Homemade Sour THC Gummies: Best Cannabis-Infused Recipe Using RSO, Corn Syrup And Citric Acid

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

5 from 2 votes

This recipe was last updated and revised on September 13, 2023

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How to Make The Best Sour THC Gummy Bears Infused With Cannabis

Hey there, fellow cannabis cooks! Remember those delightful Sour Patch kids and gummy bears we couldn’t get enough of as kids? Well, it’s time for a grown-up twist!

We’re diving into the fun and vibrant world of gummies, but with a cheeky cannabis infusion, perfect for reliving those tangy childhood memories or just wanting a tasty way to enjoy your cannabis.

The star ingredient in this sour gummy recipe is citric acid.

Citric acid is a relatively weak acid, although it’s one of the most potent acids that are harmless for us to ingest.

Citric acid not only makes you “pucker up,” it enhances the fruit flavors of gummies.

Simple, delicious, and with a dash of nostalgia – let’s get started and make the best cannabis-infused sour gummy bears together!

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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!

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Equipment Needed for Sour THC Gummy Bears:

This recipe for cannabis-infused sour gummy bears makes approximately 120 bears or 96 square pieces from the molds mentioned in the equipment list. As always, I try to show the exact items and ingredients I use in my own kitchen.

• 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 
  
  

Let’s Break Down The Ingredients for Sour THC Gummies

Unflavored “Knox” Gelatin

This is the ingredient that provides the gummy texture to your gummy bears.

It’s a protein derived from collagen and gives structure and a pleasant, chewy feel to the gummies.

Flavored Jello

This ingredient provides the primary flavor and color for your gummies. With an array of choices available, Jello can let you experiment with a range of flavors, from tangy to sweet.

This recipe calls for a small 3 oz. box.

Fruit Flavored LorAnn Oil or Essential Oil

These are highly concentrated flavoring agents. Even in small quantities, they can impart a strong flavor, adding another layer of taste to complement your chosen Jello flavor.

The extra flavor will help mask the cannabis flavor.

To use Essential oils, make sure they are food-grade oils. Essential oils contain valuable terpenes, just as cannabis does.

To add these oils, remove the pan from the heat and add them at the same time or before the RSO mixture once the mixture cools a bit.

High heat destroys volatile terpenes.

Water

The universal solvent! Water acts as the base liquid for dissolving and combining all the other ingredients.

Corn Syrup

A viscous sweet syrup, corn syrup lends a smooth texture to your gummies.

It prevents sugar crystallization, ensuring your gummy bears remain delightfully chewy.

Not everyone is a fan of corn syrup.

You can experiment with honey, brown rice syrup, agave, date syrup, or golden syrup.

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 dislike staying mixed, we add lecithin to our gummy recipe.

I prefer liquid lecithin which is derived from sunflowers. You can use granules interchangeably with the liquid amount.

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.

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 if you add enough.

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 Mold Inhibitor

I never go without this ingredient anymore. Learning how to extend the shelf life of my gummies has been a game changer.

It’s pretty inexpensive and readily available from the LorAnn candy making supplier.

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 LorAnn Mold Inhibitor (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.

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How to Use RSO (FECO) Concentrate to Make Sour Gummies

Here is my favorite method to add RSO into my cannabis infused sour gummies.

Combine:

• 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 (RSO or FECO). 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!

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! 

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.

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.

How Do I Make The Sour Gummies Coating Recipe?

Combine ¼ cup superfine sugar mixed with ½ -1 Tablespoon of Citric Acid or to your personal sour taste.

Do you remember eating Pixie Stixs as a kid?

These straw-filled sweets can be used to coat your sour gummies as well.

Steps to Making Cannabis-Infused Sour Gummies

1. Mix unflavored gelatin with water in a saucepan. Let sit 5 minutes to bloom.
   
2. Add Citric Acid and your choice of fruit-flavored box of Jello. Mix well.
   
3. Blend lecithin, glycerin, and RSO. Warm to emulsify, stirring continuously. Set aside.
   
4. Add corn syrup to the gelatin mixture in the saucepan. Heat on low to medium-low, stirring until combined without boiling.
   
5. Incorporate the LorAnn Mold Inhibitor
   
6. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from burner. Allow to cool slightly. Add the LorAnn Oil flavoring or essential oil, and stir.
   
7. Mix in the cannabis oil mixture from step 3 thoroughly
   
8. Prep silicone molds on a tray, lightly condition with coconut oil if needed, and wipe excess. Fill molds with the mixture.
   
9. Chill molds in the fridge or freezer until set.
   
10. Once set, pop out the gummies and let them air dry.
    
11. For a sour finish, shake dried gummies in a sour mix mix of fine sugar and citric acid.
    
12. Store gummies in a labeled, airtight container. If stored long-term, use the fridge or freezer.
    
13. Calculate dosage by dividing the cannabis strength by the number of pieces.
    
14. Label clearly as medicated and store away from children or unaware adults.
    
15. When consuming, start with a small dose and be patient. Effects can take up to 3 hours, and everyone’s tolerance varies. Homemade gummies might have slight variations in strength.

Pro Tips

• Try making this recipe without any cannabis first. Once you are confident, you can begin with the real deal.
  
  
• You don’t have to stick to THC-dominant “strains.” Mix and match for your needs.
  
  
• 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 if you skip the mold inhibitor or need long-term storage.
  
• They will melt in the summer heat. Don’t leave them in your car!
  
  
• 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. 

Enjoy Your Cannabis Infused Sour Gummies

Did you make this recipe? Do you have any of your own tips and tricks?

I always try to have a batch or two of my RSO gummies around. Edibles are discreet, help me with chronic pain, and usually help me relax to sleep better.

I really hope this guide has been helpful. Please share with others and stay well, my friends!

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Cannabis Safety Disclaimers:

• Dosing: Start low, go slow. Effects can be delayed with edibles.
• Legal Age: For legal-age adults only. Follow local laws.
• Impairment: Cannabis can impair driving and machinery operation.
• Storage: Keep out of reach of children and pets. Clearly label cannabis products.
• Medical Concerns: Consult a doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or have medical conditions.
• Potency Variability: Homemade cannabis items can have varied potencies. Consume with caution.
• Allergies: Check ingredients for allergens. Beware of potential cross-contamination.

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5 from 2 votes

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