Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots

When you want to to add a splash of patriotic flair to your party, nothing beats some red, white, and blue jello shots. These vibrant and boozy treats are the perfect addition to any 4th of July, Memorial Day, or even Olympic Games-themed party.

Bursting with fruity flavors and sporting the colors of the American flag, these jello shots are as delicious as they are pretty.

It's a fun and easy recipe that's sure to impress!

Ingredients Needed

How to Make these Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots

I've made these Jell-O shots several times. The main variation is how you make the white layer. My favorite solution for this is to use Cool Whip, but check out the Substitutions and Variations for other alternatives.

Boozy Blue Layer

Start with the blue layer. Dissolve berry blue Jello in boiling water, then add vodka instead of cold water for the second step. Let this mixture cool a little at room temperature, then pour about an ounce into each of the shot glasses.

I use 3-ounce disposable shot glasses for these, but there are many options for this. I like the 3-ounce versions as they are nice and tall, the better to show off the layers 😁. (Plus they include the tiny little spoons)

And even thought they are disposable, they do wash up pretty well if you'd like to re-use them.

Place the glasses on a tray or plate and put it in the fridge for at least an hour to set.

White Layer

Once the blue layer is firm, it's time to add the white.

You can add Cool Whip with a spoon, but I have found it easiest (and cleanest!) to pipe it in using a pastry bag. Just fit a large tip (I use Wilton #12) on the bag and squeeze enough into the glass to make a good layer. Make sure the Cool Whip connects with the inside of the glass, all the way around.

Place the shot glasses back in the fridge while you prepare the red layer.

Boozy Red Layer

Make the red Jello just like you did the blue. Once the liquid is all mixed, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to cool down.

If you add the red layer while it is still warm, it will mess with the Cool Whip. Here I started to add the red layer when it wasn't quite cool enough - notice the bits of Cool Whip starting to break away and float to the top.

As soon as I saw this, I realized I needed to wait a little longer. I stuck the red liquid in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes. Be careful if you do this - you don't want it to form solid jello before you get it in the glasses!

If you have an instant read thermometer, use it to measure and wait until the liquid temperature is 80F or lower.

Then slowly pour the red jello into the shot glasses to make the third layer.

Again, place the glasses back in the fridge for at least an hour to set.

Once all the layers are set, your red, white, and blue jello shots are ready to serve!

Substitutions and Variations

As I said above, I've tried different variations for making the white layer. Here are 2 versions you can try:

1- Gelatin + sweetened condensed milk. This is probably the most common version used. Simply heat 2 cups of water to boiling, and add 2 envelopes of Knox unflavored gelatin. Stir well to dissolve, then mix in a (14-ounce)can of sweetened condensed milk.

Allow this mixture to cool for about 30 minutes before pouring into the glasses on top of the blue layer. Allow at least one hour for the white layer to set before adding the red layer.

This method makes nice white layers, and the edges are very clean. It just takes a little longer than Cool Whip.

2- Lemon Jello + ice cream. I used to make layered Jello with ice cream in the summer for my kids, so I thought it would work for these shots. Just dissolve a small lemon Jello in boiling water, then add ¾ cup of vanilla ice cream. This mixture gets cool faster, because of the ice cream.

Layer this on top of the blue layer and allow it to set for an hour before adding the red layer.

This was a tasty version, for sure. Who doesn't love ice cream, right? But the Jello makes the color undeniably yellow instead of white, plus the ice cream creates 2 mini layers which wasn't the effect I wanted.

Ultimately, the reason I prefer using Cool Whip is that it's one less thing to "make". All you have to do is add the Cool Whip to the cups, by whatever method you prefer. No waiting for gelatin to dissolve or set, etc. It cuts out a lot of time, and that's something I always appreciate!

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