Our Best Jell-O Mold Recipes (2024)

Home Recipes Salads Jello Salads

ByKatie Bandurski

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated: Jan. 05, 2022

Craving a recipe from your childhood? Step back in time with these vintage Jell-O mold recipes. They're just like the ones mom and grandma used to make!

1/19

Molded Strawberry Salad

This refreshing salad has two layers – a pretty pink bottom that includes sour cream, and a ruby red top with strawberries and pineapple. For years, Mom has included this salad in meals she prepares for our family. -Gloria Grant, Sterling, Illinois

Go to Recipe

2/19

Grandmother's Orange Salad

This orange salad dessert is slightly sweet and tangy, too. It adds beautiful color to any meal and appeals to all ages! —Ann Eastman, Santa Monica, California

Go to Recipe

3/19

Molded Cranberry-Orange Salad

When I take this dish to potlucks during the holidays, people always ooh and aah. Feel free to top with whipped cream for added appeal. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico

Go to Recipe

4/19

Taste of Home

Peach Bavarian

Fruit molds are my specialty. This one, with its refreshing peach taste, makes a colorful salad or dessert. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

Go to Recipe

Pina Colada Molded Salad

My gelatin ring gets a tropical twist from coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts. It's a wonderful anytime treat. Now that I'm retired from teaching, I have more time for kitchen experiments. —Carol Gillespie, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Go to Recipe

8/19

Cran-Raspberry Gelatin Salad

Just like Grandma’s, this pretty gelatin salad has full berry flavor without being too tart. It’s perfect for any holiday dinner. —Rosemary Burch, Phoenix, Arizona

Go to Recipe

9/19

Orange Buttermilk Gelatin Salad Mold

A dear friend shared this recipe with me years ago. Now it's my favorite dish to take to a church meeting, shower or any potluck event—it's always a hit. Whenever I serve this salad, people ask for the recipe. They find it hard to believe it's really made with buttermilk! —Juanita Hutto, Mechanicsville, Virginia

Go to Recipe

10/19

Snowy Raspberry Gelatin Mold

This mold is always on our holiday table. The raspberry layer makes an attractive base for the creamy cream cheese layer. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Go to Recipe

Sangria Gelatin Ring

This gelatin is enjoyed by everyone because you just can't go wrong with fresh berries. —Nicole Nemeth, Komoka, Ontario

Go to Recipe

12/19

13/19

Taste of Home

Simple Lime Gelatin Salad

Looking for a festive dish to light up the buffet? This pretty green gelatin salad is eye-catching and has a delightful, tangy flavor. —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Go to Recipe

14/19

Taste of Home

Apricot Gelatin Mold

After my husband and I got married, he asked me to get this special holiday recipe from my mother. Mom prepared it for every family celebration, and now I make it for my family! You can replace peach with orange gelatin if you prefer. —Suzanne Holcomb, St. Johnsville, New York

Go to Recipe

15/19

Cranberry-Eggnog Gelatin Salad

Refreshing and bursting with flavor, this festive jello salad is a great choice for a holiday potluck or make ahead Thanksgiving side. The sweet pineapple-eggnog layer contrasts nicely with the cool and tangy gelatin on top. Since it has to chill overnight, it’s a good pick for those dishes you want to prepare a day ahead. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

Go to Recipe

16/19

Taste of Home

Fluffy Cranberry Mousse

This is a delicious and pretty salad for the holidays, but it's so good that I serve it at other times, too. I got the recipe from a neighbor who had served it with a traditional turkey dinner. —Helen Clement, Hemet, California

Go to Recipe

17/19

Taste of Home

Rosey Raspberry Salad

Whenever I make this pretty raspberry salad, people talk! It's a festive side dish that works well for celebrations throughout the year. —Jane Vanderground, Macedonia, Ohio

Go to Recipe

18/19

Taste of Home

Mango Gelatin Salad

My Aunt Nannette often made this salad as a convenient make-ahead dish. The mango mold has hints of apricot and can be served with pork, chicken and beef—or for dessert. —Debra Sult, Chandler, Arizona

Go to Recipe

19/19

Taste of Home

Molded Cranberry Nut Salad

We try lots of cranberry recipes, and this one is always requested when we have family get-togethers at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has also been a favorite dish at every church potluck I've taken it to! —Eleanor Arthur, Seattle, Washington

Go to Recipe

Originally Published: September 18, 2020

Author

Katie Bandurski

As Taste of Home's senior shopping editor, Katie connects readers with the best gifts, kitchen gear and home items on the market. An avid foodie and a holiday enthusiast, Katie is an expert at cultivating meaningful moments. Before joining the shopping team, Katie worked as a digital staff writer at Better Homes & Gardens and on the Taste of Ho...

FAQs

How to use a jello mold? ›

Spray it with Pam before you put the Jello in it. Once it's set, slide a knife around the edge to break the seal, and invert it on the plate you want to serve it on. Then just let it sit until it drops. You could whack it with a wooden spoon a few times just to get it going.

How long can you keep a Jell-O mold in the refrigerator? ›

Keep any leftover jello mold in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. It needs to be covered closely with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Typically, jello itself lasts 7-10 days but with the addition of buttermilk, this recipe has a shorter freshness limit.

Read The Full Story ›

Can you spray a jello mold with Pam? ›

Spraying the mold with Pam or some other cooking spray is another common trick, but one that may leave a residue and flavor on the Jell-O, which you may not want depending on what you are making. Certain molds, including newer plastic ones and some vintage molds, also come with removable seals to help with unmolding.

How long does it take for Jell-O to set in molds? ›

Add the creamy layer mold: Once the fruit-filled gelatin is set, carefully pour the creamy gelatin mixture into the prepared pan. Refrigerate until set: Refrigerate the whole pan until set, about 4 hours but preferably overnight.

Tell Me More ›

Why did people make jello molds? ›

Gelatin-based dishes were a staple of this genre, especially since shaped molds allowed for elaborate presentations. Cooks could showcase ingredients with a clear gelatin or aspic, using "sinkers" and "floaters" to achieve a certain look, or fold cream or mayo into the gelatin for an opaque appearance.

Do I need to oil a silicone Jello mold? ›

This might sound surprising but it's not at all necessary. Greasing a Jell-O mold pan will only result in greasy Jell-O. Yuck! Tip #2: Cut your liquids down in order to create a firmer Jell-O that is easier to unmold and will hold it's shape.

Read On ›

How to keep jello shots from sticking? ›

That wisdom starts with making sure the Jell-O doesn't stick to the sides of the plastic cup, and all you need is a little vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray to demonstrate your prowess.

Know More ›

How do you use Jell-O in silicone molds? ›

Empty the Jello gelatin mix into a mixing bowl.
Add the boiling water to the bowl and stir until the Jello is completely dissolved.
Add the ice cubes to the bowl and stir until they are melted and the mixture is cool.
Add the cold water to the bowl and stir well.
Pour the Jello mixture into a mold or individ.

Aug 26, 2018

Can you put Jell-O on parchment paper? ›

Mix and chill.

Prepare an 8-inch square pan by lightly spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. This will ensure the jello is easy to remove later.

Discover More Details ›