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Jell-O Shots (Red, White, and Blue)

Jell-O shots recipe with glossy red, white, and blue layers in clear plastic cups, built by dissolving each color and setting it in the fridge between pours. These vodka jello shots are easy to make and sliceable for party drinks or 4th of July red-white-blue grids.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
setting 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cherry or strawberry Jell-O
  • 1 box (3 oz) cherry or strawberry Jell-O
Berry blue Jell-O
  • 1 box (3 oz) berry blue Jell-O
Unflavored gelatin
  • 1 box (3 oz) unflavored gelatin for the white layer
Sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup sweetened condensed milk for the white layer
Boiling water
  • 3 cups boiling water divided for each layer
Vodka
  • 1.5 cups cold vodka divided for each layer
Cold water
  • 0.5 cup cold water for the white layer

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the red layer
  1. Dissolve cherry or strawberry Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stirring for 2 minutes to fully clear the powder.
  2. Mix in 1/2 cup cold vodka, then pour into shot cups filling one-third of the way for a glossy red base.
  3. Refrigerate for 45 minutes until fully set, keeping cups level so the surface looks smooth.
Make the white layer
  1. Combine sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup boiling water, and unflavored gelatin, stirring until dissolved and silky.
  2. Let the mixture cool slightly, then stir in 1/2 cup cold water to lighten the texture.
  3. Spoon gently over the set red layer to avoid bubbles and keep layers distinct.
  4. Refrigerate for another 45 minutes until the white layer is set.
Make the blue layer
  1. Dissolve berry blue Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, stirring for 2 minutes until completely dissolved.
  2. Mix in 1/2 cup cold vodka, then cool to room temperature so the top layer stays translucent.
  3. Gently pour over the white layer, aiming for an even coat that settles without mixing colors.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully set, then serve cold.

Notes

Pro tip: let the gelatin mixes cool to the stated temperature before pouring so the layers stay translucent and don’t melt into each other. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; the shots do not freeze well due to texture changes. For an alcohol-free version, replace the vodka with an equal amount of cold water (or use zero-alcohol flavoring) so the layers set the same way.