Snowman Jell-O shots: The winter piña colada treat you never knew you needed

Sure, we usually associate Jell-O shots with a summertime pool party — especially when they’re piña colada flavored. But when you shape your shots into adorable little Jell-O snowmen, suddenly it becomes completely acceptable to slurp your piña colada shot when temperatures are below freezing.

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Skewer up some simple snowman Jell-O shots and serve a Christmas cocktail that no one will be forgetting any time soon — even if they can’t remember the whole night.

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Snowman Jell-O shot pops recipe

Yields 12

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce (4 small envelopes) Knox unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup rum
• 3 cups piña colada mix
• 12 drink stir sticks (for skewering snowmen)
• 24 Tootsie Roll Midgees (for snowman hats) 
• Food coloring markers or decorator candies (optional)
• 3 small round cookie cutters or plastic tubes (2-inch, 1-1/4-inch and 1-inch) 

Tip: If you can’t find cookie cutters small enough, cut apart some plastic candy cane tubes. It works perfectly!

Directions:

Step 1: Make the Jell-O

Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup of cold rum in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Heat 3 cups of piña colada mix in a saucepan until boiling. Add hot piña colada mix to gelatin and rum mixture. Stir for 5 minutes until gelatin completely dissolves. Spray a 9 x 12-inch pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Pour gelatin mixture into pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Step 2: Make snowman hats

Soften Tootsie Rolls for 5-8 seconds in a microwave (two Midgees at a time.) Roll one into a small circle and roll the other into the shape of a top hat. Press them together and poke a drink stir stick into the bottom.

Step 3: Cut snowman Jell-O circles

Using your cookie cutters or plastic tubes, cut the snowman circles from the firm, refrigerated gelatin — 12 of each size.

Step 4: Skewer your snowmen

Starting with the smallest circles, skewer them onto the drink stir sticks with the hats. Add the next two sizes to each stick.

Step 5: Decorate your snowmen

Add eyes, noses and buttons with food coloring markers or tiny decorator candies.

Step 6: Display your snowmen

Add your snowmen Jell-O shots to a cute platter and set out at your holiday party.

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Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Originally published December 2015. Updated December 2016.