This jello cookie recipe is so fun and colorful! The kids will love making these easy jello cookies with only a few simple ingredients.
My kids and I love to bake all types of desserts together! Other favorites include Rolo pretzels, funfetti cake mix cookies and homemade cosmic brownies.
Table of Contents
Easy and Colorful Jello Cookies
These jello cookies are perfect for baking with kids because they’re easy, colorful and double as playdough! Talk about a win-win for cookies :)
Although my famous homemade playdough recipe is still our go-to, the texture of this cookie dough is super soft and squishy. Wash the kid’s hands (and counter of course) and then let the kids imaginations go wild! My kids have so much fun smashing the dough and building BIG towers with all the colors.
Then once they’re done playing, simply roll it into balls, dip them in jello sugar and bake! They taste soft like a sugar cookie, but with a more tart and sweet flavor like my raspberry cookie recipe.
These cookies are also a fun recipe to make during the holidays with the kids. We love to make red and blue versions for 4th of July or red and green jello cookies for Christmas. They are also great for Cinco de Mayo. Simple, festive and delicious!
Favorite Jello Mix Flavors
Below are some of the jello mix flavors that you can use to make these cookies. Feel free to switch it up depending on the time of year or the holiday!
- Red: Strawberry, cherry, watermelon, raspberry, tropical fusion or cranberry
- Orange: Orange, apricot, mango or peach
- Blue: Berry blue
- Green: Lime
- Others: Grape (purple) and lemon or island pineapple (yellow)
How to Make Jello Cookies
Scroll down for the printable recipe.
- Preheat oven and cream butter and sugar together. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Then blend in egg and vanilla.
- Mix dry ingredients with wet mixture. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tarter in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Divide into sections. Divide the dough into four sections. Sprinkle two tablespoons of jello mix into each section and then knead until combined. Add food coloring for a more vibrant color.
- Roll into balls. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet about two inches apart. Flatten the dough with the bottom of a cup to allow the cookies to cook evenly.
- Bake and let cool. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
TIP: For a sweeter cookie, roll your cookie dough balls into the extra jello mix powder or sugar prior to baking.
Baking Tips
Don’t these jello cookies just scream SUMMER?! I love all the bright colors! It was fun to taste all the different flavors too. The kids loved them!
- To enhance the colors, use a couple drops of food coloring in each section.
- You can use sugar-free jello mix if preferred.
- For a sweeter cookie, roll the cookie dough balls into the extra jello powder or sugar prior to baking.
- Use the bottom of a cup or bowl to flatten the cookie dough balls so that they bake evenly.
- You could use a cookie press if preferred. Or even roll the dough out and use cookie cutters.
- Freeze the dough and bake them later! Simply roll the dough into balls and place in a zip top bag in the freezer. Before baking, let them thaw out on a baking sheet.
These festive cookies are so fun to make during the holiday baking season! These Oreo Christmas cookies are another favorite.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
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Jello Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
- 12 ounces jello mix (4 packages)
- food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tarter. Gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Divide the dough into four sections. Sprinkle two tablespoons of jello mix into each section and then knead the dough until combined. You can add a few drops of food coloring in, if you’d like the color to be more vibrant.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, you may roll the balls into the extra jello powder or sugar for a sweeter cookie. Then place dough onto the baking sheet about two inches apart. Flatten the dough with the bottom of a cup or bowl to allow the cookies to cook evenly.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Cookies, Desserts, Holiday Cookies, Kid-Friendly
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Does it HAVE to be unsalted butter?
Salted should work fine too! :)
These cookies were so much fun to make and the kids went nuts for them!
I love the gorgeous colors on these cookies! I’m saving this for the next time my grandchildren come for a visit!
I want to make these for a baby shower. Is 12 oz of jello per recipe correct. And what flavor jello would you use to make blue cookies
Yes 12 oz is correct. I would use the Berry Blue flavor!
Do they taste any different if you add food coloring?
No they don’t! Adding food coloring will help the colors be more vibrant!
Oh my! These jello cookies were delicious – and so easy to make! Will have to try this for my family. Thanks so much!
How do you mix the jello.
Hi Josie! You will knead the jello powder into the dough until combined. :)
I just made these last night for a small get together and they actually turned out to be very tart instead of sweet. It’s not bad, just unexpected. Is that how they normally are?
Yes, they are more tart than sweet! My kids love them, but I prefer sweeter cookies! :)
Does it matter which jello flavor you use? I ask because I see food coloring is an option. So just would like to double check that the flavor is prominent or if it was just a color/texture technique.
Thanks!
You can use any flavor of jello that you would like! :)
I have been making “Jello Cookies” or “Crisp Pastel Cookies” since I was in Junior High School…almost 40 years. In fact, I’m looking at the recipe card written in my teen-age cursive as I type this. :) I got the recipe from a neighbor for whom I used to babysit. The only difference is that our recipe just uses one flavor for the whole batch of cookies, and cherry is our family favorite.
LOVE these adorable cookies and your photos – gorgeous!
Thank you Susie! :)
May sound dumb, but what kind of jello did you use? It has to be clear in order to change the color right?
I just used the normal Jello brand! :)
My four siblings and I made these every Christmas in the 60’s. As adults, we’ve been searching for the recipe for years. Thanks!!!
I remember making this as a kid too! Such fun memories. :)
be perfect for Easter time. Make the cookies egg shaped,
So excited to try these with my residents!! I’m the activity director and this looks so fun, easy, and the color stimulation is going to be a hit :)
This is a really fun activity, they will love it! :)
Perfect colors for a Mexican themed party, will look great with flowers and decorations!
Great idea! I love fiesta food! :)
Perfect colors for a Mexican themed lunch – love love love!
These are gorgeous and they look delicious too. I know my kids would have so much fun making them!