Candy Cane Jello Shots

Candy cane jello shots have plenty of peppermint vibes in an easy-to-prepare, make-ahead recipe that's an excellent choice for any gathering.

Prep Time5

Chill Time3

Total Time3 5

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Candy Cane Jello Shots Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 70kcal

To a small saucepan, add the cold water and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin granules over the top of the water. Stir the gelatin into the water until fully absorbed. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the gelatin to heat up for 1-2 minutes or just until fully dissolved and the gelatin is warm but not too hot. Do not allow the gelatin to get to a simmer or a boil.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl (an 8-cup glass liquid measure cup with a pour spout works great), add the sweetened condensed milk. Slowly pour the warm gelatin into the sweetened condensed milk while whisking constantly until fully combined.
Add the peppermint schnapps and red food coloring. Whisk until your candy cane jello shot mixture is pink.
Place 12 (2-ounce) jello shot cups onto a small rimmed tray and pour the candy cane jello mixture into each shot cup to the fill line (slightly more than ⅔ full).
Refrigerate the candy cane jello shots for 2-3 hours or until fully set.
Add a dollop of extra creamy whipped topping and optional garnish when ready to serve. You can use a combination of the suggested garnishes or just stick to one. Do not garnish until just before serving.

When choosing your peppermint schnapps, make sure that you are using one with a red label and candy cane on it (DeKuyper brand), as some peppermint (with a green label and mint leaves) is actually a spearmint flavor (similar to creme de menthe - think thin mint cookie flavor) not a true peppermint flavor like a candy cane.
If you fill your shot cups completely full, you will only get 11 servings. Alternately, if you use a different-sized jello shot cup, then that will also alter the total number of servings.
An 8-cup glass liquid measure cup with a pour spout works great to mix your candy cane jello shot mixture in. It will make pouring the liquid into the small cups much easier than in a regular medium bowl. You can also transfer your liquid mixture into a smaller spouted measuring cup, if you do not have the larger size to use as a bowl, to pour the liquid into the shot cups easily.
You can add a couple of extra drops of the red food color if you want your candy cane jello shots to be red instead of pink.
The large tray will help you easily transport the little plastic cups to and from the fridge.
You can run a sharp, thin-bladed knife (a paring knife works great) along the outside edges of the jello shot just before garnishing. This will ensure the candy cane jello shots come out of the cups with ease.