15 Ingredients You Should Actually Add To Jell-O

You may think of Jell-O as a food of the past, a bygone era when appearances mattered more than flavor. But Jell-O hasn't gone anywhere, as evidenced by a proliferation of fancy Jell-O shots popping up on recipe blogs, in bars, and at specialty stores. So, you may want to channel that old-school vibe and try making some Jell-O for yourself. Sure, you can always stick to the easy, conventional flavors, but if you really want to take your Jell-O up a notch, you should consider adding other ingredients to the mix. Some are simpler and more understated, while others may shock and confuse the more avant-garde-hesitant crew. But by upgrading your Jell-O with some expected and not-so-expected ingredients, you can elevate it to the status it deserves as a jiggly dessert.

Use these ideas as inspiration for your next Jell-O mold. Whether you use these ingredients specifically or just let them give you ideas for other add-ins you'd like to include, your Jell-O will never be the same after this.

You can make Jell-O out of basically any liquid, so why not utilize one of the best liquids of them all: Champagne? The bubbly, golden wine makes for a slightly more sophisticated take on the traditional Jell-O shot, which tends to be artificially hued and quite a bit boozier than plain old Champagne. Champagne Jell-O is a favorite on New Year's Eve, of course, where it functions as an edible beverage, but you can really use it for any celebration. Prepare it in shot glasses, or cut it into pretty squares for a fancier look.

Of course, you may want to make your Jell-O shot boozier than Champagne allows. In that case, you can feel free to add some sort of stronger form of alcohol, like vodka. Other add-ins that work well with Champagne Jell-O include edible gold glitter or gold leaf, if you really want to make it shine. But if you ask us, even plain Champagne Jell-O is bound to be a success at any party you throw or attend.

As much as we love a good party, Jell-O isn't only designed for celebrations. If you want to enjoy it in a completely different format, you may want to try making coffee Jell-O. Yes, it's possible to make your morning coffee into a soft, jiggly treat, and there may be no better snack to wake up to. You'll want to use regular, unflavored gelatin instead of the sweetened, flavored stuff. Mix that up with the coffee of your choice, and you'll be able to experience your morning cup of joe in a whole new format.

Tend to enjoy your coffee with milk? You can add some milk or cream to your recipe if you prefer your coffee on the milder side or just use black coffee for a stronger punch of caffeine. You can also add sugar or non-sugar sweetener to your coffee Jell-O for a less bitter flavor. Once you try your coffee in Jell-O form, you may never want to go back to the plain liquid stuff again.

Look up a fruity Jell-O salad or Jell-O fluff recipe, and you may find an often unexpected ingredient: Cool Whip. Have you ever seen those wiggling Jell-O molds that look less translucent than you may expect from Jell-O? Well, that's probably thanks to Cool Whip. We like adding this ingredient to our Jell-O recipes for a few different reasons. First of all, it makes the dessert richer and more full-bodied. Instead of getting a mouthful of glorified, jiggly juice, you'll get a fruity, creamy snack worthy of a dessert table stacked with cookies, brownies, and cake.

Secondly, Cool Whip provides additional sweetness to your Jell-O recipe. Chances are, your Jell-O already has some sweetness all on its own, but the Cool Whip amps up that sugar content to make the finished product taste more like a dessert. Finally, adding in Cool Whip simply makes the dessert more visually appealing, especially when Cool Whip-infused Jell-O is layered with plain Jell-O. If you're looking for an easy way to switch up your Jell-O recipe, adding Cool Whip may just be your best bet.

On its own, Jell-O doesn't have much to offer in the way of texture. It's jiggy, sure, but that's all it's got going for it. If you're looking for a more texturally interesting experience, you should consider adding fruit to your Jell-O recipe. Of course, you can always use chunks of the fresh stuff, but we don't think that yields the most delicious possible dessert most of the time. Rather, you may be better off using canned fruit. And one of our absolute favorite types of canned fruit to add to Jell-O is crushed pineapple.

This is an ingredient that works first and foremost because of its texture. You're not going to be getting huge chunks of pineapple in a bite. Rather, those smaller, finer pieces of fruit mean that you get a more evenly distributed pineapple flavor throughout. But it plays an important role on the flavor front as well, giving your dessert both a tropical sweetness and pineapple's signature tartness. Crushed pineapple is especially flavorful with green Jell-O, if you ask us, but feel free to use it with whatever other flavors you have on hand.

Crushed pineapple isn't the only type of canned fruit you can use in your Jell-O recipe, though. Mandarin oranges also make for a flavorful addition to the dessert. You may be wondering why you shouldn't just use fresh mandarin in your Jell-O recipe. Well, fresh fruits contain enzymes that break down the protein structure that gives Jell-O its signature texture, which means that they aren't ideal additions for a Jell-O mold. But by using canned mandarin oranges instead, you won't have this problem, and you'll still be able to achieve that sweet, citrusy flavor you're going for.

You can always leave the mandarin oranges in larger pieces if you're looking for a chunkier Jell-O situation. However, if you want to spread that flavor and texture out a bit more evenly, you can chop the mandarin orange pieces before adding them to your Jell-O recipe. Whatever kind of texture you're going for, though, you're definitely in for a treat when you spike your Jell-O with syrupy, sweet mandarins.

When you think of Jell-O, you may think about a dessert that's primarily fruity. But at its core, Jell-O really is all about the texture, and if you get creative enough, you can turn any flavor you've ever dreamed of into the jiggling dessert. For those who don't tend to be big fans of fruity flavors, caramel-flavored Jell-O can make for a welcome alternative to the standard flavors you may be used to. Just grab some caramel-flavored Jell-O at the store and prepare it like you normally would.

But let's face it: For most people, caramel is just too sweet. It needs to be balanced out by different flavors, which is exactly why you may want to add salted caramel to the mix. If you want to keep things as simple as possible, make some homemade salted caramel sauce and drizzle it over your finished and cooled caramel Jell-O. Alternatively, you can also use a store-bought caramel sauce. Either way, you're in for a rich dessert that feels significantly more elevated than your standard plastic cup of fruity Jell-O.

Sometimes, Jell-O is appealing specifically because of its soft texture. If you've just gotten your wisdom teeth removed, for example, Jell-O's lack of chewable pieces is exactly what gives it its appeal. However, if you haven't recently undergone oral surgery, you may be looking for a dessert that has a bit more to offer on the texture front. And if you like some crunch in your dessert, there's perhaps no better ingredient to add than nuts.

Honestly, you can add about any type of nut to your Jell-O, but we're particularly fond of pistachios. Compared to other nuts, pistachios are relatively soft, which means they won't be jarringly crunchy in an otherwise soft food. Additionally, their mild, nutty flavor works well with a variety of Jell-O flavors, whether you're opting for more of a fruity flavor profile or something a bit richer. For a more evenly distributed crunch, make sure you chop the pistachios finely before adding them to the Jell-O mixture.

Who said that veggies were only for salads? For the uninitiated, the idea of adding grated carrots to Jell-O may sound, frankly, disgusting. And admittedly, the combo may not be for everyone — particularly if you're not a big fan of carrots on their own. But hear us out: It's a combination that actually makes a lot of sense. After all, carrots have a subtle sweetness to them that can add flavor to your Jell-O without making it overwhelmingly sweet, which can happen with some fruits. Additionally, grated carrots provide a lovely textural contrast with the soft, jiggliness of Jell-O. They have a slight, fresh crunch to them that'll make every bite that much more complex.

Although you can buy grated carrots at the store if you're pinched for time, we suggest grating your own carrots for the freshest flavor and texture. The smaller you can make those pieces, the more they'll mix uniformly into your Jell-O mold. Many carrot Jell-O recipes also call for the inclusion of crushed pineapple, so you can also add that if you're looking for even more flavor in your Jell-O mold.

If you're the kind of person who always needs some sort of crunchy element with their meal, then pretzels are probably high on your list of favorite snacks. You may be surprised to learn, though, that pretzels are a somewhat common ingredient in some Jell-O salad recipes. While, yes, you could technically add them to Jell-O itself, that's probably not where they're going to work best. After all, even the crunchiest of pretzels are liable to get too soft and soggy when you simply mix them in with the hot Jell-O liquid.

Rather, if you want to add pretzels to your Jell-O recipe, you should make them into a homemade crust by crushing them up and adding them to the top of your Jell-O mold. Once you flip it over and take the dessert out of the mold, you'll be left with a crispy, crunchy crust that gives your Jell-O a salty and texturally interesting addition to an otherwise basic bowl of Jell-O. This may just be the most delicious way to elevate standard Jell-O into a party-worthy dessert.

Cherry Coke lovers, we have a must-add Jell-O addition for you: It's Coke, and yes, it makes one of our all-time favorite Jell-O salads. For this recipe, you're going to need a few different ingredients, including cherry Jell-O and cherry pie filling. The most important ingredient, though, is the Coke itself. It adds a sweet, caramel-y flavor and surprising complexity to an otherwise overly fruity dessert. Its richness plays well with the tartness of the cherry pie filling, although an element of sweetness is what brings all the different ingredients together in one, delicious package.

Could you add Coca-Cola to other types of Jell-O? Sure, feel free to experiment. However, the beverage's somewhat rich flavor doesn't necessarily play well with other Jell-O flavors. We'd probably stay away from lemon and lime varieties, for example. Our advice? Start by mixing Coke with cherry- or raspberry-flavored Jell-O, and start experimenting from there.

Another common addition to a carrot-spiked Jell-O salad is raisins, which provide an extra boost of mild sweetness. Raisins themselves aren't the most flavorful ingredient you could add to your Jell-O, so we think they work best when they're paired with other ingredients, like grated carrots. Of course, if you just want a touch of extra sweetness in your Jell-O recipe, feel free to use them on their own — they can make a delicious addition to your Jell-O all by themselves. You can also utilize them in conjunction with other dried fruits, like dried apricots or cranberries.

Elevating the flavor of your Jell-O is one good reason to use raisins in your recipe, but they also make for a more interesting texture. Sticky and chewy, they provide an interesting counterpoint to Jell-O's soft, jiggly texture. When those two textures come together, you get a dessert that's a departure from the norm.

Fresh fruit may not be the very best option for your Jell-O, but if you're willing to try it, you may want to stir some chopped apples into your Jell-O recipe. This is a good option if you're looking for something a bit fresher and crunchier than the other ideas on this list. Because apples are so crisp, they tend to maintain that crispness well, even when they've been stirred into Jell-O. Just one tip, though: You'll want to make sure that you stir your Jell-O concoction very well so the apples are evenly distributed throughout — otherwise, they'll just sit at the top of the mold, and you'll get pieces of Jell-O without any apples at all.

You can use bigger chunks of apple if you really want your Jell-O to be fruity, but we recommend chopping them into smaller pieces for the most coherent Jell-O situation possible. Who knows? It may just get your kids to eat more fruit.

Want to include nuts in your Jell-O recipe but don't happen to be a big fan of pistachios? No worries. We also happen to think that walnuts can make an ideal addition to Jell-O. If you want to make a Jell-O dish that's perfect for the holidays, start with the red Jell-O of your choice (we prefer cherry), and chop your walnuts up finely before adding them to the mix. You can use them all alone if you're just looking for a bit of crunch and the added complexity that nuts offer a dish, but walnuts work especially well when they're accompanied by other ingredients, like canned cherries or dried fruit.

Why walnuts instead of other types of nuts? You can really use any kind of nut you want, but since walnuts tend to be a bit softer than their counterparts, we think they work especially well in Jell-O recipes.

To some, the idea of celery in Jell-O may sound absolutely disgusting. But it's not an unheard-of idea. In fact, there was a time when the brand actually made celery-flavored Jell-O — a flavor that has, unfortunately for us, been discontinued. Alas, you may not be able to indulge in a bowl of celery-flavored Jell-O these days, but there's nothing stopping you from adding celery to other flavors of Jell-O. Before you wrinkle your nose in disgust, just think about it. Celery doesn't have a strong flavor — it's mildly vegetal at best. Rather, it's an ingredient that's more about texture than anything else, and if you're looking for a slight crunch in your Jell-O recipe, adding in some celery is an easy way to achieve that.

Plus, celery is a common addition in many veggie-forward Jell-O salad recipes. If you do choose to make a Jell-O salad with vegetables, you may want to consider stirring in some cabbage and carrots into the mix in addition to that celery. Salad has never been so wiggly.

You might tend to think of Jell-O as a sweet dish, but that's not always the case. When you want to experience that signature texture in savory form, you have to turn to savory ingredients to add to your Jell-O. Veggies are one option, as are animal-based protein options like ham and tuna. And if you're going for that flavor route, then why not add some mayonnaise to the mix as well?

Like Cool Whip, mayonnaise can give your Jell-O more body and creaminess, which makes it feel more substantial than its natural form as essentially just jiggly juice. However, unlike Cool Whip, mayonnaise doesn't add any sugar to the recipe, which is perfect when you want more of a savory flavor profile. Use full-fat mayonnaise for the richest flavor and texture, or lighten things up a bit with light mayo if you want to pull back on that creaminess.