Green Jello Shots
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These Lucky Charm Vodka Jello Shots are a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Make them a day ahead and pull them out when you’re ready!
If you’re looking for more boozy beverages, be sure to check out my Rosé Sangria, Pumpkin Spice Hot Toddy, or my round-up with all The Best Cocktails!
Easy Vodka Jello Shots
We are throwing back to memories of college nights with friends, themed parties, and more with this recipe! We used to make pool party jello shots every summer!
And honestly, who doesn’t love a good jello shot?
These Lucky Charm Vodka Jello shots are the perfect recipe for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day…no matter how you plan on celebrating.
With that said, clear out some space in your refrigerator (I used this as an excuse to deep clean my fridge) so you’ll have plenty of room to store as many jello shots as your fridge will hold!
What are Vodka Jello Shots?
If you aren’t familiar with jello shots and what they are, they’re made up of Jell-O, water, and alcohol (typically vodka, but other hard liquors can be used).
Ingredients for St Patricks Day Shots
- Jell-O: for this Lucky Charm recipe I used green (lime) Jell-O powder! You can use another flavor of jello like green apple too.
- Alcohol: you can use plain or flavored vodka. I really like how vanilla vodka tastes with lime.
- Pro tip: if you don’t want to use vodka you can substitute it with any kind of alcohol, vodka is just the most common.
- Wet ingredients: water and cooking spray.
- Toppings: whipped cream and shamrock sprinkles.
- Jello shot cups: these are the plastic shot cups I used!
How to make Jello Shots With Vodka
1. Grease the plastic shot cups. Grease the inside of each plastic shot cup with cooking spray. This makes it easy for them to slide right out of the cup.
2. Boil the water. Heat 2 cups of water until boiling.
3. Mix in the Jell-O shot mixture. Pour the boiling water into a mixing bowl with the Jell-O powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved. Pour in the vodka and remaining cold water and whisk.
Fill each shot cup with the Jell-O mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.
4. Decorate the Jell-O shots. Just before serving, top each Jell-O shot with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Jello Shot Recipe Vodka Variations
- Use a flavored vodka: You can easily add extra flavor to your shots by using a flavored vodka. For some sweetness, go for vanilla or a whipped vodka. Otherwise, use something with a fruity or citrus flavor.
- Layer your shots: Use different colored Jell-O and pour a half or a third of each shot, then allow them to set and pour additional layers over top.
- Change the decor: I love this green, shamrock presentation for Saint Patrick’s Day, but you can easily take this concept and give it a twist for other holidays. Red and blue shots with whipped cream and star sprinkles for 4th of July, orange shots with black or purple gel icing for Halloween, or pink and red shots for Valentine’s Day!
Tips for making Jello Shots with Vodka
- Be sure not to add too much vodka; if the ratio is unbalanced, the shots won’t fully set.
- No need to buy a super expensive vodka for jello shots, but I recommend going with something in the mid-range when it comes to price for a smoother flavor.
- If you’re having a hard time transferring the liquid to shot cups without making a mess, use a turkey baster or a measuring cup with a spout.
- Arrange the shot cups on some kind of tray so you can easily transport large amounts of shots to set in the fridge.
- If you need to bring the jello shots with you on the road, I highly recommend using plastic cups with lids to keep them safe.
How long do Green Jello Shots last?
They will last about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It’s possible for them to last longer, but if you want them at their best, try not to wait longer than 4 days.
Can I freeze St. Patricks Day Shots?
Technically, you can freeze jello shots if you need them to last longer. Be aware that freezing them won’t help them firm up much faster than they will in the fridge.
As another warning, freezing jello shots may dilute them and alter the texture a bit. But if you need to make them far ahead of time or have massive batches, the freezer is a fine option.
Strong Jello Shot Recipe FAQs
It takes about 1 1/2 – 2 hours for jello shots to set. You can put them in the freezer to set faster, but BE CAREFUL, this will only take about 20 minutes. You don’t want your Jell-O to freeze; frozen jello will ruin it.
A typical recipe calls for 6oz – 8 oz of alcohol to make jello shots. However, if you are looking to make a stronger shot, you can do so with up to 14oz of alcohol.
Yes. Jello shots can contain as much alcohol as a regular shot. Sometimes people don’t think so because they “can’t taste the alcohol” and that can actually be more dangerous.
I do not encourage anyone to drink more than 1 jello shot and, as always, please drink responsibly!
Vodka is the most widely used for jello shots. However, you can use whatever you like best or have on hand!
If you are looking for a flavored substitution for this recipe, I really love vanilla.
This is truly personal preference. Vodka is most commonly used, however, I know a number of people who prefer rum or flavored rum in their jello shots!
They will last about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. It’s possible for them to last longer, but if you want them at their best, try not to wait longer than 4 days.
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Strong Jello Shot Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups water, divided
- 6 ounces green Jell-O powder
- 1 cup vodka
- cooking spray
- whipped cream
- shamrock sprinkles
- 28 plastic shot cups
Instructions
- Grease the inside of each plastic shot cup with cooking spray.
- Heat 2 cups of water until boiling.
- Pour the boiling water into a mixing bowl with the Jell-O powder and whisk until powder is completely dissolved. Pour in the vodka and remaining cold water and whisk. Fill each shot cup with the Jell-O mixture and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Just before serving, top each Jell-O shot with whipped cream and sprinkles.
