Jello Shots: Kicking it Up With Colorful Recipes

Images of jello shots are often conjured up when people envision their college years and the parties they attended. But experimenting with chilled gelatin isn't just for the youngest drinkers around; jello shots are perfect, bite-sized treats that you can make for almost any occasion. Whether it's for birthdays, sleepovers, or book club meetings, any one of these jello shot recipes can do the trick and wow your guests.

Basic Jello Shot

One important thing to remember when making jello shots is that they do require more preparation and time than most other shots do; therefore, you'll want to make sure that you plan accordingly. For a basic jello shot, you really only need three different ingredients: jello, water, and liquor. With those simple ingredients, you can create an array of flavors such as apple pie jello shots. However, you can incorporate all sorts of different flavors, liquors, juices, and garnishes once you've perfected the original recipe. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) box of flavored Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided
• ½ cup vodka

Instructions

1. Pour the Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water and vodka and whisk until blended.
4. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about three hours.

Cosmopolitan Jello Shot

A Cosmopolitan is a cocktail legendary for its rich color, and you can easily transform it into a jello shot by using cranberry jello and adding triple sec and lime juice to the basic recipe. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) package of cranberry Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided
• ½ cup vodka
• 2 ounces triple sec
• Splash freshly squeezed lime juice
• Ice

Instructions

1. Pour the cranberry Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water and whisk into the Jello.
4. Strain the mixture into the Jello and whisk until thickened.
5. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about three hours.

Lemon-Lime Jello Shot

The abundance of lemon-lime flavored products proves that the duo is a winning combination, and there's no better way to celebrate this flavor pairing than by making it into a jello shot. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) box of flavored lemon Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided
• ½ cup lime vodka

Instructions

1. Pour the lemon Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water and lime vodka and whisk until blended.
4. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about three hours.

Old Fashioned Jello Shot

Perhaps the most 'old-fashioned' cocktail out there, an Old-Fashioned Jello Shot modifies the basic jello shot recipe by using bourbon and bitters to give the unflavored gelatin a punch. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) box of unflavored gelatin
• 1½ water, divided
• ½ cup bourbon
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Cherries for garnish

Instructions

1. Pour the unflavored gelatin powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water, bourbon, and bitters and whisk until blended.
4. Spoon into plastic shot cups and chill for about three hours.
5. Garnish each with a cherry and serve.

Mojito Jello Shots

Mojitos are well-known for their refreshing quality, and these Mojito Jello Shots are just as full-flavored as their predecessor is. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 5 mint sprigs
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ cup rum
• 1 (3 ounce) box of flavored lime Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint sprigs, simple syrup, and lime juice together.
2. Add rum and ice and shake until chilled.
3. Pour the lime Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
4. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
5. Add ½ cup of cold water and strain in the shaken mixture.
6. Whisk until fully mixed.
7. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about three hours.

Tropical Jello Shot

One of the more unusual jello flavors is pineapple, but it allows you to make a unique tropical-inspired jello shot. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) box of pineapple Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided
• ½ cup coconut rum

Instructions

1. Pour the pineapple Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water and vodka and whisk until blended.
4. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about three hours.

Layered Jello Shots

In order to make layered jello shots, you're going to need to be able to multi-task and have about three hours of free time on your hands. While these visually striking jello shots are always a hit with the crowds, they're definitely more difficult to make than the basic jello shots are. In short, making a layered jello shot involves you crafting individual layers of jello shots and chilling one at a time, and then layering and repeating the process until you've reached your desired number of layers.

Candy Corn Jello Shot

A great example of this complicated process is a Halloween-inspired candy corn Jello shot which results in three layers of differently flavored jello in one shot glass. Specifically, this recipe yields about twelve shots.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 ounce) box of lemon Jello
• 1½ cups water, divided
• 2 cups vodka
• 1 (3ounce) package orange Jello
• 1 ounce warm water
• ¼ ounce unflavored gelatin
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup rum

Instructions

1. Pour the lemon Jello powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small pot, boil one cup of water and whisk into the Jello powder.
3. Add ½ cup of cold water and 1 cup of vodka and whisk until blended.
4. Spoon into plastic shot cups, chill for about an hour.
5. Once solidified, repeat steps 1-3 with the orange Jello. Carefully spoon orange mixture on top of the chilled yellow mixture.
6. Chill again for about an hour.
7. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the warm water and unflavored gelatin, and stir until it's dissolved.
8. Whisk in the condensed milk and rum and spoon on top of the chilled orange layer.
9. Chill for another thirty minutes and remove when it's ready to serve.

A Bite That Packs a Punch

Everyone will be absolutely jello-us of your talents once they get a taste of your jello shots, and no matter which of these recipes you choose, you're sure to win them over. So whether you need holiday jello shots for the 4th of July or you're simply trying to recreate your childhood memories of wiggly jello (except with booze), jello shots make a fun and fabulous party shot sure to please a crowd.