Old Fashioned Jello Balls
Get ready to experience the magic of those delightful, bouncy Jello balls your grandma used to make with these old fashioned Jello balls. With just 3 ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on time, you'll be able to batch-make these and enjoy them whenever you want to.
Just like my melted snowman cinnamon rolls, these are sure to disappear fast, and are perfect to make when you want to get in the holiday spirit.
I'm a big fan of using Jello boxes to make sweet treats and fun drinks. My syringe Jello shots and creepy monster eye Jello shots have been so popular at my Halloween house party, but this time, I wanted to try and use Jello to make something that even the kids could enjoy- something that took me down memory lane.
And these easy old fashioned Jello balls seemed like the perfect idea!
Quick Look: Old Fashioned Jello Balls
- ⏱ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including the 2 hours rest time.
- 🧉 Serving: 58 Jello balls.
- ⚡ Calories: 77 calories per serving
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Sweet, tangy, chewy and full of festive fun!
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy and perfect to serve with Grinch dipped wafers as a festive treat!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- With just three ingredients and a few simple steps, these Jello balls are a no-stress recipe.
- Kids and adults alike love these sweet, chewy treats, making them a great family project to set up and enjoy during the holidays- just like my Christmas themed red velvet cake balls.
- They hold up well in the fridge or freezer, so you can make them ahead of time and bring them along to any holiday gathering.
Recipe Ingredients
- Jello: I used strawberry and lime flavored Jello here to get that gorgeous festive color.
- Desiccated coconut: Sweetened desiccated coconut works best!
- Greek yogurt: To hold the mixture together. You can swap this with some cream cheese if you want a tangier flavor- like I did when I made my Grinch Oreo balls.
Recipe Variations, Additions & Substitutions
- Flavor swap: You can easily switch up the Jello flavors to create different colors and tastes. Try orange, raspberry, or even blue raspberry for a fun twist!
- Extra topping: For an extra festive look, roll the balls in holiday-themed sprinkles after coating them in coconut- just like I did with my Grinch poop peanut clusters. This gives them a fun and colorful pop!
- Yogurt matters: Greek yogurt woks best here, but if regular yogurt is all you have, you can use it too. Just make sure you strain it for around 30 minutes to remove the excess liquid and then use it for the recipe.
How to Make Old Fashioned Jello Balls
Making this recipe is very simple. Here are the steps:
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup yogurt, the red Jello, and 2 ½ cups of the coconut. Stir until well combined.
Step 2: Place about ¾ cup of the coconut in a small bowl. Using gloves, scoop a slightly heaping ½ tablespoon of the red mixture and roll it into a ball.
Step 3: Roll the ball in the coconut and place it on one of the prepared cookie sheets.
Step 4: Repeat the same steps for the green Jello, using a fresh ¾ cup of coconut to prevent color mixing.
Step 5: Place the baking sheets in the fridge for 2 hours or until set.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I used Greek yogurt here, but you can also use canned thick cream if you want to. Condensed milk can also be a great option.
- If you prefer a less sweet treat, feel free to use unsweetened coconut. Just remember that it might absorb more moisture, so start with a smaller amount and add more if needed.
- If desiccated coconut is hard to find, pulse regular shredded coconut in a food processor for a few seconds. This creates the right texture without turning the coconut into powder.
- These Jello balls store well in the fridge for up to a week- just like my Grinch puppy chow, or you can freeze them for up to three months. Perfect for getting a head start on holiday prep!
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Hosting a holiday get-together? These old fashioned Jello balls are perfect to feature on the table along with a nice Christmas tree charcuterie board, a brilliant red velvet marshmallow dip charcuterie or on my favorite elf themed cookie and candy board.
I also love pairing it with my festive Rudolph cheeseball, some bourbon glazed ham and of course, a fantastic Grinch cocktail.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but Greek yogurt works best because of its thick texture. If you use regular yogurt, try to drain any excess liquid to keep the mixture from getting too thin.
Absolutely! These store wonderfully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. If you need them to last longer, just pop them in the freezer for up to three months.
More Festive Treats
If you tried this old fashioned Jello balls recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments. I love hearing from you!
Old Fashioned Jello Balls
Equipment
- 2 9x13 Baking Sheets
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- 2 Medium Mixing Bowls
- 2 Rubber Spatulas
- Rubber Gloves
- Parchment Paper
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Box Strawberry Jello
- 1 Box Lime Jello
- 6.5 Cups Desiccated or Finely Chopped Coconut divided
- 1.5 Cups Greek Yogurt divided
Instructions
- Line two 9x13 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add ¾ cup yogurt, the red jello, and 2 ½ cups of the coconut to a medium mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined.
- Add about ¾ cup of the coconut to a small bowl.
- Grab some gloves. Scoop up a slightly heaping ½ tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the bowl of coconut and place it on one of the prepared cookie sheets.
- Repeat until all of the red mixture has been rolled into balls.
- Repeat steps 1-5 for the green jello. Be sure to swap out the coconut you were using to roll the red balls with a fresh ¾ cup of coconut to roll the green balls in. This will ensure no colors mix.
- Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until set. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can use other flavors of jello to get other colors, if desired.
- Once set, these can be stored stacked on top of each other without issue.
- These used to be made with Nestle's thick cream in a can. However, that has been discontinued. Through testing, we found Greek yogurt to be the best replacement, and it ended up making them taste even better than the original recipe! We did not find another replacement that worked as well.
- If you don't want these to be as sweet, you can use unsweetened coconut instead. However, be aware that unsweetened coconut might soak up more of the moisture, so start with only a portion of the coconut and add more as you mix.
- If you find it difficult to locate desiccated coconut, you can just grab regular shredded coconut and pulse it a few times in a food processor. Works perfectly.
Nutrition
