Vegan Jello Shots
Vegan jello shots make a fun, colorful addition to any party. Easily made in minutes with just 4 ingredients – fruit juice, sugar, vodka, and agar agar to make them set.
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Why make this recipe
When I started making vegan jello from fruit juice and agar agar, I knew I had to adapt the recipe to make some festive vegan jello shots too. They are fun to serve at holiday parties along with other festive treats like vegan candied pecans, spritz cookies, or vegan Christmas crack.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Fruit Juice – most fruit juices will work. Apple, grape, and cranberry juice work the best. Store-bought orange will work as well, but it tends to come out firmer than the other juices. Citrus juices, such as lemon, lime, pineapple, kiwi, and papaya, will not set correctly.
- Agar Agar powder – a white powder derived from seaweed. It comes in powder or flakes, but the powder is more effective. If you can only find the flakes, you will need to triple the amount of flakes you have. (The best deals on agar agar are usually on Amazon or at your local Asian market. It tends to be very expensive at natural food stores.) Note: You can also use kappa-carrageenan instead of agar agar in equal amounts. It is also derived from seaweed and works similarly to agar agar, but tends to be more expensive and harder to find.
- Sugar – to sweeten the jello. Sugar is optional, but if you want it to taste like the traditional Jell-O that you remember, it will require an added sweetener. You can use any type of sugar or sweetener you prefer. Adding a sweetener will also help mitigate the strong flavor of the alcohol. Feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to suit your taste.
- Vodka – for making this an alcoholic jello shot. Vodka has the most neutral flavor, which hides well in the Jell-O. You can also use jin if you prefer, but it has a more floral flavor.
- Vegan Whipped Cream – to make the jello shots look a little more fun and festive. You can easily make your own vegan whipped cream or find dairy-free whipped cream at many large grocery stores. (optional)
- Vegan Sprinkles – this is completely optional, but they do add a nice touch to your Jell-O shots. Be sure to check and make sure that they are vegan sprinkles and do not contain confectioners’ glaze.
Shot Glasses
- Shot Cups – You can purchase a variety of little plastic shot cups at liquor stores or party supply stores. Some come with lids, allowing you to prepare the shots ahead of time and store them stacked in the fridge. If you want to avoid plastic, you can also use a little mini cupcake paper.
How to make vegan jello shots
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Pour juice, sugar, and agar agar into a medium-sized saucepan and stir.
Step 2 – Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk.
Step 3 – When the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat down and let it boil slowly for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This is necessary to activate the agar agar and get it to set properly)
Step 4 – After it boils, turn off the heat and slowly stir in 1 cup of vodka, mixing with a whisk until well combined.
Step 5 – Pour the jello mixture into shot glasses and allow them to cool in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
Step 6 – To make them look more festive, top with vegan whipped cream and/ or sprinkles.
Pro Tips
- Be sure to add the vodka at the end after boiling the juice and agar agar, or the alcohol will cook off. Adding at the end ensures a powerful punch to your shots.
- I purposely make the Jell-O in these shots slightly looser than my traditional Jell-O so that the shot will be loose enough to release from the bottom of the shot glass, allowing party guests to consume it without a spoon. If you want firmer jello, simply increase the agar agar by about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Replace the vodka with additional juice to make virgin Jell-O shots. If kids will be at your party, they will surely want one of these yummy-looking treats, and the designated drivers deserve a little treat too!
- If you want different-colored Jell-O, use white grape juice and add a few drops of vegan food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
More vegan party food ideas
Vegan jello shot recipe
Vegan Jello Shots
Instructions
- Pour juice, sugar, and agar agar into a medium-sized saucepan and stir.
- Turn on the heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk.
- When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer slowly for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This is necessary to activate the agar agar and get it to set properly.)
- After it boils, turn off the heat and slowly stir in 1 cup of vodka, mixing with a whisk until well combined.
- Pour the jello mixture into shot glasses and allow them to cool in the fridge for about 45 minutes.
- To make them look more festive, top with vegan whipped cream and/ or sprinkles.
Notes
- Be sure to add the vodka at the end after boiling the juice and agar agar, or the alcohol will cook off. Adding at the end ensures a powerful punch to your shots.
- I purposely make the Jell-O in these shots slightly looser than my traditional Jell-O so that the shot will be loose enough to release from the bottom of the shot glass, allowing party guests to consume it without a spoon. If you want firmer jello, simply increase the agar agar by about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Replace the vodka with additional juice to make virgin Jell-O shots. If kids will be at your party, they will surely want one of these yummy-looking treats, and the designated drivers deserve a little treat too!
- If you want different-colored Jell-O, use white grape juice and add a few drops of vegan food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Do you think I could use sparkling wine in place fruit juice? And add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice for flavor?
I have never tested it that way, but it should work. Let me know if you try it.
I’ll be making this for Halloween, thank you so much for the recipe! I do wonder If anyone has figured out a way to make this work with lemon juice, and also If raspberry juice is too citric and would also not work.
Thank you!
Thanks for this fun & festive idea! Happy New Year to you with appreciation for your site and delicious & helpful recipes.
You’re very welcome, Erika! Happy New Year!
Seriously. No quantities?
The quantities and the full recipe is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
OMG – these look like sooo much fun. I’m gonna make a batch today! You know, just for research, to make sure I get it right for New Years!