These Cocktail-Inspired Jell-O Shots Get the Party Started

Your Jell-O shots will never be the same

“Everyone who has survived their twenties has a good Jell-O shot story and a bad one,” says Casey Elsass, a recipe developer and the author of the forthcoming cookbook, What Can I Bring? “Now that I’m in my thirties, I want to enjoy my night without feeling like my shot could double as nail polish remover.”

Thus, Elsass created the Jell-O cocktail shot; it’s a still a Jell-O shot, sure, but instead using abrasive vodka straight from a plastic handle, Elsass’s version is inspired by popular cocktails like piña colada, Aperol spritz, and the widely beloved dirty Shirley. “Think of these as Jell-O shots with airline miles and a skincare routine,” Elsass jokes.

To make the cocktail shots, you’ll need a cup of mixer, a half cup of your liquor of choice, and both flavored and unflavored Jell-O. The unflavored Jell-O might seem redundant, but Elsass is adamant including it yields a firmer and more satisfying shot.

The shots are perfect for get-togethers both big and small; make all three flavors for an especially large party. “They have a nice, boozy tinge, just enough so you don’t forget you took a shot,” Elsass says. “But they go down so smooth, you might forget how many shots you took.”

Jell-O Cocktail Shots Recipe

Each flavor makes 12 shots

Ingredients:

½ cup boiling water
1 (3-ounce) box flavored Jell-O
1 cup mixer
½ cup alcohol
1 envelope unflavored Jell-O

Instructions:

Step 1: In a small bowl, measure and pour the boiling water, then whisk in the Jell-O until dissolved. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, measure the mixer and alcohol together, then sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over top. Let the gelatin bloom for about 5 minutes, until it looks thick and clumpy. Pour the warm Jell-O mixture into the measuring cup and slowly whisk until all the gelatin is dissolved. (Whisking too fast will make the mixture overly foamy.)

Step 2: Line up 12 shot cups with lids. Measure and pour 1½ ounces into each cup and snap the lid on top. There might be a little leftover liquid, which is your little reward/taste test. Stack the cups and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, until fully set, or up to 3 days in advance.

To make the different variations:

Dirty Shirley

1 (3-ounce) box cherry Jell-O
1 cup Sprite
½ cup vodka

Aperol spritz

1 (3-ounce) box orange Jell-O
1 cup prosecco
½ cup Aperol

Piña colada

1 (3-ounce) box pineapple Jell-O
1 cup cream of coconut*
½ cup coconut rum

* Make sure to buy the sweetened cream of coconut (Coco López, for example), not coconut cream or coconut milk which also come in cans and are probably stacked on the same shelf.

Recipe reprinted with permission from What Can I Bring? by Casey Elsass © 2025. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photographs by Gentl and Hyers.

Jutharat ‘Poupay’ Pinyodoonyachet is a New York-based photographer.
Drew Aichele is a food stylist and master baker based in New York City.