Dive into the vibrant spirit of Mardi Gras with a twist that's as colorful and lively as the celebration itself with these Mardi Gras Jello Shots. These delightful, spirited jello shots encapsulate the essence of Mardi Gras, blending the traditional hues of purple, green, and gold with the tantalizing flavors of your favorite liquors.

Perfect for parties, parades, or just a fun night in, these jello shots are not only a feast for the eyes but also a tasty way to let the good times roll. Pair with the iconic Hurricane cocktail and get ready to impress your guests and elevate your party with these irresistibly fun and festive shots!

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Mardi Gras Jello Shots

Embracing the Mardi Gras tradition with jello shots adds an innovative and playful element to any celebration, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience.

Trying your hand at making Mardi Gras jello shots is more than just about the drinks; it's about embracing the joyous, communal spirit of the festival, making memories with friends and family, eating delicious Mardi Gras food, and creating moments of joy and laughter that epitomize the essence of letting the good times roll.

What you'll love about this recipe:

A Taste of New Orleans: For those who can't make it to the Big Easy for Mardi Gras, these jello shots bring a taste of New Orleans' festive atmosphere right into your home. They're a delicious way to pay homage to the traditions and culinary delights of the celebration.
Customizable: One of the best things about these jello shots is how customizable they are. Whether you're catering to a crowd with varied tastes or looking for non-alcoholic options, you can easily adjust the recipes to suit everyone's preferences.
Vibrant Colors: The dazzling array of purple, green, and gold in these jello shots perfectly captures the festive spirit of Mardi Gras. They're sure to brighten up any party table and draw guests in with their eye-catching hues.

Ingredients You'll Need for Mardi Gras Jello Shots

To get started making this recipe, you'll first want to gather all your ingredients first.

Here is what you'll need:

1 Box Grape Jello (3 ounces)
1 Box Lime Jello (3 ounces)
1 Box Lemon Jello (3 ounces)
3 ¾ Cups Boiling Water, divided
2 ¼ Cups Vodka, divided
1/8th Teaspoon Gold Luster Dust
Cool Whip
Gold Sanding Sugar
Purple Sanding Sugar
Green Sanding Sugar

You can make these nonalcoholic. Just use water instead of alcohol!

Tools You'll Need

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Line the shot glasses up on a surface that’s easily moveable, such as a cookie sheet. This makes it easier to move the shot glasses back and forth to the fridge.

Step 2: Add 1 ¼ cups boiling water and the grape jello to a medium mixing bowl. Stir until the jello has dissolved. Add ¾ cup vodka and stir again.

Step 3: Fill each shot glass a third of the way full. You can just eyeball this or measure it out.

Step 4: Place the shots in the fridge for an hour or until fully set.

Step 5: Once the shots are set, place the yellow jello and 1 ¼ cups boiling water in a clean medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello is dissolved.

Step 6: Add ¾ cup vodka to a small dish and follow it with the luster dust. Stir for about 60 seconds. Pour into the bowl with the yellow jello. Stir well.

Step 7: Remove the shots from the fridge and fill them another third of the way with the gold mixture. Be sure the mixture isn’t too hot or it will melt the already chilled jello layer and mix the colors. Place back in the fridge for an hour or until they’re set.

Step 8: Once the gold layer is set, place the green jello and 1 ¼ cups boiling water in a medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello has dissolved. Add ¾ cup vodka to the bowl and stir again.

Step 9: Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot and fill the shot glasses the rest of the way, leaving just a bit of head room at the top of each glass.

Step 10: Refrigerate for an hour or until they are fully set.

Step 11: To garnish, place a dollop of cool whip on top of each shot (I use an Ateco #824 frosting tip with a frosting bag and just do a swirl). Then sprinkle with the three colors of sanding sugar.

I start with purple, then do green and end with gold as this order looked best. Serve and enjoy!

As the Mardi Gras festivities come alive, these vibrant jello shots serve as a delightful testament to the joy and spirit of the season. Whether you're dancing in a parade or hosting a gathering at home, these colorful Mardi Gras Jello Shots will make your celebration even more memorable, adding a touch of New Orleans charm to every sip.

Let these Mardi Gras Jello Shots be the highlight of your party, embodying the essence of Mardi Gras magic and joy.

Tips & Tricks

Do not store if the shots are already garnished as the toppings won’t do well in the fridge. To store, cover, ungarnished, and place in the fridge. They will last up to 3 days. Garnish right before serving. Do not freeze.
Do not add more alcohol to each jello layer or the jello won’t properly set up, which will ruin the layers. You will have run together colors and not pretty layers.
It’s important that you don’t pour hot jello mixture on top of already chilled jello layers. It will melt it and make the colors run together. Make sure it’s only warm to the touch before pouring each layer. Using chilled vodka in the mix helps with this.
I use a 2-cup pourable measuring cup to fill each shot glass. I also use small measuring cups, if you want to measure it more accurately. Just eyeballing the layers works just fine.
If served in glass shot glasses, mini spoons are a great addition as it’s not as easy to pop the jello out of the glass as it is the plastic cups.

FAQs about Mardi Gras Jello Shots

Yes, you can use agar-agar powder as a vegetarian and vegan-friendly alternative to gelatin. Agar-agar is a plant-based gelling agent derived from seaweed and works well for creating jello shots without animal products.

Absolutely! You can make non-alcoholic versions by substituting the alcohol with fruit juice, soda, or even a mix of both. This makes them suitable for all ages to enjoy the festive colors and flavors.

To create layers, prepare one color at a time and let it set partially (but not completely) before adding the next layer. This requires patience and time, as each layer needs to chill for at least an hour or until it's set enough to support the next layer without mixing.

MARDI GRAS JELLO SHOTS: MAKE THE CELEBRATION SPARKLE

This Mardi Gras Jello Shot recipe combines the festive colors of purple, green, and gold with delicious, spirited flavors, making it the perfect addition to any Mardi Gras celebration. Easy to make and even easier to enjoy, these eye-catching shots are sure to be a hit, inviting guests to "let the good times roll" in true New Orleans style.

Jenn Farmer

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Equipment

21 2-Ounce Shot Glasses
Pourable Measuring Cup
Medium Mixing Bowls
Rubber Spatulas
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Frosting Bag (optional)
Ateco #824 Frosting Tip (optional)

Ingredients

1 Box Grape Jello 3 ounces
1 Box Lime Jello 3 ounces
1 Box Lemon Jello 3 ounces
3 ¾ Cups Boiling Water divided
2 ¼ Cups Vodka divided
1/8 th Teaspoon Gold Luster Dust
Cool Whip
Gold Sanding Sugar
Purple Sanding Sugar
Green Sanding Sugar

Instructions

Line the shot glasses up on a surface that’s easily moveable, such as a cookie sheet.
This makes it easier to move the shot glasses back and forth to the fridge.
Add 1 ¼ cups boiling water and the grape jello to a medium mixing bowl.
Stir until the jello has dissolved.
Add ¾ cup vodka and stir again.
Fill each shot glass a third of the way full.
You can just eyeball this or measure it out.
Place the shots in the fridge for an hour or until fully set.
Once the shots are set, place the yellow jello and 1 ¼ cups boiling water in a clean medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello is dissolved.
Add ¾ cup vodka to a small dish and follow it with the luster dust.
Stir for about 60 seconds.
Pour into the bowl with the yellow jello.
Stir well.
Remove the shots from the fridge and fill them another third of the way with the gold mixture.
Be sure the mixture isn’t too hot or it will melt the already chilled jello layer and mix the colors.
Place back in the fridge for an hour or until they’re set.
Once the gold layer is set, place the green jello and 1 ¼ cups boiling water in a medium mixing bowl and stir until the jello has dissolved.
Add ¾ cup vodka to the bowl and stir again.
Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot and fill the shot glasses the rest of the way, leaving just a bit of head room at the top of each glass.
Refrigerate for an hour or until they are fully set.
To garnish, place a dollop of cool whip on top of each shot (I use an Ateco #824 frosting tip with a frosting bag and just do a swirl).
Then sprinkle with the three colors of sanding sugar.
I start with purple, then do green and end with gold as this order looked best.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Do not store if the shots are already garnished as the toppings won’t do well in the fridge. To store, cover, ungarnished, and place in the fridge. They will last up to 3 days. Garnish right before serving. Do not freeze.
Do not add more alcohol to each jello layer or the jello won’t properly set up, which will ruin the layers. You will have run together colors and not pretty layers.
It’s important that you don’t pour hot jello mixture on top of already chilled jello layers. It will melt it and make the colors run together. Make sure it’s only warm to the touch before pouring each layer. Using chilled vodka in the mix helps with this.
I use a 2-cup pourable measuring cup to fill each shot glass. I also use small measuring cups, if you want to measure it more accurately. Just eyeballing the layers works just fine.
If served in glass shot glasses, mini spoons are a great addition as it’s not as easy to pop the jello out of the glass as it is the plastic cups.