Red White and Blue Jell-O Shots are the perfect layered jello shots to spice up your holiday themed 4th of July party this year. Incredible popular at get togethers and visually stunning, your guests will enjoy every delicious layer in this adult dessert that does everything right! Stunning for summer cook outs, BBQs and parties all summer long, these colorful layers are sure to to be the biggest hit at the party!
Its summer time and that means cool refreshing summer drinks, holiday picnics with delicious salads, dips by the pool, and lots of party food! There is no doubt these Fourth of July layered Jell-O shots are mind blowing beautiful and worth the time to make. They look stunning on a party table, yep, right next to the perfect pasta side dishes and are are delicious as well.
Why this Recipe Works
Super Patriotic and FUN: Kids get so much of the fun out there and these little spirited red, white, and blue shots are a perfect way to host and serve up some excitement this season for the adults. They look splashy and while take some time to set between layers, are worth the effort. If you are doing a full themed out party and do need some kid friendly bites, try red, white and blue strawberries or this patriotic poke cake.
Variations work: Change up the colors for seasons, parties, and other holidays quite easily. This recipe is versatile and works even without the striped colors.
Ingredients
These layered jello shots are easy to make but can be time consuming due to the layers having to be filled. Also, if you have time, set the shot glasses out and on the counter for about 15 minutes after filling each layer. The jello will set up enough so you feel comfortable moving them to the refrigerator.
Then refrigerate until completely firm.
- boxed cherry jello – I have found that Cherry gives the perfect red for a shot, but if you do not love cherry, there are other pink/red flavors that would work just fine for the red
- boxed berry blue jello (Jell-O Berry Blue Instant Gelatin Mix)
- vodka
- sweetened condensed milk
- box of unflavored gelatin
- maraschino cherries for topping
Expert Tips
Serving: I serve mine with teeny little spoons I grab at the Dollar Tree.
Easy Clean up: These are 2 ounce shot glasses and if you want to serve with no clean up, get disposable shot glasses.
Perfect layers require patience: Set the shot glasses out and on the counter for about 15 minutes after filling each layer. The jello will set up enough so you feel comfortable moving them to the refrigerator. Then refrigerate until completely firm.
How to make Layered Jello Shots
- Clear a space out of your refrigerator to fit a 9×13 baking pan. Place shot glasses on a flat surface. In a bowl or measuring cup with a spout, add 1 cup of boiling water. Stir in one small package of blue jello. Mix well until dissolved completely.
- Stir in 3/4 cup vodka and 1/4 cup cold water.
- Pour a small amount into a shot glass, filling 1/3 of the way. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. While 1 hour may be fine for my shot glasses, you may need less time or longer time. Please make sure to firm before going onto the next layer.
- In a measuring cup with a spout, add 1/2 cup cold water and 2 packages of unflavored gelatin. Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is thick.
- Stir in 1 cup of boiling water and mix until dissolved.
- Stir in sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup vodka. If the mixture is still hot, wait till it’s cooled to pour the next layer.
- Pour the mixture on top of the blue layer until 2/3 full.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
- For the red layer, repeat the directions from the blue layer.
- Adding a cherry on top and then filling the glasses. Let set for 2 hours to firm up.
Makes 30-36 shots.
FAQ’s
Christmas – green and red layers
Valentines Day – Ombre of red to lighter pink
Halloween – candy corn layers or orange and black
Rainbow – this would take some time, but red, yellow, orange, green, and blue.
Strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream or chocolate shavings all make fun toppings
Yes, absolutely. Vodka or flavored vodkas are the most common as they typically still allow the colors, or in this case red, white and blue, be the same. You can easily use other clear spirits and may like rum, tequila, brandy and whiskey all come in clear.
This is going to boil down to some math on how strong the drink is and how big of a shot you end up using. Its typically that as few as 2 or as many as 4 will equal a drink. Its very easy to throw back quite a few Jell-O shots and then end up with more than you realize. Just be mindful that it contains liquor and drink responsibly.
Gelatin does not freeze itself, so while it may seem like a good idea, in the end you may end up messing up the shot.
Jell-O is the correct brand name but people use them interchangeable, quite like “Kleenex”.
The gelatin may not set if you over pour alcohol. Plus, contrary to belief, they can taste awful if not done right.
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Red White and Blue Jell-O Shots
Ingredients
- 1 small box of cherry jello
- 1 small box of berry blue jello
- 4 cups water - divided
- 2 cups vodka - divided
- 1 can - 14 oz, sweetened condensed milk
- 2 packages - 0.25 oz each, unflavored gelatin
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Clear a space out of your refrigerator to fit a 9×13 baking pan.
- Place shot glasses on a flat surface.
- In a bowl or measuring cup with a spout, add 1 cup of boiling water.
- Stir in one small package of blue jello.
- Mix well until dissolved completely.
- Stir in 3/4 cup vodka and 1/4 cup cold water.
- Pour a small amount into a shot glass, filling 1/3 of the way.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
- In a measuring cup with a spout, add 1/2 cup cold water and 2 packages of unflavored gelatin.
- Let gelatin set for 5 minutes until mixture is thick.
- Stir in 1 cup of boiling water and mix until dissolved.
- Now add 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup vodka.
- If mixture is still hot, wait till its cooled to pour on top of your blue layer.
- Pour the condensed milk mixture on top of the blue layer until 2/3 full.
- Refrigerate 2nd layer for 1 hour or until firm.
- For the red layer, repeat the directions from the blue layer.
- Add a cherry on top and then fill the glasses with the red layer.
- Let shots set in fridge for approx 2 hours (or longer depending on your fridge) to firm up.
Recipe Notes
- Makes 30-36 shots.
- These layered jello shots are easy to make but can be time consuming due to the layers having to be filled. Also, if you have time, set the shot glasses out and on the counter for about 15 minutes after filling each layer. The jello will set up enough so you feel comfortable moving them to the refrigerator. Then refrigerate until completely firm.
- Transfer by baking pan to make easy to put in fridge
Kathi says
I love that you include basic instructions-“Clear out space in the refrigerator for a pan.” “2 oz shot glasses”. Most recipes on the internet chatter too much about the author and forget to tell us details that make the difference.
Anne says
Do you use the whole 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk?
Or the 2/3 cup as shown in the photo?
Trisha says
I realize just now that that could be confusing. I was just trying to demo pouring it in the gelatin, I’ll remove the measuring cup! Its the full can.
Liz says
Hi there- I made these shots and the recipe says to let the first jello layer set 1 hour. You need to let them set longer. I just poured my (still warm) white layer onto the blue layer- disaster. bleeding on all 36 shots. You also need to let the white layer cool down before pouring.
Trisha says
They say sit one hour or until firm, which likely will depend on how cold your fridge is, but mine have never taken more than an hour. I am sorry that yours were not set. Each layer needs to be set (it says that right before ingredients as well). I went back and bolded it in the article.
Mama Maddy says
Hello, I am wondering if the alcohol ratio would be different if I used Malibu Rum instead of Vodka?
Trisha says
Unfortunately I do not know because i haven’t tried rum, but I do know that rum is often used in jello shots so I dont imagine its different.
Jamey says
This was a hit at our 4th of July Socially Distancing Happy Hour! So easy to make – make sure you follow directions exactly to keep in the fridge for long enough 🙂 🎆🎉
Trisha says
How fun! Yep, making sure you set each stripe is important so they dont bleed.