Red white and blue jello shots are the best drink for a fourth of July or Memorial Day party. Whether you're headed to the beach, having a party, or firing up the grill, these patriotic Jell-O shots will most definitely liven up your celebration.
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What's not to love about the 4th of July?! Summer, picnics, sparklers and tons of 4th of July inspired foods like our red white and blue yogurt popsicles or these mini patriotic brownies. We decided to add in a fun holiday shot idea to go along with all the yummy cookout sides that you may be making with these simple red white and blue jello shots.
6 simple ingredients
- Blue jello: we used a berry jello but any blue jello flavor will work. You can opt for a sugar free version if you like.
- Red jello: ours was strawberry which I think goes really well with the berry blue!
- Water: you'll need boiling water and cold water for this recipe.
- Alcohol: you can use whatever clear liquor you want. We opted for Titos because that's what we like but you can absolutely use a raspberry flavored vodka, which would be really good.
- Whipped cream: feel free to use cool whip or a dairy free whipped cream if you want to.
- Red and blue sprinkles: these are for the tops and make them look really pretty!
How to make red white and blue jello shots
- Prepare one jello flavor: Start by preparing the first color of jello. We did blue on the bottom, but you could do red on the bottom if you want! Boil 1 ½ cups of water then mix it with the jello until dissolved. Add the cold water then the vodka and stir.
- Assemble and chill: place the cups on a sheet pan for easy moving then fill each cup up halfway with the jello. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours or until it's set.
- Repeat with the other flavor: follow steps one and two and fill the rest of the cups up with the jello then chill.
- Top with whipped cream: when they're fully set and you're ready to serve them, top them with whipped cream and sprinkles.
How to store and transfer them
To store: Most of the 2 ounce jello shot containers come with lids so once you're done making both layers, close the lids and store them in the fridge until you're ready to serve them. Note: don't add the whipped cream or sprinkles until just before serving.
To transfer: If you're going somewhere close, just put them in a traveling bag or insulated cooler. If you're making them in advance and traveling far like a relative's house or going camping, store them in a well-insulated cooler with ice.
Jello Shot FAQs
If you put too much alcohol into your jello shot, then there's a chance it won't set. In general, a basic batch of jello shots is made with one cup of boiling water, one packet of gelatin, a half cup of cold water and half a cup of alcohol. I wouldn't do much more than ¾ cup of alcohol. Not only will it not set, but it will also taste way too strong.
Although you can spray the jello shot cup to make them come out easier, I don't recommend it unless you get a neutral flavor spray. I wouldn't want the spray to seem greasy or affect the flavor. The jello shots come out pretty well on their own!
Any alcohol will work, but we really like a clear one to not mess up the patriotic colors of these jello shots. You could do a raspberry vodka, but we really like Titos. Other jello shots work with gin, whiskey, tequila and more.
The freezer won't help your jello set faster, if anything, it can ruin them! There really isn't a speedy way to set the jello so plan accordingly! These red white and blue jellos hots can be made several days in advance so get started early!
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More drinks you'll love:
Red White and Blue Jello Shots
Ingredients
For the red jello
- 1 (3 ounce) box Strawberry Jell-O
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup clear liquor Titos or Raspberry flavored are our favorite
For the blue jello
- 1 (3 ounce) box Blue Raspberry Jell-O
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup clear liquor Titos or Raspberry flavored are our favorite
Topping
- Whipped Cream (could also use cool whip or dairy free whipped cream)
- Red and blue sprinkles
Instructions
For the blue jello
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. While it's warming, place the jello packet in a glass bowl. When the water is boiling, carefully transfer it to the bowl with the jello packet and stir well until dissolved.
- Arrange 20-24 2 ounce plastic cups on a sheet pan so you can transfer them easily. Use a spoon, cup with a lip or syringe to fill each cup each cup halfway (1 ounce). Transfer the tray to the fridge to cool for 2 hours, or until the jello is set.
For the red jello
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. While it's warming, place the jello packet in a glass bowl. When the water is boiling, carefully transfer it to the bowl with the jello packet and stir well until dissolved.
- Use a spoon, cup with a lip or syringe to fill the cups the rest of the way up on top of the red jello. Transfer the tray back to the fridge to cool for 2 hours, or until the jello is set.
To serve
- Right before you're ready to serve, top each jello shot with whipped cream and a generous portion of red and blue sprinkles.
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