This Jello Frosting is an old-fashioned recipe and still one of the easiest ways to make colorful, fluffy frosting. A box of Jello, sugar, an egg white, vanilla, and boiling water whip up in about 5 minutes, enough to frost 24 cupcakes. The Jello gives you the color and flavor in one step, so there’s no food coloring to buy, and the whole batch costs about $1.77.
My kids love choosing different Jello flavors to see how the color and flavor turn out, especially when we’re making cupcakes for birthdays or school celebrations. It’s a fun way to let them help in the kitchen and make each batch a little different.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Any Flavor, Any Color – Strawberry, lime, orange, berry blue — the Jello sets the color and flavor, so no food coloring needed.
- Light and Fluffy – It whips up like a meringue, so it’s sweet without being heavy.
- About $1.77 a Batch – No butter or powdered sugar, and cheaper than buying a few tubs of colored frosting.
- Ready in 10 Minutes – Mix, add boiling water, and whip.
After many years of baking and making desserts for my family, I’ve learned that simple frosting recipes can be just as useful as elaborate ones. This recipe is a handy option when I want to add a pop of color and fruity flavor without buying several different tubs of store-bought frosting.
We also love to make Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting and Whipped Vanilla Frosting.
Ingredients
- Jello – One 3-oz box, any flavor. The flavor sets the color, too. Use regular Jello. Sugar-free whips up, but it’s foamier and less stable.
- Granulated Sugar – Helps the frosting whip up thick and glossy.
- Egg White – Just the white. It’s what makes the frosting light and fluffy, like a meringue. Serving little kids or anyone avoiding raw eggs? See the FAQ for using pasteurized egg whites.
- Vanilla Extract – Rounds out the fruity Jello flavor.
- Boiling Water – It must be boiling so it dissolves the sugar and Jello completely. Otherwise, the frosting can feel gritty.
Get the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.
How To Make Jello Frosting
Step 1. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, add the Jello powder, sugar, egg white, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined. We used cherry Jello, but any flavor works.
Step 2. Turn the mixer to high and carefully pour in ½ cup boiling water. Beat for about 5 minutes, until the frosting turns light, fluffy, and holds stiff peaks when you lift the whisk. Use it right away. If it’s still soft after 5 minutes, keep beating on high and check every minute. A hand mixer can take a few minutes longer.
Expert Tips
- Use the Right Mixer Attachment: A whisk attachment helps incorporate air quickly, giving the frosting its light, fluffy texture.
- Use a clean glass or metal bowl. Any grease left in the bowl, or a plastic bowl, can keep the egg white from whipping.
- Watch the weather. On humid days, this frosting can soften and deflate faster. Keep frosted cupcakes in the fridge until party time.
Storage
Best fresh: Jello frosting is fluffiest the day you make it, so frost your cupcakes or cake shortly before serving.
Refrigerator: Keep frosted desserts and leftover frosting covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Re-whip leftover frosting before using.
Freezer: Not recommended. It turns watery when thawed.
How To Use Jello Frosting
- Cupcakes. This frosting will make enough to frost approximately 24 cupcakes.
- Cake. You can frost a 9X13 cake recipe with this frosting.
- Poke Cake. This frosting is light and not too heavy making it perfect to use on Strawberry Poke Cake.
Jello Frosting Flavor Pairing Guide
- Cherry or strawberry on chocolate cupcakes — pink and perfect for Valentine’s Day
- Lime on white or lemon cake — great for St. Patrick’s Day
- Orange on vanilla cake — a creamsicle-style treat for Halloween
- Berry blue on white cupcakes — fun for the 4th of July or a birthday party
- Lemon on chocolate or blueberry cake — bright and fresh for spring
FAQ
Yes. For an egg-free version, whisk a 3-oz box of Jello powder into an 8-oz tub of thawed Cool Whip. It’s softer and creamier but still full of color and flavor.
The water may not have been boiling, or it wasn’t beaten long enough. Keep beating on high until it holds stiff peaks. A greasy or plastic bowl can also keep egg whites from whipping, so use glass or metal.
Yes, people call it both. It’s the same light and fluffy frosting made with Jello powder.
The boiling water warms the egg white, but you can’t count on it to make it fully safe. If you’re serving young kids, pregnant guests, or anyone who avoids raw eggs, use pasteurized egg whites from a carton (about 2 tablespoons = 1 egg white).
More Homemade Frosting Recipes
Make this Jello Frosting for birthdays, holidays, or any party that needs a pop of color. Leave a comment and tell us your favorite flavor!
Jello Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Jello 3 ounce package-any flavor
- 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg White
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Boiling Water
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Place the Jello mixture, sugar, egg white and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl on a stand up mixer. Mix until well combined.
- Boil water and add ½ cup of boiling water to the mixture. Mix on high speed and beat with a stand up mixer or hand held mixer with a whisk attachment for 5 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
- Then the frosting is ready to serve and enjoy!
Fantastic I can’t wait to experiment with this more!