Do you ever want a fun and delicious snack before going to bed that will actually help you sleep? Well, maybe give these tart cherry gummies a try. They taste absolutely delicious and also have some health benefits that wouldn’t hurt to add to your diet.

More than anything, I wanted a fun and super simple recipe to make with some gelatin that I bought. I got the gelatin in order to make marshmallows, but wanted to give a simple recipe a try before committing to a recipe that is a bit more challenging.

Tart Cherry Gummies

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Tart Cherry Juice
• 3 Tbsp Gelatin
• optional 2 Tbsp Honey

Process

1. Pour the juice into a small saucepan with the stove off.
2. Add the gelatin in an even layer over liquid to avoid clumps and allow it to bloom.
   • Blooming gelatin means that you simply allow it to sit in liquid and rehydrate. During this process, the gelatin will go from a white powder to a clear goo-looking substance.
   • You will know that the gelatin has completed the blooming process when there is no or very little white powder remeaining.
3. turn the stovetop on to medium and allow to heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin has dissolved into the liquid entirely. If adding sweetener, do so at this point.
4. Once fully mixed and dissolved, immediately transfer into shaped molds or simply into an 8×8 pan.
5. Place in the fridge and allow to set up for at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut or remove from mold and place in a small container and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
6. Enjoy!

The benefits

If we’re going to discuss the benefits of gelatin and tart cherry juice, I feel that it’s only right to address the obvious:

What exactly is gelatin? Don’t we all hear that gelatin is made out of horse hooves?

Well, gelatin is made from the connective tissues of animals. This includes tissue from the skin, bones, and cartilage. Have you ever made your own broth from a chicken carcass and it had a jelly-like texture when it cooled? Well, that’s because of gelatin! It contains a significant amount of collagen and is a staple of the cuisines of many cultures.

The gelatin that I use comes from cattle that were pasture raised and grass fed, producing a great product. So, no horse hooves here.

Gelatin

Gelatin consists nearly entirely of protein and amino acids. 1 Tbsp of gelatin contains 10 grams of protein.

Gelatin also contains the most glycine of any food source. Glycine is an essential amino acid that has been linked to proper mental function and improved sleep quality. It is also linked to having protective qualities on the liver. (1) Overall, it’s an amazing addition to anyone’s diet.

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherries are high in a variety of vitamins and minerals, including copper, iron, and Vitamin A. They have been shown to decrease muscle soreness, and could be helpful in helping with melatonin production and improving sleep. (2)

I hope you enjoyed this post and please let me know if you make any of these gummies! -Hailey

Please subscribe and check out some of our other posts. Especially, the recipes that Steph and I have been making recently.