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Enjoy a healthier treat with these 3-ingredient candy grapes! They’re the perfect alternative to traditional candy with all the flavor kids love (and adults too) and the health benefit of green grapes!
Confession time: In my pregnancy with my now toddler, my sweet treat addiction was jolly ranchers. Especially the green apple version. I loved the sweet and sour combo and could be found sucking on them (or any hard candy) most days.
When I explained to my friend how much I was loving sour candy, she asked me if I’d tried the viral candy grapes recipe. Apparently it was all over Tik Tok! I hadn’t tried them so she swiftly reached into her freezer and pulled out a container of green grapes with a sugary, candy coating. It was immediate love at first taste.
Now to be fair, her version was made by coating the grapes with jello powder which is essentially just crack grapes on steroids. I decided to re-create them by making a *slightly* healthier version using sugar as a substitute.
Are these the healthiest recipe I’ve ever posted? Definitely not! But listen, the ingredients aren’t terrible and besides the sugar you can feel pretty great about enjoying some fresh grapes and a little citrus. So grab your toothpicks and lets get snackin’
Ingredients Needed for Candy Grapes:
- Seedless grapes – using green grapes gives that *sour* flavor these candied grapes are famous for. Ideally use seedless grape removed from their stems. Give them a good wash and rinse to remove any excess dirt or residue. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Lemon juice – a little squeeze of lemon juice provides the coating these grapes need for the sugar to stick to.
- Sugar – you could use a sugar-free option or the more original jello powder or kool-aid powder. I’m keeping the sugar mixture simple by just using plain white sugar in a thin layer.
How to Make Candy Grapes
STEP 1: COMBINE GRAPES + LEMON JUICE
Place your washed and dried grapes in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
STEP 2: ROLL IN SUGAR
Add your sugar to a large plate and one at a time roll your grapes in the sugar.
STEP 3: FREEZE + SERVE
Place your rolled grapes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once all grapes have been coated, place your baking sheet in the freezer to freeze for 1 hour. Remove grapes from baking sheet and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Enjoy snack straight from freezer.
Easy Swaps + Substitutions
Use Cotton Candy Grapes – Have you tried cotton candy grapes? If not I highly recommend! They’re a varietal of grape that tastes just like cotton candy. Even better when made into candied grapes!
Use lime juice – lime juice can easily be substituted for lemon juice, if desired. It adds a bit more “bite” but it’s still delicious.
Use any fruit – You could technically make candy fruit with any type of fruit. I find it works best with round fruit like strawberries, blueberries or other berries.
Use Sugar-Free Alternatives – I’m personally not a fan of sugar-free sugar substitutes but if you’d like to replace the sugar your can use Monk Fruit 1:1 with white sugar.
Use Jello Flavors – now this won’t be the healthiest substitution but you could technically use jello, kool aid or other flavored sugar mixture in place of sugar.
Storage + Serving Instructions
These candy grapes will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month (though mine never last that long). You could store them in the fridge for several days but the texture is best straight from the freezer.
I like eating these candy grapes straight from the freezer. However, if you’re serving them to a crowd you could place them in a bowl with some toothpicks for easy eating. Note that I wouldn’t let these sit out for hours as they will get a little soggy.
More Simple Dessert Recipes:
- Chocolate-Covered Fruit Skewers
- Chocolate Covered Banana Pops
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Frozen Yogurt Recipe
- Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Nice Cream
- Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almonds
Candy Grapes
Enjoy a healthier treat with these 3-ingredient candy grapes! They’re the perfect alternative to traditional candy with all the flavor kids love (and adults too) and the health benefit of green grapes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 4 cups green grapes, rinsed + dried
- Juice, 1/2 large lemon
- 1/3 cup white sugar
Instructions
- Place your washed and dried grapes in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice.
- Add your sugar to a large plate and one at a time roll your grapes in the sugar.
- Place your rolled grapes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Once all grapes have been coated, place your baking sheet in the freezer to freeze for 1 hour.
- Remove grapes from baking sheet and place in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- Enjoy snack straight from freezer. Will last up to 1 month.
