Skip to content 
Last Updated on December 28, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Jello shots are a great addition to a fun, tasty treat for any occasion. These gelatin shots are playful and can entertain your homies in casual events or some holiday parties. But using a great vodka brand could elevate these colorful shots.
We have listed our top recommendations for the best vodkas for jello shots. Here’s the list.
Top 10 Smooth Vodkas For Jello Shots
10. Chopin Potato Vodka
Average Price: Around $23.99 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Chopin Potato Vodka is an awarded potato vodka and is one of the perfect matches for jello in shot cups.
It’s distilled from wheat and potatoes, which gives the full-bodied flavor and uniquely creamy taste. Chopin Potato Vodka’s robust character is a great selection for a jello shot.
9. Ketel One Vodka
Average Price: Around $22 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
It also has its infused flavored vodkas, the Ketel One Botanical line-up infused with natural fruit essence: Peach & Orange Blossom, Grapefruit & Rose, and Cucumber & Mint. [1]
8. Hangar 1 Buddha’s Hand Citron Vodka
Average Price: Around $29.99 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Hangar 1 Buddha’s Hand Citron Vodka has a unique process that is made in a former airplane hangar. It’s a quality vodka option for those who like a lime vodka or a lemon vodka flavor.
Aside from its citrus notes, Hangar 1 has warm notes of pepper, cinnamon, and other spices. Thus, this vodka tastes and blends well with the sweet jello shots.
7. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
Average Price: Around $13 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Smirnoff No. 21 is an award-winning exotic vodka with a classic robust taste and a dry finish. It’s considered one of the best vodka brands in the world.
Its smokey sensation and smooth texture are a good match for a jello shot. Smirnoff brand also has a lot of flavored vodkas to choose with a low price.
6. Grey Goose Essences
Average Price: Around $28 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 30% ABV
Why We Like It:
Grey Goose is one of the premium and popular vodka brands for jello shots. Its infused vodkas are all-natural spirits with real fruit and herbs containing 30% ABV.
It offers other flavor variants, including Le Citron, Le Melon, L’Orange, and Cherry Noir. Grey Goose Essence is an excellent choice for jello shots with more refined flavor profiles.
5. Svedka Vodka
Average Price: Around $12 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Svedka Vodka is a cheap vodka yet luxurious in taste. It offers distinctively flavored and infused vodkas such as Strawberry Guava, Ginger Lime, and its Svedka Rose, made from rose wine.
Svedka has a slightly sweet and peppery note perfect for mixing jello shots. It has a smooth and clean texture that won’t add any off-taste and flavors to your jello shots.
5. Skyy Infusions Vodka
Average Price: Around $13 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Skyy Infusion Vodka is smooth-tasting vodka with the lively infused juiciness of pineapple. It has a natural flavoring and is light in texture.
Also, it doesn’t taste bitter, so it’s a good match with the jello shot recipes. Skyy Infusion’s Cold Brew Coffee, Apricot, and Blood Orange is a must-try in jello shots.
3. Absolut Citron Vodka
Average Price: Around $18 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
Absolut vodka is another brand that offers many rich flavors at a low price and long shelf life. The Absolut Company AB makes an affordable, quality vodka that’s a great option for jello shots. If you’re a fan of neutral vodkas, then you will love this Absolut vodka.
2. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Average Price: Around $20 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
This six-time distilled vodka brand gives a very distinct and smooth taste. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is good to sip neat because of its smooth texture. But it’s also a versatile spirit that can make your jello shot stand out.
Tito’s vodka brand is a must-try if you want a clean and crisp vodka for your jello shot.
1. New Amsterdam Vodka
Average Price: Around $12 for 750ml
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It:
It’s an iconic vodka as the cityscape on its bottle. New Amsterdam is perfect for mixed drinks, punches, and jello shots. It is distilled five times and filtered three times, giving a soft and unparalleled smoothness.
Types of Vodka You Can Use
Plain Vodka
Plain vodka is the simplest spirit to make because it is made of only two parts: ethanol and water. Technically, it has no taste, just the notes of ethanol, but you can sense the cleanliness and smoothness of a purified and distilled spirit.
Its taste is fairly neutral and can blend with many mixers. Tito’s Vodka and Absolut Citron Vodka are samples of plain vodka that are not infused or flavored.
Infused Vodka
Infused vodkas are those with ingredients like fruits and herbs like strawberry or blueberry vodka. However, this vodka has a longer production process because of the additional infusion method. The infusion could take about three weeks then it is filtered.
Infused vodkas are considered the most sophisticated among all kinds of vodkas. But it can give a unique, flavorful spirit filled with tantalizing colors and aroma.
Flavored Vodka
Flavored vodka uses artificial flavors, including chocolate and some vanilla vodka. This type of vodka is not new and is dominating the flavored spirits industry. It’s also an ideal vodka if you want stronger jello shot flavor.
Its fame continues to rise because of its unique flavorings’ versatility. There are many flavors to choose from, and you can come up with some fun and creative combinations.
Choosing The Best Vodka For Jello Shots
Preferred Taste & Flavor
When choosing the best vodka brands, it all depends on your preferred taste and flavor. You can use plain vodka with flavored jello mix if you want a smooth, subtle flavor.
However, if you prefer strong fruity flavors like strawberry and apple, you can use flavored vodka or infused type vodka.
Mixing infused, or flavored vodka in your jello shot recipe will give more character and depth of flavors. But how long are jello shots good for?
Alcohol Content
The alcohol content is a vital part of choosing vodka when creating jello shots because it can alter the properties of the gelatin mix.
Alcohol can slow the process of the thickening of gelatin. In the worst scenario, it can stop the gel-forming ability of the jello if there’s too much alcohol content.
Price Point
Making jello shots is not that very expensive. If you’re making it for a huge crowd at a dinner party, you might consider your budget and the price of vodka. You can still find and choose mid-shelf but delicious vodkas for the right price.
However, if you have a budget for more sophisticated top-shelf vodka, you can buy one for smoother jello shots.
The Best Vodka Jello Shot Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3oz (1 pack) Jello gelatin
- 1 cup of boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- ½ cup Vodka
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions:
Boil a cup of water and transfer the boiling water to a mixing bowl. Gradually add the pack of Jello gelatin and mix it until it is completely dissolved. Add the cup of cold water and vodka to the mixing bowl and mix everything with a whisk.
You can put your desired food coloring and mix it, but this is optional. Set up the shot cups on a baking sheet.
Transfer the hot jello mixture to the plastic cups and cover them with the lids. Place the mixture in the fridge and wait for two hours; it is ready to serve after it sets.
Serving: 12
FAQs
Is one cup of vodka too much for jello shots?
Yes, a cup of vodka is too much for jello shots. Usually, one pack of Jello gelatin recipe uses ½ cup of vodka, but you can use up to 2/3 cup at max.
It might not be set properly if too much vodka is added because alcohol can interfere with the consistency of gelatin. [2]
Do you have to use vodka in jello shots?
Yes, you have to use vodka in jello shots. Vodka is the most commonly used alcohol when making jello shots.
However, you can use other liquor to substitute vodka in the jello shots recipe. Just make sure to use the correct alcohol ratio when making one.
Do vodka jello shots actually get you drunk?
No, vodka jello shots will not get you drunk because there isn’t much alcohol in each shot.
But an average of 4 jello shots is equal to one regular shot of vodka. So, if you take way more than that, eventually, it might get you drunk.
Final Say
The vodka jello shot is a simple yet unique treat for small or even big parties. These colorful gelatin shots are fun to take and are far to make you drunk.
Many vodka brands are available in the market, including Russian Vodka, Polish vodka, French vodka, and American vodka.
You can start experimenting and make vodka jello shots with the vodka recommendations we listed above.
References:
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanneobriencoffey/2019/03/18/ketel-one-makes-flavored-vodka-for-grown-ups/
- https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-avoid-problems-with-gelatin-dessert-baking
Pat is our resident expert when it comes to bourbon and traveling. His impeccable writing skills and sales background are perfect for his copywriting specialization. He’s a brand storyteller who has worked for the biggest retail brands and business personalities.
When he goes out to relax or celebrate some small wins, Pat never ceases to grab a bottle of Buffalo Trace. For him, this classic Kentucky bourbon whiskey is perfect for slow sipping. Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
