Recipe · No glue

Gelatin slime (no glue, no borax)

A gooey slime with no glue and no boron, made with gelatin, boiling water, and corn syrup: the recipe, how much syrup to use, and the safety rules.

By the Slime & Co editorial team · Updated

A red gelatin dessert on a plate
Photo: nilufar nattaq on Unsplash.

With powdered gelatin, boiling water, and a sugar syrup, you get a gooey, stringy slime with no glue and no activator. The original recipe uses corn syrup, which you’ll find in the baking aisle; glucose syrup does the same job.

Ingredients

Supplies: a heat-safe bowl, a spoon.

Steps

  1. An adult brings the water to a boil and pours it into the bowl, with the food coloring.
  2. The adult sprinkles in the gelatin while stirring.
  3. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the syrup and stir.
  5. Let it cool to lukewarm before touching it: it thickens as it cools.

How do you know it worked?

More syrup makes the slime stringier; less syrup makes it thicker. One batch is enough for about three kids.

The most common slime fails

Too runny
Let it cool longer; next time, use a little less syrup.
Too thick
A little more syrup, stirred in while it’s lukewarm.

How to store it

Use it the same day; it hardens and breaks down afterward.

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