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If you found a stack of old Ladies’ Home Journal magazines in your grandmother’s (or great grandmother’s!) attic, you wouldn’t have to page through too many issues before coming across a recipe for a fabulously cool and colorful Jell-O dessert. And what isn’t to love? These no-bake Jell-O desserts tick all the boxes: they’re easy to make, budget friendly, and full of retro charm. Peruse these 15 recipes, buy your favorite box of Jell-O, and steal the show at any event—from a family reunion to a backyard barbecue with friends.
Heavenly Raspberry Dessert
Jell-O is blended with chunks of angel food cake, raspberries, and whipped cream, then set in a Bundt pan or mold of your choice. The result is truly heavenly! “My mother made this for us, when I was young, in the 50’s and 60’s. This is like my childhood, only better,” says reviewer Lorraine.
Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake
Little known fact: Jell-O actually invented the poke cake to revive sagging sales. Nowadays you’re just as likely to find poke cake recipes with Jell-O as you are without, but here’s the real deal… a gorgeous lemony cake with strawberry Jell-O in every bite!
Sparkling Orange Cream Pie
If you grew up loving Creamsicles or couldn’t leave the mall without stopping at Orange Julius, this Jell-O pie is for you. A perfect combination of creaminess and citrusy goodness, this is a pie for orange lovers. Mandarin oranges, orange Jell-O, and even orange soda all go into the layers that set atop a graham cracker crust.
Mother’s Whipped Lime Dessert
According to recipe submitter Cookn Gma, whose mother made this dessert during Would War II when sugar was rationed, this light-as-air Jell-O dessert is especially good after a heavy meal. The recipe is bringing back memories for many in the Allrecipes community, like home cook JUMBUX: “I have been looking for this recipe for years I just couldn’t quite remember it. My Mum made it for us as kids and it is light, fluffy, very inexpensive and yummy.”
Fish Egg Salad
When tapioca pearls combine with Jell-O in a decorative mold, you know you’re in for the ultimate retro treat! Use raspberry Jell-O as suggested, or go for almost any flavor you’d like. While the end result neither contains fish eggs nor looks like a salad, one thing is for certain: it’s intriguingly delicious!
Trifle
This is the classic English trifle that features layers of sponge cake, Jell-O, fruit, and whipped cream. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the flavors of Jell-O and types of fruit you use, so have fun and use whatever you fancy!
Fluffy Strawberry Pie
A perfectly pink strawberry pie featuring loads of fresh strawberries, Cool Whip, and—of course—Jell-O. “Made this after we picked strawberries with the kids. I had too many strawberries and was looking for some fast and easy no bake recipes. This was perfect. It was so refreshing and yummy,” says reviewer jahudka77.
Stained Glass Gelatin Cake
This gorgeous recipe for stained glass Jell-O cake uses five different flavors of Jell-O along with plain powdered gelatin in a vanilla-flavored base of condensed milk and heavy cream. The result is as pretty to look at as it is delicious to eat!
Broken Window Glass
Another Jell-O dessert with a stained glass effect, this one calls for the addition of pineapple juice for a tropical undertone and Cool Whip for creaminess. Recipe creator Joan R suggests pouring this over a graham cracker crust instead of straight into a mold for variety. Once set, you can top with more Cool Whip or whipped cream for an eye-catching finish!
Freda’s Cherry Supreme Salad
Freda’s famous cherry supreme has garnered dozens of glowing reviews and is sure to be the hit of any family gathering. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Jell-O are the secret ingredients to this salad that eats like a dessert; try whizzing it all up in a blender to make prep extra easy.
Seven Layer Gelatin Salad
Perhaps the ultimate Jell-O treat when it comes to retro vibes, this recipe results in a beautifully layered dessert featuring every color of the rainbow, and then some!
Orange Party Cake
Recipe submitter Janice’s grandmother made this at every family gathering for 25 years. The orange Jell-O is added right to the cake batter for a delicious citrus twist. Try adding mandarin orange segments in between the cake layers for even more retro flair. All the five-star reviewers rave not only about the cake, but how easy it is to make.
Strawberry Fluff
IYKYK… fluff isn’t a salad bar or deli counter staple across the entire country, but if you grew up where it is, then you know the beauty of this Jell-O cloud of a dessert. Cottage cheese is the ingredient that you might not expect, but that adds that creaminess and texture that fluff should never be without. While this recipe calls for a strawberry flavor profile, once you’re a fluff convert you’ll surely want to experiment with different combos of Jell-O flavors and fruit.
Raspberry Icebox Cake
A beautiful no-bake cake with a graham cracker crust topped with layers of raspberries and Jell-O, marshmallows, and whipped cream. This is welcome any time of year, but especially perfect for summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven.
Pineapple Cheese Pie
Pineapple Jell-O helps set this tropical-tasting pie that is reminiscent of a light no-bake cheesecake. “I made this for a dinner party and the hostess asked for the recipe! It was a hit! Very fluffy and perfect for summer. Not overpoweringly sweet but decievingly rich so cut small slices,” says a five-star review from home cook LORIGARBER.
Judy’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Sarah Waltrip
This crowd-pleaser boasts a sweet-salty pretzel crust layered with fluffy cheesecake and fruit-laden strawberry Jell-O. “This is my go to recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s day and July 4th!” says Cheekyfig74. “I just love this recipe!”
Cranberry Salad II
Allrecipes/Julia Hartbeck
This potluck-ready delight is loaded with tart-sweet oranges and cranberries and gains crunch from two surprising ingredients: celery and walnuts. “I loved the flavors and sweetness of this,” says LivelyCow1858. “I also enjoyed the crunch from the nuts and celery. There is an enzyme in pineapple which stops gelatin from setting, so if you want a ‘set’ salad then you may have to remove the pineapple.”
Sea Foam Salad
You only need five ingredients to whip up this light dessert: canned pear halves, lime Jell-O, cream cheese, milk, and frozen whipped topping. “My family loves this and I am usually asked to bring it to almost every family function,” says Jackie Stockton. “I’ve been making this for over 30 years and it is delicious and refreshing.”
More Inspiration
DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS
Whether you love Jell-O or can’t get enough retro inspo in the kitchen, we have loads more to explore:
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