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These Jammin Jello Bob Marley themed jello shots are layered with the colors of the rastafarian flag. Line them up for a music themed party or whip a batch on Bob Marley Day, which takes place on February 6th; the day the musician was born in 1945.
Bob Marley Jello Shots – Jammin Jello
If you don’t already know, Bob Marley was a Jamaican songwriter who pioneered reggae music and brought this unique style to the rest of the world. A rastafarian icon, most people know him for his messages about peace and the distinct reggae color scheme that accompanies pictures of him.
We took his color scheme and, combined with Jamaican themed ingredients, created this delicious Jello shooter. Just in time for summer parties!
What Alcohol is Inside These Jammin Jello Shots?
No, despite what Bob Marley would have wanted based on his life-long advocacy, these aren’t an ‘edible’. But they do contain a caribbean themed arrangement of flavors that will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth
You’ll need Cuban rum, banana liquor, and Malibu for this recipe.
Jello Shot Essentials
Jello Shots With Rum Ingredients
There’s nothing too complicated for this jello shot recipe, but you may not have everything on hand for this one. You’ll need three small (3oz) boxes of Jello: strawberry, pineapple, and lime flavors. Make sure you can boil water because you’ll need 3 cups of it to prepare the Jello shots properly.
Now the alcohol – you’ll need one cup of each:
- Cuban rum – I personally prefer Havana Club brand. To keep this recipe light either use the Blanco or Anejo 3 Anos (white), but you could also use the Especial (amber) too. Just don’t go too dark with your rum or it will overpower the other flavors.
- Banana liquor – You can use whatever you prefer, I like Bols Creme de Banana personally.
- Malibu rum – Again, you want to go with white rum here. Malibu has a coconut taste, so adding it alongside the Cuban rum is complimentary.
Finally, you’ll need something to put your Jello shots into. These bulk plastic portion cups work really well and even have lids to make setting and transporting your shots easy.
Bob Marley Jello Shots
Ingredients
- 1-3 oz box Strawberry Jello
- 1- 30z box Pineapple Jello
- 1 - 3 oz box Lime Jello
- 3 C Hot water ( 1 cup for each Jello )
- 1 cup chilled Cuban Rum
- 1 cup chilled Banana liquor
- 1 cup chilled Malibu Rum
- Plastic shot cups
Instructions
Red Layer:
Add Strawberry Jello in a bowl.
Add 1 cup of hot water to the Jello mixture.
Whisk until the jello has dissolved.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Add in chilled Cuban Rum.
Mix until combined.
Pour this into ⅓ of the way in the plastic shot cups.
Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Yellow Layer:
Add Pineapple Jello in a bowl.
Add 1 cup of hot water to the Jello mixture.
Whisk until the jello has dissolved.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Add in chilled Banana Liquor.
Mix until combined.
Pour this on top of the cherry jello ⅓ of the way in the plastic shot cups.
Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Green Layer:
Add Lime Jello in a bowl.
Add 1 cup of hot water to the Jello mixture.
Whisk until the jello has dissolved.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Add in chilled Malibu Rum.
Mix until combined.
Pour this onto the Pineapple and fill to the top.
Place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Garnish:
Thin slice of an orange cut in thirds.
Make a Non-Alcoholic Version
Instead of following our instructions, prepare the Jello as per the package directions. Then follow the same steps to create and chill the layered shot.
The flavor will change a bit without the alcohol but it will still be a tasty combination for designated drivers, pregnant people, or kids.
Tips to Make Your Bob Marley Jello Shots With Rum a Success
Can You Use Different Jello Flavors in this Bob Marley Jello Shots Recipe?
Kind of, but you’re going to change the taste so I don’t recommend it. The combination of strawberry, pineapple, lime, banana, and coconut were chosen for that tropical island vibe Bob Marley brought to his music.
If you do swap, make sure to keep the Jello the same colors. You can sub strawberry Jello for raspberry or cherry and pineapple for lemon, but there really isn’t any other option other than lime for green.
You can also use store brand flavored gelatin packets but I find they don’t taste as good as the real thing.
What Should I Use for Garnish?
We garnished our Jammin Jello Bob Marley jello shots with a simple orange slice. To get the tiny piece, all you need to do is slice an orange very thin and then cut that wedge into thirds. It can be eaten or used as a chaser after you take the shot.
Just keep in mind that you’ll need to leave enough space to close the kid over the garnish. If you’re making these ahead of time and then serving at a party, you can always omit the topping while your jello shots set and then add it when you serve.
Then you can put on pretty much anything: just keep in mind the flavor combination might not work if you add things like whipped cream. Another fun idea is to stick peace themed cupcake toppers inside your shots once they’re set.
How Many Jello Shots Does This Make?
This recipe makes 60oz, so you’ll get about 20 shots out of this recipe if you use 3oz containers. Some people prefer to make their Jello shots 2oz, so if that’s the case you’ll get 30 shooters instead.
Can This Recipe Be Doubled or Halved?
This Bob Marley Jello Shot recipe can be doubled, just make sure you are doubling each section of the recipe on its own. For example, for the first layer use two boxes of strawberry Jello, two cups of hot water, and two cups of Cuban rum.
Unfortunately, the recipe can’t be cut in half because you need to prepare each box of Jello.
How Long Do Jello Shots Take to Set?
Make sure you leave at least an hour between layers when you’re making this recipe. Don’t rush it if your Jello isn’t firm! That means this recipe will take about 3 hours total to make.
If you were just pouring a solid Jello shot into a container, though, it would probably take about 2-3 hours to set.
Personally, I would make these the day before an event and chill overnight.
How Long do Jello Shots Keep in the Fridge?
This is a great make-ahead recipe if you’re throwing a party or entertaining. With the lid on you can store these homemade Jello shots in the fridge for up to 7-10 days. Although I’d recommend only making them 3-5 days ahead so they’re tasting their best.
Are These Jammin Jello Shots Strong?
No, not really. The alcohol content of them is around 9.5% ABV. Which is great since you’ll probably want more than one! Most Jello shots have lower alcohol volume than regular shooters.
This is because white rum tends to be weaker in general than darker varieties, and banana liquor is around 12.5% ABV.
Don’t try and add more alcohol to make them stronger, either – doing that can prevent the gelatin from setting and ruin your Bob Marley jello shots.