Homemade champagne gummy bears are mostly sweet, but slightly sour with added citrus juice to give these adults-only gummies the perfect flavor. I’ve included a non-alcoholic option as well! This candy is perfect to make if you have an upcoming celebration like a New Year’s party, bachelorette party, or bridal shower! I’ve also included a variation to turn these into mimosa gummy bears… YES, please!
When I think about the perfect New Years Eve, it involves a little champagne, great food, and staying up 4 hours past my bedtime to watch the ball drop on television. Since my husband and I cannot drink an entire bottle of champagne on our own, I’ve started making champagne gummy bears with leftover champagne. It’s a fun treat to keep in the fridge for the new year when I start to try realllllly hard to cut back on sugar. It’s the perfect slightly sweet, slightly sour bite to appease my sweet tooth without eating an entire cupcake’s worth of sugar.
This recipe is adapted from the brilliant author and food blogger, Jessica Merchant at How Sweet Eats. I loved her use of edible gold leaf to make the gummies extra festive and fun!
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What ingredients are needed to make champagne gummies?
Homemade gummies are not quite as sticky and chewy as storebought versions. Since these are made without preservatives, they taste best freshly chilled and last longer stored in the refrigerator. The main ingredients are listed below:
- Champagne or any sparkling wine or non-alcoholic sparkling or still grape juice works too!
- Juice of lemon and orange, freshly squeezed (cuts the sweet, adds extra flavor)
- Sugar
- Gelatin
Special Equipment needed
You’ll need a gummy mold and droppers. I like this gummy bear mold that comes with droppers from Amazon and this gem silicone candy mold from Michaels Craft Store. Edible gold flake can be found on Amazon or at Walmart (cheapest option).
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What champagne should I use to make these gummies?
Any cheap bottle of bubbly will work. Brut champagne is my favorite since it is naturally less sweet. Any sparkling wine like cava, rosé, or prosecco would work, too. In that case, you may want to use slightly less sugar (maybe only ⅓ cup) if your sparkling wine is on the sweeter end of the wine spectrum.
How to make these homemade gummies
- Prepare the molds by laying them on a flat metal sheet pan to make transferring to the fridge easy and mess-free.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, heat 6 oz (¾ cup) of champagne. Cook until the mixture reduces by half, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- While the champagne is reducing, stir together the orange juice, lemon juice, remaining 2 oz of champagne, and the gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the sugar into the saucepan of reduced champagne until dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until the sugar and gelatin dissolve and the mixture slightly thickens, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Fill the molds with the mixture using a dropper or a small measuring cup with a pour spout. Chill molds in the fridge for 2 hours to set (or overnight is fine too!). Then it’s time to unmold the gummies and serve! If making these ahead of time, unmold the gummies and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. They are best when stored in the fridge and brought out for cocktail parties or snacks!
Baking with champagne? Check out my favorite Champagne cake recipe!
This light, delicate strawberry champagne cake tastes incredible. Made with strawberry jam and heavenly whipped champagne mascarpone cream, it’s the best way to celebrate any occasion!
Champagne Gummy Bears
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz) champagne, divided*
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- â…› cup (2 Tablespoons/2.5 packets) powdered gelatin
- â…› cup (1 oz/2 Tablespoons) orange juice, freshly squeezed and strained
- â…› cup (1 oz/2 Tablespoons) lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained
Instructions
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Prepare the molds by laying them on a flat metal sheet pan to make transferring to the fridge easy and mess-free. If using gold flake, place a little bit in the bottoms of the mold first. Avoid any large gold flake pieces as they won't come out of the mold well. Note: gold flake works better in larger molds like gems, hearts, or stars versus the bears.
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In a saucepan over medium heat, heat 6 oz (¾ cup) of champagne. Cook until the mixture reduces by half, approximately 10-12 minutes.
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While the champagne is reducing, stir together the orange juice, lemon juice, remaining 2 oz of champagne, and the gelatin. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the gelatin can bloom.
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Whisk the sugar into the saucepan of reduced champagne until dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until the sugar and gelatin dissolve and the mixture slightly thickens, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
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Working quickly, fill the molds with the mixture using a dropper or a small measuring cup with a pour spout. Chill molds in the fridge for 2 hours to set (or overnight is fine too!). Then it's time to unmold the gummies and serve!
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If making these ahead of time, unmold the gummies and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. They keep well in the refrigerator for up to one week. They are best when stored in the fridge and brought out for cocktail parties or snacks! Place back in the refrigerator if they've been sitting out longer than 4 hours for optimal taste.
Recipe Notes
Champagne* – I prefer Brut as it is less sweet, but any sparkling wine will work. Non-alcoholic options include sparkling or still grape juice.
Mimosa variation: omit the lemon juice altogether. Increase orange juice to 4 oz (½ cup total) and reduce champagne to 6oz (¾ cups total). Make the recipe as directed, but mix the gelatin with only orange juice as you’ll use up the full 6 oz of champagne on the stove. Store bought orange juice is fine for mimosa gummies, just be sure to strain it first to remove any pulp.
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