20+ Easy Jello Dessert Recipes (2024)

These easy jello recipes are just the thing to satisfy your sweet tooth.

By: The Editors of RecipeLion.com

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20+ Easy Jello Dessert Recipes (1)

There was a time when Jell-O only conjured up images of hospital food trays and senior care centers. Today, home cooks and food lovers alike use Jell-O for so many easy recipes - from pies and cakes to dessert salads and cookies. This collection includes 23 of our favorite Jell-O dessert recipes, perfect for spring and summer parties.

We've included easy Jell-O cakes, pies, and other desserts in all kinds of delicious fruity flavors from orange creamsicle to strawberry and cherry limeade. No matter what Jell-O flavor is your favorite, you're sure to find something to love below. While these desserts certainly scream, "summer," there's really no one time to enjoy Jell-O if you're in the mood. When your food is as colorful as the rainbow, the possibilities often are too. Enjoy these easy jello recipes any day of the year for some fun and sweet nostalgia you can share with the whole family.

Table of Contents

  • Jell-O Salad Recipes
  • Jell-O Cakes and Pies
  • Other Tasty Jell-O Recipes

Jell-O Salad Recipes

Jell-O salad is a classic barbecue and potluck dish, and it's easy to see why!

There's something irresistible about a fruity blend of sweet Jell-O, whipped topping, and other goodies. Whether you're going for a smooth fluffy dessert, like Grandma Polly's Pink Stuff (shown here), or a layered Jell-O salad like this one, you really can't go wrong!

We've gathered a list of our favorite Jell-O salad recipes here for you to enjoy. Whether you're making these for a group or just for your household, you can be sure that everyone will be smiling.

Another thing we love about Jell-O salad is that it's really easy to make! You usually only need a few ingredients and then some time to let it chill in the fridge. It's the perfect summertime treat, and we're thrilled to be sharing these easy desserts with you.

Whipped Cream Raspberry Pretzel Salad

This delicious layered Jell-O pretzel salad is the perfect recipe to enjoy after a delicious meal! It's light and fruity, with an irresistible buttery pretzel crust.

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Strawberry Pretzel Salad

If you're a fan of strawberry pretzel salad recipes, then you're going to love this version. It's super easy to make, and it's packed with strawberry flavor!

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5-Minute Watergate Salad

Watergate salad is one of our favorite things to order at the deli counter. And now you can make a delicious version at home! This creamy Jell-O dessert is perfect for the summertime.

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Mom's Easy Orange Jello Salad

Orange Jell-O is such a great match with whipped topping. It basically tastes like a creamsicle! So, it's good that this recipe is easy, because you're going to want to make it all the time.

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Perfect Strawberry Jello Salad

This pretty strawberry Jell-O mold might look really fancy, but we're here to tell you that it actually comes together in a flash. All you need to do is allow time for it to chill, and you'll have a beautiful dessert with minimal effort!

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Pistachio Pudding Jello Salad

This easy pistachio jello is a perfect dessert to bring for a potluck and it's super easy to make. If you love pistachio desserts, check out this delicious version of your favorite flavor.

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Jell-O Cakes and Pies

Jell-O is such a versatile ingredient. It actually tastes delicious and adds tons of flavor to baked goods like cake and pie!

These delicious Jell-O cake recipes are easy to make, and they're full of sweet-and-tangy fruity flavor. You'll wonder why you never added Jell-O to a cake recipe before!

We also love the creativity in these recipes. Many of the cake recipes are have delicious toppings or add-ins that go perfectly with the fruity cake flavor.

This Strawberry Shortcake Cream Cake, for example, combines the lush texture of a whipped Jell-O salad with the sweet and crisp flavors of shortcake. The result is a desser that you will want to make again and again.

Try one of these amazing Jell-O dessert recipes this week!

Heavenly Banana Cream Eclair Pie

If you like banana cream pie, then you're going to love this version. It's rich, creamy, and full of banana flavor. It's the perfect retro dessert for a special occasion!

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Shirley Temple Poke Cake

This poke cake recipe is inspired by the flavors in the Shirley Temple drink. Our theory was that 7-Up and cherry flavors always taste great together, and we're happy to say that we were right!

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Frozen Orange Creamsicle Cake

We can't believe how amazing this dessert looks, and we know that anyone you make it for will feel the same way. The layers of Jell-O fluff look simply stunning!

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Summer Strawberry Cake Mix Cake

Strawberry desserts just say "summertime" to us, and this cake is a perfect example. It's fresh, fruity, and made for eating at a picnic table on a beautiful summer day!

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Raspberry Cream Jello Poke Cake

Look at how pretty this dessert is! It's so simple to make, and yet it looks crazy impressive. If you bring this one to a barbecue, get ready to be asked for the recipe.

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Other Tasty Jell-O Recipes

Finally, we'd like to share some additional creative Jell-O recipes! These delicious desserts are easy to make, and they're full of vibrant fruity flavor.

From delicious Jell-O cookies to this Cherry Limeade Layered Mousse, these recipes are sure to put a smile on your face.

You'll be surprised by some of the genius solutions that our favorite bloggers, and our test kitchen, have some up with!

4-Ingredient Cranberry Fluff

This light-and-delicious Jell-O dessert isn't just for Christmas! When an ingredient list is only 4 items long, we think that's the perfect excuse to make that recipe as often as possible.

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1950s Magic Jell-O Dessert

This retro dessert will bring a little of the magic of yesteryear into your kitchen! The colors in this Jell-O dessert are very groovy, and the flavors are even better.

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Creamsicle Jell-O Mold

We've featured creamsicle recipes a few times in this list so far, and it's because they are just that good! This version looks so pretty in its mold shape. It's perfect for impressing dinner guests.

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Jello Cookies

Who knew you could make cookies using Jell-O? This adorable recipe is sweet and flavorful, and it's also ready in literally 20 minutes. So simple!

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Mermaid Tail Jell-O Cups

If you (or someone you know) is still into the mermaid trend, then these Jell-O cups are the perfect dessert. We love how creative this recipe is, and it also tastes fantastic!

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Amazing Jello Fruit Roll Ups

Did you know you can make fruit roll ups at home? You can! This clever Jell-O dessert uses fresh fruit to create a snack that is light, flavorful, and perfect for all ages.

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Stained Glass Jello

How pretty is this recipe? We love the colors in this Stained Glass Jell-O, and we know it will impress anyone you serve it to.

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Red, White, and Blue Jell-O Parfaits

Jell-O is a great ingredient for making themed desserts, because it comes in so many different colors. In this case, you can make a beautiful dessert inspired by the stars and stripes. What a smart idea!

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Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe

We're such a fan of Jell-O cookies that we couldn't end this list without sharing another one. If you like lemon desserts, then you are going to love these delicious cookies!

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Cherry co*ke Jello

If you're looking for an easy dessert recipe for the summer, this is it! The delicious flavor of cherry co*ke and the fun finger food everyone loves make this the perfect dessert.

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Up Next:

Our Best Easy Cake Recipes

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20+ Easy Jello Dessert Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is Jell-O no longer popular? ›

Jell-O shifted to single-serve cups and more convenient options as competition for snacks and desserts grew. Kraft in the early 2000's shifted the focus of Jell-O's advertising away from kids and toward adults. It pitched sugar-free Jell-O, for example, as a treat for Atkins dieters.

Is gelatin the same as Jell-O? ›

So, while jelly and jello both contain gelatin as an ingredient, they are not the same thing. Jelly is a fruit spread that is thickened with pectin, while jello is a brand of gelatin dessert mix that contains gelatin as its primary thickening agent.

Why do hospitals always serve Jell-O? ›

Why do hospitals serve so much Jell-O? There are a few reasons: Jell-O is easy to swallow and digest, making it suitable for patients who have difficulty eating solid foods or have digestive issues.

What state eats the most Jell-O? ›

Utah eats more Jell-O than any other state

The people in Utah love their Jell-O! The state has an entire holiday week dedicated to the jiggly treat, and it's even Utah's official state food.

Does putting jello in the freezer work? ›

Freezing prepared Jell-O gives it a totally new texture that makes it even more fun to eat. The clear, jiggly gel transforms into a cloudy neon color that's almost entirely opaque. The texture is still soft and chewy, but it's lighter and more airy, even when completely frozen.

What is the best container to make jello in? ›

If you are making a larger batch, you can use a muffin baking pan to keep the round containers standing straight while the gelatin is setting in the fridge. A half-sphere container with a flat top is the next best choice.

Is Jell-O good for your stomach? ›

The proteins in gelatin can help support the intestinal wall, including building the protective mucus lining in your intestines. In early studies on rats, gelatin helped protect the lining of the intestines from damage, although further research is needed to fully confirm this effect in humans.

Is eating Jell-O good for you? ›

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Is Jello considered a healthy snack? Though Jello is low in fat, it has a high sugar content, making it high in calories. While occasionally having it in as a treat may not cause harm, in the broader picture, it does not make for a nourishing, healthy snack option.

Why is Jell-O so expensive? ›

The demand for Gelatin has been increasing in recent years due to its use in various sectors, including food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This increased demand has put upward pressure on prices in the domestic market.

Why won t my Jell-O pudding set? ›

If it hasn't set, leave the pudding in the fridge a while longer. Once your pudding has set, remove it from the fridge and stir it. Mix in any additional ingredients (banana slices, strawberries, etc.). Spoon the pudding into individual serving dishes.

Will Jell-O set with canned pineapple? ›

The enzymes in bromelain are inactivated once they have been heated to about 158° F (70° Celsius), so while fresh pineapple prevents Jell-O from gelling, gelatin made using canned pineapple (which was heated during the canning process) won't ruin the dessert.

What was the downfall of Jell-O? ›

But in the decades after World War II ended, the problems that JELL-O had initially solved went away. Cheap food items did not impress a wealth-building American society, and wartime staples became repellant. In the 1970s, JELL-O languished as a children's snack and hospital dessert.

Does anyone still eat Jell-O? ›

Even though it contains artificial ingredients and has very little nutritional value, many people still eat jello because they enjoy its flavor, consistency, and convenience.

Why has Jell-O fallen out of favor? ›

Jell-O began to fall out of favor in the 1960s, when Julia Child was popularizing exotic Continental flavors (like oregano), and people began ridiculing molded “salads” as unsophisticated. As a result, in the 1990s Jell-O was advertised as a food for children, like in the Bill Cosby “Jell-O jigglers” ad campaign.

Why is Jell-O in short supply? ›

Since China is one of the exporters of Gelatin to the USA, the turnaround in some production units for maintenance has caused a low output, hindered supplies, and disrupted trading activities of the products.

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