Creamsicle Gummies

As a kid, getting an Orange Julius was such a treat. We’d go to the mall and on occasion, my mom and I would share one. The flavor of orange and cream is so nostalgic for me. It reminds me of my childhood and those sweet memories that stick around forever. Over the years, I have successfully recreated an Orange Julius smoothie. I’ve made it with orange juice, plus coconut milk, kefir, or whole milk and they all taste great. 

While I was working to heal my chronic illness, I drank lots and lots of bone broth. Among other gut-healing properties, bone broth contains gelatin, which helps to heal and seal the gut lining. I struggled with leaky gut and other gut infections, and I really felt like bone broth was game-changing for my health. Thankfully, I am not struggling with a chronic illness anymore, but it’s still important to me to incorporate gut-healing foods into my diet. This is where these creamsicle gummies come in! I have been experimenting with different flavors of gummies like pineapple, mango, juiced carrot and blueberry, but these ones were my favorite, probably because it brings back those sweet childhood memories.

Why We Love It

Not only do they contain gut-healing gelatin, but they also contain orange juice which has vitamin C. These are great for keeping your immune system healthy all year round. They also contain healthy fats from coconut milk, which adds a nice creaminess to the gummies. I prefer to buy coconut milk in a can versus a carton because canned coconut milk typically has 1-2 ingredients and no sweeteners, which is ideal for this recipe. 

These are also great to pack in kids lunches or your lunch! Kids love these and it helps them to get gelatin, healthy fats, and vitamin C into their diets in a fun way. I love to take these with me to work and when I am traveling or out and about. They do need to keep cold, so make sure to keep an ice pack in your lunch bag. As we head into warmer weather, I prefer to eat these over bone broth since sipping a hot beverage in summertime is not always my favorite. These gummies are a great way to supplement gelatin when it just feels too hot to drink broth. 

Creamsicle Gummies Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup gelatin
• 1 orange, zested (optional add-in to mixture or on top at the end)
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions: 

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, add orange juice, coconut milk, gelatin, and orange zest (if desired) and whisk together. Let stand for 5 minutes. 
2. Add honey to the mixture and whisk in. Turn heat to low, stirring mixture gently, making sure not to bring it to a boil. Once the mixture turns into a liquid, turn the heat off. 
3. Fill a mold or pyrex dish with the mixture. Please note, you do not need any fancy molds for this recipe. Just use what you have! If you are using a mold, put a sheet pan underneath it to transfer to the fridge BEFORE pouring the mixture in it. This will prevent spilling. 
4. Transfer to the fridge and let set for about 1-2 hours or until they are firm. 
5. Pop the gummies out of the mold or cut with a butterknife if using a pyrex dish. Store in a sealed container for up to 7 days. Zest orange over the top if desired.

About the Author: Meghan McGee is a graduate of NTI’s Certified Natural Food Chef program as well as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. She believes food is the most powerful catalyst that brings people together. Sitting around a table, enjoying a nourishing meal with strangers or friends is her absolute favorite thing to do. Her mission is to inspire others to take control of their health.  You can find Meghan’s personal chef and other services at megsnourishedkitchen.com.

Photo by Meghan McGee