Layered Christmas Jello cups are fun, festive and easy to make for holiday parties! This layered Jello recipe is made with cherry and lime gelatin for a delicious flavor combination in the perfect colors for Christmas!
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Everyone loves jello and this layered jello recipe is absolutely perfect for Christmas! This jello recipe is super easy to make too – all you need is 2 different flavors of jello and vanilla yogurt!
You can make Christmas Jello in a larger dish, but I love the look of the smaller cups and it is so much easier to serve this way too! The other advantage to using smaller dishes is that each layer of jello sets up really fast which is important when you need to wait for several different layers to set up.
What flavors of jello do you need to make layered jello?
I used cherry and lime jello to make this layered jello because the colors are perfect for Christmas and the flavors go together really well, but you can use other flavors if you prefer. I’m not sure that there are any other green jello flavors (maybe green apple?), but there are lots of red jello flavors. Strawberry would work really well and if you want some different shades of red, you could use black cherry or raspberry.
I have also made a Rainbow Jello version of this same recipe – the great thing about this recipe is that you can use various flavors of jello to make the perfect dessert for any holiday! You can do red and blue jello for the 4th of July, yellow and orange jello for Halloween (or purple and green!), and a variety of reds and pinks for Valentines Day!
How do you make layered jello?
- For each layer, you mix the gelatin with boiling water and then divide the mixture in half. Half of the mixture is then mixed with vanilla yogurt to make the cloudier, lighter colored layers. I prefer to use vanilla yogurt because I like the vanilla flavor and the texture, but you can use sour cream instead if you prefer!
- There are also ways to make a completely white layer in between each color by using unflavored gelatin and sweetened condensed milk, but it is much easier to just use part of the flavored Jello that you are already making and I like the different shades of the colors!
- You can skip the cloudier layers in between and just use regular Jello, but many of the flavors of Jello are kind of dark and when you layer red and green right next to each other, the colors don’t pop out as much and it can be hard to tell which colors you used!
How long does each layer of jello need to set up?
- Each layer of jello sets up in about 20-30 minutes. The translucent jello layers in this jello recipe set up a little bit faster than the layers that have the yogurt in them.
- The smaller the dish you use and the thinner the layers, the faster the layers will set up. You can make this recipe in an 8X8 pan or a glass bowl, but the larger the layers, the long it will take each layer to set up. I like to use 5 oz. parfait dishes like the ones pictured – then you don’t have to worry about cutting the jello when you serve it!
What are the ingredients in Layered Christmas Jello Cups?
- 4 small boxes (3 oz) Jello – 2 boxes cherry, 2 boxes lime (or other green and red jello flavors!)
- 2 cups vanilla yogurt
- whipped cream for topping if desired
How do you make Layered Christmas Jello Cups?
- For each layer, boil 1 cup water (I do this in the microwave) and then add the contents of one flavor of jello. Stir with a fork until the jello is totally dissolved and then divide the mixture in half, saving half in a separate bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup yogurt to half of the jello mixture and stir until well combined. Pour the yogurt/Jello mixture into your dishes* and then place in the refrigerator in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes or until completely set.
- Add 3 Tbsp water to the other half of the jello that you reserved. Set aside. As soon as the yogurt layer is set, you can pour the reserved layer on top. Refrigerate again until set.
- Repeat steps 1-3 with the other flavor of jello and then repeat the steps two more times. If you use a deeper dish, you can repeat the layers as many times as you want – you’ll just need more jello!
- I like to put a little bit of whipped cream on top just before serving! Totally optional!
*NOTE: I made ten 5 oz. parfaits with this recipe. If you use a different sized dish, you will still follow the same recipe, but just divide the layers accordingly. (If you are making the jello recipe in an 8X8 pan, just pour the entire layer in the pan at once, don’t divide into 10.)
Also, keep in mind that if you are using a bowl or any type of dish that is smaller at the bottom, you may need to use a little less jello on the bottom layers or they will be a lot thicker than the top layers. If you have extra jello that you don’t use in the bottom layers, you can just put it in another bowl/dish to snack on later!
Layered Christmas Jello Cups
Ingredients
- 4 small boxes 3 oz Jello - 2 boxes cherry, 2 boxes lime (or other green and red jello flavors!)
- 2 cups vanilla yogurt
- whipped cream for topping, optional
Instructions
- For each layer, boil 1 cup water (I do this in the microwave) and then add the contents of one flavor of jello. Stir with a fork until the jello is totally dissolved and then divide the mixture in half, saving half in a separate bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup yogurt to half of the jello mixture and stir until well combined. Pour the yogurt/Jello mixture into your dishes* and then place in the refrigerator in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes or until completely set.
- Add 3 Tbsp water to the other half of the jello that you reserved. Set aside. As soon as the yogurt layer is set, you can pour the reserved layer on top. Refrigerate again until set.
- Repeat steps 1-3 with the other flavor of jello and then repeat the steps two more times. If you use a deeper dish, you can repeat the layers as many times as you want - you'll just need more jello!
- I like to put a little bit of whipped cream on top just before serving! Totally optional!
Video
Notes
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How do you store layered jello cups?
Jello cups can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, so you can make them ahead of time!
Are jello cups healthy?
Layered Jello Cups make the perfect dessert, but they are actually pretty low in calories! They are completely gluten-free which is perfect for those with gluten allergies and sensitivities. You can also use sugar-free Jello if you are trying to minimize calories. I have also used Greek yogurt before in the yogurt layers which adds a little bit of protein which makes this little dessert a little bit more nutritious too!
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