Candy Cane Jello Shots

Red and white layers of jello reminiscent of our favorite striped peppermints come together to make these festive candy cane jello shots. These Christmas jello shots are the perfect little boozy treat for holiday parties!

Why this recipe works

Following our tradition of wiggly, boozy treats like our candy corn jello shots and 4th of July jello shots comes these layered candy cane jello shots for Christmas. Though these shots don’t necessarily taste like candy canes, but their festive look does the trick for the holidays.

The ingredients list of cherry jello, unflavored gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, and a decent splash of vodka make these candy cane jello shots super easy to make, and also easy to cater to your own tastes.

Candy Cane Jello Shots with whipped cream

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

JELLO – We used cherry jello but strawberry, cranberry, or raspberry can be used as well. The white layer is a mixture of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) with unflavored gelatin. If desired, you can swap out the white layer for a green layer of jello by following the same steps as the red layer – simply use a green apple or lime flavored gelatin mix.

VODKA – Flavored vodka would work great in this recipe. We opted for regular, but we’ve made plenty of jello shots in the past using vanilla vodka, cake vodka, and whipped cream vodka with tasty results. To keep it nice and festive try peppermint vodka! You can also sub in cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, or cherry vodka to match the flavor of your jello.

GARNISH – I recommend using either homemade stabilized whipped cream that you can pipe on top or aerosol whipped cream as garnish. Regular homemade whipped cream will melt rather quickly.

How to Make Candy Cane Jello Shots

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Set a large tray out for your cups, we are using 1-ounce plastic shot glasses. This is also a good time to make sure you have room in your fridge for the tray of jello shots.
In a large measuring cup with a spout or a mixing bowl with a spout, add 1 cup of boiling water and your cherry jello.
Whisk until the jello is dissolved.
Next, add in your ½ cup of cold water and ½ cup of vodka and whisk again.
Carefully pour the mixture into the cups about a third of the way up.
Place the tray in your refrigerator for 30 minutes or until that layer is set.
Meanwhile, begin making your white jello. In a small saucepan, add your unflavored gelatin and one cup of water over medium heat. Stir until the gelatin is all dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add in the sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup vodka. Set aside to cool a bit.
Carefully spoon the white mixture into each shot cup on top of the cherry layer filling the cups ⅔ full.
Place back in the fridge for 30 minutes until all set.
Fill the cups the rest of the way with the cherry jello.
Place back into the fridge for another 30 minutes until set.
When ready to serve, top each one with a squirt of whipped cream and festive sprinkles.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Can I use different sized shot glasses?

Yes, absolutely. The plastic 2-ounce shot glasses that you see used often for jello shots also work great. The only downside to these is that you’ll end up with less jello shots.

Can I make them without alcohol?

Yes, you can omit the vodka in this recipe if desired. To do so, sub in water for the vodka, making the jello as you normally would.

Can I make candy cane jello shots ahead of time?

Yes, in fact, I recommend making them a day in advance to save yourself some time the day of! Candy cane jello shots can be prepared up to 2 days in advance if stored in the refrigerator. I would recommend holding off on adding any garnishes (whipped cream/sprinkles) until you are ready to serve.

How long are jello shots good for?

Jello shots will last 3-5 days when kept in the refrigerator. They’re technically still good for up to a week, but they tend to begin breaking down past the 5 day mark. Jello shots are best enjoyed fresh or within two to three days of making.

Candy Cane Jello Shots on red and black fabric

Serving Suggestions

To garnish your candy cane jello shots, top with a spritz of whipped cream and Christmas-colored sprinkles. Alternatively, you can crush up candy canes and sprinkle them on top of the whipped cream.

If you want to go the extra mile, try dipping the rim of the shots in lime juice or simple syrup followed by red or white sanding sugar.

More Jello Recipes

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Amanda Davis

President at Amanda's Creative Studio, Inc.

Amanda Davis is the entrepreneurial mom of four grown children and four step children. She and her husband, Chef Antoine, love to cook together creating recipes for this blog. Amanda also make kid's crafts and creates decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also a craft book author five times over and product developer as well as the owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com. You can find her on social media by using the buttons to the left!