Candy Grapes
How to Make the Best Candied Grapes – Sweet, cold, and crunchy candy grapes are made with 3 simple ingredients, including your favorite flavor of Jell-O. They’re the perfect summer treat for snacking or adding a delicious extra touch of sweetness to other recipes!
Why We Love This Candy Grapes Recipe
Candied grapes were first introduced to me by my mother-in-law. She told me a friend had served her fresh grapes covered in sparkling candy coating made of gelatin. Of course, we had to experiment with this idea… And what fun it is!
Candy Grapes are made with any variety of seedless grapes, any shape or size. You can make them with classic red and/or green seedless grapes, or elongated Moon Drop grapes, or even Cotton Candy grapes. The jello-grape combo makes sweet treats that taste like Jolly Ranchers or Kool Aid!
The flavor of gelatin used for the candy coating is also completely up to you. Get creative with fruit flavors that pair well with grape flavor! Personally I love the green grapes with pineapple Jell-O, and red and black grapes with watermelon or cherry Jell-O. However, mixed berry, peach, orange, and lime are all great options! You can even make larger batches and mix the Jell-O flavors to create your own unique blend.
These “crack grapes” offer a sweet and sour combo and a cool pop of fruity fun!
Expert Tips to Get Started
- I first tried this recipe making the candied grapes with just Jello powder and grapes… But I discovered if you add just a little bit of granulated sugar, you get better coverage and a more shimmery look once the grapes dry.
- It’s also best to keep the washed grapes in water until right before rolling. Then shake them off so they just have a thin sheen of moisture over the surface. That way, they are very well coated but don’t mess up the rest of the gelatin powder for the remaining grapes.
- Once the grapes are rolled, pick them up gently with a dry hand and place them on the baking sheets so you don’t knock off the candy coating.
3 Ingredients You Need
- Grapes – seedless, any color and size
- Jell-O gelatin – your choice of fruity flavor
- Sugar – granulated white sugar is best
Pineapple is my personal favorite Jello flavor for candying grapes, but watermelon and cherry are also fabulous! You might also substitute mixed berry, peach, or tangy green apple for fun variations.
How to Make Candied Grapes
Remove the grapes from the stems and place them in a bowl. Rinse the grapes with cold water and gently toss to wash them thoroughly. Then drain off the dirty water and fill the bowl with fresh water so the grapes are fully submerged.
Set out a shallow bowl and a rimmed baking sheet. In the bowl, combine the Jell-O powder and granulated sugar. Mix well.
Working in small batches of 3-4 grapes, pick the grapes up out of the water with one hand and shake off the excess water. Put the grapes in the bowl of flavored sugar mixture and gently shake the bowl around until the grapes are coated on all sides.
Pro Tip: Try not to drop excess water into the gelatin bowl; this makes it harder to roll the remaining grapes.
Get the Complete (Printable) Candy Grapes Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Using your other dry hand, gently pick up the grapes from the bowl and place them on the baking sheet. Repeat, using one wet hand to shake the water off the grapes and one dry hand to pick up the finished candied grapes.
Once all the grapes are candied, move the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour. Keep the jello grapes in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
When ready to enjoy, remove the grapes from the fridge and stack them in a serving bowl, or on a platter, to serve as a sweet candy snack.
They are wonderful to use as sparkly garnishes on cakes and fruit pies. Mix-and-match the Jello flavors to fit different recipes like apple raspberry pie, peach pie, blueberry pie, and more. Or add them to dessert or savory charcuterie boards for a cool and crunchy touch of sweetness!
You can also use candied grapes as a fun garnish for cocktails. Try them with our screwball peanut butter whiskey drink (the PB&J), in a transfusion cocktail, grapefruit sparkler, classic cosmopolitan, or any fruity drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
They will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Longer than that and the moisture will cause the gelatin and sugar to melt.
For longer storage, I recommend stashing them in the freezer. Gently place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
The gelatin and sugar will melt and get sticky if too much water is on the grapes. They will also get sticky if left at a warmer room temperature for too long.
Let the grapes chill in the fridge for 1 hour so the candy coating will stick well without cracking.
Looking for More Sweet Snack Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- Candied Orange Peel
- Sugared Cranberries (Candied Cranberries)
- Mexican Chamoy Candy
- Turkish Delight (Locum)
- Ginger Candy
Candy Grapes (How to Make Candied Grapes)
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups seedless grapes any color (about 1 pound)
- 3 ounce box Jello flavored gelatin
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Remove the grapes from the stems and place them in a bowl. Rinse the grapes with cold water and gently toss to wash them thoroughly. Then drain off the water and fill the bowl with fresh water so the grapes are fully submerged.
- Set out a shallow bowl and a rimmed baking sheet. In the bowl, combine the Jell-O powder and granulated sugar. Mix well.
- Working in small batches of 3-4 grapes, pick the grapes up out of the water with one hand and shake off the excess water. Put the grapes in the bowl of gelatin powder and gently shake the bowl around until the grapes are coated on all sides. Try not to drop excess water into the gelatin bowl, as this makes it harder to roll the remaining grapes.
- Using your other dry hand, gently pick up the grapes from the bowl and place them on the baking sheet. Repeat, using one wet hand to shake the water off the grapes and one dry hand to pick up the finished candied grapes.
- Once all the grapes are candied, move the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour. Keep the grapes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then stack the grapes in a serving bowl or on a platter to serve as grape candy. Or use as sparkly garnishes on charcuterie boards, on cakes and pies, even as cocktail garnishes!