Halloween Skull Jello Shots

These classy dessert appetizers are a perfect coffee and cream-flavored treat for a glam Halloween cocktail party. No kids allowed… or at least, no kids are allowed to have these.

I used 1.2” square molds to make them extra pretty, but you can easily alter the recipe to make them in a pan or Pyrex. I give detailed instructions in the Recipe Notes.

I also used these 1.1” skull molds and used the little dropper that came with them in the recipe.

Ingredient Notes

Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur – This is my very favorite coffee liqueur. It’s quite strong. I use it as an aperitif at dinner parties with dessert. But you can substitute it with Kahlua if you prefer a less strong coffee flavor. 

Chocolat Deluxe White Chocolate Liqueur – I love this liqueur but feel free to substitute with just about any brand of white chocolate liqueur, as long as it’s creamy and not clear.

Knox Gelatin – unfortunately, I don’t have recipe measurements for any gelatin other than this brand of gelatin. If you find another brand of powdered gelatin, I would assume my measurements would be the same as yours, although I can’t be certain.

How to Make This Recipe – Step by Step

1. Place skull mold on a small cutting board – this will make it easy to balance as you place it in the fridge. Bloom (dissolve) 1½ tsp. Knox Gelatin in 1 tbsp. cool water in a small bowl for 30 seconds. Stirring gently.

2. Heat ¼ cup white chocolate liqueur in a small saucepan for no more than 1 minute over low/medium heat. As soon as you see any boiling bubbles, turn the heat off. Stir in bloomed gelatin until dissolved.

3. Use the dropper (that came with the skulls) to fill at least 12 skulls and place them in the fridge. You’ll have enough to fill more than 12 – it’s a good idea to fill more because some may come out imperfect. If you still have extra, simply use it in the next step.

4. Place cube molds on a small cutting board for easy placement in the fridge. Bloom another 1½ tsp. Knox Gelatin in 1 tbsp. cool water. Heat ¼ cup white chocolate liqueur in a small saucepan for no more than 1 minute over low/medium heat. As soon as you see any boiling bubbles, turn the heat off. Stir in bloomed gelatin until dissolved.

5. Spoon 1 tsp. liqueur/gelatin into each cube mold. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

6. After 1 hour, repeat step 4 with ¼ cup Mr. Black liqueur (instead of white chocolate). Spoon 1 tsp. liqueur/gelatin into each cube mold. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

7. Repeat steps for another white chocolate liqueur layer and Mr. Black layer, ensuring each layer chills for 1 full hour before adding another.

8. Carefully remove the cubes of jello. They should slide out of their molds easily. I find I can flip the cube molds entirely inside out without breaking the jello. 

9. Remove skulls from their molds.

10. Place a skull on each cube and serve. 

Recipe Notes

Do your best to eliminate bubbles in the skulls by brushing over them with either a knife or just popping them with the dropper.

Do your best to measure things as well as you can, but don’t worry if you’re not exactly precise, especially when it comes to the amount of gelatin. 1½ tsp. per ¼ cup of liqueur is actually an over-estimated amount to ensure that the jello will be extra firm. If you use a tiny bit less, your jello will still be a nice texture.

Don’t be tempted to skip a step and pour the gelatin powder into the liqueur while it heats in the saucepan. It will clump up if it isn’t bloomed in cold water first.

If making the day before the party:

Consider the texture will get harder if refrigerated in a closed container overnight. The texture will become almost like gummy bears. If making a day ahead, use only 1 tsp. gelatin per layer instead of 1½ tsp. of gelatin. This will ensure your jello isn’t too firm the next day.

If using different molds, or no molds at all:

My cube molds hold exactly 4 tsp. of liquid, so they’re easy to measure out. If you’re using different size molds, or no molds at all, and instead, you’re using a sheet pan or Pyrex and slicing the jello into cubes, just consider the following ratio of gelatin to liqueur: For extra firm jello, use 6 packages of gelatin per 1 cup of liqueur, but you can use as few as 4 packets for more jiggly jello.

To make a non-alcoholic version:

Use ½ cup strong coffee and 6 tsp. sugar. Use ½ cup whole milk with 6 tsp. sugar and ½ tsp. real almond extract. You will still use 1½ tsp. of gelatin for each layer. You can also use vanilla extract, but most vanilla extracts are brown and will turn the milk a brownish color. Follow the recipe exactly the same, otherwise.