What Is The Best Tasting Jell-O Shot?
The Experiment
Previously, we investigated the strongest possible Jell-O shot and showed that a Jell-O shot can, in fact, be lit on fire. The reader response to these investigations was overwhelming, we received hundreds of methods and recipes for producing the "best" Jell-O shot. Equipped with this reader input, a minibar’s worth of booze, a grocery cart full of Jell-O, and the spirit of scientific investigation, we embarked on a grueling series of further Jell-O shot trials, and here we present our findings. The Flavor Challenge Previously we focused our efforts on maximizing the alcoholic potency of the shots. But, as we discovered, the flavor suffered severely as a result. This compromises the basic utility and purpose of the Jell-O shot. Jell-O shots are supposed to get you buzzed, but they are also supposed to taste good.
In our selection of liquors and recipe combinations, we tried to stick to the basics: liquors and ingredients that were economical and easy to find or likely to be on hand. Likewise, we kept most of the formulas simple and pared a few classic cocktails down to their basic elements. In other words, the best taste with the least effort. Nevertheless, we did take on some creative challenges. Start With the Basics Here’s a rundown of some of the best basic Jell-O/liquor combinations that we tried. Of course, it goes without saying that you can put vodka in anything, or use a flavored vodka that matches the Jell-O (Orange and Stoli Oranj, for example). The following combos and recipes got approval from our panel of tasters. Standout favorites were cherry and amaretto, watermelon and sour apple schnapps, orange and Captain Morgan’s, and anything containing peach schnapps.
These shots were prepared by dissolving 3 oz. Jell-O in 1 cup boiling water, then adding 8oz. (1 cup) of cold liquid – straight alcohol, a mixture of liqueur and vodka, or alcohol and cold water. For flavored liquors (Absolut Citron, Malibu, Captain Morgan’s) 1 cup of liquor was used. For strong tasting, high proof liquors (tequila and rum) a mixture of 4 oz. liquor and 4 oz. cold water was used. The liquors varied in potency from 30 proof (15% ABV) to 80 proof (40% ABV), which put the shots in the range of 10% ABV to 20% ABV. In other words, it would take a few of them to equal the alcohol content of one cocktail. Lime Jell-O: Cherry Jell-O:
Orange Jell-O:
Lemon Jell-O:
Watermelon Jell-O:
Strawberry Jell-O:
Peach Jell-O:
Raspberry Jell-O:
Berry Blue Jell-O:
A couple of readers suggested pineapple Jell-O and Malibu, for a pina colada effect, but we were unable to find pineapple Jell-O. Lessons Learned: Universal Jell-O Shot Mixer Our most important finding? Besides vodka, peach schnapps appears to be an almost universal mixer for any flavor of Jell-O. Peach schnapps tastes like candy. It’s not overly tart or bitter, and the taste is mild enough to complement most fruit flavors, with the possible exception of lime and grape. In general, go easy on syrupy liqueurs like amaretto and schnapps and use just enough for flavor; unless you’re using plain unsweetened gelatin, their sugariness can become cloying and their flavors overwhelming. Cutting them with a clear liquor like vodka or rum will supplement their low alcohol content and balance the taste. A liquor mix of half peach schnapps and half vodka is ideal: the vodka punches up the potency, while the schnapps mellows things out, adding sweetness and flavor. Another common sense tip: adjust the amount and proportions of alcohol according to the flavor intensity and proof of the liquor you’re using. Adding a half cup of 40 proof Malibu to a batch of Jell-O will have a different effect than adding a half cup of 80 proof tequila. Another important discovery: do not put Bailey’s in fruit-flavored Jell-O. The citric acid in the Jell-O powder will cause it to curdle. The resulting liquid resembles spew. It doesn’t taste very good either. You can make gelatin shots with Bailey’s, but because of the dairy content, you must use unflavored gelatin as the base. Bailey’s is also good in pudding, but we’ll get to that later. Chocolate Covered Cherry Jell-O Shot A few readers suggested Jell-O shot recipes involving various combinations of whipped cream, chocolate topping, chocolate liqueur, and alcohol soaked cherries. We combined them all into a chocolate/cherry concoction that was insanely delicious and really takes Jell-O shots to the next level and beyond. We started with maraschino cherries soaked in rum, and embedded them in a cherry Jell-O shot made with crème de cacao and vodka.
That in itself was pretty tasty, but then we covered it with a layer of “Magic Shell” chocolate topping and added a dollop of Reddi-Whip. The refrigerated Jell-O was not cold enough to make the chocolate shell harden, so we popped it in the freezer for a few minutes before serving to achieve the ideal consistency. This step may result in your Jell-O freezing if you forget about it (as we did on one occasion), but even semi-frozen this recipe tastes great. These shots take more work and preparation, but you can use them to astound your friends or impress that special someone. Don’t go too heavy on the crème de cacao, though - too much makes the shot bitter.
Soak cherries in rum for at least 24 hours. Add some maraschino cherry juice if you need extra liquid to cover the fruit. Place one cherry in each empty Jell-O shot cup. Mix cherry Jell-O and hot water, let cool to room temperature, then add crème de cacao and ½ cup reserved rum mixture from cherries. Pour into cups so that cherries are submerged. Chill until firm. Cover with a thin layer of chocolate topping and place in freezer for 2 minutes. Top with whipped cream and serve immediately. Pickled Fruit
Besides maraschino cherries, readers mentioned adding other liquor-soaked fruits to Jell-O, including canned pears and mandarin orange segments. We tried both of these soaked in vodka for at least 24 hours, as well as fresh strawberries soaked in rum. We didn’t make a before and after liquid volume comparison, but it tasted like the canned pears soaked up the most alcohol. Although potent, they were bland and gritty. The cherries didn’t absorb as much alcohol, probably because they are essentially already pickled; however, they can trap a small amount of liquor in their interior cavity. The fresh strawberries had a noticeable alcohol flavor and in our opinion were the best tasting of the lot. The mandarin oranges absorbed little alcohol but their texture came the closest to approximating the “worm in the tequila bottle” effect that some readers requested. Classic Cocktail Combinations We concocted some of our own Jell-O shot cocktails, for which the recipes follow. For many, such as the margarita and the strawberry daiquiri, this meant simply adding a dash of sweet-and-sour mix or bottled margarita mix. Other recipes involved substituting fruit juice for part of the water. A simple change to the basic shot formula can make the difference between a pretty good Jell-O shot and a great one.
Margarita Jell-O Shot
Strawberry Daiquiri Jell-O Shot
Fuzzy Navel Jell-O Shot
Cherry Amaretto Jell-O Shot
Sex on the Beach Jell-O Shot Dark Side of Jell-O Experimentation Not all of our experiments were successful, and some led us to the conclusion that certain liquors are just not meant for Jell-O shots. Like gin. We had high hopes for a gin and tonic creation using lime jello and tonic water, and a “gin and juice” flavor using lime with grapefruit soda. The gin and juice was acceptable, but the gin and tonic tasted like bathroom disinfectant. Whiskey and Jell-O don’t mix well either; our attempt at “Lynchburg Lemonade” (Jack Daniels and lemon Jell-O) was mediocre.
“Gin and Juice” Jell-O Shot As an homage to that frat favorite, the Jagerbomb, we whipped up a shot with Jagermeister, Red Bull, and orange Jell-O. It actually wasn’t that bad, considering, and definitely tasted better than the drink on which it was based. We substituted heated Red Bull for the boiling water in the Jell-O recipe. Pretty much any non-dairy beverage – juice, soda, coffee, etc. – can be incorporated into a Jell-O shot recipe in the same manner. JagerBomb Jell-O Shot As much as we like pina coladas, the Jell-O shot version didn’t do much for us. We used a plain gelatin base and added pineapple juice, coconut cream, and Malibu. Though passable, it had a weird texture, probably from the combination of pineapple pulp and coconut, and the flavor wasn’t intense enough. It might be more successful using pineapple Jell-O. As a side note about pineapple, we’ve often heard that you shouldn’t put pineapple in Jell-O or it won’t gel. This is true of fresh pineapple, but not canned. Fresh pineapple, as well as papaya, contains enzymes that break down the proteins in the Jell-O. Pina Colada Jell-O Shot Mojito Jell-O Shot Mojitos are very popular right now, so we muddled some fresh mint and added it to lime Jell-O with rum. The result looked like that mint jelly that your mom would serve with lamb. It was refreshing and different, but your average partygoer might be put off by leaves floating in the Jell-O.
Peanut Butter and Jell-O? Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. We couldn’t find anything on hand (besides vodka) that tasted good with grape Jell-O. So what does go with grape? Peanut butter. You can add almost anything liquid or semi-liquid to plain gelatin, so why not? We melted peanut butter into a gelatin solution, added some nutty liqueurs, and then layered the mixture in cups with grape/vodka Jell-O on top. The taste was decent, and the contrast in textures was interesting. Some of our tasters claimed to actually like these, but they may just have been intrigued by the novelty. We also used the peanut butter mixture in conjunction with chocolate topping to make a “peanut butter cup”. This, while edible, was also a little weird.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Jell-O Shot Cruelty Free Jell-O Shots We didn’t want to leave our vegan and vegetarian friends out of the party, but our attempt at vegetarian Jell-O shots yielded mixed results. Regular gelatin is made from boiled down cow and pig bones and connective tissue, making it unsuitable for folks who don’t eat animals. There are some alternatives, such as agar agar or vegetarian gelatin made from vegetable gums. We used some vegetarian gelatin powder from a vegan natural foods store; it was in bulk, so we don’t know the exact ingredients, but it’s a safe bet there were no cow tendons involved.
We used a rounded tablespoon of powder per cup of liquid, which produced a solid, somewhat rubbery shot. The gelatin was dissolved in heated fruit juice, and then the liquor and other ingredients were mixed in. We attempted four different recipes: Fuzzy Navel (orange juice and peach schnapps), Margarita (limeade, tequila and margarita mix), Cosmopolitan (cranberry juice, vodka, and Grand Marnier), and Pina Colada (pineapple juice, Malibu, and coconut cream). While our vegan friends were grateful for the inclusive gesture, the shots themselves left something to be desired. They tasted OK, but most were bland and not sweet enough. The Fuzzy Navel and Margarita were the most successful, probably because of the syrupy schnapps and margarita mix. The brown rice syrup we added to the Cosmopolitan didn’t quite cut it. Regular granulated sugar is processed using charred cow bones and many vegans avoid it for that reason, but corn syrup or organic sugar syrup could be used as a sweeter alternative. Vegan Fuzzy Navel Gelatin Shot Vegan Margarita Gelatin Shot Pudding Shots A couple of readers requested recipes for pudding shots. We used instant pudding mix and followed the package directions, substituting liquor for about a fourth of the milk. The results (the Buttery Nipple and the chocolate Mudslide) tasted great and were pudding-like, but the mixture was a bit too liquid and didn’t set up as much as normal pudding, presumably because the milk is necessary to the coagulation process, and the pudding could not absorb as much extra liquid as Jell-O can.
Chocolate Mudslide Pudding Shot Buttery Nipple Pudding Shot Conclusions Without much additional effort, the humble Jell-O shot can be transformed from an efficient alcohol delivery method to a gelatin cocktail you can savor rather than gulp down whole. The basic Jell-O shot recipe is highly adaptable, versatile, and amenable to a variety of additions and substitutions. Depending on the amount of time, money, and creativity you have, the possibilities are almost limitless. The best flavors are achieved with a moderate alcohol content (25 to 50 percent liquor, and around 10 to 20 percent alcohol by volume), and as with all alcohol consumption, we encourage responsibility.
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