One of the more creative ways to serve alcohol at a party is to work it into gelatin, and serve the gelatin in small cups, making what most people will recognize as Jello shots. It's pretty much like making regular Jello, except with some alcohol added instead of cold water. There are a few things to be mindful of, though, or else the gelatin won't set! Here's how to do it right.
Ingredients
To make approximately 28 1oz. shots :
- 16 ounces (2 cups)boiling water
- 6 oz. package of Jello
- 6 ounces cold water (3/4 cup)
- 10 ounces chilled alcohol (1 1/4 cup)
Depending on the proof of alcohol you use, adjust the proportions of alcohol to cold water to ensure that the shot still sets. Use the following ratios:
13 ounces of 30-50 (~20%) proof alcohol to 3 ounces cold water10 ounces 80-100 (~45%) proof alcohol to 6 ounces cold water6 ounces 150-200 proof alcohol to 10 ounces cold waterchill alcohol at least one hour prior (not in the freezer, unless the alcohol is over 80-proof; anything else might freeze and break the bottle)
Step 1
Bring water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat.
Step 2
Stir together boiling water and powdered gelatin in a mixing bowl. Stir constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Step 3
Stir in cold water and alcohol.
Step 4
Spray the inside of the cups with cooking spray, so the Jello easily slides out of the cups during use. Adding spoons, if you have enough of them, can help, too. Popsicle sticks can serve as a cheaper alternative.
Step 5
Pour mixture into shot glasses, individual shot-size (1oz-2oz) plastic cups, or accordion-like squeezable cups manufactured specifically for this purpose.
- Although shot glasses look prettier and allow you to see the vibrant colors of the Jello, paper cups allow for easier Jello shot consumption as they can be turned inside out. Accordion-like squeezable cups will compress flat and force the jello out, into your mouth.
- To make the Jello easier to consume, buy plastic cups that also have lids. Pour the mix into the cup, add the lid, then turn it upside down prior to refrigeration.
Step 6
Place shots on a tray in refrigerator (not the freezer). Chill until firm (approximately 2-4 hours). Refrigerate until served.
Serving Variations
Jello shot slices. Cut oranges in half. Use a spoon to remove the pulp, leaving just the rind of half an orange. Fill the halves with gelatin shot mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Cut orange halves into thirds. Make these at least the night before, as they gel up in a few hours, but when you slice they can fall apart. Also, you may find that one half works better than the other, because one end always leaks. See How to Make Jello Shots in an Orange for more information. 
Rainbow shots. See How to Make Rainbow Jello. 
St. Patrick's Day or Earth Day shots. Make the shots in various shades of green. You can do this by adding green and/or blue food coloring to yellow Jello. 
Doctor's order shots. Shots aren't just given in shot glasses; they're also administered with syringes! (Doctor outfit is optional.)
More Potent Shots
This variation makes 6 large cups with 2oz of alcohol each, or 12 small cups with 1oz of alcohol each, yet still sets hard and tastes great. In this variation, Jello must be cooled to room temperature before adding alcohol, and the alcohol must be very cold. Failure to do so will result in the evaporation of all the alcohol before the Jello sets.
- Dissolve 2 regular sized Jello packages or one large packet into 1.5 cups (12 oz) boiling water. Do not transfer it from the boiling vessel as this will sap critical heat.
- Stir for at least a minute to fully dissolve and construct the gelatin.
- Let cool for ten minutes. It isn't enough time to set up the Jello but it will do a lot to keep the alcohol from evaporating.
- Add 1.5 cups (12 oz) of ice cold 80-proof alcohol of your choice (such as vodka). You can put the alcohol in the freezer beforehand, as this will help minimize vapor loss, but only if you use an alcohol over 80-proof; anything else might freeze and break the bottle.
- Stir and pour into your cups and refrigerate. It sets hard in about 1 hour.
- Be extremely careful when consuming and serving since these contain a lot more alcohol than you think.
