Jello Shots with Unflavored Gelatin

closeup of edible gold and silver stars on jello shots

Jello Shots with Unflavored Gelatin

Susannah

It's easy to make homemade Jello Shots with Unflavored Gelatin, your favorite juices and your choice of alcohol.

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Set Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Servings jello shots

Calories 40kcal

Author Susannah

Ingredients

1 cup non-alcoholic liquid including mixers, juices and simple syrup
5½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin 2 ¼-ounce packets
¼-½ cup sugar (optional)
1 cup vodka tequila, or any other alcoholic component

Instructions

Prepare molds. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle the sanding sugars in the bottoms of the molds.
Soften gelatin. Add your non-alcoholic liquid(s) to a 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 alcohol.
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 sugars before serving.

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.

Recipe ideas:

Rum & Coke jello shots: 1 cup rum + 1 cup cola
Margarita jello shots: ¾ cup tequila + ¼ cup triple sec + 1 cup lime juice + ½ cup sugar
Vodka cranberry jello shots: 1 cup vodka + 1 cup cranberry juice + ½ cup sugar
Fireball jello shots: 1 cup cinnamon whiskey + 1 cup apple cider + cinnamon sugar rim
Apple pie jello shots: 1 cup bourbon + 1 cup apple cider
Caramel apple jello shots: 1 cup caramel vodka + 1 cup apple juice
Piña colada jello shots: 1 cup coconut rum + 1 cup pineapple juice
Screwdriver jello shots: 1 cup vodka + 1 cup orange juice
Blue Hawaiian jello shots: ½ cup blue curaçao + ½ cup coconut rum + ½ cup pineapple juice + ½ cup sour mix

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.

Adjusting sweetness: The level of sweetness can vary depending on the ingredients used. If you're using a dry sparkling wine, for example, you may wish to stir in some simple syrup or sugar. Taste the mixture once you have added the alcohol. 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.

Molds: I often use plastic shot glass cups or a baking pan and cut them into jiggly cubes. You can also use cupcake wrappers or mini-muffin tins.

Vodka notes: My go-to brand is Tito's for plain vodka and Absolut or Pinnacle for flavored. You can also use other spirits like rum, tequila or even whiskey.

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. Swap the ¼ cup alcohol for a non-alcoholic spirit like Seedlip Garden 108, or use more juice non-alcoholic mixers.

Nutrition

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