4.67 from 3 votes
These under the sea jello shots are the perfect addition to your summer beach party...or anytime you just want to feel like you're at the beach!
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Looking for some great tasting jello shots for a summer get-together or beach party? Your friends will love this “Under The Sea” Swedish fish jello shot recipe that looks awesome and isn’t hard to make.
These under the sea Swedish fish jello shots look just like sand, water and fish!
They are a little more work than your traditional jello shot, but aren’t difficult to make. Unlike some of the other really pretty (fancy) jello shots out there, you don’t need to be a creative talent to have these turn out.
They were a huge hit at my Under The Sea Halloween party!
Very Important Tip
Before we start, there is one tip that you need to know.
The Swedish fish cannot stay in the jello for a long period of time (like over night).
Otherwise, they soak up the liquid from the jello and turn into slime. Trust me…none of your guests will want to eat them!
That means either making the jello shots the day of your party, or putting the fish into the jello just before the party starts.
So now that you’ve been warned…on to the fun part…making the jello shots.
Ingredients
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Besides the coconut rum and the small (3-ounce) box of blue jello, you’ll need a couple of not-your-usual jello shot supplies…16 to 20 Swedish fish and 25 vanilla wafers (to make the sand at the bottom of the “ocean”).
How To Make The Swedish Fish Jello Shot Recipe
Make The “Sand”
The first step is to put the vanilla wafers into a Ziploc bag.
Then get out your rolling pin and crush up the Vanilla wafers. (You could also use a knife to chop them).
They’re going to be the sand so you do want them pretty crumbly, but you don’t have to get rid of all of the chunks.
Make The “Water”
Pour the rum into a 2-cup measuring cup and fill the rest of it up with ice. Set aside.
If you don’t have a 2-cup measuring cup, you can do this with a bowl as well. The idea is to have about the same amount of ice as you do alcohol.
Put the kettle on to boil. I prefer to use an electric kettle* since they usually boil faster and they don’t take up a stove element (something that always seems to be in short supply when I’m getting ready for a party!)
Add boiling water to the blue gelatin in a bowl and mix it until all of the crystals have dissolved.
Then add the rum and ice mixture to the bowl. Stir until the mixture slightly thickens which should take a minute or two.
Remove any unmelted ice.
Refrigerate the jello in the bowl for about 15 minutes until it is somewhat gelled but not completely firm.
Then stir it to create the effect of moving water.
Note: While this is my favorite blue jello shot recipe (I think the coconut rum adds to the “beach” feeling), you can substitute other types of alcohol if you prefer something else. Just decrease the amount of cold liquid used since the melted ice will add some extra water to the mix.
Second Note:If you prefer to have non-alcoholicjello, just replace the rum with cold water and you’re good to go!
Put The Swedish Fish Jello Shots Together
Spread your jello shot cups out so you have access to all of them. This recipe makes about 16 2-ounce jello shots, but it could be a couple more or a couple less. I start out with 18 to 20 jello shut cups and then see how many I need.
I usually put them on a rimmed cookie sheet. It catches any spills that might happen while I’m putting the jello shots together, and makes it really easy to move them to the refrigerator later.
I like to use 2-ounce jello shot cups with lids*.
The 1-ounce ones are a little small for the fish. And the lids definitely help with storage (you can stack them!) and delivery (if one gets dropped accidentally, you won’t end up with jello all over your floor).
Add a thin layer of the crushed vanilla wafers to the bottom of each of your jello shot cups.
Spoon the jello over the vanilla wafers in each of the shot glasses.
It really looks like wavy water!
Refrigerate until set (usually 3 to 4 hours).
Before serving, push the tail of one Swedish fish into each jello cup.
Remember to do this right before serving so it doesn’t get mushy before people eat them.
Other Jello Shots Recipes You Might Like
- Blue Hawaiian Jello Shots
- The best blue Jello shots
- Pina Colada Jello Shots
Or browse through all of our jello shot recipes for more ideas.
“Under The Sea” Swedish Fish Jello Shot Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes
Servings: 16 jello shots
Prep 20 minutes mins
Cooling Time 4 hours hrs
Total 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate
Ingredients
- 1 3-ounce package Berry Blue Jello
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 25 Vanilla wafers
- ½ cup Malibu rum
- Ice cubes
- 16 Swedish fish
Equipment
2-cup measuring cup or small bowl
large mixing bowl
kettle or pot for boiling water
ziploc bag
rolling pin
16 2-ounce jello shot cups with lids
Baking sheet optional
spoon
Instructions
Make The Vanilla Wafer “Sand”: Add the vanilla wafers to the Ziploc bag.Roll over them with the rolling pin until they are thoroughly crushed. Or (if you prefer) you can also chop them using a knife.Set aside.
Cool The Alcohol: Pour the rum into the 2-cup measuring cup (or small bowl).Fill the the measuring cup with ice to make 1 1/4 cups.Set aside
Make The Jello “Water”:Pour the jello crystals into a bowl.Boil some water in the kettle.Add 3/4 cup of the boiling water to the jello crystals and stir until dissolved.
Add the rum and ice mixture. Stir until the water has thickened (which should take a minute or two).Remove any left over ice cubes.
Then refrigerate in the bowl for 15 or 20 minutes (The mixture should be gelled but not firmly set).Stir the jello to give it the appearance of running water.
Put The Jello Shots Together: Spread a thin layer of crushed vanilla wafers over the bottom of each of the jello shot cups.Spoon some of the jello into each of the jello shot cups.
Refrigerate the jello shots until firm (usually 3 to 4 hours).
Just before serving, push the tail of the Swedish fish into each of the jello cups.
Notes
- Very Important Tip:The Swedish fish will get slimy and mushy if they are left in the jello too long, so you will need to either add them to the jello shots just before the party starts, or make your jello shots the day you are serving them.
- Spreading out your jello shot cups on a cookie sheet catches any spills that might happen while you are putting them together and makes them easy to put away in the refrigerator
- Using jello shot cups with lids* makes storing and serving your jello shots much easier
Nutrition Facts
"Under The Sea" Swedish Fish Jello Shot Recipe
Serving Size
1 jello shot
Amount per Serving
Calories
82
% Daily Value*
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.02
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
0.4
g
Cholesterol
0.1
mg
%
Sodium
63
mg
3
%
Potassium
8
mg
%
Carbohydrates
12
g
4
%
Fiber
0.1
g
%
Sugar
8
g
9
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Calcium
0.5
mg
%
Iron
0.01
mg
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
authorAuthor: Wanda Simone
courseCourse: Drinks
cuisineCuisine: American
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This post was originally published on June 2, 2018 but was updated with new content on March 19, 2024.
