Red, White & Blue Jello Shots Recipe! (2024)

There are several pins on pinterest that show off red, white & blue jello shots, however very few of them include a recipe or how-to, so I thought it would be nice to share how I made my layered jello shots for my 4th of July party! They are fairly easy to make and were a big hit at the party! Pin now and save for next year’s 4th of July!

This is a fun recipe to make year after year for your 4th of July party! Be sure to put your finished shots in a cooler if you’re bringing them to a party so they don’t melt in the sun!

Love those layers!!

Red, White & Blue Jello Shots Recipe

Yield: Approx. 25-28 shots

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 1 day

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 day 30 minutes

Ingredients

3oz package of blue Jello
3oz package of red Jello
2 packets of Knox gelatin
1 cup of coconut milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, depending how sweet you want it (I use 1/4 cup)
3 cups (divided) of alcohol of choice (flavored or plain vodka works well)
3 cups (divided) water
jello shot cups

Instructions

First set up your shot cups. I like to spread mine out on baking sheets for easy transport to and from the fridge. I bought 2 oz shot cups from the party store. You do not need to spray with cooking spray or otherwise prepare the cups.

Step 1: Make the Red layer

In a bowl add 1 cup of boiling water to the red jello, stir well until dissolved.
Add 1 cup of alcohol (I used whipped cream flavored vodka), stir.
Pour into jello shot cups, spreading evenly across the cups so there is a layer of red in each.
Transfer to fridge and let them set. Package directions say 4 hours, I let mine set overnight so they would be extra firm before I added the next layer! If you skip this step, your colors will mix when you add the next ones and you will no longer have a layer effect! If you are rushed I would let them set at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: The White Layer

Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan and sprinkle the Knox over it, allow it to bloom for a few minutes. All the gelatin powder should be touching the water. Do not skip this step or the gelatin won't set properly.
Turn on the heat to low and stir in the 1 cup of coconut milk. Stir well, cooking on low until the gelatin is fully dissolved and the mixture heats up to just before boiling. (little bubbles on the edges, but not big boiling bubbles)
Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat.
Allow to cool several minutes and then add 1 cup of alcohol (I used whipped cream vodka). Let the mixture cool on the counter about 10 minutes. (at this point it may start to separate, if this happens just stir it again before going on to step 5)
Carefully add the white layer to your red layer in each cup. Mine was too hot and started mixing in some of them so I used a spoon to add it! But, if it's cooled enough you can pour it (slowly!)
Transfer to fridge and allow to completely cool and set (same as the red layer)
Note: be sure to use clear alcohol or white liquor for this step so it stays white!

Step 3: The Blue Layer

In a bowl add 1 cup of boiling water to the blue jello, stir well until dissolved
Add 1 cup of alcohol, stir. Allow to cool several minutes on the counter before going on to the next step. (I do about 10 minutes)
Carefully add the blue over the white layer, slowly so it doesn't mix!
Transfer to fridge and allow to set before eating!

Notes

Besure to let the layers fully set before you start adding the next one! Otherwise they will start mixing and you will have pink instead of red and white!
It is helpful to let the new layer cool a little in the mixing bowl before you start pouring it in for the same reason as above.
I recommend leaving your trays in the fridge until you are completely ready to add the next layer.
Imake my shots will half water and half alcohol.So, for a 2 ounce shot (as pictured above) it is about 1 ounce of alcohol.Some people think these are “strong,”if you want a weaker shot you can use more cold water instead of alcohol, as long as it still equals to a cup.

Troubleshooting:

If the white layer starts to separate, or becomes weird, you have probably made it too hot. Do not bring it to a full boil or it can make the coconut milk start to go funny. You can also add the coconut milk in the alcohol step instead of the water step, this will keep it cooler.
Make sure the coconut milk hasn't separated in the can! Sometimes this kind of milk separates into a fat layer and a watery layer in the can. You need to make sure it's fully mixed together before using.
If the white layer doesn't set, you probably didn't let the knox gelatin bloom. Make sure all the powder is touching water so each gelatin grain can fill up with water.