder.
straining and cooking
After you blend everything up you are then ready to strain. Certain fruits will break down better in the blender but I do think it is important to strain all of them. This will help to have smooth gummies without any pulp or seeds. You will be left with a fruit gel, you will the just cook that for several minutes. You have to cook it as the heat allows the agar powder to activate. Then you will be ready to go!
tips for making fruit snacks
If you want to make these into cute little shapes like I did all you need is a mold and droppers! I got this great set online that came with 4 silicone molds and 2 droppers. However, you can use any mold you like. There are all kinds of shapes and sizes.
This mold was a bit on the smaller side but I do think they are similar to typical fruit snack sizes. The droppers are very helpful for ensuring things don’t get messy and makes for an easy transfer.
I also found it very helpful to keep the fruit gel on the stove because as the agar cools it will thicken. Keeping it on the stove allowed the gel to say more liquid than formed making it easier for me to squeeze it into the mold.
how to make fruit snacks without a mold
If you don’t want to make these with a mold, which I totally understand not wanting to buy another kitchen item, there are a few fun ways to do it! First, you will need a sheet pan or a loaf pan and parchment paper or a silicone mat. You can spread the fruit gel over the mat to be about 1 inch thick or pour it into the loaf pan. Then you will let it set for an hour or until it is one solid piece. From there you can either cut it into squares or you can use a small cookie cutter to make shapes if you like. Then you will have fun fruit snacks to enjoy.
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fruit snacks faq
- Are these allergy friendly? Yes! No nuts, gluten or soy is involved.
- How long do these last? Up to 1 week in the fridge. It is important to keep in mind the longer they sit they do start to get a bit of liquid developing in the container.
- Can I freeze them? While I didn’t try I actually do think it would be okay to freeze them and then thaw when you want to eat.
- Do I have to use agar powder? Yes, agar powder is a crucial ingredient there are no substitutions.
- Do they have to be stored in the fridge? Yes as there are no preservatives.
- Can I use other fruits? Yes, the process will be the same ⅔ cup (100g) of fruit per flavor. If you are using a sturdier fruit like nectarines or apple use more water when blending.
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Homemade Vegan Fruit Snacks
Equipment
Ingredients
Blueberry Fruit Snacks
- ⅔ cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Scant ¾ cup water, divided
- 1 teaspoon agar powder
Strawberry Fruit Snacks
- ⅔ cup strawberries, halved
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Scant ¾ cup water, divided
- 1 teaspoon agar powder
Peach Fruit Snacks
- ⅔ cup peach, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Scant 1 cup water, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon agar powder
Instructions
- Cook the fruits: for each flavor you will start off by adding each separate fruit into a pot (so 1 pot per fruit) and then add in the maple syrup and ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons (105ml) water. Cook the fruits for 5 to 10 minutes on medium low heat for the fruits to soften and break down. The peaches will not break down as much as the strawberries and blueberries.
- After each fruit is done cooking you will work with 1 fruit at a time.
- Peach Fruit Snack: into a blender add the cooked fruit, remaining ½ cup (120ml) of water and the agar powder. Blend for 30 seconds. Strain the peach mixture back into the pot. Cook on the stove for 5 minutes over medium low heat mixing continuously until a gel starts to form. It doesn't have to be a very thick gel, when you drag your spatula through it there should be a slight pause before the liquid pushes back into itself. Turn the stove off but keep the mixture on the heat. Use the dropper to start to pick up the peach fruit snack mixture and start to disperse it into the mold. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture. Set aside for 1 hour at least to cool and firm.
- Blueberry Fruit Snack: into a blender add the cooked fruit remaining ¼ cup (60ml) of water and agar powder. Blend for 30 seconds. Strain the blueberry mixture back into the pot. Cook on the stove for 5 minutes over medium low heat mixing continuously until a gel starts to form. It doesn't have to be a very thick gel, when you drag your spatula through it there should be a slight pause before the liquid pushes back into itself. Turn the stove off but keep the mixture on the heat. Use the dropper to start to pick up the peach fruit snack mixture and start to disperse it into the mold. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture. Set aside for 1 hour at least to cool and firm.
- Strawberry Fruit Snack: into a blender add the cooked fruit, remaining ¼ cup (60ml) of water and agar powder. Blend for 30 seconds. Strain the strawberry mixture back into the pot. Cook on the stove for 5 minutes over medium low heat mixing continuously until a gel starts to form. It doesn't have to be a very thick gel, when you drag your spatula through it there should be a slight pause before the liquid pushes back into itself. Turn the stove off but keep the mixture on the heat. Use the dropper to start to pick up the peach fruit snack mixture and start to disperse it into the mold. Repeat until you have used all of the mixture. Set aside for 1 hour at least to cool and firm.
- Once they have formed press them out of the molds, place in a container, eat immediately or and store in the fridge.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
Nutrition
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hey there!
Hey, I’m Francesca!
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I am happy to have you here and hope you explore more delicious vegan recipes.
Hi there, at what point do I combine the fruit mixture and water/aga mixture? Thank you!
Hi Juliet, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I didn’t explain it clear enough. After you cook the fruit, then you add everything into the blender all together. I have updated the instructions. If you have anymore questions let me know.