Red, White, and Blue Jello Squares

By
Megan Cooley
Megan Cooley
Megan Cooley is a freelance journalist who writes about crafts, food, family, home, garden, and sustainability issues.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/12/22
Tested by
Young Sun Huh
Young Sun Huh
Tested by Young Sun Huh
Young Sun is a freelance recipe developer, tester, and food stylist with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Red, White, and Blue Jello Squares

The Spruce / Christine Ma
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 14 mins
Chill time: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 34 mins
Servings: 36 servings
Yield: 36 bars
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
100 Calories
3g Fat
17g Carbs
3g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 3%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 44mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 86mg 7%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 110mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Looking for an eye-catching 4th of July dessert for kids? Make red, white, and blue handheld gelatin squares.

Gelatin's bright colors make this treat stand out on any dessert table, and the familiar fruity flavors are sure to be a hit with children.

This gelatin recipe is easy to make, but a bit time-consuming because you must wait for each layer to set before adding the next. To save time, make three layers instead of the seven layers you'll find instructions for here. The effort is worth it though, when you see the reaction to this patriotic treat.

“Although the recipe takes a long time from start to finish, it’s super easy and mostly hands-off. Each layer sets firmly and cleanly, so the final result is very impressive and eye-catching. The squares are sturdy enough to hold in your hands without making a mess and perfect for a big July 4th party.” —Young Sun Huh

Red, White, and Blue Jello Squares/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 7 cups boiling water, divided

  • 2 (3-ounce) boxes cherry gelatin, divided

  • 7 (0.25-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin, divided

  • 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk, divided

  • 2 (3-ounce) boxes blueberry gelatin, divided

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Red, White, and Blue Jello Squares ingredients

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Combine 1 cup of boiling water with 1 package of cherry gelatin and 1 package of unflavored gelatin in a medium bowl. Whisk together until dissolved.

    jell-o, gelatin and water in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and refrigerate until the gelatin is firm, about 1 hour. Wash and dry the whisk and bowl.

    Pour jello into a baking dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Combine 1 packet of unflavored gelatin with 1 cup boiling water in the bowl, whisking until dissolved.

    gelatin and water mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Add 1/2 of one of the cans of condensed milk and stir until combined.

    condensed milk with gelatin mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Pour milk mixture into measuring cup with a spout and set in refrigerator to cool, about 10 minutes. Wash and dry the whisk and bowl.

    milk in a measuring cup

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Gently pour the milk mixture on top of the red gelatin layer. Place the baking dish in refrigerator until the mixture is firm, about 1 hour. Wash the measuring cup.

    milk on top of the red jello mixture in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Next, combine 1 cup of boiling water, 1 package of blueberry gelatin, and 1 package of unflavored gelatin in the bowl. Whisk together until dissolved.

    blue jello mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Place the hot gelatin into the measuring cup and cool in fridge, about 10 minutes. Wash and dry the whisk and bowl.

    blue jello mixture in a measuring cup

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Once cool, pour on top of other layers.

    red, white and blue jello layers in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Continue repeating steps until you have the following layers, from bottom to top: red, white, blue, white, red, white, blue. (You will be left with an extra half can of condensed milk.) Once final layer is firm, slice gelatin into bars or squares.

    red, white and blue jello sliced into pieces in a dish

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Remove carefully from the baking dish with a small, metal spatula and serve them cold or at room temperature.

    Red, White, and Blue Jello Squares

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

Tips

  • Make sure you wait until the gelatin cools a bit in the fridge before you pour it over the other layers, as you don't want to pour hot liquid on top of another layer of gelatin at any time during the process. Doing so will turn the white layer pink or light blue.
  • Each layer is made up of about 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
  • Use the leftover sweetened condensed milk to make strawberry smoothies, chocolate fudge, or Thai iced coffee.

Recipe Variation

Although the 7 layers make for a dramatic presentation, you can simplify the process by making a simple 3-layer version: For the red and blue layers, use 2 cups of boiling water, 2 boxes of flavored jello and 2 packets of unflavored gelatin for each color. For the white layer, use 2 cups of boiling water, 2 packets of unflavored gelatin, and 1 (14-ounce) can of condensed milk.