Learn how to make candied grapes, a healthier candy snack that actually tastes like copycat sour patch kids candy. Make them with grapes and lime juice, and choose whether to roll in sugar or not. Ready within half an hour.
How to make candied grapes by just freezing them! This healthy snack is a great way to cut down on candy or ice cream as a dessert. Frozen grapes are not only easy to make but also taste delicious, with a crunchy skin outside and a smooth sorbet texture inside. Grapes are the ideal frozen snack because they don't freeze solid, thus won't break your teeth when you bite. And you can make them into sour patch kids candy by dipping them in lime juice alone, or lime juice and sugar as a variation.
Just like in my can you freeze watermelon post, the steps to freeze grapes are easy. Then, frozen grapes are a good addition to my watermelon fruit salad or even fruit platters, learn how to make a fresh fruit platter here.
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Why You'll Love These
Kid-friendly Snack. Could this sour patch candy copycat be any more kid-friendly?
Healthy Snack for Adults. Frozen grapes are high in immune-boosting vitamins C and K, high in fiber, and have a low glycemic index so they won't raise blood sugar levels. [source]
Good for Weight loss & Quit Sugar Efforts. Frozen grapes are a wholesome choice over refined sugar treats, candy and ice cream.
Make DIY Sour Patch Kids Candy
In this recipe post I include directions to dip your frozen grapes into lime juice to make a healthy homemade DIY of sour patch kids candy, otherwise known as sour frozen candy grapes.
Ingredient Needed
You only need fresh grapes to make candied grapes. Green or purple or a mix of colors are fine.
How to Choose Grapes
Choose grapes that are:
- Firm and free of blemishes
- Seedless
- Organic if possible, because grapes absorb pesticides.
- Any type of grape. This recipe works well with sweet green grapes, but also any type including red grapes, purple grapes, black grapes. Decide on your flavor preference. For instance, cotton candy green grapes are very sweet, while some dark purple grapes are less sweet.
Step by Step Instructions for Candied Grapes
For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Step 1: Line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper or foil or wax paper. Check for any broken or squishy grapes and remove them. Pull all the grapes from the grape vine stem.
Step 2: Put the individual grapes in a bowl full of fresh cold water and slosh them about to disturb any debris or dirt. Drain, spread on pan, blot dry with a paper towel.
Step 3: To freeze the grapes, either set the pan in the freezer, or add the grapes to any freezer safe container, including storage containers or even a ziploc bag.
Step 4: Sprinkle with lime juice for a fresh citrus flavor.
Step 5: Freeze the grapes at least 2 hours or overnight.
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Recipe Tips
1. Grapes taste sweeter once frozen so consider that when choosing your grape type.
2. Drying the grapes somewhat before freezing them will prevent clumping.
3. The grapes will freeze crispier if you freeze them uncovered for 2 hours. After that, transfer them into a freezer safe container.
How to Make Sour Patch Candied Grapes
Make Sour Patch Candied Grapes. Toss grapes in lime juice for the sour flavor and roll in cane sugar for a candy sweet flavor and freeze with toothpicks stuck in for a handle.
Other Variations
For Salted Grapes, sprinkle wet grapes with salt. Then freeze, taking care to keep them separated so they don't stick together.
For Mint Candied Grapes, sprinkle wet grapes with minced mint leaves. Then freeze, taking care to keep them separated so they don't stick together.
Storage of Candied Grapes
Frozen: You can keep frozen grapes in the freezer for up to one year, but I find they taste better in the first 3 months.
Thawed: Once out of the freezer about 3 hours, the candied grapes will becoming mushy quickly, even refrigerated. At that point, they cannot be refrozen, but you can add them to a green smoothie or to a homemade ice cream recipe.
How to Use Frozen Grapes
- Serve as a frozen snack. Enjoy frozen grapes as a healthy snack, grabbing a handful from the freezer, dropping a few on your yogurt, add to a fruit platter or bring a small bag on an outing. They are the perfect mini popsicle bites!
- Make popsicles. Blend your frozen grapes with other fruits or fruit juice, pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 2-4 hours.
- Add to a watermelon fruit salad for a frozen sweet and sour crunch.
- Make a smoothie. Blend grapes into a smooth sorbet or add them to your morning smoothie to add sweetness and a thicker frosty texture.
- Use as fruit ice cubes. Add frozen grapes to any drink, from water to tea to single serving lemonade, to cool your beverage, and then eat them once your drink is done.
- Add to sparkling drinks. Add frozen grapes to sparkling water and blend for a sparkly frothy drink. You can also use a sparkling wine for an alcoholic version.
FAQS
Candied grapes don’t go bad if kept frozen. They can remain in the freezer for up to a year.
Frozen grapes or candied grapes don't freeze hard because of their high fructose levels. So they are easy to eat straight out of the freezer.
Yes, use green, red, black or any kind of grapes. Seedless and organic is best.
Additional Healthy Snacks
If you tried this Candied Grapes or Frozen Grapes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Candied Grapes
Equipment
- towel
- colander or strainer
- baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper
- freezer bags or containers
Ingredients
- 2 cups grapes seedless, green, red, or purple
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Instructions
Prep
- Line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper or foil or wax paper. Check for any broken or squishy grapes and remove them. Pull all the grapes from the stem.
Wash grapes
- Put the grapes in a bowl full of fresh cold water, sloshing to disturb any debris or dirt. Spread them out on the parchment-lined pan and blot dry with a paper towel.2 cups grapes
Freeze grapes
- To freeze the grapes, either set the pan as is in the freezer, or add the grapes to any freezer safe container, including storage containers or even a ziploc bag.
- Freeze the grapes at least 2 hours or overnight.
Amanda says
positively brilliant concept! Can I use seeded grapes?
Dee Dine says
Thank you! It's best to use unseeded, but if you can only use seeded, go for it! Just as with eating unfrozen grapes, you'll have to work around the seeds.
Taylor says
What an easy treat! I never thought to freeze them. Thank you!