Red, White & Blue Layered Finger Jello
When I was a kid, one of my all-time favorite treats was Knox blocks. They typically appeared at summer parties, and there was something so fun about picking up a dense square of Jello and eating it with your fingers instead of needing a bowl and a spoon. Through the years, the name “Knox blocks” phased out and those treats became better known as Jello Jigglers, and then finger Jello.
A few years back, I made really fun red, white and blue stained glass Jello for the 4th of July holiday. This year, I used a similar technique for a festive layered Jello dessert.
My grandma has an old family recipe for ribbon Jello, which is layers of colored Jello alternating with white layers. It’s definitely a showstopper type of dessert, but is incredibly time consuming to make. I loved this new method I used for the red, white and blue Jello… using a half envelope of unflavored gelatin for each color enables the layers to set up firmly and quickly, so assembly goes much faster. I also found the white layer much easier to use with this method!
This is an awesome layered finger Jello recipe for any type of layered Jello you’d like to make – whether it’s a rainbow, colors for a sports team or graduation, a holiday… change up the colors for something unique each time!
Three years ago: Cherry Pie
Four years ago: Cucumber-Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer
Six years ago: Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Seven years ago: Danish Braid
Red, White & Blue Finger Jello
Ingredients
- 2 3-ounce (170.1 g) boxes strawberry Jello
- 2 3-ounce (170.1 g) boxes berry blue Jello
- 14 ounce (396.89 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 0.25-ounce (28.35 g) envelopes unflavored gelatin (i.e. Knox)
- Boiling water
Instructions
- Spray an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 box of the strawberry Jello, ½ an envelope of the Knox gelatin and 1 cup of the boiling water, ensuring everything has dissolved. Pour into the prepared pan and place in the refrigerator to set, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and 1 cup boiling water. In a separate small bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes of the unflavored gelatin over ½ cup cold water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup boiling water to the unflavored gelatin mixture and stir to dissolve. Pour into the sweetened condensed milk mixture and stir to combine.
- Once the red layer is set, pour 1 cup of the milk mixture over the red layer. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- Repeat the layers, alternating the red and blue between the white layers, with blue being your last layer. Ensure that the colored Jello mixtures cool to room temperature before pouring over the previous set layer.
- Once all of the layers have been poured, refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, run a thin knife around the edges of the pan and turn the Jello out onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve, refrigerating any leftovers.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This a so pretty and tasty, everyone loved this. It was a hit for the fourth ! Thank you for sharing !
I used sugar free family size jello so had to just do a 3 layer RWB in a 9*9 glass dish. Using 2 envelopes of gelatin for each family size jello I bloomed the gelatin in half C of water adding it to the hot jello once was it was dissolved. Let it cool on countertop about 15 mins before putting in fridge till it set up then started the milk layer. Repeat directions and repeat for the blue jello. *Using 2 full envelopes of unflavored gelatin for family size jello makes it easier for little hands to hold and not fall apart.
* For a small size jello use 1 full envelope.
*Don’t be afraid to dilute your finger jello by using the regular directions on the package. All you really are doing is adding xtra gelatin.🙂
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Just got a ginormous amount of lemons. While I generally squeeze and freeze the juice for baking when needed, I decided to make lemonade. Easy recipe and can’t wait until it chills and enjoy a tall glass. Thank you 🍋🍋
I’m in the middle of making this. And it takes much longer than 15 minutes for the layer of jello to set. I’m sure it will be delicious, but don’t plan to have it ready as quickly as you originally thought.
Where would one add the vodka? In the white layers or colored?
BOTH! The more the better! ;) Making these for a football tailgate for this weekend.
You never answered Diane’s question. There aren’t enough boxes of jello to make more than one layer each ? What’s wrong with this picture
Question: So when you pour the initial red layer, you only use half of it at a time? The directions say to pour it into the prepared pan, but if you do that, then you don’t have any for a second red layer.
The first step said to use 1 box of strawberry jello. The recipe calls for 2 boxes of each color. So when you repeat with the other colors in step 5, you would use the 2nd box of jell0.
I just made these for Memorial Day what a sweet treat. I haven’t had jello since I was a kid and these were nice and easy to make with kids and a nice switch from the usual cookies and cake :)
Such a fun, colorful treat! About how high are the seven layers together, please? Do you think three layers would be enough if using a cookie cutter? Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hi Rosie, They’re pretty tall, I’d estimate maybe 2 inches. I think three layers would be enough if you want to use a cookie cutter!
Made this today looks very colourful and sure it will taste good
Thanks
I’m guessing you only use half the can of milk per layer?
Hi Elizabeth, Please see the recipe directions – you need to use the entire can to prepare the white layer, but you only add 1 cup of the mixture at a time.
How do you get the white layer so white? Mine always comes out sort of yellow from the sweetened condensed milk.
Hi Brenda, I’m not sure, I didn’t do anything different? Might just be the lighting!
It may be the brand of condensed milk. I am using Eagle brand and its very white.
My husband just opened an Eagle brand can and its definitely darker in color. Seems to be related to age of the can. Google “why is my sweetened condensed milk brown”. Consensus seems to be it has to do with time elapsed between canning of the milk and use.
I made these today. What she fails to tell you is that you have to let the sweet condensed milk chill to room temperature before pouring over the red. My white mixture bled and became pink…. Seriously? Red pink and blue?? Now I have to start all over and go get another can! Ugh… Angry mother who was supposed to bring red white and blue jello jigglers!! Pinterest fail!
I guess you didn’t read the part where it says to make sure the jello mixes cool to room temp before adding the next layer. More like Mommy following directions fail.
This looks so pretty! I really want to make it, but I don’t like jello.
Those are awfully darn cute! I’m sure they will be a hit at any 4th of July gathering!