Festive Holiday Jello Shots

Everyone loves fun shots, but who has time to make fancy ones for the whole gang in the midst of a roaring party? Layered Jello shots can be made a day ahead and covered with plastic wrap until the magic moment … and they don’t taste “boozy.” Even your grandma can handle these! For this reason, and because they look so tempting, keep them well-hidden from the kids.

But the best thing about Jello shots is shooting them. You can’t slam them down and be done with it like liquid shots. You get to enjoy all the slurping and digging out the last bite with your tongue … and that’s fun to do in a circle of your friends. It’s like being at an eight-year-old birthday party … with liquor.
What you will need:

-a box of red Jello
-a box of green Jello
-a fifth of vodka
-whip cream
-sprinkles

Add a cup of boiling water to a box of cherry Jello and stir until it is all dissolved. Instead of a cup of cold water, add a half cup of cold water and stir, then add a half cup of vodka (or rum) and stir. Round up 24 shallow (your tongue must be able to reach the bottom) shot glasses for all your guests and place them on a tray. (They don’t have to match. It’s fun to have different, unusual ones that spark conversations.) Use a cup with a spout to pour almost to the halfway point on each shot glass. Let them cool for a couple of hours. Patience … if you layer with green too soon, the two colors will mix.
Prepare the lime Jello, substituting vodka for a half cup of the cold water. Pour the green layer over the red and let the shots set in your fridge for a couple of hours. Cover them with plastic wrap until you’re ready to serve them. Then top each shot with whip cream and sprinkles … and voila! You’re suddenly the Party Genius!

(You can also make Freedom Shots by substituting red and blue Jello with whip cream for the Fourth of July.)