Sprite Gummy Bears Are the Latest Internet Obsession—We Had to Try Them

It can be hard to keep up with all of social media’s food trends. Some of them, such as Italian Nachos, are an instant hit. While others, like mayonnaise on hot dogs, ignite fierce internet debates. Here at Allrecipes, we like to test all these recipes because sometimes the ones the food world isn’t so sure of (looking at you, mock apple pie) turn out to be so much better than expected.

The latest trend to catch our eye? Sprite-soaked frozen gummy bears. While you may be familiar with its spirited counterpart, these unique gummies are a family-friendly version with a frozen spin—and the internet can’t stop talking about it.

The Sprite Gummy Bears Trend

The frozen gummy trend took off when TikToker @emiri.asmr shared an ASMR video while eating the crunchy confection. Soon after, @katchaomeow gave viewers a more detailed explanation of the process. The idea is simple: Soak gummy bears in a flavorful liquid such as Sprite, drain the liquid, then freeze them. Similar to when you freeze Jell-O, the gummy bears transform from their typical bouncy texture into an airy one with a satisfying icy crunch.

Gummy fans have flocked to social media to try it out themselves, including Allrecipes' Food Studio Coordinator and Recipe Developer, Amanda Stanfield. “Ice cold, but it’s so good. It’s like popsicle, gummy, sherbet-y in one little perfect little bite—you gotta try it,” she said in a recent video.

TikTok creator @asipoftexas also shared their take on the viral trend and viewers were torn over the results. “Uh so basically I made these and I don’t like them,” someone commented, of which received over 24,000 likes. “Sameeee, people saying it’s good and I’m like whattt. it’s such a weird Orbeez texture,” replied another.

Among the reasons for disliking the frozen gummies was the cold texture that some found uncomfortable to bite into. “Y'all the texture is not for the weak,” wrote one commenter. Others said the gummies didn’t taste like they expected or were overly hard in the middle.

Another commenter chimed in, sharing a vital piece of information to address that problem. "Guys the middle is hard because you didn’t soak it long enough," they wrote. "At least 8 hours or more, I tried soaking it longer and the middle was so soft."

Despite the texture issues, many other people were impressed with the final results. “I loved the flavor and texture. It was like a popsicle gummy!” said one fan. “They’re gooodddd like I made them and they're delicious!! They’re very cold but they’re still tasty,” said another.

So, if you’re a fan of gummy bears and Sprite, it seems like this could be a trend worth trying. Plus, it’s a kid-friendly activity, only takes two ingredients, and you get to eat it afterward—and that’s what we call a win.

How to Make Frozen Gummy Bears

Making the viral frozen gummies isn’t difficult but you will need to allow plenty of time for soaking and freezing. Some social media users have noted that their mini fridges weren’t freezing the bears fully, so be sure to add additional soak and freeze time as needed to achieve the ideal texture. Here’s how to do it:

• Prepare the gummies: Place your gummies in a large bowl or container with plenty of space to grow. You can use sour gummies, regular gummies, or a mix of the two.

• Add soda: Pour lemon-lime soda on top of the gummies until the soda completely covers all of the candy. Try it with Sprite or get creative with other soda flavors such as cherry or orange. Sparkling water works as well, but avoid unsweetened varieties such as LaCroix as it will produce a watery flavor. Instead, reach for brands like Sparkling Ice or Bubly Burst, which have a stronger fruit flavor.

• Soak overnight: Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight, ideally for at least eight hours. When done, the gummies should be roughly doubled in size and feel very squishy.

• Freeze: Strain the liquid and place the gummies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving at least a finger's worth of space in between each. Freeze the gummies for four to six hours until frozen. If yours are too firm to bite into, allow them to warm at room temperature for a few minutes until they’ve softened slightly.

Next time you head to the candy aisle, be sure to grab a bag of gummy bears and try this easy viral trend out for yourself. 

Read the original article on ALLRECIPES