Cranberry Jell-O® Layered Berry Dessert

The 70s are back and so is Jell-O®! I remember my mother making Jell-O molds all the time. Typically, it was in a rubber mold and she used fruit cocktail because why not add more sweetness?! It was a staple dessert in our house throughout my teenage years. In fact, if you want to take a trip down memory lane, you can visit the Jell-O museum, located in Le Roy, New York, only 75 miles from where we are located.

Today, the Jell-O flavors have expanded and there are more ways to work with this staple of the kitchen. The recipe below is one of my favorites because it uses the cranberry gelatin, which is usually only available around Thanksgiving. If you can’t find cranberry gelatin, strawberry is a perfect substitute.

For this Cranberry Jell-O® Layered Berry Dessert, we used fresh berries and cranberry juice. The sweetness actually comes from the bottom layer, which combines some of the gelatin with sweetened condensed milk.

Prepping the Ingredients

We recommend using strawberries, raspberries and cherries because they work well with the gelatin flavor. You can always change it up by changing the gelatin and then choosing fruits that pair well with the Jell-O. What you want to ensure is that your fruit is a good size so that you can see it within the gelatin mold.

The raspberries are left whole, but for the strawberries we used a 4″ Paring Knife to hull them and then cut them in half. We cut some of the larger berries in quarters.

Using the same 4″ Paring Knife, we cut the cherries in half and removed the pit.

Making the Jell-O Mold

Making this dessert requires a bit of patience, but the result is worth it. Start by lightly coating your mold with cooking spray – we used a Bundt pan. Make sure to not leave puddles of the spray in the crevices of the pan, instead use a paper towel to spread the non-stick spray around.

Pour both of the Jell-O packets into a large bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring four cups of the cranberry juice to a boil and immediately pour it over the Jell-O, stirring until the crystals are complete dissolved. Add the remaining two cups of cranberry juice and two cups of water and stir.

Measure out three cups of the Jell-O mixture and place in a separate bowl, putting it to the side and keeping at room temperature. Place the remaining bowl of Jell-O into the refrigerator and allow it to soft set (consistency is similar to hair gel). Depending on your refrigerator, this could take between one to two hours. It’s important to check on it regularly as once it passes the soft set phase, you won’t be able to add the fruit.

When the Jell-O has reached the right consistency, take it out of the refrigerator and pour it into your prepared mold. Add the fruit and mix so the fruit is evenly distributed. You want the fruit to be all throughout the mold. Place the mold back into the refrigerator and allow it to set completely.

Take the bowl with the three cups of Jell-O previously set aside and, using a Mix-Stir, whisk in the can of sweetened condensed milk until combined.

Remove the fruit-filled Jell-O mold from the refrigerator, making sure it’s completely set, and pour the creamy mixture on top, ensuring it is evenly distributed. Place the mold back into the refrigerator until it is completely set, approximately four hours but overnight is best.

When ready to unmold, gently pull the sides of the Jell-O away from the mold. Carefully invert the mold onto a serving plate and gently tap it to release from the mold. If it doesn’t come out after a few minutes, fill a sink with warm water and dip the outside of the mold into the water for five to 10 seconds. Remove the mold from the water and again, flip it onto a serving plate. You’ll want to serve this immediately while the mold is still cold, otherwise the layers may separate.  

While this recipe may seem like a blast from the past, Cranberry Jell-O® Layered Berry Dessert is an updated version of the classic and is absolutely delicious. It is a tart and sweet, not to mention a beautiful, dessert to put on the table. We highly recommend giving this a try and bringing back the family memories!