Champagne Jello Shots
Enjoy these sparkly gelatin alcoholic treats for celebrations all year long.
Servings 12 jello shots
Calories 40kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar or sprinkles, see note
- ½ ounce unflavored gelatin (2 ¼-ounce packets)
- 1 cup sparkling cider or sparkling lemonade
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup sparkling wine such as champagne or prosecco
- ¼ cup lemon vodka plain vodka or flavored vodka
Instructions
- Prepare molds. (I used plastic shot glass cups, but you can also use cupcake wrappers or mini-muffin tins.) Spray them lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle the sanding sugars in the bottoms of the molds.
- Soften gelatin. Whisk together sparkling cider (or sparkling lemonade) with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over top and allow to rest for 5 minutes until gelatin is softened and the liquid’s surface appears slightly wrinkled.
- Dissolve the gelatin. Warm the liquid over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Do not let boil. Remove from heat.
- Add liquor. Whisk in the vodka and champagne.
- Fill the molds. Distribute the liquid evenly among the molds. Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before serving.
- Serve. If serving in cups, you can serve them in the cups. If using a pan, use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
- If using a mold, dip bottom of pan into hot water for 5 seconds. Run a paring knife around the edge of the jello to loosen. Flip out the molds onto a wax paper-lined surface.
- Keep chilled until serving. Sprinkle with more sanding sugar before serving, if desired.
Notes
Scaling the recipe: The recipe can be doubled or tripled if you need to make more than 12. Use the +/- buttons at the top of this recipe card to scale the ingredients.
Making ahead: You can make these up to 1-2 days in advance as long as they are stored in the fridge. Do not freeze them. I wouldn't make them earlier than 48 hours ahead of time because they will begin to lose their shape and separate from their molds. Be sure to wait to add the sprinkles until just before you serve them.
Vodka notes: I have tried lemon vodka and plain vodka in this recipe, and both were excellent. Raspberry, pear or orange vodka would also be delicious. My go-to brand is Tito's for plain vodka and Absolut or Pinnacle for flavored.
Adjusting sweetness: The level of sweetness can vary depending on the ingredients used. If you're using a dry sparkling wine, you may wish to stir in some simple syrup or sugar. Taste the mixture once you have added the champagne. If it's not sweet enough for you, stir in ¼ to ½ cup of granulated sugar until dissolved. Place over low heat if needed but do not boil.
Using sprinkles: The sanding sugars are optional, but create a dazzling look for each jello shot. Add a pinch to the bottom of each shot glass before adding the gelatin mixture for a bubbly look, then add another sprinkle to the top once the shots have hardened, just before serving to make them sparkle even more. I used gold edible stars.
Alcohol content: If divided into 12 servings, this recipe contains approximately 10% alcohol by volume (ABV). That's less than ⅛ ounce of alcohol per 1½ ounce serving. (In other words, you'd probably need to eat quite a few of them to feel the effects.)
Non-alcoholic option: For the kids and non-drinkers, you have a couple of options here:
- Swap the ¼ cup of vodka for a non-alcoholic spirit like Seedlip Garden 108. Substitute more sparkling cider for the ¾ cup of champagne.
- Instead of the vodka and champagne, use 1 cup sparkling cider. (So 2 cups total.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5ounces | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.03g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg
