This Cotton Candy Jello Shot recipe could be the cutest way to start your summer party with a flavor that resembles your favorite fluffy carnival snack but in a jello form. Filled with bright colors and a kick of vodka, it is easy to transform a few boxes of jello into fun party food.
Cotton Candy Vodka Jello Shots
These Cotton Candy Shooters are my favorite flavored jello shots that not only taste like the sugar-spun carnival confection, but they are also a less sticky version served in shot cups instead of on a stick.
It is so easy to make these spiked cotton candy jello shots simply by making 2 separate colored gelatin mixtures, filling the shot glasses with liquid, and letting each layer set, before garnishing with whipped cream and sprinkles.
The best jello shot recipes begin with fun ideas that turn traditional sweet treats into adorable alcohol-infused finger food.
Cool jello shots are a refreshing way to reminisce about the classic county fair food, but with a kick.
Looking for more easy jello shot ideas? We basically have every jello shot flavor you can think of! Check them all out in our Adult Jello Shot Recipes Round up.
Want to know everything there is to making the perfect jello shots every time. We summed it up for you here – How to make the best jello shots!
Why We Love This Cotton Candy Jello Shots Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare in 10 minutes.
- Uses simple ingredients to create a party cocktail.
- Dessert jello shots are delicious with or without alcohol.
- Make-ahead recipe is the ideal time-saver for party prep.
- Fun party food to serve for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, or any summer gathering or get-together.
More Jell-O Shots Recipes
Ingredients
- Blue jello: You can also use a cotton candy jello mix for even more candy-like flavor.
- Pink starburst jello
- Boiling water
- Whipped cream
- Vodka
- Pink cotton candy
- Blue cotton candy
- Corn syrup
- Pastel nonpareil sprinkles
Substitutions and Additions
- Vary The Vodka: For an extra sweet, sugar-spun flavor, you can use Pinnacle Cotton Candy Vodka or even a whipped cream vodka.
- Garnish Your Glass: You can get as festive and fancy as you’d like by garnishing your shot glasses with cotton candy, pop rocks, colorful sprinkles, and whipped topping.
- Make It A Mocktail: Leave out the alcohol and make a mocktail version for the kids to enjoy as a sweet summer treat. To make these virgin jello cups, replace the vodka with cold water.
Recommended Tools
- 15 2-Ounce shot glasses
- Small baking paintbrush
- Injector
Helpful Tools
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make cotton candy jello shots
- Garnish Your Glasses: Brush corn syrup around the rim of each shot glass and then dip the top in the sprinkles to cover.
Pro Tip: Wherever the corn syrup touches, that’s where sprinkles will be sticking, so make the line as thick or as thin as you prefer. - Make The Pink Jello Mixture: Combine the pink jello and boiling water and stir until powder is dissolved. Add vodka, stir, and then mix in cotton candy. Fill each shot glass with pink jello and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Make The Blue Jello Mixture: Combine the blue jello and boiling water and stir until powder is dissolved. Add vodka, stir, and then mix in cotton candy. Add whipped cream and whisk to combine. Fill each shot glass the rest of the way with blue jello and chill in the fridge for another hour.
Pro Tip: If the mixture is still warm, let it cool to room temperature. - Serve: Top with whipped cream, more sprinkles, and some cotton candy, if desired, and enjoy!
Tips from Our Recipe Developer
- I like to line up my shot glasses on a flat, firm, moveable surface like a tray or cookie sheet. This makes it easier to move them back and forth from the fridge.
- You’ll want to whisk the blue mixture about halfway through filling the glasses so it keeps the whipped cream mixed in well.
- It is much easier to use a very small bowl for the sprinkles and not a plate or bigger bowl. It makes it much quicker to coat them.
- The corn syrup will dry quickly, so be sure to get those sprinkles on ASAP.
- Fresh cotton candy would truly be the best for this recipe, but it’s not easy to get fresh cotton candy.
- Make sure when you put the liquid into the glasses that it doesn’t touch the sprinkles as you don’t want their color to run or make them fall off.
- I used an injector because it ensured a safe and quick method for filling the glasses. I didn’t find anything else that worked as well.
- The cotton candy will melt within a few minutes of being on the shots. So, don’t garnish your shots unless you’re serving immediately.
Storage
- To Store: You can store your jello shots covered in the fridge without garnish for up to a week.
- To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing these jello shots!
Other Easy Cotton Candy Flavored Recipes
- Cotton Candy Fudge
- Cotton Candy Ice Cream (No Churn)
- Cotton Candy Champagne Cocktail
- Cotton Candy Mocktail
- Red, White and Blue Jello Shots
Cotton Candy Jello Shots
Serves — 15
Cotton Candy Jello Shots are quick and easy to make and taste just like your favorite county fair food. Prepare them with or without alcohol for a sweet snack or spiked shot.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box Blue Jello (3 ounces)
- 1 box Pink Starburst Jello (3.94 ounces)
- 2½ cups Boiling Water (divided 1 Cup + 1 ½ Cups)
- 2 cups Whipped Cream + Garnish
- ½ cup + ⅔ Cup Vodka
- Pink Cotton Candy
- Blue Cotton Candy
- Corn Syrup
- Pastel Nonpareil Sprinkles
Instructions
- Place the sprinkles in a small bowl.
- Using a small paint brush, lightly dip it into the corn syrup and brush it around the rim of each shot glass. Wherever the corn syrup touches, that’s where sprinkles will be sticking, so make the line as thick or as thin as you prefer. As you finish each glass, dip the top in the sprinkles and roll it around until you’re satisfied with the coverage.
- Add the pink jello to a medium mixing bowl and add 1 ½ cups boiling water. Stir until the jello is fully dissolved. Add the ⅔ cup vodka and stir. Take about 2 cups worth of pink cotton candy and put it directly in the pink jello mixture and stir once more.
- Using an injector, carefully fill each shot glass ⅔ of the way full with the pink jello, being careful to not get the sprinkles wet. Place in the fridge for an hour, or until set.
- While the pink jello is chilling, place the blue jello in a medium mixing bowl and add 1 cup of boiling water. Mix until dissolved. Add ½ cup vodka and stir. Add about 2 cups worth of blue cotton candy, Stir once more.
- Add 2 cups whipped cream and whisk until fully combined.
- If the mixture is still pretty warm, let it cool to room temperature. Using the injector, carefully fill the shot glasses the rest of the way.
- Place them back in the fridge for another hour or until they’re fully set. Top with whipped cream, more sprinkles, and some cotton candy, if desired, and enjoy!
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: You can store your jello shots covered in the fridge without garnish for up to a week.
- To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing these jello shots!
- I like to line up my shot glasses on a flat, firm, moveable surface like a tray or cookie sheet. This makes it easier to move them back and forth from the fridge.
- You’ll want to whisk the blue mixture about halfway through filling the glasses so it keeps the whipped cream mixed in well.
- It is much easier to use a very small bowl for the sprinkles and not a plate or bigger bowl. It makes it much quicker to coat them.
- The corn syrup will dry quickly, so be sure to get those sprinkles on ASAP.
Fresh cotton candy would truly be the best for this recipe, but it’s not easy to get fresh cotton candy. - Make sure when you put the liquid into the glasses that it doesn’t touch the sprinkles as you don’t want their color to run or make them fall off.
- I used an injector because it ensured a safe and quick method for filling the glasses. I didn’t find anything else that worked as well.
- The cotton candy will melt within a few minutes of being on the shots. So, don’t garnish your shots unless you’re serving immediately.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 13mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.02mg
Did you use one cup of heavy whipping cream (to make 2 cups) with nothing added such as vanilla or powdered sugar?
I used whipped cream, not heavy whipping cream.
HI Jenn hate to ask but are you using whipped cream in a can like redi whip or are you using cool whip? Thank you
We used a homemade whipped cream, but cool whip will work just fine. You may want to use redi whip to top it off!
I think this spiked jello shot recipe is amazing!! I love the idea of taking the extra time out to put corn syrup around the rim to add the sprinkles. That’s what makes these shots over the top! The flavors are meshed well because these 2 are yummy together, with or without the alcohol.
Can’t wait to try these!
Cotton flavor of anything is my favorite!😋
Sounds really good bout to try it and will let u know
Our whole town was sold out of blue jello, so I used another pink starburst jello and I put blue food coloring in with it, and followed all same directions. It was kinda alot of work too get sprinkles to stay where I wanted but they turned out good.