How to Make The Best Sour Gummy Bears Infused With Cannabis

• By Penelope Hamilton Crescibene
• July 13, 2022March 19, 2023
• Recipes

Are you ready to pucker up? Learn how to make the best sour gummy bears infused with cannabis, just like the store-bought.

Take a walk on the sour side with this super sour cannabis-infused gummy recipe! Citric acid is our star ingredient to pair with your favorite fruit flavors. Citric acid is a relatively weak acid, although it’s one of the strongest acids that are harmless for us to ingest. It’s perfect for us to create a sour kick!

While we are at it, we’ll add potassium sorbate as our mold inhibitor, and you’ll have shelf-stable cannabis-infused gummies to enjoy even when you’re away from home. 

This recipe calls for RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) or FECO (Full Extract Cannabis Oil). Check out our beginner’s recipe for making basic Gummy Bears with Canna Oil or our regular not-so-sour Gummy Bears made with RSO/FECO recipes too. Don’t be afraid to create your own version!

Pro Tips

• Try making this recipe without any cannabis first. Once you are confident, you can begin with the real deal. Use a neutral oil or sweetener as if you were adding cannabinoids to get a feel for how the process goes. 
• You don’t have to stick to THC-dominant “strains.”
• Properly label and package infused gummies to avoid accidental consumption. (mylar bags & stickers are a huge help)
• Refrigerate or freeze cannabis-infused gummies to preserve potency and shelf life.
• This recipe is very forgiving and adaptable, so take notes on what you tried, and don’t be afraid to be creative as you get more comfortable. 

Equipment Needed:

• Square Silicone Candy Mold 
• Gummy Bear Silicone Candy Mold 
• Cannabis Leaf Silicone Mold 
• Candy “dropper pipettes” or Silicone Squeeze Bottle (or whatever you find that works to fill the cavities)
• Cooking spray
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Saucepan 
• Silicone rubber spatulas 
• Whisk 

This recipe for cannabis-infused sour gummy bears makes approximately 120 bears or 96 square pieces from the molds mentioned.

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tbsp. Bulk Unflavored Knox Gelatin or two envelopes 
• 1 Small box 3oz.- or ½ cup bulk Jello flavor of your choice 
• ½ Cup water
• 2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
• ¼ tsp – 1 Tbsp Citric Acid Powder or to taste 
• 1 Dram LorAnn Oil of your choice to compliment Jello flavor 
• ¼ tsp LorAnn Mold Inhibitor optional ( see notes )
• 1-2 tsp  Sunflower Lecithin (see notes)
• ⅛ – ¼ cup Food Grade Glycerin (see notes) 
• FECO/RSO syringe of your choice (see notes)
• Sweet and Sour Coating- ¼ cup superfine sugar mixed with ½ -1 Tbsp Citric Acid or to taste. 

Instructions:

1. Combine unflavored gelatin and water in a small to medium saucepan. Stir to mix with a spoon or silicone rubber scraper. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to bloom.
   
   
2. While the gelatin “blooms,” mix 1 tsp of lecithin into ⅛ cup of glycerin and ½ syringe of FECO. Warm the mixture to help emulsify. I use a mug warmer to achieve this step. You’ll need to stir a lot! Note: If you use a full syringe of FECO, use ¼ cup of glycerin and 2 tsp lecithin. 
   
   
3. Stir in flavored jello and corn syrup into the saucepan of jello. Turn the stove burner to low to medium-low, depending on your stove. Keep stirring your ingredients until well mixed. Do not boil. 
   
   
4. Add in the LorAnn Mold Inhibitor and desired amount of Citric Acid, and stir well until dissolved and mixed.  Experiment with different amounts of citric acid to increase the sweet and sour taste. Citric acid does help preserve food, so you can try skipping the potassium sorbate.
   
   
5. Once your mixture seems incorporated, turn the stove burner off and add the entire 1 dram bottle of LorAnn Oil flavoring of your choice. Stir well. ( Work quickly to keep the mixture hot enough to pour into molds. Keep the pan on the heating element that’s turned off to help)
   
   
6. Add your cannabis oil mixture and stir and stir until you are confident it’s incorporated as evenly as possible. Although many recipes warn against using a whisk and causing foamy bubbles, I find it necessary to get the cannabis oils to mix in. Mixing can take 5-10 minutes, depending on the amount of cannabis oil you add. I sometimes briefly warm up the pan on low if I feel my mixture is getting too thick.
   
   
7. Set your silicone molds on a tray or cookie sheet. If your molds are new, wash and dry completely beforehand. To condition the molds, spritz lightly with a neutral cooking spray such as coconut oil. Wipe out any excess oil with a lint-free towel. Do not overspray.  Use a dropper or silicone squeeze bottle to fill your molds quickly. Count how many pieces your batch made. You’ll need to know this number to estimate the strength of your edible.
   
   
8. When your molds are firm enough to be moved, place them into the refrigerator until set. I have also put them in the freezer with no problems. The trays may be necessary to keep them level and avoid spills.
   
   
9. When the candy is firmly set and ready, “pop the squares out.” I always work over a silicone mat. Now it’s time to air dry. Air drying will improve texture and allow the sour sugar coating to stick but not dissolve. (See how to air dry in notes)
   
   
10. Mix ¼ cup superfine sugar mixed with ½ -1 Tbsp citric acid or to taste. Once the sour gummy bears have been cured by air drying, shake them in a bag filled with this mixture. Do not spray your gummies with oil if using the sugar mix as a coating. The sugar coating is optional.
    
    
11. Package and label your gummies in an airtight container or bag. To preserve the integrity of the cannabinoids, store gummies in the refrigerator or freezer long-term, although If you use the mold inhibitor, you may leave room temperature. Label well with warnings and dosage if known. I use these medical cannabis labels.
    
    
12. Divide the strength or milligrams of cannabis by the number of pieces to determine the approximate strength of each. I can’t stress enough to package and label with warnings that your candy is medicated. Store safely away from children or unsuspecting adults.
    
    
13. Start Low and Go Slow! The medicated edible rule is to start with a very low dose of THC and slowly increase until you know the effect. Edibles can take up to 3 hours to peak in some individuals. Learn to know your body and your dose. Everyone’s endocannabinoid system is different. Some people prefer 2mg and others feel nothing after 200 mg. Also, your cannabis-infused sour gummy bears made at home aren’t perfectly uniform in size or dosage, so keep that in mind.
    

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NOTES:

Using FECO/RSO

⅛-¼  cup Glycerin, or you can use corn syrup or honey in a pinch

1 tsp Sunflower or Soy Lecithin (liquid or granules) 

Add the desired amount of concentrated cannabis (FECO/RSO). Choose THC, CBD, or any cannabinoid your dispensary offers. You can make your own combinations or ratios! 

Use a glass or metal measuring cup on an electric mug warmer to mix these ingredients on very low heat. Stir often until the mixture is well combined. Do not boil! If you don”t have one of these handy warmers, you’ll need a very small saucepan and stir the mixture constantly until you’re satisfied. I prefer to heat these ingredients separately to limit my cannabis from extra heat, and this step helps to emulsify the oils into the main candy mixture. You don’t want to overheat and degrade any of the cannabinoids.

A mug warmer or candle warmer, as they are called, is amazingly handy for mixing cannabis oils at home. They are inexpensive, and I can usually find them in thrift stores! 

Glycerin

Glycerin is an odorless, colorless syrup-like liquid made from fats and oils. It adds sweetness to foods and helps prevent the crystallization of sugars in foods like candy. I used to use a neutral oil such as MCT oil as a carrier to dissolve RSO/FECO but found glycerin far superior. In addition, the added sweetness helps hide the unwanted taste of the oil. 

Lecithin

Lecithin is used widely in commercial baking, but you often don’t hear it used in home baking. Lecithin comes in granules or liquid forms. According to WebMD, “Lecithin is a mixture of fats that are essential to cells in the human body. It can be found in many foods, including soybeans and egg yolks.” 

Lecithin is an emulsifier, which is an ingredient that will help other ingredients not only mix well but remain mixed. Since oil and water don’t like to stay mixed, we add lecithin to our gummy recipe. I prefer liquid lecithin that is derived from sunflowers. The soy-derived lecithin is known to be an allergen to some and avoided. This recipe is very forgiving, so use the amount and type you are comfortable with. 

Citric Acid

There are both natural and artificial sources of critic acid. Natural sources include tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, pineapples, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, and berries. Citric acid is a relatively weak acid, although it’s one of the strongest acids that are harmless for us to ingest. For hundreds of years, we have been lowering the PH of food to help preserve it. Since citric acid lowers the PH, it may help keep your gummies from molding but will change the flavor. I’ve seen recipes call for anything from 1/4 tsp to 1 Tablespoon or more per batch. So, if sour gummies are your jam, pucker up and add some citric acid.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any science on the minimum amount required to prevent mold. I’m sure it would involve testing the PH level.  (If you are infusing with an alcohol tincture, most recipes advise skipping the citric acid.) 

To save money, you can buy citric acid in bulk. Think you’ll never use it all? I love how it cleans my dishwasher. Just fill your dispensing cup with a few ounces. Read your manual for precautions.  Lemi Shine is a brand of citric acid cleaning products, but you can easily DIY with some Google searches.

Potassium Sorbate

Potassium sorbate is a naturally occurring unsaturated fatty acid, although it’s most often man-made today. It’s used in cosmetics and as a food additive to extend shelf life. Cheese, yogurt, and dried fruits often contain potassium sorbate to extend shelf life, and these foods benefit from the neutral flavor to prevent an aftertaste. Potassium Sorbate doesn’t offer any particular health benefits and is often used in minute amounts specifically to inhibit mold growth. 

How much Potassium Sorbate do you need to add? 

First, you need to know how much one batch weighs.  That will depend on how you are infusing and your mold size. This recipe will vary from 95 to 140 pieces! A more accurate way to measure your batch in order to add LorAnn Mold Inhibitor is to take the average weight of your finished batches.

According to the LorAnn Oils website, you’ll need to add 2 tsp per 5 lb (total batch). For example, a 10-ounce bag of Haribo store-bought gummies has approximately 120 bears. Therefore, I estimated this recipe to need ¼ tsp of mold inhibitor.

How to Air Dry Cannabis-Infused Sour Gummies

Drying is said to improve texture and make them more like store-bought candy. Since drying removes moisture, this step will naturally extend the shelf life. 

To air dry, individually place each piece on a drying rack or a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Cover the gummies with a flour-sack towel or other breathable lint-free cloth and allow them to dry for 24 to 72 hours. Turn pieces as needed.

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