Before you learn how to make alcoholic gummy bears, you should know that it can be a dangerous thing, especially if you're a college kid who doesn't understand moderation. However, boozy candy isn't just for the young — in fact, it can give some life and color to every party that doesn't have grabby-handed children. It's pretty much combining two things that everyone loves. It's like peanut butter and jelly, if peanut butter and jelly could make you struggle with sunlight the next day. With the array of gummy candies at hand today, you can truly get creative and experiment with a variety of gummy animals. Gummy frogs? Sure, why not. Gummy sharks? Surely they can hold a lot of booze, right? Gummy worms? It'd be a shame if you didn't try.
If you're looking to liven up your Fourth of July barbecue, here's an amazingly simple recipe to create your own alcoholic gummy bears. Once you've mastered this, you'll probably be known as "the girl who brings the goods" at all future parties. As with all alcoholic food and drink, make sure to chomp at a responsible pace.
To start, you'll need approximately three pounds of gummy bears, and enough alcohol to immerse three pounds of gummy bears. Obviously ingredient amounts will vary based on the amount of party guests expected. This recipe would typically take about two to three days, but if you're pressed for time, six to eight hours will do in a pinch.
Remember that with a food project like this, color can be everything. Isn't it worth separating out the red, white, and blue bears from the bag in order to show your spirit?
1. Select your booze
I suggest either vodka or rum (since, come on, "rummy bears" is fun to say, and makes this dessert even more legit-sounding). Regardless of what you choose, I suggest you go cheap. The next step is dousing your bears — which should be in a jar, or container — with the goods. Fill up the container so that the bears are covered, with a little bit of liquid overlap. Don't think of it as drowning the bears, think of it as throwing the bears a party! They'll face their demise later, I promise.
Here's a tip: If you like the idea of vodka, but not the taste of vodka, consider adding a tiny bit of fruit juice to your mix to help mask the flavor, and give them a little more edge.
2. Infuse your bears
Wrap your bear container with some plastic. If you have a few days, pop them in the fridge — this method will give you a firmer bear. If you're using the six to eight hour approach, the counter top should be a fine place to store them. Placing them on the counter for longer will make your bears more oozy than boozy, so you'll want to keep tabs on and occasionally sample your project as it sits out.
The best way to retrieve your bears is with a slotted spoon. That way, you can save the leftover vodka and possibly use it for gummy-infused mixed drinks. The bears are best served immediately, especially since they'll be their most potent after the long, alcohol-filled soak. Wasn't that super easy? Even Amelia Bedelia could make these bears with zero incidents or kitchen fires.
While they look innocent, your bears will be massively strong. Kind of like real bears. Thus, taking a handful at a time will probably lead to a lot of regret and fuzzy memories. Savor the bears, and remember that every batch will only get better. With the weird selection of vodka flavors available today, your "homemade" candies are sure to be interesting each and every time.
Images: James Savoie/Flickr; Giphy (2)
