Halloween is creeping up on us, so it’s time to get creative in the kitchen with our Littles! These 3-ingredient spooky gummy skulls made with Jell-O are one of the easiest and quickest treats you can make, and perfect for parties, trick-or-treat bags, or fast snacking. And if your kids are crazy about spooky season, check out more kid-friendly Halloween treats!
Silicone molds are a game changer when it comes to candy and gummy-making. Unlike traditional plastic molds, silicone is flexible, which makes it much easier to remove your gummies without breaking them. They also come in a variety of fun shapes, with skulls being the best choice for this time of year, of course. The mold that I used can be found, here.
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Why You'll Love the Recipe
- Takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish
- Kid-friendly
- Seasonally appropriate!!
Substituting Gelatin in Your 3-Ingredient Spooky Gummy Skulls
If you're not a fan of gelatin, there is a plant-based substitute called "agar agar powder". It's made from seaweed, and has the same thickening effect on liquid as gelatin does. It also gives you a chance to experiment with different textures. Agar agar sets at room temperature (so, no need to refrigerate) and creates a firmer gummy, which some people prefer. Use the same amount of agar agar as gelatin for this recipe.
Tip
Toss the little dropper than comes with your silicone molds and bust out a turkey baster, if you've got one. It'll make things go way faster (and neater).
Make Your 3-Ingredient Spooky Gummy Skulls Vegan
- Use fruit juice or pureed fruit instead of Jell-O: Here's a great small batch recipe.
- Use agar agar instead of gelatin: A 1:1 substitution works, but like I mentioned before, you don't need to refrigerate your gummies if you're using this plant-based substitute.
Recipe FAQs
You can absolutely use a 3oz box of Jell-O. If you do that, I would suggest using only 1 packet (.25oz) of gelatin and a ¼ cup of water.
Short answer? There might be some spillage. Mine aren't perfect either! To avoid this, I will typically place the silicone mold on a large plate before filling and then transfer to the fridge. This helps keep things tidy.
More Kid-Friendly Halloween Treats
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Printable Recipe
3-Ingredient Spooky Gummy Skulls
Equipment
- Medium-sized pot
Ingredients
- 1 6 oz packet Black Cherry Jell-O (You can use any flavor)
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin (This equates to .50 oz)
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, combine Jell-O, gelatin, and water. Stir until combined and let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Stir the mixture over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the granules of Jell-O and gelatin have dissolved in the water. Let cool for several minutes.
- Spray your silicone mold with cooking spray (this is an optional step that will help your gummies slide out easily). Use a turkey baster (or dropper) to fill each cavity of the mold with your cooled mixture of Jell-O, gelatin, and water.
- Refrigerate for 8-10 minutes. Pop each gummy out of the mold and enjoy your snack!
Mary Read Askew
Simple but so fun for a party. I got so many compliments.
Cindy
If the agar agar is used, I assume that I still use .50 oz, but is it also cooked along with the Jell-O?
Also, how many skulls do you get from one recipe?
Ritika Gann
Hi Cindy, yes! Use the same amount of agar agar. The texture is just a little bit “chewier” in my opinion. I filled 3 molds (120 gummies).
Ritika Gann
And yes, it’s still cooked with the Jell-O