Rainbow Jello

This rainbow layered jello is a fun treat for a rainbow themed party, Saint Patrick’s Day or for Easter. Made with sour cream, this colorful and jiggly rainbow themed dessert is a favorite with kids and grownups alike.

two squares of rainbow jello on a white plate each topped with a dollop of whipped cream

This dish could be one of those holiday staples that everyone anticipates and everyone remembers. I know some people might think all those Jello flavors might taste weird mixed together but it doesn’t!

They blend really well together and I have to say that I was excited to get sent home with the extra pan of Jello. I certainly ate my fair share. And my kids chose to eat the Jello over leftover pie almost every day for a week!

Rainbow jello is a perfect treat to bring when you need something for a big gathering. It makes a lot! It also works equally well for a brunch, party or dessert.

a bowl of sour cream, boxes of jello, and a tub of cool whip on a white counter

Ingredients

FOR A 9X13 GLASS PAN AND A 7X9 GLASS PAN

  • 6 flavors of Jell-o, 2 small boxes of each flavor for 12 boxes
  • 4 cups sour cream

FOR TWO 9X13 PANS

  • 7 flavors of Jello, 2 small boxes of each flavor for a total of 14 boxes
  • 5 cups sour cream

I recommended these flavors but feel free to use whatever you want, just keep in mind the rainbow colors, ROYGBIV- watermelon, strawberry or cherry, orange, pineapple or lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape.

You’ll also need a tub Cool Whip for topping if you want.

Other jello recipes you may like

How to make this

collage showing the steps to make the first layer
top left: mixing the powdered purple jello with water, top right: adding the sour cream, bottom left: a bowl with whisk with lavender colored jello, bottom right: two pans with a layer of lavender jello in each

Step 1: For 1st layer

  • Empty 1 small box of Jello into a small glass bowl. Add 1 cup boiled water to jello. Stir until well dissolved.
  • Add 2/3 cup sour cream and whisk until well blended.
  • Pour mixture into both glass pans, place in the fridge making sure they are level, and chill until set, about 30-45 minutes.
collage showing the steps to make the second layer
top left: hand holding a box of grape jello above a bowl, top right: a bowl with dark purple liquid in it, bottom left: the same two dishes as above with a dark purple jello layer over the light lavender layer

Step 2: For next layer

  • Repeat with the same flavor, adding 1 cup boiled water and 1/3 cup cold water to jello.
  • Let stand for 10 minutes. Pour onto the chilled 1st layer, tilting the pan if necessary to spread, and refrigerate until set.
collage showing the process of adding additional layers
top left: a casserole dish with a light blue layer, top right: the same dish with a green layer added, bottom left: an orange layer on top in two casserole dishes, bottom right: pouring the red sour cream layer on

Repeat layers

Continue repeating layers following steps 1 and 2, alternating one with sour cream then one without until each flavor is used.

To serve

  • Once the jello is completely set, slice into 1-inch squares using a paring knife and serve.  Using a small spatula will help you get the jello cubes out of the pan.
  • If desired top with Cool Whip.
2 squares of jello on a plate

Top Tips

Is this hard to make?

The process is very easy but it is time consuming. The key thing to have these turn out well is to leave enough time for each layer to completely set up before adding the next one. Trying to rush the process will get you into lots of trouble.

The other key to getting nice even layers is to make sure that the dish is placed level in the refrigerator while it sets. If it’s not level you’ll get wonky layers that won’t look nice when cut into.

Can I freeze this?

NEVER freeze jello! It can be tempting to make this ahead and try to freeze it but when you freeze jello the chemical structure breaks down and the whole thing will begin to melt.

This is best made no more than a day ahead as I have found the jello starts to weep liquid after that.

Other color ideas

You can play around with the colors to adjust this for any holiday or event. Here are some ideas to help spark your imagination:

  • Red, white and blue for July 4th
  • Pink, red, and purple for Valentine’s Day
  • Red and green for Christmas
  • Blue and white for Hannukah
  • Green, orange, and purple for Halloween
  • Orange and yellow for Thanksgiving

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Recipe

a pile of square rainbow jello slices on a plate

Rainbow Jello

A kid pleaser, this rainbow jello is a classic dessert recipe for Saint Patrick's Day, Easter, or for a rainbow themed party. Made with alternating layers of plain and sour cream layers, the result is a beautiful layered jello for a crowd.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Chill time: 6 hours
Total Time: 7 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 48 servings
Calories: 266kcal
Author: Jade Jones

Equipment

Ingredients

FOR A 9X13 GLASS PAN AND A 7X9 GLASS PAN

  • 12 3- ounce boxes Jell-o 2 boxes of 6 flavors for 12 boxes total
  • 4 cups sour cream

FOR TWO 9X13 PANS

  • 14 3- ounce boxes Jell-o 2 boxes of 7 flavors for 14 boxes total
  • 5 cups sour cream
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip optional, for topping

Instructions

Step 1: For 1st layer

  • Empty 1 small box of Jello into a small glass bowl. Add 1 cup boiled water to jello. Stir until well dissolved.
  • Add 2/3 cup sour cream and whisk until well blended.
  • Pour mixture into both glass pans, place in the fridge making sure they are level, and chill until set, about 30-45 minutes.

Step 2: For next layer

  • Repeat with the same flavor, adding 1 cup boiled water and 1/3 cup cold water to jello.
  • Let stand for 10 minutes. Pour onto the chilled 1st layer, tilting the pan if necessary to spread, and refrigerate until set.

Repeat layers

  • Continue repeating layers following steps 1 and 2, alternating one with sour cream then one without until each flavor is used.

To serve

  • Once the jello is completely set, slice into 1-inch squares using a paring knife and serve. Using a small spatula will help you get the jello cubes out of the pan. If desired top with Cool Whip.

Notes

Keep in mind the rainbow colors, ROYGBIV! Recommended flavors to use: watermelon, strawberry or cherry, orange, pineapple or lemon, lime, berry blue, and grape
The key thing to have these turn out well is to leave enough time for each layer to completely set up before adding the next one. Trying to rush the process will get you into lots of trouble.
The other key to getting nice even layers is to make sure that the dish is placed level in the refrigerator while it sets. If it’s not level you’ll get wonky layers that won’t look nice when cut into.
Can I freeze this?
NEVER freeze jello! It can be tempting to make this ahead and try to freeze it but when you freeze jello the chemical structure breaks down and the whole thing will begin to melt.
This is best made no more than a day ahead as I have found the jello starts to weep liquid after that.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 277IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
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7 Comments

  1. This is delicious my son in law makes and everyone loves it, thanks for sharing I am pinning so I can make it next time.

  2. This rainbow jello is so pretty, it just makes me happy! Thanks so much for sharing at Bloggers Brags Weekly Pinterest Party. I am pinning this to the Bloggers Brags Board.

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