Jello Cookies
Hello, there’s always room for Jello..Cookies! They are the funnest, most colorful, cookies and depending on how many flavors you make, they’re the perfect St. Patrick’s Day rainbow treat.
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Jello Cookies Recipe
We already know our grandmothers put Jello in everything (looking at you, shredded carrot Jell-O salad). But did you know that the passion extended to cookies? This is my take on the vintage Jell-O cookies recipes. They are BEAUTIFUL, soft & tender, rolled in a slightly crisp coating of sugar, and flavored however you’d like! You can decide if you want to make the whole batch one flavor/color or if you’d like to divide the dough and create a whole rainbow – I’ll walk you through the steps for both processes below!
Ingredients in Rainbow Jello Cookies
- Salted butter, softened – I ALWAYS use salted butter. But if you’re an unsalted butter fan, you can definitely use that instead.
- Granulated sugar – You’ll add this to the dough and also roll the cookie dough balls in more sugar before baking.
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Colored gelatin powder (Jell-O) – You can make multiple colors/flavors in one batch. Choose your favorites! I used Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grape, Strawberry and Starburst brand (!) Blue Raspberry Jell-O.
How to Make Jello Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar.
- Add in the eggs and mix well.
- To the mixture, add the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- If only making one flavor, add a 6 oz box of flavored gelatin, mixing until well combined.
- To make a rainbow of colors, divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Add 2 tbsp of flavored gelatin to each portion of dough and mix until well combined.
- Once you have added your chosen flavor and mixed, divide the finished dough out into 1 1/2 tbsp portions, roll into a ball and then roll in extra granulated sugar before arranging on a parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies have spread and are no longer glossy in the center.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
How to store Rainbow Cookies
Let your Jello cookie to cool completely and then place them in an airtight container or bag. Store at room temperature for 3-5 days. Enjoy!
What flavors of Jello work best?
Honestly, you can use any flavor of colored gelatin powder you’d like. To make my rainbow of colors I use Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grape, Strawberry and even the Blue Raspberry flavor from the Starburst brand of gelatin.
COLOR
- Rainbow Layer Cake
- Rainbow Chip Frosting
- Rainbow Bagels
- Slice & Bake Rainbow Sugar Cookies
- Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies
Jello Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 2 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp (6 oz. total) flavored gelatin powder (can make multiple colors/flavors from one batch)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and granulated sugar.
- Add in the eggs and mix well.
- To the mixture, add the flour, baking soda and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- If only making one flavor, add a 6 oz box of flavored gelatin, mixing until well combined.
- To make a rainbow of colors, divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Add 2 tbsp of flavored gelatin to each portion of dough and mix until well combined.
- Once you have added your chosen flavor and mixed, divide the finished dough out into 1 1/2 tbsp portions, roll into a ball and then roll in extra granulated sugar before arranging on a parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies have spread and are no longer glossy in the center.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
how much jello if you only make 4 flavors? can’t wait to make these love all your recipes my grandsons are also using your cookies book
You will use 3Tbsp of Jello per each of the 4 portions of dough!
Can you use sugar free Jello?
I haven’t tried sugar free jello, but it should work! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
I will admit I was a whole lot of skeptical reading and making this recipe.
However, just make these cookies… such fun. I made it with orange jello,
As that is what I had an abundance of.
These cookies are so good.
Hi Karli, if I’d like to make a batch in advance and freeze the dough, should I roll in sugar and freeze or roll out the dough balls and then dip in sugar once defrosted and before baking? Can I bake from frozen? X
Hi Meera! I would scoop into balls and roll in sugar then freeze. When you’re ready to bake, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats then bake as normal.