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.

Four jello shots with vegan whipped cream and sprinkles on top.

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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 like lemon, lime, pineapple, kiwi, and papaya juices will not set correctly.
  • Agar Agar powder – this is a white powder made from seaweed.  It comes in powder or flakes, but the powder works better.  If you can only find the flakes, you will need to triple the amount of flakes.  (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 the same as 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 jello that you remember, it will require an added sweetener.  You can use any type of sugar or sweetener that you would like.  Added sweetener will help cut the strong flavor of the alcohol as well.  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 that hides well in the jello.  You can also use jin if you would like, but it has a more flowery 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 dress up your jello 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 so you can make the shots ahead of time and keep them stacked in the fridge.  If you want to avoid plastic, you can also use little mini cupcake paper.
Little clear cups filled with red vegan jello shots.

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 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.

Little clear cups filled with red vegan jello shots.

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 jello in these shots slightly looser than my traditional jello so that the shot will be loose enough to release from the bottom of the shot glass so party guests can 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 for virgin jello 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 jello, use white grape juice, and add a few drops of vegan food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
A single shot glass filled with vegan jello mixed with vodka topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

More vegan party food ideas

Vegan jello shot recipe

Four little plastic shot glasses filled with vegan jello shots topped with vegan whipped cream and sprinkles.
Diet
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5 from 4 rating

Vegan Jello Shots

Yield: 12
Prep: 4 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A quick and easy recipe for vegan jello made with fruit juice and agar agar.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cups fruit juice, like apple, grape, or cranberry
  • 1/2 tsp agar agar, or kappa carrageenan
  • 1/2 cup sugar, (optional)
  • 1 cup vodka

Optional

Instructions
 

  • Pour juice, sugar, and agar agar into a medium-sized saucepan and stir.
  • Turn on heat to medium and stir frequently with a whisk.
  • 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)
  • 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 jello in these shots slightly looser than my traditional jello so that the shot will be loose enough to release from the bottom of the shot glass so party guests can 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 for virgin jello 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 jello, use white grape juice, and add a few drops of vegan food coloring to achieve the desired colors.
Serving: 1shot, Calories: 88kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 21mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg
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