The Special Ingredient That Makes Jell-O Shots Glow In The Dark

Everyone loves a fun Jell-O shot, but if you're in charge of making them, you've got to know how to make them the right way. But on top of this, you also want to make sure that your Jell-O shots stand out and from the good, if a little monotonous, standard. Come to the party with a tray full of glow-in-the-dark Jell-O shots, and you're sure to get some conversation going. Better still, making Jell-O shots that glow in the dark only requires one extra ingredient.

Tonic water is different from seltzer or club soda largely due to the fact that it contains quinine, a bitter ingredient that was once popular for its medicinal uses. As it turns out, quinine is also the ingredient that will make your Jell-O shots glow. Simply swap out your regular water for tonic water when you're making your Jell-O and let the quinine do the rest. Just bear in mind that quinine doesn't glow in the dark, per se — rather it glows under UV light. These would be perfect for a retro-themed blacklight party, so grab a few boxes of Jell-O and some tonic water and whip up some easy but unforgettable treats.

If you're worried about the bitterness of your tonic water interfering with the taste of your Jell-O shots, be assured that there's no need for concern. While the standard spirit of choice for Jell-O shots is neutral, unflavored vodka, this isn't a hard and fast rule. There are tons of interesting and sweet flavored vodkas on liquor store shelves, and you can even try your hand at making flavored vodka at home. As well, sweeter flavored rums can be bought, such as coconut or pineapple rum, which can work especially well for a tropical Jell-O shot.

And if you're partial to the bitter quality of quinine, why not lean into it and choose Jell-O shot themes that work well with tonic water? Gin is probably the first spirit that comes to mind when you think of pairings for tonic water, and some herbal G&T shots comprising of gin, lime Jell-O, and tonic water sound like a real delight. Strawberries in your gin and tonic can also bring a sweet fruity presence to the regular cocktail, so if you'd like, switch out that lime Jell-O for strawberry and get a sweeter, boldly-colored batch of shots. Finding enticing flavor combos shouldn't be a problem — the only thing you should be concerned about is making enough glowing Jell-O shots to go around.