How Long Does it Take Jello Shots to Set?

Every cook knows that you change the cooking time when you add an ingredient that isn’t normally there. That extra ingredient could make the recipe more watery or drier. Jello shots don’t suffer much from the added drink, but you may ask yourself, how long does it take jello shots to set?

Jello shots are fun to bring to any party with legal drinking. But making jello shots is not as fun as enjoying them. You not only have to make jello, but you also have to add the fun. How long does it take jello shots to set?

It’s important to know the answer to this question when making jello shots for your next party! The basic directions for making jello are: Stir 1 cup of boiling water into gelatin in a medium bowl for at least two minutes.

It must be two minutes, or else the jello may not be well blended enough to set properly. Stir in 1 cup of cold water and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. That is all you have to do to make basic jello.

There are hacks to even that recipe that speed up the setting process by more than half. Stir ¾ cup of boiling water into gelatin in a medium bowl for 2 minutes. Then, add ½ a cup of cold water and 1 ¼ cup of ice and stir until the mixture thickens.

Then, all you have to do is refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 ½. Things get even more different if you plan to add fruit to your jello. But how long does it take jello shots to set? 

How Long Does it Take Jello Shots to Set?

Make sure you follow the recipe exactly if you’re using a recipe from the internet. The recipe guides you through the entire process, and if it’s been posted, you can be sure it’s been tested.

But in general, jello shots with ingredients that are a 1:1 ratio of the drink you choose and water require two to four hours to set. However, not every recipe is the same and could require a different amount of time.

It is also important that the jello shots stay in the refrigerator, undisturbed, for the entire amount of time. That means saving these recipes for the last minute may not be a good idea.

It would be a valiant effort to put the shots in the freezer to try and speed up the process. But that won’t work; instead, you’ll just get a layer of frozen water on the top and possibly freezer burn. 

Adding Fruit to Jello Shots

Some people like to add fruit to their jello shots. But again, how long does it take jello shots to set when you add fruit? Well, the type of fruit makes a big difference.

Most people will opt for tropical fruits like pineapple or kiwi. The problem is that tropical fruit contains a bromelin enzyme that will keep the jello from setting. However, you can still use a special trick to add tropical fruit to your jello shots.

Heat kills bromelin altogether. Heat up the fruit before you add it to the mixture. You can do this by boiling the fruit. Just be sure to cool it down again before adding it to the mixture.

The amount of time will be determined by how well the fruit was heated up and how much of the fruit you add to the mixture. 

Making Stronger Jello Shots

A lot of people want to make their jello shots stronger. Again, we would recommend following whatever recipe you found online to the “T.” But there are ways to make your jello shots stronger.

The question is, how long does it take jello shots to set with more of the drink? Well, unfortunately, the highest ratio you can go with the best results is 1 part water and 1 part of the drink.

You could try to add a little more if you’d like, but it will take longer to set. Too much of the drink and the jello won’t set at all at least not with the drink integrated into the jello.

You will need to let the jello set for the maximum amount of time, 4 hours, if you use a 1:1 ratio of water: drink. If you want to try more of the drink, you will need to go with the old trial-and-error method.

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