Made with sugar cookie mix and jello powder, these Jello Cookies offer up the soft and chewy texture of sugar cookies while being so bright and colorful. Fun, easy cookies that are 100% kid and adult-approved!

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Easy Jello Cookies Recipe

These jello cookies are one of the most colorful easy dessert recipes. They’re made with sugar cookie mix, a variety of boxed jello powders for flavor and color, and a couple other simple ingredients. There’s minimal prep involved and the end result is a soft chewy sugar cookie with a bright pretty hue. Who doesn’t love a rainbow?!

Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookies With Jello

Bright and colorful. I love how fun these cookies are. They’re so bright thanks to both the jello and the optional food coloring.
Soft and chewy. These cookies have the classic soft, chewy sugar cookie texture and it’s absolutely perfect.
Pick the colors and flavor. You can make these cookies any color of the rainbow and you can pick the flavor too, since there are multiple flavors of jello for most colors.

Recipe Ingredients

These fun cookies are made with just 6 ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

Sugar cookie mix – I used Betty Crocker. Be sure to double check the ounces as some brands have changed from the standard 17.5
Butter – Softened but not melted. Either salted or unsalted are fine.
Egg – Provides structure to the dough.
Vanilla – For added flavor.
Jello powder – See below for suggestions on colors. If needed, you can use sugar-free jello mix.
Granulated sugar – Rolling the cookie balls in the sugar adds the crackled appearance.
Food coloring – Optional but helps to brighten the colors. I used oil based food color, not for any specific reason beyond a variety of color options.

What Jello Flavors Should I Use?

You can use any jello flavors you want and as many as you want. This recipe is written for 4 different colors (though all 6 are shown in the pictures for reference). Here are my flavor/color suggestions:

Red – Strawberry, Cherry, Cranberry, or Fruit Punch.
Blue – Berry Blue or Blue Raspberry.
Green – Lime, Green Apple, or Starburst Watermelon.
Yellow – Lemon or Island Pineapple.

How To Make Jello Cookies

Here’s an overview of how to make these cookies.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)

Make the cookie dough. Prepare the sugar cookie mix according to package instructions, with the butter, egg, and vanilla.
Color the dough. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Combine each ball of dough with 3 tablespoons of jello powder, using your hands to knead until the dough is well combined. If desired, add food coloring for a brighter/deeper color.
Form the dough balls. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in the granulated sugar and place on a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all colors.
Bake. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the rack then enjoy.

Tips & Variations

Use homemade sugar cookie dough. If you have a homemade sugar cookie dough recipe you love, feel free to use that instead of the store-bought.
Make brighter cookies. To brighten or deepen the colors to your preference, you can add a small amount of gel food coloring to the dough. (For reference as seen in the pictures, I used 3 drops purple for grape cookies, 1 drop yellow for lemon cookies, and 1 drop orange for the orange cookies.)
Try different extracts. You can also replace the vanilla extract with different extracts to enhance the flavor of jello (like almond extract for the cherry jello, lemon extract for lemon jello, etc.)
Don’t overbake the cookies. Oven temperatures can vary, especially with older models which tend to bake hotter or distribute heat unevenly. Bake your cookies on the center rack and keep an eye on them. The tops should be firm and the bottoms just barely golden.

Overhead view of jello cookies on a baking sheet

Proper Storage

Storing leftover baked cookies: these jello cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature away from heat, humidity, or moisture for up to 3 days.
Freeze baked cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight container. They’re keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.
Make the dough ahead: you can prepare the cookie dough and chill (covered in an airtight container) in the refrigerator up to to 2 days ahead of baking it. Let it come to room temperature before rolling and baking the cookies.
Freeze raw dough balls: Form the dough into balls, place on a baking sheet, then transfer to the freezer until solid (about 1 hour.) Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to use, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, pre-heat the oven, then roll in sugar. Bake as directed.

More Sugar Cookie Recipes To Try

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Jello Cookies

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

17.5 ounce package sugar cookie mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1/2 cup butter , softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons red jello powder
3 tablespoons blue jello powder
3 tablespoons green jello powder
3 tablespoons yellow jello powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F with a rack in the center position. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Prepare sugar cookie mix according to package instructions, including the butter, egg, and vanilla (or use your favorite recipe for homemade sugar cookies.)
Divide dough into 4 equal portions (you can eyeball it or to be exact, use a kitchen scale) and place in individual bowls.
Combine each ball of dough with 3 tablespoons of one color of jello, so you end up with 4 different colored doughs.
Using your hands, knead dough until well combined. (To brighten or deepen the colors, you can add a small amount of gel food coloring to the dough.) Set aside, continue until all four colors have been made.
Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough into 1-inch balls.
Place granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll dough balls until coated and set on the prepared baking sheet.
Continue until all dough is rolled. (I got 9 cookies of each color.)
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops become firm and the bottoms are just barely golden. Don't overbake. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 different colors. The pictures include all 6 colors of the rainbow just as a visual, but this recipe makes enough dough for 4 different colors. The flavors and colors of jello you use are up to you. The possibilities are endless.

Use homemade sugar cookie dough if preferred. If you have a homemade sugar cookie dough recipe you love, feel free to use that instead of the store-bought.

Regular or sugar-free jello. I make these with regular jello powder, but you can use sugar-free jello mix if needed.

Make brighter cookies. To brighten or deepen the colors to your preference, you can add a small amount of gel food coloring to the dough. (For reference as seen in the pictures, I used 3 drops purple for grape cookies, 1 drop yellow for lemon cookies, and 1 drop orange for the orange cookies.)

Try different extracts. You can also replace the vanilla extract with different extracts to enhance the flavor of jello (like almond extract for the cherry jello, lemon extract for lemon jello, etc.)

Nutrition

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jello cookies, jello cookies recipe, sugar cookies with jello