Spiced Plum Jello Shots
Spiced Plum Jello Shots
These Spiced Plum Jello Shots are rich, fruity, and filled with warm spice. Made with plum gelatin, plum juice, spiced rum, and a hint of cinnamon, they have a gorgeous jewel-toned color and a flavor that’s perfect for fall and winter parties.
Sweet plum and warm spiced rum are such a good combination. The plum is juicy and slightly tart, while the rum adds notes of vanilla and baking spice that make these taste completely different from an ordinary fruit Jello shot.
They’re beautiful for fall parties, holiday celebrations, girls’ nights, zodiac parties, and even an elegant Halloween table.
Add a tiny fresh plum wedge and a little sparkling sugar, and they’re gorgeous.
Spiced Plum Jello Shots
Servings: 12–16 Jello shots
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 2–4 hours
Total Time: About 4 hours
Ingredients
- 1 box (3 ounces) plum gelatin
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup spiced rum
- 1/2 cup plum juice or plum nectar
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Fresh plum slices, optional, for garnish
- Purple or gold sanding sugar, optional, for the rims
How to Make Spiced Plum Jello Shots
Step 1: Prepare the Cups
Arrange 12–16 small Jello shot cups on a baking sheet or tray.
Keeping them together on a tray makes it much easier to transfer the filled cups to the refrigerator.
Step 2: Dissolve the Plum Gelatin
Pour the plum gelatin into a medium heat-safe mixing bowl.
Add 3/4 cup boiling water.
Whisk for approximately 2 minutes, or until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Step 3: Add the Cinnamon
Whisk in 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon while the mixture is still warm.
You only need a small amount.
The goal is to give the plum a warm spiced finish without making the shots taste overwhelmingly like cinnamon.
Step 4: Add the Plum Juice
Let the gelatin mixture cool for a few minutes.
Add 1/2 cup plum juice or plum nectar and 1/4 cup cold water.
Stir until combined.
Step 5: Add the Spiced Rum
Pour in 1/2 cup spiced rum.
Stir gently until everything is completely combined.
Step 6: Fill the Cups
Carefully divide the mixture between the prepared Jello shot cups.
Fill each cup approximately 3/4 full.
Step 7: Refrigerate
Transfer the tray to the refrigerator.
Chill for 2–4 hours, or until the Jello shots are completely set.
Step 8: Garnish
Just before serving, garnish each shot with a tiny fresh plum wedge.
For an extra-pretty presentation, add a little purple or gold sparkling sugar around the rim.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
What Do Spiced Plum Jello Shots Taste Like?
These have a sweet, juicy plum flavor with a warm spiced finish.
The plum gelatin provides the fruity base, while real plum juice makes the flavor taste deeper and more like actual fruit.
Spiced rum brings notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and warm baking spices.
Then just a tiny amount of cinnamon ties everything together.
It’s a fruit Jello shot, but it has a much warmer and cozier flavor than something like strawberry or lemon.
Why Plum and Spiced Rum Work Together
Plums have a rich, sweet-tart flavor that pairs beautifully with warm spices.
That’s why you’ll often see plum combined with flavors like:
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Clove
- Ginger
- Star anise
- Brown sugar
- Rum
Spiced rum gives you several of those warm flavors without requiring a long list of spices.
It makes this an especially easy way to turn a simple plum Jello shot into something more interesting.
Jennie’s Thoughts
I love this one because it feels completely different from the bright summer Jello shots.
When I hear Spiced Plum, I immediately picture this gorgeous deep purple color with warm cinnamon and a little gold.
It feels cozy and almost a little old-fashioned in the best possible way.
I also didn’t want these to just taste like purple Jello with alcohol added.
Using plum juice or nectar gives them more actual plum flavor, and spiced rum was the obvious choice for the alcohol.
Then I added just a tiny bit of cinnamon.
And I mean tiny.
I don’t want cinnamon Jello.
I want you to taste the plum first and then get that little bit of warm spice at the end.
I think these would be beautiful served on a vintage gold tray with fresh plums scattered around them.
They’re moody enough for Halloween, cozy enough for fall, and pretty enough for Christmas.
Where Can I Find Plum Gelatin?
Plum gelatin can be harder to find than common flavors such as strawberry, cherry, or lime.
Check larger grocery stores, international grocery sections, Latin markets, or online retailers.
If you can’t find plum gelatin, you can still make Spiced Plum Jello Shots using unflavored gelatin and plum nectar.
Can I Make These Without Plum Jello?
Yes.
In fact, if plum-flavored gelatin isn’t readily available where you live, an unflavored gelatin version is a great alternative.
Use plum nectar as the primary liquid and unflavored gelatin to set it.
This will produce a slightly less candy-like and more fruit-forward Spiced Plum Jello Shot.
Can I Use Plum Nectar?
Absolutely.
Plum nectar is actually one of my favorite choices for this recipe because it tends to have a stronger, richer fruit flavor than a lighter plum juice.
Look for it in the juice or international foods section of the grocery store.
Can I Use Regular Rum?
Yes.
Regular dark rum works well if you don’t have spiced rum.
However, you’ll lose some of the warm spice flavor.
If using regular rum, you can add a tiny pinch of cinnamon and an equally tiny pinch of ground clove or nutmeg.
Be conservative with the spices.
A little goes a very long way in a Jello shot.
Can I Use Vodka?
You can.
Vodka will give you a cleaner plum flavor without the vanilla and spice notes from rum.
If you use vodka, I’d increase the warm spice very slightly or use a cinnamon-infused simple syrup to preserve the “spiced plum” flavor.
Add a Cinnamon Sugar Rim
For a cozy fall variation, combine:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix together on a shallow plate.
Lightly moisten the rims of the set Jello shot cups and dip them into the cinnamon sugar immediately before serving.
For a more glamorous look, mix a little gold sanding sugar into the cinnamon sugar.
Make Them Extra Pretty
These already have a beautiful deep-purple color, so you don’t need much decoration.
Try:
- Tiny plum wedges
- Gold sanding sugar
- Cinnamon sugar
- A tiny piece of cinnamon stick for presentation
- Fresh rosemary around the serving tray
- Star anise scattered around the platter
Don’t place whole spices directly into the Jello shots.
They’re much better used as decoration around the serving platter.
Spiced Plum Jello Shots for Fall
These are practically made for fall entertaining.
Serve them for:
- Fall dinner parties
- Halloween parties
- Thanksgiving gatherings
- Friendsgiving
- Girls’ nights
- Autumn birthdays
- Harvest parties
The combination of plum, cinnamon, and spiced rum fits beautifully with apples, pears, pumpkin, maple, caramel, and all of the other flavors we associate with fall.
Spiced Plum Jello Shots for Christmas
Don’t forget these when Christmas comes around.
Deep plum purple with sparkling gold accents can look incredibly elegant on a holiday cocktail table.
Serve them alongside cranberry, pomegranate, cherry, or mulled wine-inspired Jello shots for a jewel-toned Christmas party spread.
Make Them Taste Like Sugar Plums
For a Christmas variation, lean into the sugar plum idea.
Use the same plum and spiced rum base, but finish the shots with sparkling sugar.
You could call this variation Sugar Plum Jello Shots and serve them for Christmas or a Nutcracker-themed party.
Can I Add Fresh Plum to the Jello?
You can garnish with fresh plum, but I prefer not to add chunks of plum directly to the gelatin.
Keeping the Jello smooth gives the shots a prettier appearance and better texture.
Add a tiny plum wedge immediately before serving instead.
Can I Make Spiced Plum Jello Shots Ahead?
Yes.
Prepare them 1–2 days before serving and keep them covered in the refrigerator.
Wait until shortly before serving to add fresh plum slices or sugar rims.
How Many Jello Shots Does This Make?
This recipe makes approximately 12–16 small Jello shots, depending on the size of your cups.
For a larger gathering, the recipe can easily be doubled.
How to Store Spiced Plum Jello Shots
Once the Jello shots have completely set, cover the cups with lids.
Store them in the refrigerator until serving.
For the best flavor and texture, enjoy them within a few days.
Easy Spiced Plum Jello Shots
These Spiced Plum Jello Shots are a beautiful change from traditional fruity party shots.
Sweet plum gives them a rich jewel-toned fruit flavor.
Spiced rum adds warmth.
A touch of cinnamon gives you that cozy finish.
And that gorgeous purple color makes them look especially beautiful lined up together on a party tray.
If you want a Jello shot that’s fruity, warm, and a little unexpected, Spiced Plum might be one of the prettiest ones yet.
