You’ll only need three ingredients to make these old-fashioned Jello Balls! It’s so easy to make these in large batches. They will be the hit of your Christmas gathering.
There’s just something nostalgic about recipes that only need a few simple ingredients and a little time in the fridge. These Old Fashioned Jello Balls are that kind of treat—brightly colored, sweet, and chewy with a hint of tang from Greek yogurt.
If you grew up attending church potlucks, school bake sales, or family reunions in the ’70s or ’80s, you might already be familiar with these little coconut-covered gems.
Simple Ingredients For Old-Fashioned Jello Balls
- 1 3-Ounce Box Strawberry Jello
- 1 3-Ounce Box Lime Jello
- Sweetened Desiccated or Finely Grated Coconut, divided
- Plain Greek Yogurt, divided
Sweetened Desiccated Coconut is dried coconut meat that has been finely shredded and has most of the moisture removed. If you can’t find it, use finely grated coconut.
These treats don’t require baking or fancy equipment—just a bit of stirring and shaping. The mix of strawberry and lime Jello gives them that signature retro color palette (who doesn’t love a pop of red and green?).
The yogurt adds a creamy contrast that balances the sugary coconut. Whether you’re making them for a holiday tray or to keep a sweet snack in the fridge, these Jello Balls are a low-effort, high-reward throwback that never goes out of style.
Easy Step-by-Step Photos (Printable Recipe Card Down Below!)
Additional Tips & Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Try other flavors of Jell-O to get different colors, if desired.
- Once set, these can be stored stacked on top of each other without issue.
- These used to be made with Nestle’s thick cream in a can. However, that has been discontinued. Through testing, we found Greek yogurt to be the best replacement, and it ended up making them taste even better than the original recipe! We did not find another replacement that worked as well.
- If you don’t want these to be as sweet, you can use unsweetened coconut instead. However, be aware that unsweetened coconut might soak up more of the moisture, so start with only a portion of the coconut and add more as you mix.
- If you find it challenging to locate desiccated coconut, you can grab regular shredded coconut and pulse it a few times in a food processor. Works perfectly.
Old Fashioned Jello Balls
These old-fashioned Jello Balls only take three ingredients and are a coconut lover's dream! Easy to make into large batches, and rich in flavor, so it takes very few to be satisfied. Perfect for kids, candy boxes, gifts, etc.
Ingredients
- One 3-Ounce Box Strawberry Jello
- One 3-Ounce Box Lime Jello
- 6 1/2 Cups Sweetened Desiccated OR Finely Chopped Coconut, divided
- 1 ½ Cups Plain Greek Yogurt, divided
Items Needed:
- 2 9x13 Baking Sheets
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- 2 Medium Mixing Bowls
- 2 Rubber Spatulas
- Rubber Gloves
- Parchment Paper
- Small Bowl
Instructions
- Line two 9x13 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add ¾ cup yogurt, the red jello, and 2 ½ cups of the coconut to a medium mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined.
- Add about ¾ cup of the coconut to a small bowl.
- Grab some gloves. Scoop up a slightly heaping ½ tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the bowl of coconut and place it on one of the prepared cookie sheets.
- Repeat until all of the red mixture has been rolled into balls.
- Repeat steps 1-5 for the green jello. Be sure to swap out the coconut you were using to roll the red balls with a fresh ¾ cup of coconut to roll the green balls in. This will ensure no colors mix.
- Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until set. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can use other flavors of Jell-O to get different colors, if desired.
- Once set, these can be stored stacked on top of each other without issue.
- These used to be made with Nestle’s thick cream in a can. However, that has been discontinued. Through testing, we found Greek yogurt to be the best replacement, and it ended up making them taste even better than the original recipe! We did not find another replacement that worked as well.
- If you don’t want these to be as sweet, you can use unsweetened coconut instead. However, be aware that unsweetened coconut might soak up more of the moisture, so start with only a portion of the coconut and add more as you mix.
- If you find it challenging to locate desiccated coconut, you can grab regular shredded coconut and pulse it a few times in a food processor. Works perfectly.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 36Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 1mgSodium 26mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 0gSugar 3gProtein 2g
