‘Beautiful and delicious.’ Next-level Jell-O shots a fun (and boozy) escape - National Post
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Copy URL Facebook Linked In X (Twitter) Loading account options Sign In Manage Account Close account menu Sign Out As Solid Wiggles shows, cocktail jellies have become an art form. (Hugo Yu) By Laura Brehaut November 3, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. Jell-O shots have become an art form. Made with freshly squeezed fruit juices and top-shelf spirits, today’s jellies are as well-balanced as the cocktails that inspired them, all in one joyful and tasty package.
Interest in wobbly creations has been on the rise since people started sharing their aspics on social media in the 2010s.
Mixologist Jack Schramm, who founded the cocktail jelly business Solid Wiggles with pastry chef Jena Derman, credits their growth to escapism. “The world is so heavy right now. It’s such a tumultuous moment that if you can have something whimsical and delicious as an escape, then that kind of fun, little treat is so welcome.”
All things gummy are on-trend for 2026, according to Pinterest Predicts. Whether agar-based recipes, jelly candies, yokan (a chilled Japanese red bean jelly) or probiotic treats, it’s a reminder of childhood, Sydney Stanback, senior manager of brand research at Pinterest, told National Post when discussing the report in January. “It’s all about engaging with tactile or sensory aesthetics of the past.”
Jiggly cocktails have appeared on menus, including at the Toronto snack bar Belle Isle, featuring ingredients such as taro, milk tea, and black sugar boba. Bartenders are revisiting the medium, and patrons are lapping it up.
Derman, an art school grad, was taken by how beautiful jellies were when she first started experimenting with them at her wedding cake business in 2018. “The jelly category at large pulls from so much alchemy and wonder,” she says. “At first, it was a marvel of refrigeration that you could even have something be stored and set this way. So, I think there’s something a little bit mystical and magical about it innately.”
The authors co-founded their Brooklyn-based cocktail jelly business in 2020. In their cookbook debut of the same name, Solid Wiggles, they feature more than 45 recipes for boozy and nonalcoholic cocktail jellies and cakes.
The jelly shots and two-layered jellies in the first half of the book can be made in less than three hours (including chilling time), while the second half features more involved two- and three-day projects.
All of their recipes have roughly five per cent ABV, which is comparable to the same volume of an average beer — and the non-booze ingredients are just as important as the alcohol.
Next-gen jellies are visually striking, but it’s not all about appearances. “They need to be both beautiful and delicious. That should be the mindset when you set out to make them,” says Schramm. And both authors still enjoy jellies as much as they did when they began their journey. “It’s just a joy to come up with new flavours or custom flavours for events,” he adds. “I’m as excited about it now as I was on Day One.”
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp (165 g) 100 per cent orange juice, strained 3 tbsp (42 g) water 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (36 g) gin, mezcal or rye whiskey 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (36 g) sweet vermouth 2 tbsp + 2 tsp (36 g) Campari 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) 100 per cent lemon juice, strained 1/4 cup + 2 tsp (63 g) sugar 1 1/2 tsp (8.3 g) citric acid (see note) 6 sheets (14.1 g) silver gelatin (see note)
In a small pot, combine the orange juice, water, spirit of your choice, sweet vermouth, Campari, lemon juice, sugar and citric acid. Set over medium heat and whisk the ingredients together to help the sugar dissolve. Heat until the mixture is just steaming; do not boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir the bloomed gelatin into the heated mixture until dissolved. Transfer the mixture into a small pitcher, quart container or any vessel that’s easy to pour from.
Set ten 2-ounce cups (such as plastic souffle cups or large shot glasses) on a flat plate or tray, and portion the mixture evenly among the cups. Carefully place in the fridge and let set for at least 2 hours.
To serve, simply dive in with a spoon, your finger or your tongue.
Notes: Also seen in your grocery store labelled “lemon salt,” citric acid is what gives lemons their signature tartness. In its pure powder form, it’s a wonderful tool to add a bold punch of tartness to your jellies without also adding a bunch of additional liquid. Find it at some supermarkets, bulk stores such as Bulk Barn and online.
You can buy sheet gelatin at specialty baking supply shops, select major grocery or big-box stores, and online from Amazon or retailers such as Papagino Foods.
Fill a 9-by-13-inch pan two-thirds of the way with ice and cold water.
With dry hands, take the weighed or counted sheets of gelatin and submerge them in the ice water one at a time, taking care that they are not clumping together. (Work in batches as needed to avoid clumping.)
Let the sheets sit in the ice water until they are smooth and soft and the diamond pattern on the surface has faded. Use your hands to agitate regularly to aid this process. The whole process should take 3 to 5 minutes.
Once the sheets are fully hydrated, remove them from the water and wring them out with your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. The gelatin is now bloomed and ready to use.
Recipe and images excerpted from Solid Wiggles. Copyright ©2026 by Jena Derman and Jack Schramm. Photographs copyright ©2026 by Hugo Yu. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
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