If you’re looking for a fun, crowd-pleasing shot option for game day, then you’ll love these Blue Moon Jello shots! Made with Blue Moon beer, these orange-flavored shooters are delicious, and even made to look like little beer glasses. I serve them for the Super Bowl, but they’re great at lots of events!
What Are Blue Moon Jello Shots?
Blue Moon Jello shots are a playful and boozy treat both made with and inspired by the popular Blue Moon white Belgian beer.
They combine the beer’s signature citrusy, slightly sweet flavor with orange gelatin and a vodka kick to create a vibrant, party-ready shot! They’re even served in small cups designed to look like a beer, complete with foam and an orange slice garnish.
I make these Blue Moon shots for game day, tailgating, summer parties, and the Super Bowl too! They’re fun, festive, and crowd-pleasing thanks to their delicious citrus flavors.
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Ingredients List
- 6-ounce package orange Jell-o (or substitute apricot or pineapple jello)
- ½ cup plain vodka (or citron flavored vodka)
- 1 cup Blue Moon beer
- ½ cup orange juice (or ½ cup pineapple juice)
- 2 cups water
- 8-ounce container Cool Whip (defrosted)
- 1 large orange for garnish (cut into tiny slices)
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- If you can’t find Blue Moon, use another similar orange-flavored beer like Shock Top
- You can use additional water instead of the orange juice, or up the vodka to 1 cup instead for a stronger shot
Equipment Notes
Instead of the usual shot cups you’d use for Jello shots, I use 12 3-ounce plastic cups for these shots. You need the extra ounce of space to add the topping. Plus, these look like little beer cups! Anything similar will work, though.
How to Make Blue Moon Jello Shots
- Boil the 2 cups of water. This is usually 4 mins in a large heatproof glass bowl using a 1000W microwave (or you could heat it in a saucepan on your stovetop if preferred)
- Add the Jello to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved
- Stir in the Blue Moon beer, vodka, and orange juice into the Jell-o mixture
- Pour mixture evenly into your Jello shot cups, making sure to only fill them about ⅔ full of liquid (if you use the ribbed cups, I fill it to the top of the rib lines). Tip: use a pitcher, measuring cup with a spout, or a ladle to make this easier
- Refrigerate until the Jello sets, usually 3-4 hours
- When ready to serve, top each shot with Cool Whip to create the “foam” top to the beer
- Garnish with a tiny orange slice. Enjoy!
More Jello Shot Flavors
- Football Jello Shots
- Pickleback Jello Shots
- Watermelon Jello Shots
Recipe FAQs
Why Blue Moon?
Blue Moon beer is used for its unique flavor profile that pairs well with citrus and sweet ingredients. The natural hint of orange in it makes it a great option for cocktails and desserts, like these Jello shots.
Additionally, its popularity and recognizable taste make it a crowd-pleasing base for any event where you’d normally serve beer!
How Many Jello Shots Does One Pack Of Jello Make?
One 6-ounce pack of Jello makes around 12 jello shots, depending exactly how full you fill the cups (and specific cups used).
This is largely because slightly larger cups are used to make these Jello shots, so they’re about 1.5x the size of a traditional cup.
What Is The Best Ratio For Jello Shots?
The ideal ratio for Jello shots (using a 6-ounce package) is 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve the gelatin, plus 1 ½ cups of cold water, juice, or beer and ½ cup of alcohol such as vodka or rum.
This balance ensures the shots set properly while maintaining a noticeable alcoholic kick. You can go up to 1 cup of vodka (reduce the other cold item to 1 cup) without affecting the texture, if you prefer a stronger shot.
Do Jello Shots Get Stronger The Longer They Sit?
No, Jello shots do not get stronger over time. The alcohol content remains constant once the shots are prepared.
However, the flavors may meld together as they sit, potentially giving the impression of a slightly stronger taste.
Tips For Making the Best Jello Shots
- Don’t add more than 1 cup of vodka overall, as this can cause the Jello to not set. I find that ½ cup is fine for this recipe, since the beer also contains alcohol (and this allows the beer flavor to actually shine through – they’re delicious)!
- I heat my water in a large Pyrex measuring cup and mix everything right in it. This gives me the built-in spout to pour into cups easier! You may want to add a sheet of wax paper or a baking sheet under your plastic shot cups to catch drips, though
Storage and Presentation Tips
- These shots are easy to make ahead! They can be prepared and stored (covered in plastic wrap or similar) in the fridge for 2-3 days. Add whipped topping and orange slice just before serving
- If you don’t want to cut up a fresh orange for the garnish, you can use a piece of candied orange peel, or an orange gummy candy instead as alternatives!
- Since these shots are larger overall, I like serving them with spoons to make them easier to eat. They don’t pop out quite like a single-serve shot and they’re bigger, so harder to enjoy in one gulp
Final Thoughts
These Blue Moon Jell-o shots are the perfect party shot for game day, tailgating, the Super Bowl, or any summer party thanks to their delicious orange flavor profile. With the help of the whipped topping, they actually kind of give creamsicle vibes!
I love that you can make them in advance, and just add the topping right before your guests arrive. It makes for low stress entertaining which is always a win.
Customize your Jello treats with different flavors of Jello, other fruit juices, and even different amounts and types of alcohol (like rum or tequila) to make them your own! Dye your whipped topping black and they’d even make a perfect shooter for your Halloween party!
Blue Moon Jello Shots (With Vodka)
Equipment
- Microwave safe bowl (or large glass measuring cup)
- Spatula (or spoon/whisk)
- 12 3-ounce plastic cups (that look like mini beer glasses)
Ingredients
- 6 ounce package orange Jello
- ½ cup vodka
- 1 cup Blue Moon beer
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 cups water
- 8 ounce container Cool Whip (defrosted)
- 1 orange (cut into tiny slices for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil 2 cups of water. This is usually 4 mins on high in a 1000W microwave (or you could heat it in a saucepan on your stovetop if preferred)2 cups water
- Add the Jello to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved6 ounce package orange Jello
- Stir in the Blue Moon beer, vodka, and orange juice into the Jell-o mixture½ cup vodka, 1 cup Blue Moon beer, ½ cup orange juice
- Pour mixture evenly into your Jello shot cups, filling them about ⅔ full of liquid (if you use ribbed cups, fill to the top of the rib lines)
- Refrigerate until the Jello sets, about 3 hours
- When ready to serve, top each shot with whipped topping to create the “foam” on the mini beer8 ounce container Cool Whip
- Garnish with a tiny orange slice. Enjoy!1 orange
Notes
- Pineapple, mango, or apricot-flavored Jello are other good options if you don’t like orange
- You can use a similar orange-flavored beer like Shock Top instead of Blue Moon
- The orange juice can be swapped for pineapple, or just extra water instead
- Instead of vodka, you can use rum or tequila, or use citron flavored vodka!
- Since these are larger than a standard Jello shot, I serve them with a spoon to make them easier to eat (especially with the whipped topping)
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand and flavor of ingredients, any swaps or extra toppings, size of glasses, and actual quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
