These Bahama Mama jello shots are incredibly delicious and so easy to make! Best of all is that you only need a handful of ingredients to make them and they taste just like a tropical smoothie from Bahama Mama.
There’s nothing that screams party most like a good jello shot. I mean they used to be a college party staple but you can now make them with fun combinations that really elevate them.
Jump to:
- 🥥 How do these Bahama Mama jello shots taste like
- 🗒 Ingredients you need to make Bahama Mama jello shots
- 🍹Jello shots substitutions and customization
- 🥄Tips & tricks to prepare the best jello shots
- ❄️ How to store and freeze Bahama Mama jello shots
- 🥣 Best jello shot recipe
- Bahama Mama Jello Shots
- 🤔 Jello shots recipe FAQ
These jello shots are made with rum, so that’s a difference from the traditional vodka ones. They are also made with a juice combination that makes them taste just like a tropical smoothie making them perfect for any Summer gathering.
And they are also incredibly refreshing so if you are hosting a pool party, Summer BBQ or just want to give a splash of fun to any other get together, these jello shots are perfect.
Oh and they are also really easy and simple to make so it’s a really quick recipe that’s practically fool proof.
🥥 How do these Bahama Mama jello shots taste like
Ok, now that I convinced you to make them is time to actually jump to the important part. How do they taste like?
They taste like a spiked version of the crowd favorite tropical smoothie from Bahama Mama. Seriously.
If you never had one before it’s a really tropical and fruity flavor. They are made with pineapple and coconut and also have a little of orange flair.
These shots are citrusy, fruity, perfectly sweet and have that rum kick at the end. They are really good.
Go and check this recipe for Bahama Mama tropical smoothie
🗒 Ingredients you need to make Bahama Mama jello shots
What I love the most about this recipe is that it only uses a handful of ingredients and they are really easy to find.
Rum
Rum is the alcohol of choice for this recipe. Most jello shots are actually made with vodka but since we are going for a tropical theme with these jello shots I actually prefer to use rum.
Just pick any rum you like. I found that Malibu rum is a great option since it has a little bit of a tropical flavor that’s built in it. But you can also use white rum if you prefer, the end result is going to be very similar.
Coconut water
Remember how we said that these jello shots have a coconut flair to it? Well we can thank the coconut water for it. I honestly love what coconut water does to these jelly shots + coconut water is also really hydrating so that’s always a positive.
If you don’t have coconut water or can’t find it just skip it and sub it for water. Just keep in mind your jello shot won’t have that signature coconut flavor (unless you go with Malibu rum that already has it) .
Pineapple juice and orange juice
Go with the store bought variety. Trust me on that one. Not only it’s more affordable and easier to find but it’s also more smooth and less pulp-y which will result in a better jello shot.
Unflavored gelatin
We are talking about jello shots are all so the gelatin is a must to make them. Since we are using juice to flavor it you need an unflavored base to make them.
Grenadine
Grenadine is responsible for giving it a little bit of sweetness and also aiding in the color of the jello shot and making them look slightly pink.
🍹Jello shots substitutions and customization
I already covered a couple of substitutions on the ingredient list section but here are a couple more ideas in case you want to play with your Bahama Mama jello shot recipe and customize it.
- Swap the Malibu rum for white rum if you don’t have Malibu on hand.
- Use pineapple jello instead of unflavored gelatin and pineapple juice. The flavor will be less “fresh” but it works if you are in a pinch.
- Top the jello shots with whipped cream.
- Mix in some pineapple chunks into the jello shot to give them a fun texture you can bite into.
- Add a splash of lime juice to make them more zestier.
🥄Tips & tricks to prepare the best jello shots
Now that you have all your ingredients on hand it’s time to get cooking, but keep in mind this recipe is as low cooking as a recipe can get.
The first step is that you want to heat your coconut water since we are using it instead of the water gelatin calls for. You want your water to be hot but not boiling.
Then the next tip you need to keep on mind when making jello shots is that you want to gently sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top of your cold juice. You don’t want to dump it all at once or it will clump. So it’s really important you are gentle with the mixing in part.
Add the hot coconut water at the end to activate the gelatin and give it a nice stir so everything combines perfectly.
And that’s pretty much it. It’s a really simple and straightforward recipe that’s pretty much fail proof.
❄️ How to store and freeze Bahama Mama jello shots
What I love about this recipe is that’s the perfect make ahead cocktail! You honestly can make them a couple days in advance and they will be perfect once it’s time to serve them.
These jello shots last for around 3 days refrigerated. I usually place them in a baking tray so they are easier to take to and from the refrigerator.
I don’t advise on freezing them unless you want to serve them froze. If not they don’t thaw as well. However they are also delicious frozen if you want to bite into your jelly shot. Might be fun for a hot Summer day.
🥣 Best jello shot recipe
Great, now that you have the ingredients, all the tips and tricks and ow how to store your jello shots it’s time to get “cooking”
Bahama Mama Jello Shots
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup orange juice hot
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon grenadine
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup coconut water hot
- 1/4 cup water hot
- 4 cup Malibu rum
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine. Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top and gently stir to combine until disolved.
- Add the hot coconut water and hot water and stir to combine.
- Finally add the Malibu rum and stir once again until all the ingredients are well combined and incorporated.
- Divide the mix between 12 jello shot glasses or plastic jello cups. Transfer to a baking tray and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Optionally garnish with mint or whipped cream.
🤔 Jello shots recipe FAQ
Usually jello shots are made with vodka since it’s a clear liquor with a plain taste that won’t steal the spotlight from the juice flavors. However, in this case we are going to be using Malibu rum since we want a tropical jello shot.
Totally! Jello shots have liquor in them so it’s totally possible to get tipsy from them. However, jello shots are usually not made with a ton of alcohol so you would need to drink a few of them.
Not really. We add the liquor with the hot ingredients. Keep in mid they are slightly hot, not boiling so you won’t evaporate the alcohol content.