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20 Creative Jello Recipes That Make Delicious Snacks

News flash: jello isn’t just for kids.

It’s actually one of the most popular treats among us fitness folk because it’s low-calorie and tasty.

The problem, though, is it gets old fast if you don’t get creative.

And that’s where recipes like these come into play.

As you’ll see, jello has a place in all kinds of desserts and snacks, because it allows you to cut out significant amounts of fat and sugar without ruining the taste and texture.

Furthermore, every recipe on this list is fast and easy to prepare, making them perfect for when you’re tight on time, and they also store well in the fridge, making them meal prep friendly.

So, whether you’re looking for a treat to curb your cravings, a post-workout snack, or something tasty to round out your macros, there’s something for you.

Enjoy!

Pretzel Jello Dessert

Serves 16

This layered dessert bar is hard to pass up, even by adults who think they’re too old for Jello. And it’s quick to make, so it’s a good recipe to remember for parties.

You can use different colors of Jello, like red and green, to make an easy holiday dessert that’s always in season.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

229

Calories

3 g

Protein

23 g

Carbs

15 g

Fat

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups crushed pretzels

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. sugar

 

Filling:

1 package (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1 container (8 oz.) fat-free whipped topping

 

Topping:

2 boxes (3 oz. each) strawberry gelatin

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

Get the Recipe

Sour Patch Grapes

Serves 24

Believe it or not, flavored gelatin has more creative uses than just making different shapes of Jello. And you don’t even have to work that hard.

To turn ordinary grapes into a healthy replacement for candy, rinse them off, and coat them in your favorite flavors of Jello. Stash them in the fridge or the freezer for a quick snack.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

52

Calories

1 g

Protein

13 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1/2 box Jolly Rancher Watermelon Jello

1/2 box Jolly Rancher Green Apple Jello

1/2 box sugar-free lemon Jello

1/2 box sugar-free orange Jello

3 lbs. green grapes

1 cup water

Toothpicks

Get the Recipe

Layered Jello Mousse Cake

Serves 12

This make-ahead dessert looks spectacular, but it’s extremely easy to make. You don’t need baking skills of any kind. Mix up the creamy filling, layer with graham crackers, and garnish with fresh or dried fruit. And to change the flavor, just start with another kind of Jello, and pick a topping to match.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

371

Calories

6 g

Protein

48 g

Carbs

17 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 box (3 oz.) sugar-free orange Jello (any flavor)

1 cup hot water

1 container (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 container (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

24 oz. graham crackers

Get the Recipe

Caramel Apple Jello Shots

Serves 10

Jello shots are a fun way to serve your friends drinks at a party, but they’re often loaded with as much sugar as liquor.

These take it easy on both, so you can enjoy a few slices without getting tipsy. Since these have the natural sweetness of green apples paired with caramel flavors, it’s probably a good thing that one apple equals less than a shot of butterscotch Schnapps.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

115

Calories

1 g

Protein

26 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

10 small granny smith apples

1 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

1 envelope hot chocolate

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butterscotch Schnapps

Lemon juice as needed

Get the Recipe

Strawberry Margarita Jello Shots

Serves 30

Who knew fresh strawberries could be nature’s shot glass? Cut off the stem, make space in the middle, and a large strawberry is the perfect size for Jello shots.

And you can even get lime and sugar to stick to the rim. This serving idea is also delicious with other flavors, like strawberry daquiri Jello shots with rum or lime Jello with vodka.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

38

Calories

1 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 box (3 oz.) strawberry Jello

1 cup tequila

3/4 cup Cointreau

30 large strawberries

Get the Recipe

Creamy Lime Jello Parfaits

Serves 8

There’s more you can do with a box of Jello than make a basic gelatin dessert. This layered parfait is made mostly by mixing, so the only tough requirement is patience.

Once the simple Jello dessert is prepared and chilled, the gelatin is combined with cream cheese and Cool Whip. Then it has to be refrigerated again for another couple hours.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

186

Calories

3 g

Protein

16 g

Carbs

11 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 box (3 oz.) sugar-free lime Jello

1 can (15 oz.) pears in juice, drained and diced

1/2 package (4 oz.) cream cheese

1 container (8 oz.) Lite Cool Whip

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Get the Recipe

Orange Creamsicle Protein Gelatin Squares

Serves 2

Post-workout snacks don’t get simpler than this, and it’s hard to beat the nutrition too. This orange Jello is made with real orange juice, so there’s only wholesome ingredients. You’re getting vitamin C, natural sugars, and a lot of protein all at the same time.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

95

Calories

9 g

Protein

14 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

2 cups pulp-free orange juice

2 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1 scoop WHEY+ unflavored protein isolate

Get the Recipe

Cottage Cheese Jello Salad

Serves 4

This quick salad is an old-school potluck recipe, but it’s great for snacks at home too.

And even if you don’t love cottage cheese and fruit on its own, mixing in a box of Jello and some Cool Whip will change the texture. That way you can just dig in and enjoy the cheesecake-like flavor.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

393

Calories

12 g

Protein

32 g

Carbs

23 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 container (8 oz.) low-fat cottage cheese

1 box (3 oz.) sugar-free black cherry Jello (or flavor of choice)

8 oz. Fat-Free Cool Whip

1 cup chopped pecans

8 oz. pineapple tidbits, juice drained

Get the Recipe

Blackberry Slush Punch

Serves 16

For a fun punch to serve at a party, just add Jello. Actually, frozen Jello. Mix it up the day before with fresh berries, and leave the Jello mold in the freezer.

When it’s close to party time, finish making the non-alcoholic punch by pouring bubbly soda over the block of ice. The Jello punch is ready to serve when it starts to get slushy.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

129

Calories

1 g

Protein

32 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

16 oz. blackberries, sliced in half

16 oz. strawberries, sliced in half

1 box (3 oz.) sparkling wild berry Jello

2 cups water

1 cup ice

4 liters ginger ale (or blackberry ginger ale)

Get the Recipe

Strawberry Poke Cake

Serves 16

Upgrade a classic Jello cake by using real fruit puree instead. This method can be used for almost any kind of cake. Bake as usual, and once it’s cooled, poke holes randomly throughout it.

Yeah, go ahead and destroy the cake because then you’ll fill those spaces with flavor. Poke cakes are often made with Jello, but this one uses a vegetarian alternative, thickened with xanthan gum instead of gelatin.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

239

Calories

3 g

Protein

6 g

Carbs

21 g

Fat

Ingredients

Cake:

3 cups almond flour

3/4 cup Swerve sweetener

1/3 cup WHEY+ unflavored protein isolate

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 large eggs, room temp.

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

 

Filling:

1 1/2 cups strawberries

1/3 cup water

3 Tbsp. Swerve sweetener

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

 

Topping:

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp. Swerve sweetener

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Get the Recipe

Sparkling Grapefruit Jello

Serves 4

For a fun way to serve grapefruit at brunch, juice the fresh citrus to turn it into Jello. It’s refreshing when made with soda water. Or, make an adults-only version with grapefruit and champagne. It’s a tasty twist on a mimosa that you can serve for dessert.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

78

Calories

3 g

Protein

18 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

2 cups freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, strained (about 3 medium grapefruits)

4 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 cup seltzer

2 Tbsp. agave syrup

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Fresh Strawberry Jello

Serves 4

If you’re looking to avoid artificial flavors and colors, it’s best to skip any food that comes in a cardboard box. Luckily, you can make an even better gelatin dessert with fresh fruit.

Homemade Jello is delicious with fruit juice, but you can get even more nutrients if you use a puree. The extra work is worth it, especially since this healthy dessert only takes about 15 minutes to make.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

111

Calories

3 g

Protein

27 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1/4 cup cold water

1 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup hot water

2 pints strawberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar (or more to taste)

Juice of 1/2 lime (optional)

Get the Recipe

Homemade Instant Pudding Mix

Serves 5

Ever wish you could make instant Jello pudding, but from scratch? Skip the cardboard box, and pick up a few basic ingredients instead. You probably already have salt, cornstarch, and your favorite granulated sweetener.

Then for the ultimate vanilla pudding, use real vanilla bean. Once you mix it all up, you’ll have a homemade pudding mix to use anytime, including for other recipes like cookies, cakes, and protein shakes.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

288

Calories

7 g

Protein

67 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar (or sweetener of choice)

3/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

1 tsp. salt

2 whole vanilla beans

Get the Recipe

Easy Chocolate Pudding

Serves 4

Boxed pudding mixes come in two kinds: the one you can just stir and eat, and the more traditional pudding that still gets cooked on the stove.

This is the second kind. Make it all at once, or combine everything but the milk and gelatin for homemade chocolate pudding mix. The powdered gelatin will get mixed in a small amount of milk right before stirring it all together.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

220

Calories

6 g

Protein

46 g

Carbs

3 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup milk (or water)

5 oz. (about 3/4 cup) granulated sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Get the Recipe

Easy Homemade Jello

Serves 4

When you have unflavored gelatin powder, it’s as easy to make healthy Jello as it is to make the kind from a cardboard box. You only need three ingredients: gelatin powder, fruit juice, and your sweetener of choice.

These macros have pomegranate juice, which is tart. You may need to adjust the sweetness depending on what fruit flavor Jello you want to make.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

162

Calories

5 g

Protein

36 g

Carbs

0 g

Fat

Ingredients

3 cups pomegranate juice (or beverage of choice)

3 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

2 Tbsp. pure honey (more or less to taste)

Get the Recipe

Peaches & Cream Protein Jello Dessert

Serves 4

One of the best ways to upgrade an easy Jello recipe is to add fresh fruit. But that’s not all. You can also add whey protein powder for a healthy snack.

And this peach Jello can be extra-delicious if you use coconut cream or milk in place of water, or even just half the liquid.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

54

Calories

7 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 box (3 oz.) sugar-free peach Jello

1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate

Water

1 peach, sliced

Get the Recipe

Strawberry Gelatin Protein Smoothie

Serves 1

Gelatin is usually just thought of as a thickener, but it has great health benefits tool. It can reduce joint inflammation, improve digestion, and deliver pure protein at the same time.

You can even use gelatin as a supplement in a smoothie. Just two tablespoons of unflavored gelatin puts this simple fruit smoothie over 20 grams of protein.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

261

Calories

22 g

Protein

34 g

Carbs

6 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 cup milk

2 cups strawberries, frozen

2 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

Stevia to taste

Get the Recipe

High-Protein Gelatin Cups

Serves 10

It’s almost as easy to make single-serving snacks as it is to buy the prepackaged kind. These make-your-own Jello cups only require a few minutes in the kitchen.

If you want to take these snacks on-the-go, pour the mixture into individual containers, or use a silicone ice cube tray for bite-sized Jello jigglers.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

84

Calories

13 g

Protein

1 g

Carbs

1 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 box (3 oz.) sugar-free gelatin (any flavor)

3/4 cup boiling water

1 cup (about 4 scoops) WHEY+ unflavored protein isolate

3/4 cup cold water

Get the Recipe

Whey Protein Cheesecake

Serves 1

If you’re looking for an easy cheesecake recipe, try one that has gelatin. The best part is there’s no baking required. The crust is a simple blend of oats and almond butter.

And a box of gelatin makes it an adaptable dessert recipe, so you can make lemon Jello cheesecake or any flavor you want.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

267

Calories

42 g

Protein

14 g

Carbs

4 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate

3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

100 mL water

1/4 box sugar-free lemon Jello

1/3 Tbsp. almond butter

2 1/4 tsp. oat flour

Get the Recipe

Chocolate Whey Protein Flan

Serves 3

Protein-packed desserts don’t have to be boring. This one only takes three ingredients, and yet when you pour it into a Jello mold (or any silicone mold), it’s fancy enough to serve to guests.

The recipe is versatile too. Change the type of milk and the flavor of whey protein powder, and you can tailor it to your cravings.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

136

Calories

17 g

Protein

8 g

Carbs

3 g

Fat

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chocolate coconut milk

2 scoops WHEY+ unflavored protein isolate

1 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin

Get the Recipe

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Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.

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