This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.

Taste the Rainbow! Whether it’s a birthday party, St. Patrick’s Day, or just a fun summer BBQ, rainbow Jello is always a crowd-pleaser. Plus, who doesn’t love a dessert that’s literally bursting with color?

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, here are a few more great rainbow desserts to try: rainbow cake, cupcakes, and fruit skewers! All you’ll need from there is a pot of gold!

Cubed rainbow jello stacked on top of each other.

Rainbow Jello Recipe

Rainbow jello is a vibrant and fun dessert that is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face! Making rainbow jello is really easy and doesn’t require many ingredients. All you need is a package of Jello in each color of the rainbow, water, and maybe some whipped cream to top it all off with. Rainbow jello is like a party in your mouth, with every color of the rainbow represented in a jiggly, fruity form!

Rainbow jello is the perfect dessert to serve at any celebration. It’s a great dessert for kids’ birthday parties or summer potlucks, and it’s sure to be a hit with everyone. The bright colors and layers of jiggly goodness make for a fun and playful dessert that’s sure to impress. You can also get creative with the flavors and mix and match different colors and flavors to create your own unique rainbow jello creation. (I have a few ideas for you below!) So, whether you’re looking for a fun and colorful dessert for your next party or just want to brighten up your day, rainbow jello is sure to do the trick!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Who knew a dessert as fun and colorful as rainbow jello could be made with just a handful of ingredients? Simple ingredients, big fun โ€“ that’s what rainbow jello is all about! You can find all of the measurements below in the recipe card.

  • Boxes of Jell-O: You will need strawberry (or raspberry or cherry), orange, lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape for all of the different colors!
  • Unflavored Gelatin: To help your rainbow jello take shape!
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk: To add some creaminess to the layers.
  • Water: Necessary for the jello powder to dissolve in.

How to Make Rainbow Jello

Making rainbow jello is so easy, even a kid could do it – in fact, it’s the perfect kitchen activity for little chefs in training! All it takes is a little patience and layering for this delicious treat to come together. My kids love cutting into the finished product to reveal the beautiful burst of colors!

  1. Prepare Pan: Spray a 9×13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Fruit Jello: In a small bowl combine the grape jell-o with 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water. Then mix until all the gelatin is dissolved. Pour in the prepared pan and refrigerate until fully set.
  3. Condensed Milk Jello: Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup of boiling water until the gelatin is dissolved. Mix in โ…” cup of sweetened condensed milk. Let cool while the purple jell-o sets. Also prepare the next color of jell-o the same way the grape jell-o was prepared so it can cool.
  4. Layer: Once the grape jell-o is set and the milk jell-o has cooled, pour ยฝ cup of milk mixture over the grape jell-o. You may need to tilt the dish to help it spread and cover the whole thing. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, until completely set.
  5. Repeat: Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining flavors. Avoid making the milk jello all at once, otherwise it will start setting up before it can all be poured between the layers. If it does start setting up, gently heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir well until liquid.
  6. Serve: Once all of the rainbow jello layers have been made, cut into 1-2 inch jello cubes and serve. For easy release from the baking dish, carefully run hot water over the bottom of the dish for about 10-15 seconds.
Jello being prepared and added to a glass dish..

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few extra ways to perfect and customize this fun layered jello dessert! I know you and your family will love rainbow jello as much as mine does.

  • Switch Flavors and Colors: The flavors of gelatin are easily adaptable to your preferences and occasion. Try different flavors of red and pink for Valentineโ€™s Day, reds and green for Christmas, purple and orange for Halloween, and red and blue for the 4th of July or any patriotic holiday.ย 
  • Let Layers Set: Let the layers completely set before adding the next. If you add another layer while the layer underneath is still soft, it can get craters and swirl into the fresh layer.ย 
  • Keep Milk Jello Warm: To help keep the milk jell-o liquid, you can place the bowl or measuring cup inside a larger bowl filled with moderately hot water. This will let it cool down from boiling, but keep it warm enough to stay liquid.
  • Pouring Gently: Pour the jell-o onto the layer beneath it by pouring onto the back of a spoon. This softens the stream of liquid so it doesnโ€™t pockmark or form craters in the layer beneath it.ย 
Top-down view of a pan of rainbow jello being cut into squares.

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftover rainbow jello, good news! It can be stored in the fridge for a week. You can enjoy it in all of its fruity, colorful glory later when you’re wanting something sweet.

  • In the Refrigerator: Store in the fridge either in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 5-7 days.
Jello squares stacked on top of each other, one has a bite taken out of it.

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It

Rainbow Jello

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
Taste the Rainbow! Whether it's a birthday party, St. Patrick's Day, or just a fun summer BBQ, rainbow Jello is always a crowd-pleaser. Plus, who doesn't love a dessert that's literally bursting with color?
Prep Time: 1 hour
Chill Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: 24 Servings

Ingredients 

  • 6 3- ounce boxes of Jell-O strawberry (or raspberry or cherry), orange, lemon, lime, blue raspberry, and grape
  • 2 boxes unflavored gelatin
  • 1 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
  • 8 cups water

Instructions 

  • Spray a 9×13 baking dish lightly with cooking spray.
  • In a small bowl combine the grape jell-o with 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of boiling water. Mix until all the gelatin is dissolved. Pour in the prepared pan and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes until fully set.
  • Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons of unflavored gelatin (1 packet) with 1 cup of boiling water until the gelatin is dissolved. Mix in โ…” cup of sweetened condensed milk (about half a can). Let cool while the purple jell-o sets. Also prepare the next color of jell-o the same way the grape jell-o was prepared so it can cool.
  • Once the grape jell-o is set and the milk jell-o has cooled, pour ยฝ cup of milk jell-o over the grape jell-o. You may need to tilt the dish to help it spread and cover the whole thing. You may also pour the milk jell-o onto the back of a spoon as you pour it over the grape jell-o so it doesnโ€™t create craters in it. Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, until completely set.
  • Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining flavors, alternating the colored jell-o with the milk jell-o. As needed prepare the second half of the milk jell-o in the same manner as the first half. Avoid making it all at once, otherwise it will start setting up before it can all be poured between the layers. If it does start setting up, gently heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir well until liquid. Avoid heating too much because you will have to wait for it to cool down again.
  • Once all the layers have been made, cut into 1-2 inch squares and serve. For easy release from the baking dish, carefully run hot water over the bottom of the dish for about 10-15 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 76mgPotassium: 66mgSugar: 19gVitamin A: 47IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 0.05mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

More Ideas

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I used to make rainbow squares When my kids were younger for parties and potlucks. Itโ€™s so easy to make and people really enjoyed it๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ˜Š