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This Christmas Jello Salad is the life of the holiday party! With bright red and green layers, a creamy center, and a fluffy cloud of whipped cream on top, it’s impossible to resist. Kids love the bright colors and jiggly texture, adults love the nostalgic flavor.
Is It Salad or Dessert?
I love how fun and colorful this Christmas Jello Salad is. It is the perfect addition to Christmas dinner, parties, or any festive gathering. Kids are instantly drawn to the bright layers and sprinkles (like a tractor beam!). Even the so-called Jell-O skeptics can’t resist a bite.
So, is this a salad or a dessert? I’ve seen it served both ways. I personally don’t want it on the same plate as my meat and potatoes, so I serve it on the side on a salad plate and let my guests decide if they want to eat it with their meal or after. However, if you call it a salad, you can enjoy this and dessert! 😉
❤️ Erica
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Jell-O Flavored Mixes: Lime, Lemon, Raspberry, Cherry
- Creamy Middle Layer: Mini marshmallows, pineapple juice, cream cheese.
- Topping: Whipped cream, Christmas sprinkles.
- Additional topping ideas: If you want to try something different, you can also add colored sugar, maraschino cherries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, green grapes, pomegranate seeds, more marshmallows, and/or mint leaves.
How to Make Christmas Jello Salad
- Prepare the Dish: Start with a 9×13 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. I use a glass dish so I can see all the layers.
- Make Green Layer: Combine 2 packets of lime Jell-O with hot water and mix. Pour into the baking dish and refrigerate until completely firm. This takes about 1 hour.
- Make Creamy Layer: Mix 1 packet of lemon Jell-O with hot water, set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, set this aside.
- In a saucepan at medium heat, combine mini marshmallows and pineapple juice. Constantly stir until totally melted, this will take about 5 minutes.
- Combine lemon Jell-O, cream cheese, and marshmallow mixture and mix well. Allow this mixture to completely come to room temperature.
- Pour the lemon yellow mixture on top of your first green layer, making sure that the lemon mixture is COMPLETELY cool. If it is warm at all, it will melt the green layer and the two will combine. Put the baking dish back in the fridge to continue setting.
- Make Red Layer: Combine raspberry and cherry Jell-O and mix with hot water. Mix until everything is dissolved. Wait until the mixture comes to room temperature and then pour the red mixture over your second, center layer.
- Serving: Cut into 2-3 inch squares.
- Add Topping: Whipped cream and sprinkles (optional).
Alternate Middle Layer
Sometimes the middle layer can look a little yellow because of the lemon Jell-O. I still prefer it this way – it’s easy, tastes great, and the slightly yellow tint doesn’t bother me at all. But, if you want a white center layer, here’s how to do it:
- In a small bowl, mix 2 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin with ¼ cup cold water and let it sit for about a minute to soften. Stir in ¾ cup boiling water and continue to stir until the gelatin fully dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup boiling water, then whisk until smooth.
- Combine the two mixtures and let it cool to room temperature before pouring over the green layer of jello. Then continue with the red layer as written in the recipe below.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure each layer is totally cooled before adding the next layer
- Making this in a 9×13 as directed makes thinner layers, but allows for more squares to be cut for serving purposes. If you want the Jell-O salad to be thicker, use a 9×9 or 11×7 baking dish. You will also need more cooling time between layers if you do this.
- Don’t add fruit to the layers unless you are okay with the layers being a little messy. I like the crisp, clean look of the layers. Adding fruit is a tasty alternative but it won’t set the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can easily make a lower sugar version of Christmas Jello Salad by using sugar-free Jell-O. Be sure to let each layer set completely before adding the next layer so the texture stays firm and the lines are clean.
If a layer of the jello salad hasn’t cooled completely before pouring on the next one, the warm gelatin will melt the layer below. Follow the directions carefully for best results.
Definitely. This is a great make ahead salad for holiday dinners. Once made, cover tightly with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. You can make this 1-2 days in advance.
Yes, a ring or bundt mold works beautifully with this recipe. Lightly coat the mold with nonstick spray so the salad will release easily from the mold. Release the Christmas jello salad onto a chilled plate before serving.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. This dish does not freeze well.
More Christmas Salads
Did your family love this Christmas Jello Salad? 💚♥️ Please leave a rating and let us know how you liked it in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you!
Christmas Jello Salad
Ingredients
First Layer:
- 2 (3 ounce) boxes lime Jell-O
- 2 cups hot water
Second Layer:
- 1 (3 ounce) box lemon Jell-O
- 1 ½ cups hot water
- 2 ½ cups mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 8 ounces cream cheese, (softened)
Third Layer:
- 1 (3 ounce box) raspberry Jell-O
- 1 (3 ounce) box cherry Jell-O, (or strawberry)
- 2 cups hot water
Toppings (optional):
- whipped cream
- Christmas colored sprinkles
Instructions
First layer:
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. I like to use a clear baking dish so you can see all the layers through the pan.
- Combine lime Jell-O and 2 cups hot water and mix until dissolved. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and refrigerate until completely firm (about an hour).
Second layer:
- While the first layer is cooling, prepare the second layer. Dissolve lemon Jell-O in 1 ½ cups hot water, mix until dissolved and set aside.
- Next, in a medium size bowl, use an electric mixer and mix softened cream cheese until smooth. Set aside.
- Finally, heat marshmallows and pineapple juice in sauce pan over medium-low heat stirring constantly until melted. Takes about 5 minutes.
- Add marshmallow mixture and lemon Jell-O mixture to cream cheese and whisk together until smooth. Cool to room temperature and then pour over the first layer. This layer cannot be warm at all or you risk melting the first layer when you pour it on.
- Smooth out the second layer if needed and then refrigerate for at least another hour or until completely firm and set.
Third Layer:
- While second layer is cooling, combine raspberry and cherry Jell-O with hot water and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature then slowly and carefully pour over the second layer.Refrigerate another hour until completely firm and set before serving.
Serving and toppings:
- Cut into 2-3" squares and top with whipped cream and Christmas sprinkles before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I used to make this every Christmas for years — I lost the recipe book in a move years ago. So good to find the recipe again.
What are the measurements for each ingredient?
Hi. Bonnie-
Can you tell me what the measurements are for each ingredient?