For those following a ketogenic diet, finding suitable desserts can be a challenge. Traditional Jello is typically loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients, making it a no-go. Fortunately, there's a delicious and healthy alternative: homemade keto jello. This article explores the benefits of keto jello, provides a simple recipe, and answers common questions.
Why Choose Keto Jello?
Homemade sugar-free jello is far easier than you think! With no artificial sweeteners or colors, this keto jello is a fun and healthy dessert recipe. It's astonishingly easy to make sugar free jello at home. And no, I am not talking about buying boxes of pre-made mix. Trust me, people, those contain a whole bunch of junk you don’t want to consume. Aspartame and artificial dyes, to name just a few. And when you see just how easy it is to make sugar-free jello from scratch, you realize there’s absolutely no need to purchase the junky kind. A few simple ingredients and about 10 minutes is all it takes.
Health Benefits
Gelatin can be a great healthy snack or healthy dessert. Collagen and gelatin are great sources of protein and known to benefit digestion, gut health, hair, skin, nails, and joint health. They contain the same amino acids, but each behaves differently. Commonly used in gut-healing diet protocols, like AIP (Autimmune Paleo), GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) and SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet).
Control Over Ingredients
It's fully customizable. You can use whatever flavor, sweetener, and natural color you like. Homemade Jello is free of all main allergens - gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nuts, fish, etc.
Suitable for Various Dietary Needs
Plus, it’s low-calorie, fat-free, and suits most dietary needs (dairy-free, gluten-free).
Read also: Low-Carb Jello Dessert
Key Ingredients for Keto Jello
Gelatin
You must use unflavored beef gelatin for this recipe, not protein powder, collagen, or gelatin-based protein powders. I recommend using good grassfed gelatin like Great Lakes (the orange can). But the Knox gelatin envelopes will also work.
Juice
Almost any flavor of juice will work for homemade jello! I recommend 100% fruit or fruit/veggie blend juices. The only exception is fresh pineapple juice. Just 2-3 INGREDIENTS! Juice. The base of this homemade jello is fruit or veggie juice! I’ve made this jello with all different flavors of 100% juice, fruit and veggie juice blends, light juice, etc.
Sweetener
You can use almost any sweetener you like for this recipe. You can use any sweetener you like. 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. I recommend powdered or liquid sweeteners because they dissolve more easily. Sweeten to taste. Stevia: 1/32 teaspoon is about as sweet as 1-2 tablespoons sugar. So you can substitute another sweetener for the stevia, but you will need to use a lot.
Optional Ingredients
- Color: The resulting color of this Homemade Jello will not 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.
- Flavor: Most of these non-standard extracts and flavors are best purchased online, as regular grocery stores don’t carry them. I recommend One on One Flavors and Olive Nation brands. They all vary in strength so add a little flavoring at a time and taste in between, until it seems right to you.
Step-by-Step Keto Jello Recipe
This 3-ingredient healthy treat is bursting with flavor, low in calories, dairy-free & perfect for summer!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of juice
- 2 Tablespoons unflavored beef gelatin
- Erythritol
- Coconut oil/butter
Instructions:
- Bloom the Gelatin:
- Powdered Gelatin: Place gelatin granules in a bowl and pour in 150 ml (0.6 cup) of cold water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the gelatin is set.
- Gelatin Sheets: Submerge the sheets in a tall glass of cold water (the amount of water doesn't matter). Wait until they soften, then gently squeeze out any excess water.
- Meanwhile, pour the berry juice into a saucepan and add erythritol. Turn on low heat and stir until the sweetener dissolves completely. Avoid boiling the mixture.
- Once the sweetener dissolves, add the bloomed gelatin and stir frequently until it's completely dissolved. Ensure the berry mixture with gelatin doesn't boil.
- Grease the mold with coconut oil/butter, then pour in the berry mixture. Allow to cool down to room temperature. Then, refrigerate for several hours or until the jello is set. Setting time may vary, but it should be stable within a few hours. Slice it and enjoy healthy and delicious homemade jello!
Detailed Instructions
- Bloom The Gelatin: Pour 1/2 cup of the juice into a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin powder over the juice and stir to combine. Set aside for about 5 minutes while you heat the juice. The gelatin will thicken up significantly during this time, and should be VERY thick and grainy looking.
- Heat The Remaining Juice: While the gelatin blooms, add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of juice to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until steaming. (It doesn’t need to come to a boil or simmer, but should be VERY hot.)
- Melt The Bloomed Gelatin: Add honey/sweetener (if using) and the bloomed gelatin to the hot juice and stir to dissolve completely. This is a crucial step, so make sure it’s completely dissolved!
- Set: Pour gelatin mixture into a 2-quart ceramic pan (8×8, 9×9, or 11×7 works!) or heat proof containers and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Chill at least 3-4 hours or until set completely.
- Serve & Store: Enjoy once it’s set or store in the refrigerator.
Tips for Perfect Keto Jello
- If using food coloring, whisk it with the water in a glass measuring cup so you can see the color clearly.
- If using juice for color, make sure it’s no sugar added. 100% unsweetened cranberry juice gives a beautiful red with out adding a strong flavor, and 1/2 cup has only 9g of carbs. Split between 4 servings, that adds up to 2.25g per serving. You can use other fruit juices but they tend to be much higher in carbs.
- Bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it over the liquid and letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Then heat the liquid gently, but don’t let it boil. Whisk until the gelatin dissolves completely.
- Gelatin desserts like this take about 3 hours to set properly.
- Dissolve gelatin in cold or ice water.
- Avoid letting the gelatin mixture boil, high heat breaks down the gelatin’s gelling power.
- Place the form/container in the freezer before adding the berry mixture. This will speed up the gelatin stabilization process.
- Cover the form with plastic wrap to prevent the surface from drying out.
Variations
- If you want to make homemade jello with fruit, this recipe should work for that, too. Just like when you make boxed jello, you’ll want to let the jello set partially before adding the fruit. So, follow the recipe through step 3, then add the gelatin to your container. Chill the jello for about 1-1 1/2 hours before stirring in the fresh fruit or frozen fruit. You want it to be roughly an egg white consistency (not fully set!) before adding the fruit.
- I really did have a ball creating these patriotic jello cups. While I am not actually American, my husband and kids are, and making some sort of keto red white and blue dessert each year has become a tradition. I even have a full keto 4th of July menu plan for those of you on the hunt for more Independence Day recipes.
- I was looking for ideas for something fun and easy, and I stumbled across these Fruit and Jello Cups from The First Year Blog. Of course, they’re made with real Jello, so they’re full of sugar. But they are so cute, I just had to find a way to make them keto-friendly.
- And of course, I just had to make one that was red, white, and red in honour of Canada Day!
- I knew I wanted a bright, true blue for the blueberry layer, and real blueberry juice tends to be more purple than blue. But there are a number of good natural food colorings on the market these days. I used about 1/3 of an envelope of blue powder from Color Kitchen, and it worked perfectly.
- It’s hard to achieve a true red with some of these natural food dyes. I’ve used beet powder before but I didn’t want my strawberry jello layer to have even a hint of beets in it. So I used 1/2 cup of 100% cranberry juice instead and got a gorgeous true red without much cranberry flavor. I have a set of fruit flavorings from One on One Flavors, and I simply added a few drops into the mix to get the flavor I wanted. These are highly concentrated candy flavorings so a little goes a long way.
Example Recipes
- Blueberry Jello: In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the water and enough food coloring to achieve a bright blue. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the powdered sweetener and blueberry extract to taste. Sprinkle the surface with the gelatin and let sit 3 minutes to bloom. Turn the heat on to medium low and whisk until the gelatin dissolves completely. Do not let it come to a boil. Divide the gelatin between 4 glass dessert cups (1/2 cup capacity each). Add a few fresh blueberries if desired. Refrigerated 3 hours until set.
- Strawberry Jello: In a medium saucepan, combine the water and cranberry juice. Whisk in the powdered sweetener and strawberry extract to taste. Sprinkle the surface with the gelatin and let sit 3 minutes to bloom. Turn the heat on to medium low and whisk until the gelatin dissolves completely. Do not let it come to a boil. Divide the gelatin between 4 glass dessert cups (1/2 cup capacity each). Add a few chopped strawberries if desired. Refrigerated 3 hours until set.
- Topping and Garnish: In a large bowl, whip the cream with the sweetener and vanilla extract until it holds stiff peaks. Pipe or dollop on the top of the set jello cups. Add the blueberries and strawberries to the tops of each cup before serving.
Jello vs. Gelatin: Which is Better for Keto?
For a low-carb diet, gelatin is a much better option than Jello. Here’s why:
Read also: The Truth About Jello
- Sugar Content: Regular jello mixes typically contain a significant amount of added sugar or artificial sweeteners, significantly spiking your sugar intake and potentially kicking you out of ketosis. Plain gelatin, on the other hand, is sugar-free, making it a clear winner for keeping your blood sugar levels in check, a crucial aspect of the ketogenic diet.
- Additives: Jello mixes often contain artificial colors, flavors, and thickeners. While some brands might offer sugar-free versions, these often include artificial sweeteners that can still affect your ketosis or might not be ideal for everyone on a low carb diet. Plain gelatin has no additives, allowing you more control over your ingredients.
- Protein Content: Gelatin is a source of protein, which can help with satiety and contribute to a healthy diet.
Can I Use Something Besides Juice for Jello?
This recipe was specifically formatted to work with fruit juice or vegetable juice, but some folks have also made it with herbal tea with decent results.
Vegan Option
Substitute agar powder for gelatin for a vegan option. For agar powder substitute using a 1:1 ratio. I have a recipe calling for a box of JELLO®. Yes, just use agar powder substituting in a 1:1 ratio.
Storage Tips
Keto Jello is an easy make-ahead dessert, since there is really nothing in it that will spoil. You can easily make it a few days in advance of serving. It can dry out as it sits in the fridge so cover the top of the cups or container tightly. If you plan to make these keto jello cups, I recommend making the whipped cream and fruit topping fresh, on the day you plan to serve. It will taste and look much better.
Nutritional Information
The exact nutrition facts will vary based on what juice/juice blend you use. Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Here is an example:
Read also: Holiday Keto Dessert
- Servings: 8
- Calories 40
- Protein 3.8 g
- Total carbohydrate 6.2 g
- Dietary fiber 0 g
- Total sugars 6 g
- Net carbs 6.2 g
- Total fat 0 g
- Saturated fat 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Potassium 33 mg
tags: #jello #keto #alternative