So, this is my first post in over a year (shame on me), but for good reason. School got a little crazy, what can I say? Now, with about 2 weeks before I officially finish, it’s time to get the graduation party planning kicked into high gear!

So, why jello shots? It all started with this link, which was posted by a friend of mine on facebook. That’s when I thought “wouldn’t it be a great idea to have jello shots at my graduation party?” Of course, not just ANY jello shots. The decor, like the school colors, are blue and white. Jello shots must certainly not clash with the decor, right? But, how to tell which is the shot that deserves to take center stage at my momentous event? Only one way to find out. Taste test time!

I scoured the Web for any and every jello shot recipe that used either blue liquors or blue Jello. I found about 11 that sounded promising, and narrowed that down to 6. After all, I can’t send my friends to the hospital with alcohol poisoning after they selflessly sacrifice themselves to help me pick a prime shot. So, here are the contenders!

 

From left to right, we’ve got the following:

• Blue Hawaii: I got the recipe here and liked the flavor combinations in the blue layer. I omitted the yellow layer. As it turns out, the non-alcoholic layer was probably the contrast that the blue layer needed to balance this shot out, because it was STRONG! I think this was the least favorite among the tasters.
• Blue Lagoon: I saw this post on Gourmet Getaways and just HAD to try it out! Since the thought of panna cotta in a shot sounded a bit too fancy, I left that part out. I think that using blue jello as a base made for a much sweeter, less boozy tasting jello shot.
• Island Blue Pucker: Blue jello and blue flavored liqueur. The texture of this shot in particular was much softer than the others, but still firm enough to not be considered slime. It had a nice tartness to it, but there were better ones.
• Blue bramble: The genius at Jelly Shot Test Kitchen made The Bramble, which was so utterly gorgeous that I just HAD to try it. But, I had to make it blue. I couldn’t find lemon vodka, and infusing my own was going to take too long, so I used lemon rum instead in the sour base. Blue Curacao replaced the Creme de Mure in the float. This was the favorite among the majority of the tasters. The citrus tones in the shot were incredibly refreshing.
• Blue Curacao: Blue Curacao turns blue Jello a beautiful shade of deep blue. It was very good, but didn’t stand out as much as some of the others.
• Berry blue and cream: I’m having trouble naming this one. I found this recipe for patriotic jello shots, and made some modifications. No need for a red layer, and used coconut rum instead of vodka. The creamy white layer was a bit too firm, but that can be easily fixed by reducing the amount of jello. It had a nice, mellow taste, and the cream and blue jello actually worked incredibly well together.
• Electric Lemonade (not shown): I had been thinking of making a jello shot based on the cocktail of citrus vodka, Blue Curacao, sweet and sour mix, and lemon-lime soda since the moment I decided that I wanted to make jello shots for the party. Initially, I dismissed the idea once I was unable to find an actual recipe online. Then, I made these on a whim the morning of the taste test after gaining some confidence in working with gelatin and liquor (because 6 shots aren’t enough, right?). Surprisingly, it ended up being the second most liked jello shot.

In the end, Blue Bramble and Electric Lemonade were the notable standouts. I guess that, with the hot Miami weather, the refreshing tang of a citrus-based cocktail is just what the doctor ordered. The best part of this experience was discovering just how EASY it can be to make these edible cocktails. With minimal effort, you can create fun and creative morsels for your special event that will impress and be enjoyed by your guests. After all, it’s about everyone having a good time!