4th of July Dessert: Bright & Beautiful!

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

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

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

Jello will keep forever in your pantry.  Ok, maybe not as long as Twinkies, but close.  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.  So when I find it (even if there’s snow on the ground), I always pick up a couple of boxes.

If calories are a concern, I’ve seen sugar-free gelatin desserts in just about every color and flavor.  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.  Empty 1 box of berry blue jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.  Stir in 3/4 cup of cold water.
• Divide jello between 4 clear glasses (about 1/2 cup in each) making the base blue layers.
• Refrigerate for at least 1  hour, or until set.
• MAKE WHIP CREAM:  With an electric mixer, whip together 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl until stiff.  Layer 1-inch whip cream over blue jello. 
• MAKE THE RED: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot.  Empty 1 box of red jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.  Stir in 3/4 cup of cold water.  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.
• 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.  Stir in 1/2 cup of VODKA. 
• Divide jello between 6 clear SHOT glasses (approximately 1/4 cup each).
• Refrigerate for at least 1  hour, or until set.
• MAKE WHIP CREAM:  With an electric mixer, whip together 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until stiff.  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.  Empty 1 box of red Jello into the boiling water and stir until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.  Stir in 1/2 cup of VODKA.  Let it come to room temperature.
• Pour red jello over whip cream layer.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until set. 
• Top with remaining 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

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.

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.  Speaking of watermelon… I’m also a huge fan of this Watermelon Salad with feta and blueberries.  It’s got patriotic colors and it’s a refreshing salad.

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!