Whenever I was at a college party the first thing I would grab was a jello shot. Sugary sweet, jello shots are always a fun way to take a bite of your favorite liquor. Simply use your tongue (or fingers) and loosen the jello from the sides of the plastic cup then pour it back while bouncing along to the DJ.
It made a bit of a sticky mess and most of the time the shots were way stronger then they should have been. Taking jello shots was a must at any party in between partaking in other party activities like ahem, keg stands and slap cup.
Well, I'm not in college anymore (although I still get asked if I'm in High School way too often) which means my party habits have changed, including the beverages I serve. No longer are parties with the cheapest beer possible. It's time to class this party up and that includes transforming jello shots into something beautiful even your 87 year old Grandmother would appreciate.
The Hardware
Say goodbye to lousy plastic jello shot cups and hello to more sophisticated molds. Just like normal jello you can use almost anything to mold it as long as it's food-grade and there's some way for the jello to come out.
1. Ice Cube Trays
Lyndsay Burginger
Who would have thought that ice cube trays could make perfect jello shots? Banish the plastic containers forever with this jello shot hack. Simply spray a little bit of vegetable oil in the pan before adding the jello to make it a breeze to remove.
Better yet, order some silicone ice cube trays. We love the shape of this ice cube tray.
2. Fruit
Lyndsay Burginger
Using fruit as your serving container is such a fun idea. Use limes for margarita jello shots, strawberries for daiquiris, lemons for lemon drops and oranges for something like a tequila sunrise. It's almost like eating these shots are heathy. Almost.
3. Cookie Cutters
Put shot glasses to shame with a few small cookie cutters. Simply pour the gelatin into a pan (something like a 9x13 or a square pan works great) and let set. Once set, use the cookie cutters and stamp out the shapes.
Make them fun by cutting your shots into animals or perhaps a bowtie and mustache.
4. Silicone Molds
Lyndsay Burginger
Silicone molds are the answer to creative jello shot molds. They come in hundreds of designs are are so easy to unmold. Try molding in square molds or even this gummy bear mold to make boozy bears.
The Ratio
The first time I made jello shots it was a disastor. It was my friend's 21st birthday and I had taken on the task of making rainbow jello shots. The jello on some of the different color layers never set up with other layers set up too much. (We still ate it if you are wondering. Pretty or ugly, booze was booze).
Today whenever I make jello shots I stick to a pretty consistent ratio of using 3 oz of Jell-O powder 1 cup of liquor and 1 cup of water. This differs when using gelatin powder where I usually stick to 1 package of powdered gelatin per 3/4 cup of liquid.
It all depends on your preference and how strong you like your jello shots. This ratio is pretty strong and I wouldn't recommend adding any more liquor, but you can replace some of the liquor with cold water if needed.
Take a look at some of our recipes:
Recipes
Mint Julep Jello Shots
Lyndsay Burginger
Inspired by the Southern bourbon drink, this fancy shot is made in an ice cube tray and is garnished with a fresh mint leaf. To infuse the mint into the shot, fresh mint, sugar, gelatin and water are mixed together and warmed. The mint is then taken out with a fine sieve. All you need is a big hat for this shot.
Margarita Jello Shots
Lyndsay Burginger
It's an entire tequila shot in jelly form. A Lime gelatin packet is mixed with Cointreau (or triple sec), tequila and lime juice then set in lime halves. Once the jello is solid, slice the lime into wedges, top with coarse salt and serve.
Dark and Stormy Jello Shots
Lyndsay Burginger
If you love a kick of spice, these Dark and Stormy Jello Shots have your name written all over them. In a saucepan reduce the ginger beer then add in molasses, spiced rum and gelatin. Mold in silicone molds and serve.
