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Taste the Rainbow! Whether it’s a birthday party, St. Patrick’s Day, or just a fun summer BBQ, rainbow Jello is always a crowd-pleaser. Plus, who doesn’t love a dessert that’s literally bursting with color?
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, here are a few more great rainbow desserts to try: rainbow cake, cupcakes, and fruit skewers! All you’ll need from there is a pot of gold!
Rainbow Jello Recipe
Rainbow jello is a vibrant and fun dessert that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face! Making rainbow jello is really easy and doesn’t require many ingredients. All you need is a package of Jello in each color of the rainbow, water, and maybe some whipped cream to top it all off with. Rainbow jello is like a party in your mouth, with every color of the rainbow represented in a jiggly, fruity form!
Rainbow jello is the perfect dessert to serve at any celebration. It’s a great dessert for kids’ birthday parties or summer potlucks, and it’s sure to be a hit with everyone. The bright colors and layers of jiggly goodness make for a fun and playful dessert that’s sure to impress. You can also get creative with the flavors and mix and match different colors and flavors to create your own unique rainbow jello creation. (I have a few ideas for you below!) So, whether you’re looking for a fun and colorful dessert for your next party or just want to brighten up your day, rainbow jello is sure to do the trick!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Who knew a dessert as fun and colorful as rainbow jello could be made with just a handful of ingredients? Simple ingredients, big fun – that’s what rainbow jello is all about! You can find all of the measurements below in the recipe card.
- Boxes of Jell-O: You will need strawberry (or raspberry or cherry), orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape for all of the different colors!
- Unflavored Gelatin: To help your rainbow jello take shape!
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: To add some creaminess to the layers.
- Water: Necessary for the jello powder to dissolve in.
How to Make Rainbow Jello
Making rainbow jello is so easy, even a kid could do it – in fact, it’s the perfect kitchen activity for little chefs in training! All it takes is a little patience and layering for this delicious treat to come together. My kids love cutting into the finished product to reveal the beautiful burst of colors!
- Prepare Pan: Spray a 9×13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
- Fruit Jello: In a small bowl combine the grape jell-o with 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water. Then mix until all the gelatin is dissolved. Pour in the prepared pan and refrigerate until fully set.
- Condensed Milk Jello: Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup of boiling water until the gelatin is dissolved. Mix in ⅔ cup of sweetened condensed milk. Let cool while the purple jell-o sets. Also prepare the next color of jell-o the same way the grape jell-o was prepared so it can cool.
- Layer: Once the grape jell-o is set and the milk jell-o has cooled, pour ½ cup of milk mixture over the grape jell-o. You may need to tilt the dish to help it spread and cover the whole thing. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, until completely set.
- Repeat: Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining flavors. Avoid making the milk jello all at once, otherwise it will start setting up before it can all be poured between the layers. If it does start setting up, gently heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir well until liquid.
- Serve: Once all of the rainbow jello layers have been made, cut into 1-2 inch jello cubes and serve. For easy release from the baking dish, carefully run hot water over the bottom of the dish for about 10-15 seconds.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few extra ways to perfect and customize this fun layered jello dessert! I know you and your family will love rainbow jello as much as mine does.
- Switch Flavors and Colors: The flavors of gelatin are easily adaptable to your preferences and occasion. Try different flavors of red and pink for Valentine’s Day, reds and green for Christmas, purple and orange for Halloween, and red and blue for the 4th of July or any patriotic holiday.
- Let Layers Set: Let the layers completely set before adding the next. If you add another layer while the layer underneath is still soft, it can get craters and swirl into the fresh layer.
- Keep Milk Jello Warm: To help keep the milk jell-o liquid, you can place the bowl or measuring cup inside a larger bowl filled with moderately hot water. This will let it cool down from boiling, but keep it warm enough to stay liquid.
- Pouring Gently: Pour the jell-o onto the layer beneath it by pouring onto the back of a spoon. This softens the stream of liquid so it doesn’t pockmark or form craters in the layer beneath it.
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftover rainbow jello, good news! It can be stored in the fridge for a week. You can enjoy it in all of its fruity, colorful glory later when you’re wanting something sweet.
- In the Refrigerator: Store in the fridge either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 5-7 days.
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Spray a 9×13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
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In a small bowl combine the grape jell-o with 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water. Mix until all the gelatin is dissolved. Pour in the prepared pan and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until fully set.
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Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin (1 packet) with 1 cup of boiling water until the gelatin is dissolved. Mix in ⅔ cup of sweetened condensed milk (about half a can). Let cool while the purple jell-o sets. Also prepare the next color of jell-o the same way the grape jell-o was prepared so it can cool.
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Once the grape jell-o is set and the milk jell-o has cooled, pour ½ cup of milk jell-o over the grape jell-o. You may need to tilt the dish to help it spread and cover the whole thing. You may also pour the milk jell-o onto the back of a spoon as you pour it over the grape jell-o so it doesn’t create craters in it. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, until completely set.
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Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining flavors, alternating the colored jell-o with the milk jell-o. As needed prepare the second half of the milk jell-o in the same manner as the first half. Avoid making it all at once, otherwise it will start setting up before it can all be poured between the layers. If it does start setting up, gently heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir well until liquid. Avoid heating too much because you will have to wait for it to cool down again.
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Once all the layers have been made, cut into 1-2 inch squares and serve. For easy release from the baking dish, carefully run hot water over the bottom of the dish for about 10-15 seconds.
Serves: 24
Calories98kcal (5%)Carbohydrates19g (6%)Protein2g (4%)Fat2g (3%)Saturated Fat1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat0.1gMonounsaturated Fat0.4gCholesterol6mg (2%)Sodium76mg (3%)Potassium66mg (2%)Sugar19g (21%)Vitamin A47IU (1%)Vitamin C0.5mg (1%)Calcium53mg (5%)Iron0.05mg
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
