Jello shots are so fun to make for parties, and these Glow in the Dark Jello Shots are even cooler! Using tonic water makes them glow under a UV blacklight. They're not only tasty, but a neat party trick! It's a great easy recipe for your Halloween party!
These Jello shots are great any time of year, but I made them as a Halloween treat! If you serve them with some gummy eyeballs I think they'd look even spookier.
If you're using lime jello like me, they would also be great for St. Patrick's Day or just for a neon party!
Looking for more fun Halloween drinks? Try out this tasty Halloween Margarita, the gorgeous red Vampire's Kiss cocktail, or this fun bright green Hocus Pocus cocktail!
If you're looking for more drinks that will glow under UV light, try out the Empress Gin & Tonic, or the delicious and easy Elderflower Gin & Tonic!
Why do the Jello Shots Glow?
Tonic water has quinine in it, which not only makes it have a bitter flavor, but also gives it a fluorescence.
It won't glow just by turning out the light, but when you use a blacklight in a dark room, tonic water will glow a bright blue color.
When you make the Jello using tonic, it will also glow under the UV light!
Ingredients
There are just four ingredients you'll need for these tasty green Jello shots!
First, you'll need a 3 ounce packet of Jello (I used lime, but I hear the blue raspberry flavor also works well). You'll also need tonic water, vodka and triple sec liqueur.
The tonic water is a big flavor factor here, so be sure to use a tonic that you like! I personally love Fever Tree tonic water. Fentimans Tonic Water is another good one.
Substitutions
If you don't have a packet of Jello, you can make these with plain gelatin. Use 2 Tablespoons of unflavored powdered gelatin. Add in two packets of True Lime for lime flavoring, plus four tablespoons of sugar (caster/superfine sugar if possible). Mix it together and use it like regular Jello without the food coloring!
If you don't want to use vodka, you can use gin, white rum or tequila blanco.
For the liqueur, I would try to stick with Triple Sec since it is clear in color. If you don't have it, though, you can add some simple syrup instead, or more vodka for a stronger shot.
Important side note: I first tried to use Midori melon liqueur in this, but it ended up breaking the fluorescence so they didn't glow at all. Tasted great, but not quite what I was going for!!
Variations
If you want to make a non-alcoholic version, you can actually use water or soda when making the gelatin instead of tonic. Then, add the tonic water at the end in place of the vodka.
For a different color, you can use Blue Raspberry Jello instead of lime. I haven't tested this with other colors, but certain things (like salt) can shut down the fluorescence of the tonic, so you might need to do some trial and error to get other colors or flavors to work.
Equipment
To make these Jello shots, you'll need a few key things on hand! You'll need a small saucepan and spoon, along with a couple of jiggers or measuring cups for the liquids.
You'll also need little cups to pour the liquid gelatin mixture into. You can use glass ramekins if you're planning to serve it with spoons, but if not, you can use mini plastic cups (like these or these on Amazon).
I found using a kitchen squeeze bottle really helpful for filling the cups! If you don't have one, you can pour the liquid from the saucepan into a container with a spout. Otherwise you might end up with a huge mess.
There is also a product called the Jellinator that makes filling the cups super easy if you're planning to make a ton of these!
Instructions
Start out by blooming your gelatin! Blooming means that we will mix the Jello with liquid and let it sit for a few minutes to hydrate the gelatin.
Pour your room temperature tonic water into the saucepan, and then sprinkle the Jello mix on top.
Gently stir the tonic and Jello just to mix everything together.
Then, let the mixture sit without stirring for 5 to 10 minutes. No heat yet!
The mixture will look kind of slushy on top when the gelatin is done hydrating.
Next you will need to heat the mixture to melt the gelatin.
All you need to do is heat it on low heat. The mixture only needs to get up to about 140°F (60°C) to melt the gelatin. You definitely do not need to boil this!
Keep the heat low and stir until you see the mixture is a dark green liquid underneath the top layer of foam. The tonic will make it foamy, but the carbonation will all come out when it cools.
Let the mixture cool for several minutes. Then, add in your Triple Sec.
Add in the vodka and stir everything well.
Pour the mixture into your serving cups. Then let it chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator so it sets.
Serve and enjoy!
For the presentation, don't forget to shine a blacklight like this UV spotlight on them in a darkened room to see the bright glow!
Hint: If you chill your Triple Sec and vodka beforehand, it will help your Jello shots set faster in the fridge!
Top Tip
Remember, if you want to change any ingredients in this recipe, you might end up breaking the fluorescence of the tonic water. Learn from my mistakes and be sure to test beforehand!
I first used Midori melon liqueur instead of Triple Sec, and the Jello shots didn't glow at all! I thought I was going nuts, but it was just the liqueur! It turns out that certain ingredients like salt or baking soda can deactivate the quinine's fluorescence. Kinda crazy (but could be a fun science experiment!)
📖 Recipe
Glow in the Dark Jello Shots
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Squeeze bottle (optional)
- Jellinator (optional)
- UV Blacklight (to see the glow in the dark effect!)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tonic water (1 cup) (room temperature)
- 3 ounces Lime Jello (1 3-ounce box or half of a 6-ounce box)
- 6 ounces vodka (chilled)
- 2 ounces triple sec (chilled)
Instructions
Bloom the Gelatin
- Add the tonic water to a small saucepan. Sprinkle the Lime Jello on top.
- Stir gently and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to bloom the gelatin.
- After it sits, the mixture will look kind of gloopy and slushy. Don't worry -- this is perfect!!
Melt the Gelatin
- Put the saucepan over low heat. We are NOT going to boil the mixture, but heat it just enough so that the gelatin will melt.
- Stir as it heats up. The gelatin will melt at around 140°F (60°C). You will see that it turns from a slushy texture to liquid.
- When the mixture is liquid and all the gelatin is melted, take it off the heat and let it cool for several minutes.
Add the Liquor and Chill
- Add in the vodka and the triple sec liqueur and stir well.
- Add the mixture to a squeeze bottle, a Jellinator, or any container with a pouring spout to portion out the shots.
- Add about 1.5 ounces of liquid to each of your plastic shot glasses.
- Put the shot glasses into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill and set.
- Once they are set, they're ready to serve! They should keep in the fridge for at least a few days.
Make them Glow
- To get the best glow, serve them in a darkened room. Shine a UV blacklight on them to see the glow!
Notes
- I first tested this recipe with Midori instead of triple sec, and the glow did not work! Definitely test it out if you are thinking of changing any of the ingredients. This is because some things, like salt and baking powder, will cause the fluorescence of the tonic water to stop working.
Kimberly says
These jello shots are so cute and tasty 🙂 let me know if you have questions about how to make them!!