Candy cane jello shots are made with red and white layers of jello to look like everyone’s favorite Christmast treat!
These candy cane jello shots are festive and fun and will be a hit at any Christmas party! Make these with some crock pot chex mix, Christmas bark, and peppermint truffles!
Candy Cane Jello Shots
Candy Cane Jello Shots
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
📌 The fun layers of red and white to resemble a candy cane!
📌 Delicious cherry jello topped with whipped cream and sprinkles!
📌 Easily double or triple the batch for any size party or get-together.
📌 Simple option to make a non-alcoholic version for everyone to enjoy.
Candy Cane Jello Shot Ingredients
- Jello or gelatin – Cherry flavored and unflavored jello.
- Sweetened condensed milk – This helps make the white layer of jello.
- Water – Some cold, some boiling.
- Vodka – Optional. We like to use a higher quality vodka for these, use whatever brand you enjoy most.
- Toppings – Whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles.
Make sure you have room for a tray of jello shots in the fridge before starting!
How do you make candy cane jello shots? (step-by-step directions)
⭐ First, set out shot cups on a tray and make sure there is room in your fridge to chill the jello shots. Add boiling water and cherry jello to a large measuring cup with a spout. Whisk together until the jello is dissolved. Add in cold water and vodka and whisk again. Pour mixture into shot cups until ⅓ full. Place in the fridge to set.
⭐ Next, in a small saucepan, combine unflavored gelatin and water and heat over medium heat. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the sweetened condensed milk and vodka. Set aside to cool slightly.
⭐ Then, remove the shot tray from the fridge and carefully spoon the white layer into each shot cup until ⅔ full. Place the tray back in the fridge to set.
⭐ Finally, remove the tray from the fridge and pour the remaining cherry jello to fill the cups the rest of the way and place back in the fridge to set. When ready to serve, top with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkles. Enjoy!
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Chill the tray in between pouring each layer so you get a clean line between the colors.
Preparation
Can you make candy cane jello shots ahead of time?
Yes, these can be made a day or two in advance. Any longer than 2 days and they’ll start to get watery and separate.
What flavors of jello should we use for candy cane jello shots?
We used cherry jello for the red stripe but you can use whatever flavor of red jello you’d like; strawberry, raspberry or cranberry.
What kind of shot glass do you use for candy cane jello shots?
That is all up to you! You can make these in your typical 2 oz glass shot glass or if you want the shots to be a little easier to handle, make them in plastic shot glasses.
How do you make candy cane jello shots without using shot cups?
If you don’t want to deal with pouring into individual cups, you can make jello blocks by adding 1 packet of plain Knox Gelatin to the boiling water along with each jello packet.
Then instead of pouring each layer into the cups, pour the whole thing into a baking or casserole dish. When set, slice into squares and serve! The extra gelatin will make them firm enough to handle.
Top with whipped cream and your favorite holiday sprinkles!
Leftovers and storage
How long do candy cane jello shots last?
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days. We recommend storing without the whipped cream and sprinkles on top.
Can I freeze candy cane jello shots?
We do not recommend freezing jello shots.
Do they need to be refrigerated?
Yes, store in the fridge until ready to serve. Do not garnish with whipped cream until right before serving.
We made these as one ounce shots, but you can absolutely prepare them in larger glasses!
Tips and tricks
✅ Make these non-alcoholic for everyone to enjoy by replacing the vodka with water.
✅ Try using a flavored vodka to amp up the flavor a bit!
✅ Wait to garnish with whipped cream until ready to serve.
✅ Top with whatever festive sprinkles you can find or top with some crushed candy cane dust!
✅ Don’t add extra alcohol to these, it will keep them from setting.
If you make a kid friendly tray, be sure to decorate them differently so they’re easy to tell apart!
Frequently asked questions
How can I make candy cane jello shots kid-friendly?
To make a non-alcoholic and kid-friendly version of these jello shots, simply replace the vodka with water, fruit juice, or flavored soda. This way, everyone can enjoy them, including children.
What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk for the white layer?
If you prefer a dairy-free option or don’t have sweetened condensed milk on hand, you can substitute with coconut milk or a non-dairy creamer of your choice. Make sure it’s sweetened to maintain the intended level of sweetness.
How can I prevent the jello shots from sticking to the cups?
To ensure easy removal, you can lightly coat the inside of the shot cups with non-stick cooking spray before pouring in the jello layers. This will help prevent sticking and make the shots easier to serve.
Can I make these jello shots in larger quantities for a big party?
Yes, you can easily scale up the recipe by doubling or tripling the ingredients to make a larger batch to accommodate a bigger party or gathering. Just be sure to have enough refrigerator space for chilling them.
Try making them in a casserole dish by using knox gelatin to create a firmer, sliceable shot!
What to enjoy with red and white candy cane jello shots (serving suggestions)
These yummy jello shots are so much fun and are the perfect festive shot to serve at your next holiday party! We like making them with an antipasto platter, reindeer chow, and peppermint fluff!
You can do a batch of green and red or green and white with green lime jello too!
More fun shots recipes
- Creamsicle shots
- Pina colada jello shots
- Strawberry lemonade jello shots
- Pumpkin pie pudding shots
- Fuzzy navel jello shots
- Halloween jello shots
- Candy corn jello shots
- See all our easy drinks recipes!
Other apps you’ll want at the party
- Sloppy joe dip
- BBQ chicken nachos
- 7 layer dip
- Rotel dip
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Jalapeno popper dip
- Cowboy caviar
- Bacon wrapped chicken bites
- See all our easy appetizer recipes!
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Tools we love
- Shot glasses – These are the perfect plastic shot glasses for layering the candy cane jello shots! Nice clear plastic to show off the colors and stripes.
- Piping bags – These reusable piping bags with tips work great to garnish each shot with a dollop of whipped cream.
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How to Make Candy Cane Jello Shots
Candy Cane Jello Shots
Ingredients
- 3 ounces red flavored gelatin mix we used cherry, but strawberry, cranberry, or raspberry are also good options
- 2 unflavored gelatin packets ¼ ounces each
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups water divided, 1 cup each
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 cup vodka plain or vanilla, divided ½ cup each
- optional garnishes: whipped cream, sprinkles
Instructions
- Place shot cups on a tray or baking sheet that will fit in your refrigerator.
- Combine 1 cup boiling water with your cherry jello packet, whisk to dissolve, then add ½ cup of cold water and ½ cup of vodka. Whisk until well mixed. Pour mixture evenly into shot glasses until half of the mixture is used (should reach about ⅓ the way up the glass). Place tray in the refrigerator for jello to set.
- While the first layer is setting, add unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of water to a saucepan. Heat on medium, whisking regularly, until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add sweetened condensed milk and remaining ½ cup of vodka. Allow mixture to cool about 5 minutes (do not allow it to set).
- Carefully pour white layer evenly into each shot cup over the first red layer. Return to refrigerator to set (about 5 minutes).
- Pour remaining cherry mixture over the white layer (if it has begun to set, warm gently in the microwave or in a saucepan and whisk until fully liquid again). Return to refrigerator to fully set (at least 20 minutes).
- Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkles immediately before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Candy Cane Jello Shots
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