I’ve seen the idea of presenting jello shots in a citrus rind around the internet a few times, but when I saw how That’s So Michelle made hers look like little watermelons, I knew I had to make them ASAP. So when I put together a BBQ/pool party for some friends on the 4th, I had my perfect opportunity to serve these adorable, boozy treats. I know last week I whined about being so busy studying for the boards, and it’s true — I’ve been holed up almost every day in my apartment — but everyone needs a break, and these were the perfect compliment to my day of sanity.
I didn’t want to commit too much time to the prep for this BBQ, because I knew I would easily accept any temptation to bake all day over studying, and I had to keep my focus. So these were a great compromise — emptying out the limes took a bit of time, but overall they’re not much harder than making Jello (which really only involves boiling water and stirring). I substituted a cup of vodka for the cup of cold water that the Jello box called for, which definitely makes some strong bites of Jello, but they’re not that big so it’s okay :) I really wanted to simulate the black watermelon seeds, so I used the pointy ends of mini chocolate chips to stick them into the Jello. Now, I realize the idea of chocolate mixed with fruity Jello might not sound totally appealing, but most of us really enjoyed it and appreciated it as a kind of “chaser” for the vodka. But just in case I still couldn’t sell everyone on the idea, I left a few chocolate chip-free. I wonder if a black edible marker would have worked to just paint on black spots, if anyone gives that a try, let me know!
These jello shots were such a hit with everyone at the party — bring them to a BBQ this summer and impress all of your friends. (And get them drunk, too!) If you, or your less-than-21 friends could do without a healthy dose of vodka, just omit it for cold water and serve these up to everyone. Hope everyone had a great 4th of July, only 1 week and 1 day until I can truly start enjoying my summer :)
Watermelon Lime Jello Shots
Idea adapted from That's So Michelle
Yield: 40 jello shots
Ingredients:
10 limes, pulp removed
1 box red Jello (I used strawberry because my grocery store didn’t carry watermelon flavored, but obviously if yours has watermelon – grab it!)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold vodka (Again, if you have melon flavored, go for it)
Mini chocolate chips
Directions:
Halve limes and use a paring knife around the edges of the halves to loosen the pulp from the rind. My technique was to do this, and then juice them with my KitchenAid attachment, which helped remove the loosened pulp. Plus, then I got a cup of freshly squeezed lime juice! I also used my (clean) fingers to finally help scrape out the resilient pulp under a running faucet. Set lime halves aside, empty side up.
Add 1 cup of boiling water to the Jello powder, and stir for 2 minutes until fully dissolved.
Stir in cup of cold vodka.
Pour mixture into lime halves, filling all the way to the top.
Chill Jello-limes in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut each lime half in half again, making wedges.
Stick in chocolate chips, if desired.
Lined up and ready for a BBQ party!
These are ADORABLE! So summery and cute =)
Those are too cute!
Sooo cute!
I ask myself…am I too old for jello shots? I think these are simply precious!
MIght just have to revisit my younger days!
An idea, maybe; black sesame seeds?
I love your blog, congratulations :)
What fun! Such a cute way to do jello shooters!
Super clever! Love the look of these.
those are so cute! I like the idea of vodka and chocolate
Um, these are absolutely adorable!! And you make them sound so easy. I’ve been hearing that jello shots are coming back into style, but in a much more classy way and I think you just proved that!
Sues
Love them! Can’t wait to make them, featured you in my blog for these : ) http://www.ocmdbeachgirl.com/2011/07/watermelon-lime-jello.html
Looks great! Did you halve these horizontally or vertically?
Sues — they ARE so easy! You just empty out some limes, cut the, and pour in jello!
Anonymous — I cut them vertically
Too cute! Love that idea!
These are SO cute! How do you keep the liquid jello mixture from pouring out though before it sets? It seems like it would be hard to get them to set in the right shape!
-Marissa
Anonymous — July 21st, 2012 @ 4:38 pm
Maybe trying setting them in a cupcake tin to sit up right.
Marissa – you fill them when they’re lime halves, so they harden in the little “cup” that the lime forms. Then you cut those halves in half again to make the wedges. Does that make sense? Check out this link for a visual: http://thatssomichelle.blogspot.com/2011/02/fancy-watermelon-jello-shooters.html
Oh these are so cute! Great idea.
They look wonderful! :)
These are so adorable! I wonder how black sesame seeds would work instead of the c. chips?
Anonymous — July 14th, 2012 @ 6:45 am
they would taste gross!
Wow – these look super fun! I might try them with oranges, too.
so cute and creative
love it!
these were the hit of the party! thanks for sharing this recipe!! I also put in mini semi sweet chocolate chips as the seeds and it was a perfect combination! definitely acted as a good chaser- some were hesitant about eating them at first but after trying them they said the chocolate was a must! ENJOY!!
adorable little jello shots, I’m not a drinker but I assume you can make them without the booze.
I loved this recipe and adapted others from it as well! Instead of limes I used small oranges (or tangerines) with orange jello and 1/2c peach schnapps and 1/2c vodka substituted for the water for “fuzzy naval” wedges. Also tried this with lemons using lemon jello and absolute cintron vodka for “lemon drop” wedges.I make jello shots all the time for parties and this was a fun twist on the normal ones! Everyone loved them!
WARNING: I did this and got phytophototoxic dermatitis. I can’t use my hands for three weeks because I got second degree burns. Basically, if you make these don’t go in the sun for a solid day or two until the lime juice is out of your skin. Or, better yet, use gloves when you pulp the limes.
Tip for hollowing out the limes. Easiest way for me: I took a half lime and turned it inside out. Push hard on the middle and fold it back. If the lime has a thin skin, it won’t crack. I then pulled each segment off and ta-da, a perfectly hollow lime shell.
They in the fridge right now, chillin their way to deliciousness.
Thank you!
Tried the recipe, they came out adorable, tried a test sample and YUCK!!! The jello was awesome (strawberry jello with watermelon Smirnoff) but the limes gave a horribly bitter/sour aftertaste! They didn’t end up going to the party I made them for because they were so bitter.
I like the idea though! :) I think I will give the suggestions given in the comments above a shot next time.
Yummy jello shots! And the presentation is adorable! This is definitely going to be on the menu at our next summer party.
SUCH a good idea! I’ve seen this done with orange slices, but little watermelons are so much cuter!
-Sarah
http://www.sarahplanet.com
i used chocolate jimmies (the candy sprinkles) for the seeds
Very, very, brilliant.
Tried them and loved them! They were a huge hit at our barbecue
Here’s a photo of how ours turned out with watermelon jello:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65277698@N06/6044670220/in/photostream
We also used Malibu since I’m not a fan of Vodka, much better in my opinion!
I’m definitely going to try these they look spectacular. thank you :]
-Rachel
What size jello box?
LOVE LOVE LOVE
What a great idea, your presentation is awesome! If you are looking for new delicious jello shot recipe ideas, we have just launched a new app for the iphone: Lickety Shots. I would love to hear your thoughts, or creative ways to present the pudding shot recipes.
I always love trying different recipes, try these out there some of my favorite http://howtofixstuff.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-fix-various-jello-shots.html
hi..i tried this today it looks super cute, though due to lime taste they taste bitter, i did not add vodka. any tips for that?
watermelon shots
u need to let the jello mixture COOL before you add the vodka otherwise u are cooking the alcohol out of them and what’s the purpose of that! i prefer to use cherry jello with any cheaper vodka, flavored or unflavored. Someone had asked what size box to use. just a little pointer…if the box calls for 2 cups boiling water, 2 cups cold water…u replace the cold water with your alcohol of choice, again…AFTER the mixture has cooled. hope that helps.
I made these and they looked soooo cute. BUT they are super sour!
Just did a taste test without vodka using just the watermelon jello… Cute but the bitter taste took the cute away;/.. Any suggestions on how to fix the bitter problem?????
Erica — March 5th, 2012 @ 1:18 pm
I would suggest just making sure you have as much of the rind out of the lime as possible before filling them. That can give the jello a bitter taste, but I’m not sure what else would help in that situation!
Anonymous — August 3rd, 2012 @ 2:44 pm
The lime shell is to be comletely empty of pulp, mebrane. Only the clean hull should remain. Be sure your limes are solid and fresh. Vodka is bitter, so to speak. Use 1/2 pureed watermelon and 1/2 water, pulse in processor. Use watermelon infused vodka and add 1 tsp of white sugar. Pulse well. pour into halves. Chill over night.
I wonder if you could adapt a candied citrus recipe to the lime halves. That might get rid of the overwhelming sour flavor.
SAMMY — March 9th, 2012 @ 10:12 pm
ERICA IF MAKING FOR THE KIDS
WHAT ELSE U WOULD ADD COLD WATER AND ANY TIPS TO GET RID OFF BITTERNESS PLS RESPOND AT THE EARLIEST AS I PLAN TO DO FOR MY KID BIRTHDAY
Erica — March 12th, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
Sammy, I don’t have any tips for bitterness other just making sure you get as much of insides of the lime as possible. Maybe use a fruit juice instead of water to make sure it’s really sweet? Good luck!
These are awesome! Thank you for the recipes and idea! I used scissors to get the inside of the lime out. I cut around the whole edge, dug a spoon in, popped out most of the inside, then used a fork to scrape out the rest.
:)
Think I’m gonna try and make these this weekend :D
I heard of putting black sprinkles on instead of the chips:)
Burberry Scarpe
Burberry Uomo Camicie
Louis Vuitton Damier Azur
Louis Vuitton Monogram
That was a great piece of information., I enjoyed reading it…
Gucci Bags For Cheap
Gucci Tote Bag
Gucci Bag Sale
Gucci Outlet
Just made mine, only took 30 minutes!! Can’t wait to taste them!!
My suggestion is to use chocolate sprinkles (which really don’t taste of anything) and pour them into the jello when it is half way set…this will make the sprinkles suspend like seeds :)
Ich war bei einigen Ihrer Inhalte auf dieser Website suchen und ich glaube, diese Internet-Seite ist wirklich informativ! Halten Sie auf das Aufstellen.
Moncler Jacken
Moncler Outlet
Moncler Daunenjacke
Moncler Coats Männer
Moncler Kids
I have made these! But with a little twist. Hull out the limes. Set aside. Use 1/2 water to 1/2 pureed fresh strawberries or watermelon. Add the latter to your food processor. Pulse til well mixed. Add strawberry Jell-o ( I have yet to find on line or otherwise watermelon flavored Jell-o)Again pulse till well mixed. Add 1/2 each of watermelon infused and strawberry infused vodka. Pulse again. Pour into your lime halves. Chill until set, perfer overnight. Once chilled slice in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with Edible Glitter (the opal color). Using a large platter for serving arrange accordingly and garnish with Chocolate dipped strawberries. The above combinations add texture and a sweetness that is awesome. (taste your strawberries, if not sweet add 1 tsp. of white sugar to your fruit puree) AS FOR THE SEEDS…..THESE ARE SEEDLESS WATERMELON SLICES! LOL. p.s. reserve your fresh lime juice from limes, marinate boneless chicken with fresh lime juice, tequila, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, dash of cayenne pepper, salt. Allow to marinate overnight. Grill on grill along with a few watermelon slices and cubanellas, banana peppers. Side of Potato salad and there you have it!
These were great! I agree with the other comment(s) that the lime left a bitter aftertaste, but I said “screw it” and brought them to the party anyway. With all that booze the party guests did not seem to mind!
Make it withTequlia. It goes with the lime flavour.
Just in case you’re wondering where all the visitors are coming from, this page was picked up by https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei
Neat idea. Maybe hydrated chia seeds? They take on a consistency similar to jello.
As someone who makes hundreds upon hundreds of jello shots each year, I first would suggest only half a cup of alcohol. Also instead of vodka, maybe some raspberry rum or even coconut rum. They look really cute, but from my experience my friends don’t care how they look, just that they can get to the jello shot quickly, that’s why I tend to use plastic syringes. No work required, only 1 1.5 oz jello shot equals to about 3 10cc syringes. Best place to get the syringes cheap? Have a friend who’s a nurse. but I would totally make these if I thought the time I spent on it would be appreciated..
Will try these for the next party. Testing with chopped black olives for seeds.
Thanks!
My programmer is trying to convince me to move to .
net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the expenses.
But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on numerous websites for about a year and am concerned about
switching to another platform. I have heard great things about blogengine.
net. Is there a way I can import all my wordpress content into it?
Any kind of help would be really appreciated!
I’m confused. You mention juicing the limes, but lime juice is not listed in the ingredients. Is lime juice used in this recipe, or are you just gutting the lime just to use the rind as a jello form?
If some one wishes to be updated with hottest technologies therefore he must be pay
a visit this website and be up to date all the time.
I’m going to try these after candying the rinds, making the whole thing edible.
http://www.shopandbake.com
It’s perfect. I’m so glad I found your website. I’m going to try this for my next party. Thanks
Ok so i tried these last night with jolly rancher watermelon jello…. WOW!!! AMAZING!!! I found the solution to the seeds for tha watermelon and the taste was soooo goood. I bought Wiltons sparkle gel in black this gel is typically used for decorationg cakes, cookies and cupcakes. Its sweet without the chocolate flavor it worked wonderfully. Go ahead and try it out for yourself. I’ll be making these again today for a party.
Why not use blackberry pieces instead of chocolate?
Erica — August 3rd, 2015 @ 9:42 pm
That’s a great idea!
Disclaimer:
Limes can potentially cause 3rd degrees geothermal burns! I made these, gutted limes for 2 days straight and decided to take a few breaks getting some sun outside. Apparently, the lime juice that gets into your skin can cause a chemical reaction resulting in a serious burn. Went to the ER last night to get burn ointment and have to keep my hand wrapped. Doctor said to baby it and keep it away from sunlight or any kind of contaminants (included food, etc). Be careful!!!
I like to take this to a party, plz tell me how i can transport them. and how long can it be out.