Santa Hat Shots
Santa Hat Shots are the perfect addition to any holiday party. These adult treats feature red and white gelatin, buttercream frosting, and fresh strawberries. They’re both holly and jolly and pack a boozy kick.
We love making Jello shots for almost any occasion, and the holidays are no different. These Santa hat shots are great because they’re as fun and festive as they are socially lubricating. And if you’re hosting a family-friendly event, you can leave the alcohol out and serve them as little Jello treats for both the kids and adults.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They’re fun and festive additions to any party.
- They’re easier to make than you think!
- They only use a few simple ingredients.
- They’re full of sweet strawberry flavor with a kick of vodka.
🛒Ingredients
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make these Jello shots, and you can find them all quickly and easily at your local grocery store.
All the recipe ingredients are listed here, but you can find the exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Strawberry flavored gelatin
- Unflavored gelatin
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Water – divided
- Cold water
- Vodka – divided
- Butter – softened
- Powdered sugar
- Strawberries with the stems cut off
- Christmas sprinkles – optional
🔪 How to Make Santa Hat Shots
There are a few steps to making these delicious holiday shots, but they’re all easy. This is a super simple recipe when you break it down!
Step 1: Make the Strawberry Jello
Mix 1 cup of boiling water and strawberry Jello in a large liquid measuring cup and whisk until the Jello is dissolved. Then, whisk in 1/2 cup of cold water and 1/2 cup of vodka.
Step 2: Refrigerate
Fill shot glass cups on a baking sheet about halfway, then refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the layer is set.
Step 3: Make the White Jello
Stir unflavored gelatin and 1 cup of water in small saucepan over medium heat until the gelatin dissolves. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup vodka. Set aside to cool a bit.
Step 4: Chill Again
Carefully spoon the white Jello into each shot glass until filled almost to the top. Chill again for another 30 minutes or until set.
Step 5: Make the Buttercream Frosting
Whip the butter with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, continuing to mix until light and fluffy.
Step 6: Decorate the Shots
Remove the shots from the refrigerator. Place the frosting in a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Add a strawberry on top of each shot and pipe frosting around the base. Then, top with a dollop of frosting. Serve and enjoy!
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- Use cherry Jello and cherry halves instead.
- You can use storebought frosting if you prefer.
- Leave the alcohol out and serve these as tasty Jello treats for kids and adults.
If you think these look good, then we think you’ll enjoy our caramel apple Jello shots.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Large liquid measuring cups
- Saucepan
- Shot cups
- Baking sheet
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate these shots in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
💭 Tips
- Be sure to whisk your gelatin in the boiling water until it’s fully dissolved.
- You can’t overmix your frosting, so be sure you thoroughly whip it for a light, fluffy texture.
- To achieve a neat delineation between shot colors, be sure the red layer is fully set before adding the white layer.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Several different sources confirm that Tom Lehrer, a musician, invented Jello shots as a way to get around a ban on alcohol at a Navy base where he was stationed.
Jello shots don’t actually get you more drunk. You just consume more alcohol than you realize when you eat them because the sugar hides the alcohol flavor.
You can absolutely put too much alcohol in Jello shots. First, too much alcohol will make the shots less tasty. Second, too much alcohol can also cause the shots not to set, leaving you with sloshy shots.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy Santa themed recipes? Then try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Santa Hat Shots
Equipment
- Measuring cups
- Large liquid measuring cups
- Saucepan
- Shot cups
- baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3 ounces strawberry flavored gelatin mix
- ½ ounce unflavored gelatin this would be two packets
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 ½ cups water divided
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 cup vodka divided
- 1 stick butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Strawberries with the leave cut off
- Christmas sprinkles optional
Instructions
- On a tray set out your cups, set aside for later. This is also a good time
- to make sure you have room in your fridge for the tray of jello shots.
- In a large measuring cup with a spout or a mixing bowl with a spout add 1 cup of boiling water and your strawberry jello.
- Whisk until the jello is all dissolved.
- Next add in your ½ cup of cold water and ½ cup of vodka.
- Whisk again
- Carefully pour the mixture into the cups about a half of the way up.
- Carefully place the tray in your refrigerator for 30 minutes or until that layer is set.
- Meanwhile make your white jello.
- In a small sauce pan add your unflavored gelatin and one cup of water over medium heat.
- Stir until the gelatin is all dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and add in the sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup vodka.
- Set aside to cool a bit.
- Carefully spoon the white mixture into each shot cup on top of the strawberry layer filling the cups almost to the top.
- Place back in the fridge for 30 minutes until all set.
- Meanwhile make the buttercream.
- Using an electric mixer whip the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add in the powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy.
- Place the buttercream into a ziploc bag with the edge snipped off.
- Place a strawberry on top of each jello shot.
- Pipe the buttercream around the edges of the strawberry with a dollop on top.
- Serve
