Life

Make These Cute Yet Creepy Vampire Jell-O Shots

by Taylor Henriquez

Imagine a world where only grownups trick-or-treated. An evening where young adults went door-to-door (or house party to house party) and were greeted with Jell-O shots instead of candy corn. Maybe this is already your reality, but for those of us who prefer to host and party, these vampire Halloween Jell-O shots are the perfect party favors for guests, and just the right amount of cute and creepy.

Halloween parties are one of the best opportunities to get creative when making drinks and cocktails for guests: from dry-ice punches to glow-in-the dark cocktails, there is a little something for everyone. Just make sure to leave the pumpkin ale and hard cider in the back of the fridge. It'll be there tomorrow for your movie marathon in bed.

This vampire-inspired Jell-O shot recipe forgoes flavored Jell-O, and uses sweetened condensed milk and unflavored gelatin to make up the white base. Strawberry jelly, thinned-out with a little water, is rimmed around the edges of the shot glass, and makes up the "blood." You’ll have about a half cup of leftover sweetened condensed milk left after this recipe, which can be used to make fudge, to sweeten iced coffee or iced tea, or turn into dulce de leche.

Generous pours of whipped cream-flavored vodka make these shots come to life, and provides a delicious strawberries and cream flavor. These are shots you'll want to savor — if they don’t creep you out too much at first.

Vampire Jell-O Shots

Serves 12

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cup of water, plus two tablespoons
  • 1/4 cup of strawberry jelly or jam
  • 10 drops of red food coloring
  • 3 packets of unflavored gelatin, about .75 ounces
  • 3/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk, from a 14 oz. can
  • 1 cup of whipped cream-flavored vodka

Directions:

Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a small saucepan or tea kettle.

In a small bowl, combine the strawberry jelly, two tablespoons of water, and 10 drops of red food coloring.

You’ll want the jelly’s consistency to be thick enough to coat the rim of the shot glass, but thin enough to drip down.

Flip over the shot glass, and place the rim in the jelly. Twist the glass, and pull up, letting the jelly spill over the outside of the shot glass.

Sprinkle three packets of unflavored gelatin in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water, and whisk until the gelatin is dissolved.

Add the sweetened condensed milk and flavored vodka.

Stir until combined, and pour into the shot glasses, about three-quarters of the way full.

Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of the strawberry jelly mixture around the sides of each jello shot, allowing the jelly to slide down through the condensed milk and gelatin mixture.

Refrigerate for one hour.

For more Halloween ideas, check out Bustle on YouTube.

Images: Taylor Henriquez