The first time I made Christmas Jello Balls, my entire kitchen smelled like childhood holidays—sweet, fruity, and just a little bit coconutty. I remember stirring the warm mixture on the stove and feeling this wave of nostalgia as the red and green colors came together so festively. When I rolled the first batch and saw the coconut cling to the sticky jello mixture like freshly fallen snow, I instantly knew this recipe would become a yearly tradition. They’re chewy, bright, and deliciously simple to make—everything I love about easy holiday treats.
Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry Jell-O (3 oz)
- 1 box lime Jell-O (3 oz)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
- 2 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut, plus extra for rolling
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup powdered sugar (optional, for extra sweetness)
After making these several times, I’ve learned you can swap the strawberry and lime for whatever flavors match your color theme—cherry and green apple also work beautifully. Sweetened condensed milk is the key ingredient that binds everything together, so don’t try replacing it with evaporated milk—it won’t work. The coconut type matters, too; unsweetened coconut doesn’t cling as well and changes the texture, so stick to sweetened shredded coconut for best results. The optional powdered sugar adds extra sweetness if you want a more candy-like bite, but I usually leave it out since the Jell-O is already very flavorful.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Small saucepan
- Silicone spatula
- Measuring cups
- Spoon or small cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Every time I make these, I appreciate how little equipment the recipe requires. A silicone spatula works best because the mixture gets sticky as the Jell-O cools, and a metal spoon doesn’t scrape the bowl as cleanly. If you have a small cookie scoop, it helps keep all the balls the exact same size, but even a regular spoon works perfectly fine. I also highly recommend lining your baking sheet with parchment paper—trust me, it keeps the finished balls from sticking and makes clean-up embarrassingly easy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The first thing I do when making these Christmas Jello Balls is prepare two mixing bowls—one for the strawberry mixture and one for the lime. I like doing them simultaneously because it makes the process feel smoother and faster. I pour each Jell-O packet into its own bowl and then add the hot water, stirring with my spatula until absolutely every grain dissolves. That’s really important; if any granules stay undissolved, they create hard, sandy bits later, which nobody wants in a soft candy ball.
Once the jello is fully dissolved, I add half the can of sweetened condensed milk to each bowl. The mixture thickens quickly into this gorgeous glossy paste that looks like frosting. At this point, the smell is incredible—it’s fruity and sweet and instantly reminds me of holiday punch. As the mixture cools slightly, I fold in the shredded coconut, mixing until everything is well combined and evenly coated. The mixture becomes thick, sticky, and almost dough-like.(See the next page below to continue…)