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Home ยป Dessert Recipes

4th of July Dessert: Bright & Beautiful!

Published: Jul 2, 2020 ยท Modified: Jan 25, 2023 by Madalaine ยท This post may contain affiliate links ยท

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This 4th of July jello dessert will bring a bright splash of red, white, and blue patriotic colors to your holiday spread!ย  Keep to the basic recipe for kids & adults alike or turn them into an adult-only treat with 1 simple twist.

layered 4th of july jello shots and desserts with red and blue jello and whip cream

Either way, these are easy to do and won't heat your kitchen up.

My husband loves jello.ย  He could probably eat it every night.ย  I ate tons of it in my early 30s when I started doing the Atkins diet and went keto full-tilt-boogey.ย  I never get tired of making it because the colors are so electric and vibrant!

Jello will keep forever in your pantry.ย  Ok, maybe not as long as Twinkies, but close.ย  The reason why I'm mentioning this is that BERRY BLUE gelatin can be a bit tricky to find, especially around the 4th of July.ย  So when I find it (even if there's snow on the ground), I always pick up a couple of boxes.

putting redi whip on top of red white and blue fourth of july jello dessert

If calories are a concern, I've seen sugar-free gelatin desserts in just about every color and flavor.ย  It practically doesn't have any calories at all!

How to Make 4th of July Gelatin Dessert (for everyone!)

  • MAKE THE BLUE: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot.ย  Empty 1 box of berry blue jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.ย  Stir in ยพ cup of cold water.
  • Divide jello between 4 clear glasses (about ยฝ cup in each) making the base blue layers.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1  hour, or until set.
  • MAKE WHIP CREAM:ย  With an electric mixer, whip together 1 cup heavy whipping cream with ยฝ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl until stiff.ย  Layer 1-inch whip cream over blue jello.ย  Adding whip cream layer on top of blue jello layer
  • MAKE THE RED: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot.ย  Empty 1 box of red jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.ย  Stir in ยพ cup of cold water.ย  Let it come to room temperature.
  • Make the red layer by pouring the red jello over whip cream layer.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set. Make the red jello layer and pour it over the whip cream
  • Top with remaining whip cream.

TIP:  Save time, hassle, and dishes by using Cool Whip in place of making your own whip cream.

How to Make 4th of July SHOTS

  • MAKE THE BLUE: Mix 1 cup boiling water with 1 box of berry blue gelatin and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.ย  Stir in ยฝ cup of VODKA.ย 
  • Divide jello between 6 clear SHOT glasses (approximately ยผ cup each).
  • Refrigerate for at least 1  hour, or until set.
  • MAKE WHIP CREAM:ย  With an electric mixer, whip together 1 cup heavy whipping cream with ยฝ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff.ย  Layer 1-inch whip cream over blue jello. (Or See TIP above).
  • MAKE RED JELLO: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot.ย  Empty 1 box of red Jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.ย  Stir in ยฝ cup of VODKA.ย  Let it come to room temperature.
  • Pour red jello over whip cream layer.ย  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.ย  make the red layer by pouring the jello over the whip cream
  • Top with remaining whip cream.
cleaning the glass above the whip cream

TIP:  After adding the whip cream or Cool Whip, wipe the glass with a damp paper towel to clean off the sides.  This will help make the next layer clean and neat. 

Variations you might like to try

pouring red jello over creamy blue layer

My aunt Katherine used to make a layered jello dessert similar to this for the holidays.  She'd make a layer with the plain jello, then she'd add a little sour cream or heavy cream to create a colorful opaque layer.  Then she'd repeat this process with the next color. 

I've also made the "white" layer in this fourth of July jello by making a condensed milk mixture with a package of unflavored gelatin with 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.  Personally, I like using whip cream or Cool Whip for the middle layer because it's faster and it's like spooning into a surprise!

This is also a great KETO low-carb dessert by using sugar-free jello.

4th of July jello shots in mini mason jars

More Summer Holiday Treats

Even if you don't have a popsicle mold, Laura's Watermelon Popsicles are worth making in an ice cube tray.ย  Speaking of watermelon... I'm also a huge fan of this Watermelon Salad with feta and blueberries.ย  It's got patriotic colors and it's a refreshing salad.

Blueberry watermelon salad recipe reminds me of Yellowstone National Park. Refreshing & Unexpected! | www.lakesidetable.com
Blueberry Watermelon Salad
slice of pineapple angel food cake in bundt shape with whole cake behind it with cool whip and berries

Top this Pineapple Angel Food cake with whip cream, blackberries and strawberries or raspberries for a fun 4th of July dessert.

Happy 4th of July!

putting redi whip on top of red white and blue fourth of july jello dessert
3.8 from 5 votes
Print

4th of July Dessert & Shots

4th of July jello will bring a bright splash of red, white, and blue patriotic colors to your holiday spread!ย  Keep to the basic recipe for kids & adults alike or turn them into an adult only treat with 1 simple twist.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword jello, no bake
Prep Time 45 minutes
Refrigerating Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 162 kcal
Author Madalaine

Ingredients

  • 1 box berry blue jello
  • 1 box red jello
  • ยฝ package Cool Whip
  • 1 cup vodka if making jello shots
  • 3.5 cups water

Instructions

  1. MAKE BLUE LAYER: Bring 1 cup of water to boil and mix in 1 package of berry blue gelatin. Turn off heat and stir until dissolved.

  2. Stir in ยพ cup cold water. If you are making jello shots, stir in ยฝ cup vodka instead of water.

  3. Divide between 4-6 clear glasses and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.

  4. When blue layer has set, spread 1 inch layer of Cool Whip or whip cream.

  5. MAKE RED LAYER: Mix red gelatin with 1 cup boiling water and stir until dissolved.

  6. Stir in ยพ cup cold water. If you are making jello shots, stir in ยฝ cup vodka instead of water. Let cool completely.

  7. Pour equal amounts over whip cream and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set.

  8. Top with whip topping.

Recipe Notes

Variation:ย  In place of Cool Whip, try making your own whip topping.ย 

In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream with ยฝ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer until stiff.

Nutrition Facts
4th of July Dessert & Shots
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 162 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 208mg9%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Sugar 37g41%
Protein 3g6%
Calcium 6mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

  1. Grace says

    July 20, 2020 at 7:38 am

    5 stars
    My kids would love these!! (The non-alcoholic version)

  2. Eve says

    July 20, 2020 at 11:43 am

    5 stars
    I love your recipes. You really do a wonderful job of showing step by step how to make everything. You make me look good to my family!๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿ˜Šthanks!๐Ÿ’™

  3. Surya says

    August 26, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    4 stars
    Definitely saving this recipe for next year ๐Ÿ˜„

  4. Holly says

    July 14, 2024 at 9:10 am

    2 stars
    When I tried to poor the red jello on the Whipped cream is broke through and did not layer

    • Madalaine says

      September 01, 2024 at 11:15 am

      Hi Holly, Sorry this didn't work for you. How long did you allow the jello to set up? It's always a good idea to test the jello by lightly tapping it with your finger to make sure it's solid.

3.80 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)
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Hi Iโ€™m Madalaine and I love helping people have FUN in their kitchen. You'll find lots of easy-to-follow gluten-free recipes and tons of tips I learned in culinary school.ย  Most of my recipes are French-inspired butย allย of my recipes are family favorites.

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