Healthy Cranberry Orange Jello (Made with Honey + Beef Gelatin)
This homemade cranberry orange jello is made with beef gelatin and honey giving you a gut health friendly dessert without food dyes, refined sugars, and artificial flavors. It’s a healthier alternative for when you family’s sweet tooth strikes and the cranberry orange flavor is perfect for the holidays. All you need to do is add cranberries and you instantly have a festive Christmas side dish.
My entire family was pleasantly surprised by how much we liked this jello! I thought the tart cranberry juice would overpower the orange juice, but the honey balances it and gives the perfect sweetness.
This jello is a simple, festive way to enjoy a dessert that is refined sugar free, so you can have a guiltless dessert. This pairs great on the holiday table with your turkey and ham, sourdough bread stuffing, apple or pumpkin pie, and whatever else your family loves.
health benefits of gelatin
Beef gelatin is associated with several benefits. Unlike conventional boxed gelatins, which contain artificial dyes, flavors, and refined sugar as one of the first ingredients, benefits of real gelatin support things like:
- hydrated, healthy looking skin
- improved gut health
- less joint discomfort
- more stable blood sugar response.
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gelatin vs jello: what’s the difference?
Jell-o is the brand name of boxed gelatin plus additional ingredients (usually sugar, artificial dyes and flavors, plus some others). Gelatin is a colorless and tasteless water soluble protein made from collagen that you then add your flavors and possibly other ingredients to.
FAQs
can you put jello in the freezer to harden faster?
Absolutely! After about 20-30 minutes, check your jello and see how set it is. I usually do this as my kids are chomping at the bit to eat it!
how to store cranberry orange beef gelatin
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. However, the texture will be best if consumed within 4-5 days.
what is cranberry cocktail and can you use it in this homemade jello recipe?
Cranberry cocktail (also known as “cranberry juice cocktail”) is sweetened cranberry juice. It usually contains cane sugar, pear juice, apple juice, or another fruit juice concentrate. It is NOT 100% cranberry juice.
You can use cranberry cocktail in this recipe, but you may need to reduce or completely eliminate the honey.
ingredients you’ll need to make this healthy cranberry orange jello
- grass fed beef gelatin – I prefer to buy mine from Thrive Market or Azure Standard
- organic orange juice
- organic cranberry juice
- raw, local honey – If I don’t buy this locally, this is another thing I get from Azure
more healthy beef gelatin recipes…
Healthy Homemade Cranberry Orange Beef Gelatin
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3 tablespoons beef gelatin
- 2–4 tablespoons honey (sweeten to taste based on how tart your cranberry juice is)
Instructions
- Bloom gelatin in 1 cup of orange juice.
- Heat 1 cup cranberry juice + honey until hot.
- Whisk in gelatin-orange juice mixture.
- Pour into molds or a pan and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
Notes
- If your cranberry juice is unsweetened, use the full 4 tablespoons honey.
- Don't want the bubbles on top from whisking? Allow to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to allow bubbles to naturally pop. If you still have too many, use a spoon to gently skim off before refrigerating.
