Sugar-free Jello Recipe (Vegan Option)
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Looking for a healthy alternative to boxed jello with all the sugar, artificial colors, and additives? This Homemade Sugar-free Jello is simple to make, naturally customizable, and a fun treat without the extra junk.
This sugar-free jello works beautifully with lemon, lime, or unsweetened cranberry juice for a naturally flavored and colored dessert made with just a few simple ingredients. You can even make a vegan version if needed.
When you think about it, why would someone pay over $5 per pound for a little box made up of mostly sugar, a teensy bit of gelatin, and artificial color and flavor?
Answer: You shouldn't and now you don't have to. It’s super easy and much healthier to make your own homemade gelatin dessert.
Why You Should Make Homemade Jello
Of course, by making Homemade Jello, you save a lot of money over store-bought gelatin desserts.
You have total control over the ingredients and can leave out those not so savory things like artificial colors and flavors.
This recipe is also fully customizable. You can easily create different flavors and colors by using natural flavorings and food coloring.
Ingredients
Gelatin
Use quality gelatin for best results. I prefer to use grass-fed gelatin like Perfect Supplements, which is gelatin from pastured, grass-fed cows in Brazil. Code WNM gets 10% off your purchase.
Lemon, Lime, or Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
These are my preferred juice bases for this recipe because they are low carb and add natural flavor and color without artificial ingredients. Fresh juice gives the best flavor. Bottled options can work, but I avoid ones with added preservatives like ReaLemon. You can use other juices as well, but they will add more carbs.
Sweetener
You can use almost any sweetener you like for this recipe. I use low-carb/sugar-free sweeteners, but it's a very flexible recipe.
How to Make Sugar-free Jello
Bloom the gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water and let it soften for a few minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and heat: Stir in the remaining liquid and sweeteners, then gently heat until dissolved. Don’t boil.
Customize flavor and color (optional): Use lemon, lime, cranberry juice, extracts, flavorings, or natural food coloring to create different flavors and colors.
Chill until set: Pour into molds or a baking dish and refrigerate until firm.
How to Customize Homemade Jello Flavors and Colors
This Homemade Sugar-free Jello is easy to customize using juices, extracts, flavorings, and natural food coloring.
Lemon and lime juice work beautifully on their own for a fresh citrus flavor.
Cranberry juice has become one of my favorite options because it naturally creates a fun red color without artificial dyes and it pairs well with flavors like strawberry, cherry, or raspberry.
You can also make this recipe using water only as the base and add your preferred flavoring or extract for lots of different flavor combinations.
If using extracts or concentrated flavorings, start with about
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon extract
OR - 5–15 drops of concentrated flavoring
for the whole batch, then taste and adjust before chilling.
For deeper colors, add natural food coloring gradually until you get the shade you prefer.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Gelatin: For firmer gelatin squares, use twice as much gelatin to make a firmer result.
- Color: The color of this Homemade Jello won't be as intense as that of store-bought gelatin mixes. You can use natural food coloring or even add brightly colored foods such as spirulina to add intensity.
- Stevia: 1/32 teaspoon is about as sweet as 1-2 tablespoons sugar. You can substitute another sweetener for the stevia, but you'll need to use a lot more of it.
- Other Sweeteners: Use your preferred sweetener and adjust to taste. I use low-carb sweeteners so that this recipe is candida- and keto-friendly. If you use a liquid sweetener, you may need to use a different amount. Just taste before chilling. I like using a combination of two sweeteners when using low-carb sweeteners for better flavor.
- Vegan Option: Substitute agar powder for gelatin for a vegan option. For agar powder substitute use a 1:1 ratio. If using agar flakes, use 3 times the volume of flakes as gelatin/agar powder.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have a recipe calling for a box of JELLO®. Can I use this recipe instead?
This recipe should be the equivalent of approximately one box of JELLO®.
How long does homemade lemon jello take to set?
Homemade lemon jello typically takes about 2–4 hours to fully set in the refrigerator, depending on the size of the dish and ingredients used.
Can you set jello in the freezer instead of the fridge?
Yes, placing jello in the freezer can speed up the setting time. Just be sure to check it often and take it out before it freezes solid.
More Ways to Use Gelatin
- Healthy Homemade Gummies: These Homemade Gummies are a fun, kid-friendly treat.
- Gelatin Egg: A fantastic 2-ingredient egg substitute.
Sugar-free Jello
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons gelatin (about 3 packets)
- 4 1/2 cups water (divided)
- 1 1/8 cups lemon, lime, or unsweetened cranberry juice (see notes for other options)
- 3/4 cup low carb sweetener (see notes for notes; adjust to taste)
- 3/8 teaspoon stevia extract (optional, to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or lime rind (optional)
Instructions
- Pour 3 cups cold water into a saucepan.
- Sprinkle gelatin over the surface and let sit for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and 1 1/8 cups juice.
- Place over medium-low heat, stirring until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Do not boil.
- Stir in sweetener, stevia (if using), and rind (if using).
- Taste and adjust sweetness or flavor as needed.
- Pour into a dish or molds and refrigerate 2–4 hours until set.
Notes
- Flavor Options: This recipe is easy to adapt. Use lemon or lime juice for a simple citrus flavor. Use cranberry juice with a natural flavoring (like strawberry or cherry) for a naturally colored version. Or use water only (no juice) and add your preferred flavoring or extract.
- More Flavor: For a stronger flavor, add more juice or additional flavoring to taste before chilling.
- Sweeteners: Combining sweeteners helps improve the flavor of this recipe. Taste the recipe before chilling and adjust as needed. Powdered sweeteners dissolve best in this recipe. Sweeteners based primarily on erythritol may crystallize after chilling, especially in tart flavors like lemon, lime, or cranberry. For the smoothest texture, try using part allulose or xylitol instead. Liquid or pure stevia can be added to taste, but using it alone may result in a less classic jello flavor and texture. If using xylitol, keep away from pets, as it is highly toxic to dogs.
- Texture: Use more gelatin for firmer jello or slightly less for a softer texture.
- Vegan Option: Replace gelatin with agar powder (1:1). If using agar flakes, use 3 times the amount.
- Molds: Use any mold or dish. For cubes, use a baking dish and cut after setting.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
More DIY Pantry Basics Recipes
- Easy Chocolate / Carob Chips
- Powdered Sugar / Healthy Powdered Sugar Substitute
- Surprisingly Good Popcorn Seasoning
- Homemade Rice Milk
- Easiest Almond Milk Ever
- Easiest Coconut Milk Ever
I'd love to hear what you think after making this recipe!
Have you tried making jello, either as a dessert to be served in a bowl or as Knox Blox, using water and freeze-dried fruit (blitzed into powder)? I’m wondering a) how much fruit powder should be used and b) would other sweetener be desired? I’m a low-carb gal and trying to avoid excess fructose. I’m not sure if the fructose count would be any lower this way than using fruit juice.
Hi there! So sorry for the delay. I haven’t tried that but I think it would work. Maybe try the same amount of sweetener since lemon and lime juice aren’t sweet at all and see how it goes. If you do a strawberry or cranberry that would be the best option. Of course cranberry is lower in carbs. Let me know how it goes if you try!
Thanks for that. But, do you have a guess of how much fruit powder I should add?
I think you could do whatever you like – I would eye ball it personally depending on the carbs you are OK with and the flavor you want.
I do not want any sweetener in the recipe, can I just leave it out?
Do I have to have lemon juice? Can I leave that out too. I just want gelatin cubes with no flavouring or sweeteners at all.
Hi there! I believe you’ll just want to substitute water for the juice. I think that should work!
Thank you for this fantastic recipe! It fits multiple dietary requirements in my house and my 8-year-old LOVED it and immediately asked for seconds.
I used liquid stevia and allulose as my sweeteners
You are so welcome! I’m sooo glad to hear this! Say hi to your 8 year old for me :)! I’ve never tried it with allulose. I’m going to have to do that! You all might like this recipe too. https://wholenewmom.com/homemade-gummies/
Just thought l would let everyone know that l found out from my dr that monk fruit is a probiotic and is good for your gut. Is also good for diabetics as it doesnt spike blood sugar. I find stevia can leave an “after taste” sometimes. Havent tried this recipe yet but will.
Hi there. Good information – yes it actually has prebiotic potential which is great to know! There are actually pre, pro and postbiotics. It’s interesting. I hope you like it! You might need more monk b/c I find it’s not as sweet as stevia extact but just try it by taste and see!
Too much lecturing about strange ingredients. Most aren’t available where I live.
Hello Craig – I’m not sure what you mean by lecturing. This is the second nasty comment that came in last night. I know that the world situation is getting to people but really if you go back over the post, I think you will see that I didn’t lecture and that I did, in fact, provide a LOT of options for substituting so hopefully some ingredients in there are available where you live. Happy to help you find some, but I would appreciate your holding back the unwarranted criticism.
Thanks in advance.
Looks wonderful, thank you for sharing your recipe. Lemon and orange and lime are my favorite jellos.
I’m so glad to hear that! Hope you enjoy!!
I am looking for a receipe for sugar free gelatin/jello.
Can anyone help?
Hi there. Yes, this is a recipe for sugar-free gelatin. How can I help?
I don’t see how 3 TBS is enough to solidify that much liquid. I’m 2 hours into the fridge and mine is still liquid.
Hi there. It has always worked for me – did you follow the directions correctly? I’ve made this many times. What kind of gelatin did you use?
Hi there – sorry I’m not sure what you are needing. Please explain.
Trying lemon juice and brewed hibiscus yea for red color. Thanks for this recipe and I’ve enjoyed many others on my keto journey since 2017
Great ideas!!! Lemon juice for the flavor, you mean?
I am looking for a receipe for a banana sugar free gelatin/jello.
Can anyone help?
Thank you!
Hi there. I am thinking you could use water instead of juice and use a natural flavoring like this. You could use another one but I prefer all natural. https://amzn.to/3Ktjfgl (affiliate link) Hope that helps!
I am definitely going to try this! Thank you!
So hope you like it!!
I did and it was excellent!
So glad to hear! Thanks for taking the time to come back and tell me!
Hello! Can I use agar agar instead of gelatin?
Yes, you can! There is a note about that in the Special Diet notes section of the post.