As I was thinking of recipes for Memorial Day this year, I remembered this fun recipe that I actually made and photographed for the 4th of July last year, that somehow never made it to the blog. It’s basically a classic stained glass jello recipe — red, white and blue style!
I know that Jello won’t win you any points in the healthy and natural category, but everyone had a blast with this last year. So fun, and festive, and versatile (if you ever want to mix other colors for other holidays, or sports teams, etc.). I will point out, though, that this recipe took significantly more time than I expected. It’s not difficult, but it requires multiple hours in between steps for chilling, so plan ahead.
Definitely a fun recipe to have on hand for a celebration of our country and all those who have served it selflessly. Happy Memorial Day!
Stained Glass Jello
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
Such a fun, and festive, and versatile idea, you will love this Stained Glass Jello recipe! (You can mix colors for the holidays, or even sports teams, etc.)
Ingredients
- 4 small (3 oz.) boxes of Jell-O or store brand “gelatin dessert” in different colors (I used two packages each of strawberry and blueberry)
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (such as Knox)
Instructions
- Make a double batch of each flavor of Jello (a double batch using the two boxes of strawberry, and a double batch using the two boxes of blueberry) according to package instructions in two 9×13-inch pans. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
- Remove the jello and use a knife to cut each batch into small squares (mine were about 1/2-inch). Carefully remove all squares from the pans, then mix and layer the blocks into a new 9×13-inch pan.
- In a separate bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin into 1/2 cup cold water and let it sit for 3 minutes. After the gelatin blooms, add 1 1/2 cup boiling water and stir to dissolve. Stir in the can of condensed milk. Then refrigerate mixture for 20-30 minutes until cooled. Pour cooled milk mixture evenly over jello. If need be, use a toothpick to pop any bubbles that have arisen to the surface (just to make it look smooth). Chill overnight.
- Use a knife to cut the jello into squares, or use cookie cutters to cut into fun shapes. Serve.
Notes
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker and The Food Librarian.
Ali’s Tip:
Source: Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker and The Food Librarian.
I made this tonight and it was a complete mess. The jello cubed fine but the condensed milk mixture didn’t go down far enough between the jello cubes (I guess that’s the problem) and it cannot be cut out into shapes. It’s ok though. I made it for kids. They’ll never know the difference.
Would this work for adult jello shots? I usually add vodka instead of the cold water part when making jello shots – these could be fun for the adults too — without bothering with the plastic cups.
What do you mean “when the gelatin blooms”? I’ve never heard that phrase before and I would love to make these for the 4th!
Hi Anne,
Good question! Basically, “blooming gelatin” is just the step of sprinkling the gelatin on top of a liquid and letting it sit for a few minutes. Sometimes it’ll puff up slightly, but letting it sit there and “bloom” just ensures that the final texture will be even. Good luck! :)
~Ali
giving these a try this forth of july for sure!
My mom used to make something similar called confetti party mousse. She would use red and green jello and she always only let me cut them up into squares! Then she would use the Knox gelatin with pineapple juice and whipped cream. Yum brings back happy memories! Yours look great and I bet the creamy milk part tastes great!
Did you make that up!? That’s so great! I could see those for all kinds of parties in different colors. Have you ever made a poke cake with jello? So easy and everyone’s always impressed because it’s so pretty.
It would be helpful if instead of writing “one package” or “one envelope” you said the actual content (i.e. oz., grams, cups etc.) for those who do not have the same brands as you and/or live in other parts of the world. Thanks.
These are too cute!!! Very patriotic :)
These are so much fun. I’m totally going to be making these for our memorial day cookout. The kids will love it!
I will never ever be too old for jello! Love this! :)