Grandma’s Famous Jello Salad – The Classic Retro Recipe Everyone Still Loves
Take a trip down memory lane with this Layered Jello Salad. It has all the flavors grandma used, just with a fun new twist and look. All you need is a few simple ingredients to get started, and you’ll have the perfect summer dessert to share with family and friends.
Who knew that packs of flavored Jell-O and a tub of Cool Whip could have such a delicious result? We make this recipe all the time during the hot summer months.
Be sure to also try this Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad and this Ambrosia Salad for two other sweet salad recipes!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavorful: With four different layers of flavored Jello, each one gives a unique taste.
- Simple: You’ll love the non-complicated steps!
- Kid-friendly: Kids (and adults!) will love the look and taste.
Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Jello – You’ll need lime, lemon, strawberry, and orange jello for this layered recipe.
- Cream cheese – Be sure that it is soft before using.
- Crushed pineapple: drain the juice before adding.
- Cool Whip: It needs to be thawed, then divided into 4 sections for use.
Variations
- Jello flavors: The fun part about making this jello salad recipe is that you can change up the jello flavors. Have fun and make your own layered combination.
- Fruit: While we love the added pineapple, you could also add bits of other fruits, like strawberries.
Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Set four bowls on the counter and place the Lime Jello in one, the Lemon Jello in another, the Strawberry Jello in another, and the Orange Jello in another.
- Cut the softened cream cheese into 4 equal parts and place a piece in each bowl. Boil the water, and pour it into each bowl.
- Stir the Jello and cream cheese until the Jello dissolves and the cream cheese melts. Add the crushed pineapple. Stir. Divide the container of Cool Whip into four equal parts and add it evenly to the bowls. Stir.
- In a Jello mold, pour the Lime into four equal parts, then add the Cool Whip to the bowl. Place the mold in the freezer. Place the rest of the bowls in the fridge.
- Once the Lime layer is set, remove it and pour in the Strawberry layer. Place the mold back in the freezer until set. Repeat for the last two bowls.
- Before serving, run hot water over the outside of the Jello mold and dump it onto a serving plate.
- Cut into slices or eat with a spoon. Serve and Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to dissolve the Jell-O completely before moving on to the next steps of the recipe. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a grainy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
There could be a few reasons. You might not have had the water hot enough to dissolve the added jello, or you might need to give it more time to complete.
This layered jello salad recipe doesn’t need a topping, but if you want to add one, you can. A dollop of whipped cream on top would be our choice!
Absolutely. You can make this ahead of time and keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge. That way, it’s ready to serve once the time hits.
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Grandma’s Famous Jello Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Lime Jello
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Jello
- 2 Tablespoons Strawberry Jello
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Jello
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 package of Cream Cheese 8 ounces – softened – divided
- 1 can of crushed Pineapple drained – 15 – 16 ounces
- 1 16 ounce tub of Cool Whip thawed – divided in fourths – see instructions
Instructions
- Set four bowls on the counter, and add the Lime Jello in one, and the lemon, strawberry, and orange individually in the others.
- Cut the softened cream cheese into 4 parts, and add a piece to each bowl. Boil the water, and add 1/4 cup into each bowl, over the Jello and Cream Cheese.
- Stir the Jello and cream cheese until the Jello dissolves and the cream cheese melts. Drain the juice from the crushed pineapple. Divide it into 4 equal parts, and place the Pineapple evenly into each of the 4 bowls of Jello and cream cheese. Stir.
- Divide the container of Cool Whip into four parts, and add it to the bowls evenly. Stir.
- In a Jello mold, pour the bowl of lime into four equal parts, and add the Cool Whip to the bowls of Jello mixture into the mold. Place the mold in the freezer for about 1 hour, or until set to the touch. Place the other bowls of Jello in the refrigerator.
- When the Lime layer is set, remove the mold from the freezer, and pour the Strawberry layer of Jello mixture into the mold. Place the mold back in the freezer for about an hour.
- When the Strawberry layer is set, pour the Orange onto the Strawberry layer and place the mold back in the freezer for about an hour.
- When the Orange layer is set, pour the Lemon on top of the Orange layer, then place the mold back in the freezer and leave it there until time to serve.
- Just before serving, run hot water over the outside of the Jello mold for a few seconds, dry the mold, and turn it onto a serving plate.
- Cut into 1-2-inch slices or scoop with a spoon. Serve and Enjoy!
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
