Holly Jolly Jello Shotsrn

a close up shot of Holly Jolly Jello Shots on a stand

This holiday season, add these beautiful, layered red, white, and green holly jolly jello shots to your festivities.

Table of Contents

Holly Jolly Jello Shots Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Holly Jolly Jello Shots Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
Why We Love This Recipe
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

Add a little bit of Christmas cheer to your festivities with these stunning holly jolly jello shots. Colorful layers of raspberry, lime, and creamy white jello are infused with vodka for a treat that looks almost too pretty to eat.

a close up shot of Holly Jolly Jello Shots on a plate

Holly Jolly Jello Shots Ingredients

Holly Jolly Jello Shots raw ingredients that are labeled

These jello shots are a festive and sweet treat with a perfect balance of flavors.

They combine the creamy richness of sweetened condensed milk with the fruity sweetness of raspberry jello and the zesty tang of lime jello.

Vodka adds a subtle, warming kick, and the garnishes of whipped topping and holiday sprinkles provide a fun and visually appealing touch.

You’ll need:

6 cups boiling water, divided into 2 cups, 1 cup, 1 cup, 1 cup, and 1 cup
6 (0.25-ounce) packets of unflavored gelatin, divided into 2 packets, 1 packet, 1 packet, 1 packet, and 1 packet
1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
1½ cups of vodka, divided into four ¼-cup portions plus ½ cup
2 (3-ounce) boxes of raspberry-flavored jello gelatin
2 (3-ounce) boxes of lime-flavored jello gelatin
Garnish: squirt whipped topping, red/white/green holiday sprinkles, or red & green colored Skittles candies

PRO TIP:

These holly jolly jello shots take quite some time to assemble, so we suggest making them the day before you plan to serve them, as they will do best if they have plenty of time to chill in the refrigerator.

Don’t rush the process, or your layers will mix, and you will not get the pretty layered look you are aiming for.

Substitutions And Additions

JELLO: I like the combination of raspberry and lime in this recipe. You can replace the raspberry flavor with another red-colored flavor, such as cherry or strawberry jello.

I have not found a flavor substitute for the green jello, but the lime flavor works great with any of the above-mentioned red flavors.

VODKA: You do not need to use a high-end (top shelf) vodka for these jello shots; however, I suggest using one you enjoy drinking.

You can use vanilla vodka or whipped cream-flavored vodka as substitutes if you desire.

How To Make This Holly Jolly Jello Shots Recipe

This recipe takes a little bit of time to make as you need to give each layer time to set. But we guarantee that the wait will be worth it when you see how pretty the result is.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Remember that when serving these holly jolly jello shots, they should be labeled for adults only. You can make these kid-friendly by omitting the vodka and replacing it with cold water in the recipe.

STEP ONE: In an 8-cup, microwave-safe, spouted measuring cup, add two cups of water and microwave on high for four minutes to boil the water.

Add two of the (0.25-ounce) packets of unflavored gelatin to the hot water and whisk until completely dissolved.

Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup of vodka until completely smooth and the sweetened condensed milk is thinned out.

Divide this mixture into three equal portions (approximately 1½ cups each). Set aside to cool.

PRO TIP:

A dinner fork works great to whisk the ingredients in a smaller vessel like the 2-cup spouted measuring cup. If you notice that your flavored gelatin starts to thicken a little while it is cooling on the counter, then give it a quick whisk with the fork. You don’t want little lumps in your layers.

unflavored gelatin, milk, and vodka and water whisked in a measuring cup

STEP TWO: In a 2-cup, microwave-safe spouted measuring cup, add one cup of water and microwave on high for three minutes.

Sprinkle in one (0.25-ounce) packet of unflavored gelatin and whisk until completely dissolved.

Add one (3-ounce) box of raspberry-flavored gelatin and whisk to combine. Finally, add ¼ cup vodka and whisk to combine.

unflavored gelatin, vodka, raspberry jello and boiling water whisked in a measuring cup

STEP THREE: Pour the raspberry gelatin into a thin layer on the bottom of a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.

Carefully transfer it to a flat surface in the refrigerator and allow it to chill and set up for 45 minutes.

PRO TIP:

Make sure that each layer has set up pretty firm before adding the next layer. It may take slightly longer for each of your layers to firm up, but it is very important so that the final product has very distinguishable layers. Pour slowly to ensure that you do not disturb the layer underneath.

raspberry jello mixture poured in a baking dish

STEP FOUR: Once you have finished preparing your first red layer, you want to wash your measuring cup and prepare your lime (green) layer so that it has time to cool off, on the counter, before adding it to the layers of holly jolly jello shots.

You DO NOT want to add hot or warm jello to the dish of layers because it can melt the layer you are pouring it onto, thus ruining the layered look of the holly jolly jello shots.

STEP FIVE: Prepare your lime (green) gelatin by following Step two, except you will replace the raspberry with the lime gelatin. Set aside to cool off once mixed.

You will repeat this step after making each layer alternating between raspberry and ending with lime. Make sure to wash your measuring cup between flavors.

lime jello mixture whisked in a measuring cup

STEP SIX: Once your raspberry layer has chilled and set up, carefully pour on one of your (1¼ cup) portions of the sweetened condensed milk mixture.

Place the dish back into the refrigerator to chill and set up for 45 minutes.

condensed milk mixture poured on the raspberry layer in a baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Add your pre-mixed lime (green) jello mixture on top of the white layer. Chill for 45 minutes.

lime jello mixture added in a baking dish

STEP EIGHT: Make your second (3-ounce) box of the raspberry (red) layer and set it aside to cool on the counter.

STEP NINE: Add the second 1¼-cup sweetened condensed milk mixture. Give it a quick stir before pouring if it has started to firm a little so you don’t have lumps.

Chill for 45 minutes

add second condensed milk mixture in a baking dish

STEP TEN: Carefully pour on the premade raspberry layer. Chill for 45 minutes.

STEP ELEVEN: Make your final (3-ounce) box of the lime (green) mixture and set it aside to cool on the counter.

STEP TWELVE: Add the final 1¼-cup portion of the sweetened condensed milk mixture to the dish. Chill for 45 minutes.

STEP THIRTEEN: Pour on the final mixture of lime-flavored gelatin. This will be your top layer.

At this point, you will want your holly jolly jello shots to have a good amount of chill time.

I highly suggest an overnight chill in the refrigerator, but a minimum of six hours is needed to really make sure that all of the layers have set up and are firm.

PRO TIP:

Once your holly jolly jello shots have firmed up, you can slice them in the dish into squares. Carefully remove the individual squares and place them onto a large serving platter.

Squirt a small amount of whipped topping onto the center of each square serving and top with either the holiday sprinkles or a green or red candy.

How To Serve

Your guests at all your holiday parties will ooh and aah over these beautiful, layered grown-up treats.

Serve them along with cucumber bites and bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers for delicious appetizers.

You could also layer the jello shots with sweetened condensed milk in dessert glasses or mason jars to create a visually appealing dessert parfait.

Our tequila sunrise jello shots and banana split jello shots are two more adult treats that would be a crowd-pleaser.

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Storage

Whether you’re preparing them in advance or saving some for later, here’s what you need to know:

MAKE AHEAD: If you want to get a head start on your holiday preparations, you can make these jello shots in advance.

Prepare them following the recipe instructions, and once they’ve set, cover the tray or container tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

Keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. These jello shots can be made up to two to three days ahead of your event.

IN THE FRIDGE: Keep your jello shots in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Do not garnish until ready to serve.

These holly jolly jello shots keep very well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days, making them a great make-ahead treat to take to a holiday party.

IN THE FREEZER: Because of the gelatin and alcohol, this jello shot recipe doesn’t tend to freeze very well.

a close up shot of Holly Jolly Jello Shots in a baking dish with pieces taken out

Why We Love This Recipe

These fun jello shots are a favorite. This is why we adore this treat.

FESTIVE FLAVORS: The combination of raspberry and lime jello gelatin, along with sweetened condensed milk and a touch of vodka, creates a flavor profile that perfectly embodies the festive spirit.

VISUALLY STUNNING: These jello shots are not only delicious but also incredibly eye-catching. The colorful layers and festive garnishes like whipped topping and holiday sprinkles make them a visual delight at any holiday gathering.

ADULT-ONLY TREAT: While these jello shots evoke the nostalgia of childhood treats, they’re designed for adults. The vodka gives them a subtle kick, making them a fun and grown-up addition to holiday festivities.

This playful party treat will be a hit at any of your festive holiday celebrations. These jello shots are filled with plenty of Christmas spirit and are worth the extra time and effort it takes to make them.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I make these ahead of time?

These holiday jello shots can be made up to five days ahead of time.

How do I store vodka jello shots?

If you have any leftover jello shots, you can store them in the fridge for up to five days.

Can you freeze jello shots?

No, we don’t find that jello shots freeze well because of the gelatin and alcohol.

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