First off, only try these if you’re 21 years or older. DO NOT drive your car or boat drunk.

That being said, if you are responsible and 21 or older, you can pick up most of these supplies (including the soufflé cups and lids) at your local Gordon food Service (GFS).

The novelty jello shot syringes you can typically find on Ebay or Etsy.

Tips on how to make decently strong jello shots

First, know your bloom strength. The water-binding power of gelatin is measured in something called bloom. The term sounds like it has something to do with “blooming” gelatin in water, but it actually is named for a scientist named Oscar T. Bloom who developed a test for measuring the strength of gels. Weaker gelatin might get a lower bloom rating around 50 while a bloom of 200 is considered pretty strong. As David Lebovitz shares, standard grocery-store Knox brand gelatin is plenty strong, clocking in at 225 bloom. To make strong gels, make sure to use strong gelatin. If bloom strength isn’t listed on your generic gelatin, that may be the source of gelling problems.

Hydrate in two steps. To make strong gels, you’re going to need every ounce of gelling power in your gelatin. Powdered gelatin comes comes in tiny granules that have to be filled with water before their polymers and colloids will spread out and cross-link into a gel. To hydrate gelatin, first let it sit in some warm water until you have a slurry. This first step ensures that no dry gelatin gets trapped within a protective outer bubble of hydrated gelatin. Then heat the slurry until the whole thing turns into a thick liquid of even consistency.

Yes, if you boil the gelatin in water for enough time, it will eventually hydrate and you can skip the slurry step. The hydration step helps for recipes when you don’t want to bring your liquid to a full boil.

That’s great, but how about some exact recipes and ratios? You know I love you and I would gladly waste invest gallons of vodka and exhaust my pantry of gelatin in the name of developing the perfect jello shot. Luckily, though, other enterprising scientists have already tested every imaginable jelly shot strength and documented their results in meticulous detail.

Key takeaways:

• A standard recipe made with 3 ounces of Jell-O powder calls for 5 ounces of 80-proof vodka and 11 ounces of water, but this results in a shot that tastes watered-down.
• To make a stronger shot, use just 4 ounces of water and between 8 and 14 ounces of vodka (to taste)
• A shot will gel at even higher alcohol concentrations, but taste and texture will suffer.

Margarita Jello Shots Recipe

This is simply the best Margarita jello shot recipe you will ever make! It truly tastes like a Margarita. Make them salted in a regular shot glasses full of this delightful concoction, or unsalted to-go gelatin shots in stack-able disposable containers. Great for parties, tailgating, and more!

PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME5 minutes

ADDITIONAL TIME4 hours

TOTAL TIME4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3oz Box Lime Gelatin
• 1 1/8 cups water, divided (see important note)
• 1/8 cup Lime Juice
• ¾ cup Tequila
• ¼ cup Cointreau
• Coarse salt

Instructions

1. Rim 12 shot glasses with coarse salt for the dry, and tequila for the wet. If using 12 disposable 2oz souffle cups, do not rim.
2. In a medium pot, bring one cup of water to a boil on the stove.
3. Add lime gelatin to the hot water; dissolve completely.
4. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to close to room temperature; approximately 15 minutes.
5. Add lime juice, 1/8 cup cold water, tequila, and Cointreau to the gelatin mixture.
6. Pour into shot glasses or souffle cups. If using souffle cups allow some headroom and do not fill to the top.
7. Remove any bubbles that may form.
8. You may cap your souffle cups, or wait until the gelatin has set before capping.
9. Place in refrigerator to set, approximately 2-4 hours.
10. Serve after set.

Rummy Bears

• Empty a bag of Gummi Bears into a jar or bowl or some other vessel. And they need not even be bears! Really any member of the Gummi Animal Kingdom will do (we also tested Trader Joe’s Gummy Tummy Penguins).
• Time to select your booze. You could go in many, many directions here. Rum was an obvious choice because, c’mon, Rummy Bears were too good to deny. Let your bar shelf inspire you: try gin, tequila, vodka, Campari, whiskey…
• Pour enough liquid over the gummies to completely immerse and cover them, with a little liquid peeking out on top.
• How long should they infuse? Many sources suggest three to four days in the fridge. We left them sitting out on the countertop and after a few hours, their little bear bellies swelled up and they already tasted pretty boozy. Between five to eight hours was the sweet spot for us to achieve the best squish. The bears will lose their firm chew and take on a texture of jiggly Jell-O. They should still be pleasantly squishy, not liquefied. Over-infuse them and they’ll just become a gelatinous mess of bear ooze.

Glowing Jell-O Shots

Ingredients
2 c. tonic water, divided
2 packages Jell-O (two flavors;
we used pineapple and orange)
1 c. water
1 c. vodka

Step 1
Make the first layer: Pour one cup tonic water into a
pot over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, add the
pineapple Jell-o mix. Whisk until the mix has
dissolved, then pour in half a cup of water and half a
cup of vodka. Stir to combine.
Step 2
Pour the Jell-o into shot glasses, filling them about
two-thirds of the way up. Place in the refrigerator to
chill, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 3
Make the second layer: As they set, start making the
orange Jell-o, following the same process used for the
pineapple Jell-o.
Step 4
Top each of the pineapple Jell-o shot glasses with the
orange Jell-o mixture. Return the shots to the fridge
to set, 2 to 3 hours.

Bomb Pop Jello Shows

Ingredients

• Blue Raspberry Italian Ice Seagrams Escapes 1 Bottle
• Lemon Lime Italian Ice Seagrams Escapes 1 Bottle
• Cherry Seagrams Escapes 1 Bottle
• Berry Blue Jello 3 oz box
• Cherry Jello 3 oz box
• Sweetened Condensed Milk 14 oz.
• Unflavored Gelatin 1 package
• 2 ounce souffle cups
• Souffle cups lids (optional)
• Cherries with stems (optional)
• Vodka (optional)

Instructions

Blue Layer

1. Start by setting up your 2 ounce Souffle cups on a sheet pan. I have these 1/4 sheet pans that I picked up that are perfect.
2. I chose the 2 ounce cups instead of the 1 ounce cups because they are easier to layer in. However, you can use 1 ounce if you prefer.
3. Mix the box of Berry Blue jello with 1 cup of hot water. Mix well.
4. Add 1 cup of Seagrams Escapes Berry Blue Italian Ice. (If you want them stronger, substitute 1/2 cup of vodka for a 1/2 cup of Berry Blue Italian Ice.)
5. Pour into each cup until they are 1/3 filled.
6. Place in refrigerator for approximately 4 hours to firm up or overnight.

White Layer

1. Place 1/2 cup of cold water in bowl.
2. Sprinkle in package of unflavored gelatin.
3. Let it sit for approximately 2 minutes to bloom.
4. Mix well.
5. Add 1/2 cup of hot Seagrams Lemon Lime Italian Ice.
6. Mix until dissolved.
7. Add 2/3 cup of cold Seagrams Lemon Lime Italian Ice or for a stronger version, 1/3 cup of Seagrams Lemon Lime and 1/3 cup of vodka. Mix well.
8. Add 1/3 cup of sweetened Condensed milk and mix well.
9. Pour on top of Blue jello until filled another 1/3 of the way up.
10. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set or overnight.

Red Layer

1. Mix Cherry jello with 1 cup of hot water until dissolved.
2. Add 1 cup of cold Seagrams Escapes Cherry Italian Ice and mix well. Or add 1/2 cup of vodka in place of 1/2 cup of Cherry Italian Ice.
3. Pour over white layer the other 1/3 of the way up.
4. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. You can place a cherry with a stem around 30 minutes after placing in the fridge into the red layer to make it look like a firecracker if desired.
6. Serve once totally set and enjoy!

How to make Rummy Bears

Empty a bag of Gummi Bears into a jar or bowl or some other vessel. And they need not even be bears! Really any member of the Gummi Animal Kingdom will do (we also tested Trader Joe’s Gummy Tummy Penguins).

Time to select your booze. You could go in many, many directions here. Rum was an obvious choice because, c’mon, Rummy Bears were too good to deny. Let your bar shelf inspire you: try gin, tequila, vodka, Campari, whiskey…

Pour enough liquid over the gummies to completely immerse and cover them, with a little liquid peeking out on top.

How long should they infuse? Many sources suggest three to four days in the fridge. We left them sitting out on the countertop and after a few hours, their little bear bellies swelled up and they already tasted pretty boozy. Between five to eight hours was the sweet spot for us to achieve the best squish. The bears will lose their firm chew and take on a texture of jiggly Jell-O. They should still be pleasantly squishy, not liquefied. Over-infuse them and they’ll just become a gelatinous mess of bear ooze.

RumChata Pudding Shots

Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots

Recipe can be halved or doubled

Ingredients:

• 1 3 oz. envelope of strawberry jello
• Clear distilled liquor (try flavored vodka, rum, or tequila)
• 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
• 1 3 oz. envelope of berry blue jello

Have your ingredients ready to go: a handle of booze, strawberry and berry-flavored jello, unflavored gelatin, and condensed milk.

Starting with the red layer, combine 1 1/4 cup of hot water with red gelatin in a medium bowl. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved, and add 3/4 cup of a spirit of your choice. Fill a shot glass 1/3 of the way full with the hot gelatin mixture, or pour into a baking dish. Refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.

Once the red layer is set, dissolve the unflavored gelatin in 3/4 cup of hot water. Stir in half of a 14 oz. can of condensed milk, and combine. Pour over the red layer in your shot glasses or baking pan, and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.

As soon as the white layer is set, dissolve the berry blue flavored gelatin in 1 1/4 cup of hot water. Stir in 3/4 cup of your choice of spirit, and top your shot glasses or baking dish. Refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes. It’s important to let each layer set so that it won’t bleed into the following layer.

If you used a baking sheet, cut your jello shots into patriotic shapes — or just go at it with a spoon. Either way, you can’t lose.