Red, white, and blue layered Jello Shots will be the hit of your summer party. Because it doesn’t matter if it’s Memorial Day or Fourth of July, you can even celebrate all summer long! Even if it’s just for a summer barbecue!
We love 4th of July recipes! For more patriotic goodness try our other Fourth of July recipes like our American Flag Sheet Cake or our Patriotic Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
Red, White and Blue Layered Jello Shots – 4th of July Jello Shots {whatever you call them, they rock!)
Summertime is for enjoying the outdoors. For us, that means hanging out by our pool with our neighbors and enjoying the warm summer nights. It also means barbecues, good desserts and of course, some adult beverages.
If you know me and my blog, then you know I always like to take something “traditional” and craft it up. After all, I look at myself as a food crafter. So, the jello shot is no exception.
So, if we take an ordinary jello shot (I know…there is nothing ordinary about a jello shot) and we take all of the fun patriotic summer holidays and blend them together, then we get our Red, White and Blue Layered Jello Shots.
They could also be called 4th of July Jello Shots, but then I don’t like to discriminate against Memorial Day and Labor Day! Both are fine holidays!
Pair these jello shots with our Red, White and Blue Strawberries or our Firecracker Cupcakes and you will have an epic 4th of July party that is so fun! However, you could do even better with some of our other great Red, White and Blue Dessert ideas to round out your menu!
Everything you need to know on how to make the best jello shots.
Holiday Jello Shot Ideas
I’ve got better news! Because, you actually don’t need to wait until Summer to enjoy these babies! Change up the colors with different layers and make them all year round!
Think about these fun holiday layered Jello shot ideas:
- Halloween Candy Corn Layered Jello Shots – layer white, yellow and orange
- Christmas Jello Shots – Red, green and white layers
- Valentine’s Day Jello Shots – Red, pink and white layers
- Rainbow Jello Shots – Go all ROY G BIV and layer all of the colors of the rainbow (or just pick 4 or 5)
How to make Layered Jello Shots
For our recipe we used glass shot glasses, but if you want to save yourself some clean up time, I would recommend using plastic mini-dessert cups rather than using glass.
I like the dessert cups rather than the shot glasses, just because I think they are so much prettier!
Top them off! If you want to go the extra mile, then you can top off your red, white and blue jello shots with a little something special.
I think next time I make them, right before I serve them I will spray some whipped cream on top and maybe even sprinkle them with red, white, and blue sprinkles or better yet red and blue Pop Rocks! How fun would that be!
Then you could call it a Firecracker Jello Shot!
How to make Red, White and Blue Layered Jello Shots
They are super easy to make, they just time a little time and patience!
- MAKE BLUE LAYER:
Let the blue gelatin completely dissolve in a cup of boiling water. Stir in vodka and cool. Pour in shot glasses. Chill at least 1 hour to set. - MAKE WHITE LAYER:
Let the unflavored gelatin completely dissolve in 2 cups of boiling water. Mix in the sweetened condensed milk and stir well to incorporate. Let cool for 5 minutes and pour on top of the blue jello layer, dividing it among the glasses evenly. Then chill for 1 hour or until the layer is set. - MAKE RED LAYER:
Let the red gelatin completely dissolve in a cup of boiling water. Stir in vodka and cool. Pour in shot glasses. Chill at least 1 hour to set.
Pair these jello shots with our Red, White and Blue Poke Cake and our adorable Pinwheel Cookies (just change the colors to red and blue!)
More Amazing Recipes
Red, White and Blue Layered Jello Shots
Ingredients
- 2 cups vodka divided
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 4 cups boiling water divided
- 1 3 oz box Blue JELL-O gelatin (Berry Blue flavor)
- 1 3 oz box Strawberry or cherry JELL-O gelatin
- 1 14 oz can Sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
DIRECTIONS FOR BLUE LAYER
- Pour the Berry Blue gelatin into a bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water and let completely dissolve.
- Stir in the vodka and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Then pour into each of your shot glasses, filling 1/3 of the way. Chill for 1 hour or until the layer is set.
DIRECTIONS FOR WHITE LAYER
- Pour the 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin to a mixing bowl and stir in 2 cups of boiling water and let dissolve completely.
- Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and stir well to incorporate. Then cool for 5 minutes.
- Pour on top of the blue jello layer, dividing it among the glasses evenly. Then chill for 1 hour or until the layer is set.
DIRECTIONS FOR RED LAYER
- Pour the strawberry or cherry gelatin into a bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water and let completely dissolve.
- Stir in the vodka and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Then pour on top of the white layer, filling the top layer close to the top of each glass rim. Chill for 1 hour.
How many does this recipe make?
I doubled and made 60 using 2 oz plastic mini cups. Used the 6 oz jello packets.
Can you do this in a 9 x 13 pan and cut into squares?
I didn’t add unflavored gelatin to the red or blue layers. I used 1 cup boiling water with the jello … waited a few minutes and added 1 cup vodka which I had in the freezer. The white layer I used frozen vodka as well to “pillow” the unflavored gelatin and sweetened condensed milk for several minutes and then added the hot sweetened condensed milk.
Ok I’m confused. The unflavored jello is used for the white layer so why does it say to add half a envelope to each red and blue layers ? Also, it says to put 2 1 oz packages to the white layer. But 1 3 oz red and 1/2 unflavored which equals 4 1/2 oz for red and blue layers does that matter ? Sorry for the confusion, first timer here and I don’t wanna mess them up!
So sorry if this question is totally obvious but what does allow it to “pillow” mean?
It isn’t! This was written a long time ago and I honestly don’t know why I used the term pillow – LOL. Just let it settle in there. Don’t mix it yet.
Great! Thank you for your promt response and an amazing recipe!
What’s the purpose of the unflavored gelatin?
It’s for the white layer with the condensed milk.
thanks for jumping in on this one Alex!! Was gone for the weekend <3
It says to use envelops of unflavored gelatin but gelatin comes in different size packages …. could I get a measurement please?
1 ounce packets
Made these tonight…They are AWESOME!!!
putting boiling water into a bowl of vodka will burn off all the alcohol. Every good jello shot recipe I have followed says to pillow the gelatin over cold water then turn on the burner to heat up. LET COOL, then add the vodka
Adding water that was recently boiled will only reduce the alcohol by about 15%. If the mixture was kept on the burner, the alcohol would eventual burn off. This recipe should be okay.
I made this exactly as the recipe said. The white part provides way too much liquid. It filled 12 5 oz shots not 3 oz. 12 different people drank it and it was awful and strong. The flavor was not good. The white part tasted like congealed milk not like jello. And even if it is only 15% alcohol reduction, that avoids the entire point.
Why put unflavored gelatin in with the flavored? Is that necessary?
When you add hot water to the vodka the alcohol dissipates. Add the vodka to cooled down mixture.
Not if you put the vodka in the freezer. Add the hot water to the jello – stir until dissolved – wait a few minutes and then add the cold vodka.
Alcohol does not freeze.