I made these last year for my son’s first birthday (he was born on the Fourth of July!) and they were absolutely delicious!
-Cindy
These jello cups are the easiest dessert you’ll bring to a 4th of July party this year. Layer red and blue jello with fresh berries, top with whipped cream, and you’ve got a patriotic treat that takes minutes to throw together. No oven, no mixer, just jello, fruit, and cool whip.
I started making these years ago for backyard cookouts, and they’re still one of my go to “I forgot dessert” recipes. One reader even told me she makes them every year for her son’s birthday since he was born on the Fourth of July. That’s the kind of recipe this is. Simple enough for a last minute party, special enough to become a tradition.
Want to make these for the adults at your party? Swap the cold water for vodka and you’ve got jello shots instead. I’ll walk you through both versions below.
Why You’ll Love These
- Just 6 ingredients
- No baking required
- Ready in about an hour
- Make them family friendly or boozy
- Easy to make ahead for a party
4th of July Jello Cup Ingredients
- Strawberry jello (cherry works too)
- Berry blue jello
- Water
- Cool whip, or homemade stabilized whipped cream
- Blueberries
- Strawberries, chopped
Note: Fresh berries hold their shape better than frozen, so I’d stick with fresh if you can.
How to Assemble 4th of July Jello Cups
Prepare the jello according to the package instructions, using 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup cold water per packet.
Evenly divide the jello mixture among your cups, filling them about halfway.
Drop in chopped strawberries for the red layer or blueberries for the blue layer. Refrigerate until fully set, about 1 hour.
Pipe whipped cream on top using a piping bag fit with a star tip. Finish with a few extra berries on top and serve.
How Long It Takes
- 10 minutes to prep the jello
- 1 hour to set the jello
- 10 minutes to add whipped cream and fruit
How to Make Boozy 4th of July Jello
For an adults only version, simply replace the cold water with vodka. The jello will still set the same way, just leave a little extra time in the fridge since alcohol can slow down the setting process slightly. I also have a true red white and blue jello shot recipe.
Make Ahead & Storage
You can make the jello portion up to 4 days ahead. Prep the jello layers and refrigerate, then add the whipped cream and fresh fruit topping right before serving so it doesn’t get watery. Once topped, they’re best within a few hours, but leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for about 2 days. The whipped cream will deflate a little over time, so a fresh dollop never hurts.
More 4th of July Desserts
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4th of July Fruit and Jello Cups
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- Strawberry Jello
- Berry Blue Jello
- Water
- Cool whip
- Blueberries
- Strawberries, chopped
Instructions
- For each packet of jello, prepare as directed on the box, using boiling water and cold water. You can easily double this recipe – for example if you only wanted to use strawberry jello, you can prepare both boxes of jello at one time in the small bowl, just double the amount of water added.Strawberry Jello, Berry Blue Jello, Water
- Pour the jello powder into a mixing bowl. Add in the boiling water called for on the back of the box, and stir for 1-2 to dissolve the mixture. Add in the cold water called for on the back of the box, and stir to combine. Evenly divide the jello mixture among the glasses or cups. I chose to fill my glasses halfway full. If you’re using strawberry jello, place chopped strawberry pieces in each glass. If you’re using berry blue jello, place blueberries in each glass. I used 5.3 oz glasses.
- Place the glasses in the refrigerator to set.
- Before serving, place cool whip in a piping bag fit with a piping tip (I used wilton 2D). Pipe a layer of cool whip on top of the jello. Top each jello cup with either chopped strawberries or blueberries.Cool whip, Blueberries, Strawberries