Finger Jello Recipe: How to Make Regular or Ombré Finger Gelatin [VID] (2024)

12/10/2021 by Marissa Zen 5 Comments

This fancy ombré finger jello recipe is here to take your dessert game to the next level with a party for your mouth AND your fingers! This easy recipe for finger jello can be used to make regular finger jello or layered finger jello in any color or flavor!

Find out how to make finger jello using boxed Jello and Knox gelatin to get that finger Jello consistency with just the right bounce.

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Best Finger Jello Recipe for perfectly grabbable gelatin

When it comes to finger jello, consistency is key.

Finger jello uses a little bit more gelatin per serving than a regular Jello recipe, reducing the water-to-Jello ratio, which results in a denser and more resilientJello.

(Finger jello and Jello jigglers are quite similar in consistency; if you want to make finger jello WITHOUT Knox gelatin, you can use this Jello Jiggler recipe and use three packets of Jello instead of two.)

How to make regular or layered finger jello

While this finger gelatin recipe is for ombré jello, if you don’t want to make ombré jello you can simply get three boxes of the same color and skip this section.

Making ombré jello is easy and can be done using many color combinations; don’t think for a moment you are onlyable to make this flame-colored finger jello!

The key to ombré jello is to transition slowly from one color to another, moving from darker to lighter.

This red, orange, and yellow finger jello recipe would work well for Tikki parties or a Moana-inspired birthday party — just call it “lava jello”!

Here are a few ideas for other ombré jello colors:

• Mermaid party jello – Blue, green, and yellow jello
• Unicorn party jello – Purple, pink, and yellow jello
• Beach party jello – Dark blue, light blue, clear jello
• Princess party jello – Purple jello, lavender jello, pink jello
• Halloween jello – Purple, orange, yellow

What you need to make finger jello

To make this ombré finger jello recipe you will need the following items:

Ingredients:

• 3 boxes of regular OR sugar-free Jello (3 oz size) (I used red, orange, and yellow)
• 3 pouches of Knox gelatin
• 6 cups of water, divided
• Cooking spray

Supplies:

• Nagashikan mold or 9 x 13 Pyrex pan
• Toothpicks
• A whisk
• Measuring cups
• Bowls for mixing

You will notice in the video for this finger jello recipe that I use an 8 x 8-inch nagashikan mold (a traditional Japanesekitchen mold) rather than a 9 x 13 Pyrex glass pan.

There are two reasons for this.

First, removing Jello from a nagashikan pan is easier because it has two separate trays; a four-sided outer tray and an inner tray. After the jello has fully set, gently remove the two-sided inner layer from the four-sided outer pan and slice away!

Second, since the dimensions are smaller and more compact (8 x8 rather than 9 x 13) it’s easier to get thicker Jello, like the pretty cubes you see stacked in the pictures!

If you are someone who loves to make Jello, a nagashikan mold might just become your new favorite Jello mold!

How to make finger jello

1. Put the red, orange, and yellow Jello in three separate bowls.
2. Add one pouch of Knox gelatin to each of the three bowls.
3. Mix the dry Jello and dry gelatin together.
4. Measure out 2 cups of boiling water and add to red Jello; stir for 2 minutes until all Jello is dissolved.
5. Spray your pan or mold with cooking spray; wipe gently with a paper towel to remove excess oil.
6. Add the red liquid Jello, use a toothpick to pop any bubbles, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with orange and yellow Jello
8. Once you’ve done all the color layers, refrigerate for 4 hours or until firmly set.
9. Cut and serve chilled.

Finger Jello tips and tricks

On to the Jello tips!

Here is a list of tips on how to make finger Jello easily, without experiencing pesky problems, such as having your Jello stick to the pan.

1. Water to Jello ratio: For finger Jello,use one regular-sized box of Jello and one pouch of Knox gelatin per two cups of water. As a rule, the less water you add the stronger the Jello will be.
2. Don’t add cold water: Rather than adding cold water, as the directions on the box instructs, you are only going to use boiling water to make finger Jello — this helps the gelatin molecules form a stronger bond and results in that strong and bouncy jello you love!
3. Spray the pan with cooking spray before putting in the Jello: Before you add the liquid Jello into the pan, take the time to spray the pan lightly with a cooking spray and wipe it in with a paper towel. The spray will help stop the Jello from sticking to the pan and the wiping will help make sure the surface of your Jello is smooth (little droplets of cooking spray can cause indentations in the surface of your Jello.
4. Popping Jello bubbles: After adding the liquid Jello to the mold make sure to pop any bubbles with a toothpick (or scoop out with a spoon). If you don’t, those bubbles will remain and you will get holes and divets in the layers between and the top of your Jello! While this doesn’t impact the taste, it can make it look rather uneven.
5. How long to refrigerate finger Jello: Jello will fully set in 3-4 hours, but I like to err on the side of caution when making my Jello and wait 4 hours for the gelatin to set. You can also leave it to set overnight without any issues. Because this layered finger jello has three separate colors, you need to wait APPROXIMATELY 30 minutes for each layer to set before adding the next layer. If you add it too soon, the liquid Jello will break through the bottom layer. You can test by giving your pan a little wiggle in the fridge to see if it still looks too liquidy.
6. Make thicker jello cubes: If you want your finger jello to be more like large, jiggly cubes definitely use a nagashikan mold rather than a Pyrex pan.
7. How to get Jello out of the pan: Even with the spray beforehand, sometimes Jello can still stick to the pan — especially with glass pans! To stop Jello from sticking to the pan, fill your sink with 1-2 inches of warm water and place the Jello into the sink for 10-15 seconds (you only want a little bit, not so much the water spills over into the Jello). Remove and cut.
8. How to store Jello: To store Jello, place it in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator; it should last 7-10 days this way.

Love Jello? You will like these other awesome recipes!

• These Jello Balls Look Just Like Planet Earth!
• Magical Jello Poke Cake: The Perfect Party Dessert
• Jello Easter Eggs (with a DIY Egg Mold Tutorial)
• These Edible Halloween Eyeballs Are Totally Disgusting!

I hope you enjoy your finger Jello!

Make sure to leave a review after trying it, and let me know what colors you used!

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes

Take your dessert game to the next level with a party for your mouth AND your fingers! This finger jello recipe gives you perfect regular or ombré finger gelatins, every single time​.

Ingredients

• 3 boxes of Jello (3 oz size)
• 3 pouches of Knox gelatin
• 6 cups of water, divided
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Put the red, orange, and yellow Jello in three separate bowls.
2. Add one pouch of Knox gelatin to each of the three bowls.
3. Mix the dry Jello and dry gelatin together.
4. Measure out 2 cups of boiling water and add to red Jello; stir for 2 minutes until all Jello is dissolved.
5. Spray your pan or mold with cooking spray; wipe gently with a paper towel to remove excess oil.
6. Add the red liquid Jello, use a toothpick to pop any bubbles, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with orange and yellow Jello
8. Once you've done all the color layers, refrigerate for 4 hours or until firmly set.
9. Cut and serve chilled.

Notes

To make regular jello or sugar-free finger jello in a solid color, use three boxes of the same color jello and three boxes of unflavored gelation and follow steps 3-6. Refrigerate 4 hours or more and cut and serve chilled.

Can be used with regular or sugar-free Jello to make finger gelatin. See post for detailed jello tips and tricks for the perfect jello, every time.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Pyrex 1118990 Measuring Cups, 3-Piece, Clear

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 23Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

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