Our Best Jell-O Mold Recipes (2024)

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Our Best Jell-O Mold Recipes (1)Katie BandurskiUpdated: Jan. 05, 2022

    Craving a recipe from your childhood? Step back in time with these vintage Jell-O mold recipes. They're just like the ones mom and grandma used to make!

    1/19

    Molded Strawberry Salad

    This refreshing salad has two layers – a pretty pink bottom that includes sour cream, and a ruby red top with strawberries and pineapple. For years, Mom has included this salad in meals she prepares for our family. -Gloria Grant, Sterling, Illinois

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    2/19

    Grandmother's Orange Salad

    This orange salad dessert is slightly sweet and tangy, too. It adds beautiful color to any meal and appeals to all ages! —Ann Eastman, Santa Monica, California

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    3/19

    Molded Cranberry-Orange Salad

    When I take this dish to potlucks during the holidays, people always ooh and aah. Feel free to top with whipped cream for added appeal. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico

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    4/19

    Taste of Home

    Peach Bavarian

    Fruit molds are my specialty. This one, with its refreshing peach taste, makes a colorful salad or dessert. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

    5/19

    With its sunny lemon color, this gelatin mold brightens up any table. I usually make two molds for parties because it disappears so quickly. —Patricia Ryzow, Thousand Oaks, California

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    6/19

    7/19

    Pina Colada Molded Salad

    My gelatin ring gets a tropical twist from coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. It's a wonderful anytime treat. Now that I'm retired from teaching, I have more time for kitchen experiments. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

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    8/19

    Cran-Raspberry Gelatin Salad

    Just like Grandma’s, this pretty gelatin salad has full berry flavor without being too tart. It’s perfect for any holiday dinner. —Rosemary Burch, Phoenix, Arizona

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    9/19

    Orange Buttermilk Gelatin Salad Mold

    A dear friend shared this recipe with me years ago. Now it's my favorite dish to take to a church meeting, shower or any potluck event—it's always a hit. Whenever I serve this salad, people ask for the recipe. They find it hard to believe it's really made with buttermilk! —Juanita Hutto, Mechanicsville, Virginia

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    10/19

    Snowy Raspberry Gelatin Mold

    This mold is always on our holiday table. The raspberry layer makes an attractive base for the creamy cream cheese layer. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

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    11/19

    Sangria Gelatin Ring

    This gelatin is enjoyed by everyone because you just can't go wrong with fresh berries. —Nicole Nemeth, Komoka, Ontario

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    12/19

    13/19

    Taste of Home

    Simple Lime Gelatin Salad

    Looking for a festive dish to light up the buffet? This pretty green gelatin salad is eye-catching and has a delightful, tangy flavor. —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa

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    14/19

    Taste of Home

    Apricot Gelatin Mold

    After my husband and I got married, he asked me to get this special holiday recipe from my mother. Mom prepared it for every family celebration, and now I make it for my family! You can replace peach with orange gelatin if you prefer. —Suzanne Holcomb, St. Johnsville, New York

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    15/19

    Cranberry-Eggnog Gelatin Salad

    Refreshing and bursting with flavor, this festive jello salad is a great choice for a holiday potluck or make ahead Thanksgiving side. The sweet pineapple-eggnog layer contrasts nicely with the cool and tangy gelatin on top. Since it has to chill overnight, it’s a good pick for those dishes you want to prepare a day ahead. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

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    16/19

    Taste of Home

    Fluffy Cranberry Mousse

    This is a delicious and pretty salad for the holidays, but it's so good that I serve it at other times, too. I got the recipe from a neighbor who had served it with a traditional turkey dinner. —Helen Clement, Hemet, California

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    17/19

    Taste of Home

    Rosey Raspberry Salad

    Whenever I make this pretty raspberry salad, people talk! It's a festive side dish that works well for celebrations throughout the year. —Jane Vanderground, Macedonia, Ohio

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    18/19

    Taste of Home

    Mango Gelatin Salad

    My Aunt Nannette often made this salad as a convenient make-ahead dish. The mango mold has hints of apricot and can be served with pork, chicken and beef—or for dessert. —Debra Sult, Chandler, Arizona

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    19/19

    Taste of Home

    Molded Cranberry Nut Salad

    We try lots of cranberry recipes, and this one is always requested when we have family get-togethers at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has also been a favorite dish at every church potluck I've taken it to! —Eleanor Arthur, Seattle, Washington

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    Originally Published: September 18, 2020

    Our Best Jell-O Mold Recipes (18)

    Katie Bandurski

    As Senior Shopping Editor, Katie connects Taste of Home readers with the best gifts, deals and home products on the market. An avid foodie and a holiday enthusiast, Katie is an expert at cultivating meaningful moments.When she’s out of the office, you’ll find her exploring Wisconsin, trying out new vegetarian recipes and watching Christmas movies.

    Our Best Jell-O Mold Recipes (2024)

    FAQs

    Does a jello mold need oiling before jello is added to it? ›

    Spray your mold: Make sure you spray your mold—no matter what type you use—with cooking spray before filling. This will make removing the gelatin easier. Take your time: Multi-layer molds take time to create. Each layer needs to set for about 45 minutes before adding the next.

    Should I use Pam in jello mold? ›

    Spraying the mold with Pam or some other cooking spray is another common trick, but one that may leave a residue and flavor on the Jell-O, which you may not want depending on what you are making. Certain molds, including newer plastic ones and some vintage molds, also come with removable seals to help with unmolding.

    How to get jello out of mold without breaking? ›

    Unmolding your Jello:
    1. Dip the mold in warm (not hot) water. ...
    2. While the mold is submerged, moisten the tips of your fingers, and gently pull the edges of the gelatin away from the mold.
    3. Moisten a serving plate (so you can slide your mold and center it on the plate once unmolded) and place it upside down over the mold.

    How much jello do you need for a mold? ›

    Purchase as many boxes of Jello as colors you would like to be layered in your mold. You will need about five boxes of Jello to fill a standard Bundt pan. You will need one and one-fourth cups of boiling water and a bowl for each color of gelatin.

    Do you use less water when making a jello mold? ›

    Use less water if the gelatin is to be molded. For a four-serving size package, use 3/4 cup cold water. Some recipes include this adjustment. * Unmolding: Gelatin should be chilled and set until firm.

    What is around Aunt Bethany's jello mold? ›

    The lime jello mold makes an appearance on the dinner table when the entire family sits down to eat their holiday meal and if you look closely, you'll see cat food on top of the jello. Clark asks, “Aunt Bethany, does your cat by any chance eat jello?” Everything about it is eww, bless her heart.

    Why did people make jello molds? ›

    After World War II, when food shortages and rationing ended, gelatin became a creative kitchen tool, as well as a shortcut. Congealed molded dishes quickly earned a place at the table as impressive salads.

    What fruit Cannot be added to Jell-O? ›

    Some fresh fruits prevent Jell-O and other types of gelatin from gelling. These are fruits that contain high levels of proteases. Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin. Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava are examples of fruits that cause a problem.

    What is the best bowl to make Jell-O in? ›

    You can't go wrong if you use a sturdy and firm container to make jello. There's one tip you should keep in mind: the bowl's color matters. Prefer making the jello in a black plastic bowl, as black is the color that catches heat and will keep the jello firmly warm.

    What fruit goes best in Jell-O? ›

    While a few fresh fruits cause problems with Jell-O and other forms of gelatin, most fruits are fine. Enjoy adding apples, peaches, plums, oranges, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries to your gelatin recipe. Bananas contain the enzyme actinidain, but it's not present in high enough amounts to cause a problem.

    Will gelatin mix with oil? ›

    Gelatins are important natural amphiphilic macromolecules and can act as emulsifiers in oil-in-water emulsions due to their surface-active properties. However, they are generally weaker emulsifiers than other surface-active substances.

    How do you use jello in silicone molds? ›

    Instructions
    1. Spray inside of mold tray with cooking spray; place, fill side up, on baking sheet.
    2. Add boiling water to gelatin mix in bowl; stir 3 min. until completely dissolved. ...
    3. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. ...
    4. Run knife around edges of molds to loosen JIGGLERS; unmold onto plate.

    Why do you have to soak the gelatin first before use? ›

    To use gelatin (both in powdered and sheet form, more on that below), you first need to hydrate or “bloom” it in cold water, then add to your recipe. If you just sprinkle a packet straight into your mixture, it will clump and remain grainy.

    What causes jello not to set? ›

    Chances are you didn't follow the directions exactly, adding too much water or watery fruit (via Butter With A Side Of Bread). Jell-O also won't set if left on the counter; it needs to chill in your refrigerator.

    References

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