Although not suitable for vegetarians or vegans Jello is one of the most versatile dessert products out there and loved by millions the world over. With its line of instant gelatin and pudding dessert products one can make amazing jello desserts and it all starts with delicious jello recipes.

Jello recipes can range from wonderful jello and fruit salads to amazing wonderful jello cake recipes. You could make a delightfully light and refreshing chocolate mousse to an elaborate jello mold to just a plain fruity jello salad. Our recipes are designed to be both easy and delicious and also inspiring to show you just some of the possibilities, you can do with this dessert item.

Jello Dessert Recipes

We hope you enjoy our site and we will from time to time be adding new and refreshing jello recipes to this page and site. Our jello recipes are broken down into sub categories to make finding that perfect dessert recipe easy and quick. Also look through our jello article section to read more about the history of jello and useful jello tips to make that next jello recipe come off without a hitch.

Enjoy and watch out for the wiggle.

There are hundreds of different desserts featuring jello, ranging from basic gelatin squares to jello puddings with whipped toppings. There are four ingredients in basic jello, which are gelatin, water, food coloring and sugar or an artificial sweetener.

What is Gelatin?

How Gelatin Becomes Jello

What is Jello Made From

What does matter is that jello is a delicious dessert, which is versatile, can be made in hundreds of different flavors and appeals to kids and adults alike.

Gelatin is used to make different kinds of jellied dishes. So, what is gelatin made of exactly and where does gelatin come from? Gelatin ingredients come from beef or pork and some chefs like to boil pig trotters or bones to make their own. Gelatin powder is widely available too. Gelatin is then added to boiling water to make jello recipes. Gelatin is completely natural and is high in nutrients, providing a lot of essential amino acids.

Gelatin as an Ingredient

Gelatin is used in a lot of dairy products, including ice cream and yogurt. It helps to limit ice crystal formation in ice cream and avoid a starchy, floury texture in yogurt. Gelatin melts at body temperature, making both yogurt and ice cream creamy and smooth to eat.

Gelatin is sometimes used in the manufacture of juices, wine, and beer because it is a coagulant and can remove impurities. It is also used in meat products, such as in gel aspics, canned and glazed meats. It is used because it can absorb meat juices and give structure to a meat product that would otherwise fall apart.

Gelatin is also used in pharmaceutical products and in photographical supplies, such as to make the bonding on celluloid film.

Vegetarian Gelatin

Agar-Agar Uses and Recipes

Agar-agar desserts should be eaten the same day as they are made because they offer bacteria a good environment in which to multiply. You can keep agar-agar in powder form for months though. Does gelatin go bad? The answer to that is rarely - gelatin has an almost indefinite shelf life if you store it well.

Agar-agar desserts set quicker than gelatin desserts so making these at the last minute will not be a problem. Agar-agar makes a slightly firmer, less wobbly jello than traditional jello mixtures but the taste is similar.

You might want to keep some agar-agar in case you have vegetarians visiting. It is easier to use than gelatin too, since gelatin goes stringy if you use water, which is too hot. Agar-agar is virtually foolproof.

Rose Knox and her husband Charles Knox invested their $5,000 savings into a prepared gelatin business in Johnstown, where the local tanneries would keep them in gelatin ingredients. Rose Knox worked hard to evolve gelatin from a delicacy and food for invalids into a popular household dessert favorite.

Charles Knox died in 1908 and Rose Knox controlled the business. A recipe book and newspaper recipe column helped to promote Knox gelatin, a bigger plant was opened in 1911 and by 1925, and the company was capitalized at a million dollars.

How is Knox Gelatin Used?

Rose Knox was the first female member of the American Grocery Manufacturers' Association and she became its first female director in 1929. She retired from Knox in 1947 and her son James became the chairman.

Knox Gelatin and Healthcare

Today, the Knox Company produces a range of health supplements called Knox NutraJoint. These supplements contain gelatin and other supplements including glucosamine and vitamins.