Layered Jello Salad has been on our table at every family Christmas dinner for as long as I can remember. For us, this Christmas Ribbon Jello Salad has been a traditional side dish.
We always made it in a pretty jello ring mold, and I loved the look of the beautiful three-layered Christmas salad in red, white (slightly yellow), and green. The dinner table would not have been complete without this colorful and delicious jello addition.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- How to Make Christmas Layered Jello Salad
- 3 Layer Jello Salad with Cream Cheese
- Holiday Ribbon Jello
- What Can I Put My Amish Ribbon Salad Into If I Don't Have a Jello Mold?
- How to Make Ribbon Jello Salad in a Mold
- How to Remove Ribbon Salad From a Jello Mold
- Jello
- Amish Christmas and Traditions
- More Amish Christmas Holiday Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
Ingredients
Bottom Layer:
- Lime Jello provides the base flavor of lime for the bottom layer.
- Boiling water is used to dissolve the gelatin and helps it set properly.
- Cold water or pineapple juice adds liquid to the gelatin mixture for volume and consistency. Using pineapple juice enhances the flavor with a hint of tropical sweetness.
Middle Layer:
- Lemon Jello adds a contrasting citrus flavor to the middle layer.
- Boiling water dissolves the gelatin.
- Miniature marshmallows add sweetness and texture.
- Crushed pineapple adds texture and complements the citrus flavors.
- Cream cheese provides richness and creaminess, balancing the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Whipped cream or Cool Whip adds lightness and creaminess, further enhancing the texture of this layer.
Top Layer:
- Cherry Jello introduces a vibrant cherry flavor for the top layer.
- Boiling water dissolves the gelatin.
- Cold water adds volume to the gelatin mixture.
Each layer's unique combination of flavors and textures creates a visually appealing and deliciously layered salad.
How to Make Christmas Layered Jello Salad
To make Amish ribbon salad, begin by boiling five cups of water. Place your three different kinds of gelatin into separate bowls. Add some of the boiling water to each bowl and stir until dissolved.
Add the cold water to the red and green jello. Stir the marshmallows into the hot lemon jello until melted.
You can work on all three layers at one time. That will give the jellos time to cool and be ready to add the next layer as soon as the prior layer is set.
Each layer needs to be chilled before adding another layer so that it does not melt together. So you can refrigerate each separate bowl of jello, just remove it from the refrigerator before it starts to gel.
3 Layer Jello Salad with Cream Cheese
Pour the red or green jello into a dish/cups/mold, whatever you want to put it in. This recipe makes more than enough for one mold. So you can put some of the jello into the mold and put the rest into another dish or cups.
You only want to fill the dish/dishes one-third full, allowing enough space for your next two layers. Chill the bottom layer until set but not completely firm.
Chill the lemon jello/pineapple mixture until slightly thickened.
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add thawed Cool Whip and mix. Then add the chilled lemon jello mixture and stir it all together. Spread this mixture over the top of the set bottom layer.
As soon as the second layer is set, pour the remaining chilled jello over the top. Refrigerate until firm (this will take several hours).
AMAZON DISCLOSURE: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on the link to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
Holiday Ribbon Jello
This Amish jello salad takes a bit of time to make since it has three layers, and each layer needs to chill before adding the next layer.
But it is not hard to make. You just need to make it when you are at home for a couple of hours, so you can keep coming back to it to add another layer.
We always made this ribbon salad recipe in jello molds and put the green on the bottom and red on top (using the jello mold, we put the red in first). It looks really pretty in a ring with the three layers.
And I am adding an affiliate link where you can purchase a jello mold, in case you're interested. Tupperware Jel-Ring Jello Mold Ice Ring
What Can I Put My Amish Ribbon Salad Into If I Don't Have a Jello Mold?
For our family Christmas dinner, I like to make individual ribbon salads. So I layer the jello into little stemware cups. It adds a little fun to our holiday table.
So you can layer this ribbon jello salad into any dish, stemware, cups, or molds. Just use whatever you have on hand.
You could buy the small, wide-mouthed, plastic drinking cups at Walmart and layer it in those to serve them individually. Or if you want to take this with you to a gathering, you can layer it into a glass 9 x 13" pan.
How to Make Ribbon Jello Salad in a Mold
If you are making your jello salad in a mold, you will want to make sure to add the next layer before the first layer is completely firm. If you wait to add the second layer until after the first layer is completely firm, it won't bind together as well, which could result in having the next layer slide off when you place it onto a plate to serve.
So keep your eye on the jello as it is chilling because it needs to be set but still slightly jiggly. Don't wait till it's firm to add another layer.
Your jello mold will need to be refrigerated overnight, to make sure it is completely firm, before removing it from the mold.
How to Remove Ribbon Salad From a Jello Mold
To serve your layered jello salad, you will want to remove it from the mold and place it onto a large plate or platter.
To get the jello to slide out of the mold, warm the outside layer of the jello a bit. We used to dip the top of the mold into a basin or large bowl of warm water, just long enough to soften it a little.
Remove the bottom cover, place your plate over the jello, and flip it over. Slowly remove the top cover, and the jello should neatly slide out. (If it doesn't want to slide out, warm it a little longer).
And hopefully, you have accomplished creating a beautiful ring of ribbon salad.
Jello
Most of us are familiar with the sweet, jiggly substance known as jello. You find it in school cafeterias, community events, and maybe even in your pantry.
It's a fun and delicious treat that is usually well-loved by kids. And although jello isn't a well-rounded, nutritious food, its main ingredient, gelatin, does have a few health benefits.
I grew up eating lots of jello salads as side dishes. Dishes such as Yum Yum Salad, Grape Dreamsicle Salad, Indiana Salad, and Ribbon Salad made their appearance quite frequently at dinner gatherings.
Another treat that often showed up around Christmas time was layered finger jello, and it is a truly delightful treat. 🙂
Amish Christmas and Traditions
Christmas is one of my favorite holidays! There's just something about Christmas and family traditions that brings so much comfort and joy to the heart!
Growing up as an Amish kid, we had some of our own Christmas traditions. However, decorating a Christmas tree or getting our photo taken with Santa was not among those traditions.
But when it came to food, we had some of the same traditions as anyone else. We baked hundreds of Christmas cookies such as peanut blossoms, mint surprise cookies, monster cookies, soft gingersnap cookies, etc. We passed out beautiful-looking plate-fulls of cookies to all our neighbors.
And we loved to incorporate Christmas colors into our food. (Click here to read more about our Amish Christmas traditions.)
So we always had this Amish Ribbon Salad, and it is a tradition that I have kept to this day.
If you try this recipe for layered jello salad (Amish Christmas Salad), I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you.
📖 Recipe Card
Layered Jello Ribbon Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Bottom Layer:
- 6 oz. lime gelatin
- 2 c. boiling water
- 1 ½ c. cold water or pineapple juice
Middle Layer:
- 3 oz. lemon gelatin
- 1 c. boiling water
- ½ c. miniature marshmallows
- 1 c. crushed pineapple, drained
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 c. whipped cream or 8 oz. Cool Whip
Top layer:
- 6 oz. cherry gelatin
- 2 c. boiling water
- 1 ½ c. cold water
Instructions
To make the bottom layer:
- Add the boiling water to the powdered gelatin. Stir until completely dissolved.6 oz. lime gelatin, 2 c. boiling water
- Add the cold water. Pour into your dish/dishes, filling only ⅓ full. Chill until set (this may take an hour or more).1 ½ c. cold water or pineapple juice
- If you are using a jello mold, look in the post above for extra instructions.
For the middle layer:
- Add the boiling water to the lemon gelatin. Stir until dissolved.3 oz. lemon gelatin, 1 c. boiling water
- Add miniature marshmallows and stir until dissolved. If the marshmallows don't want to dissolve, you may have to warm it a bit more.½ c. miniature marshmallows
- Add the crushed pineapples and chill until slightly thickened.1 c. crushed pineapple, drained
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the thawed cool whip and mix until incorporated.8 oz. cream cheese, 2 c. whipped cream or 8 oz. Cool Whip
- Add the chilled lemon jello mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.
- Spread this mixture over top of the bottom gelatin mixture once it is chilled and set. It doesn't need to be completely firm but firm enough to hold the weight.
For the top layer:
- Add the boiling water to the powdered gelatin and stir until dissolved.6 oz. cherry gelatin, 2 c. boiling water
- Add the cold water and chill.1 ½ c. cold water
- Place this layer over the top of the chilled and set cream cheese layer. Chill till firm.
Nancy
When I made this, the final layer seeped under the middle layer. Do you think I whipped the middle layer too much? I was very challenged at knowing when the lemon jello was chilled enough to add to the cream cheese mixture.
Anna
I'm sorry about that! It's pretty important to add the layers at the proper time. Did you refrigerate the middle layer for awhile to let it set before adding the final layer? DWas the jello for your final layer chilled? Warm jello is one of the biggest reasons it will slide underneath.
chris
what size jello mold do you use
Anna
I think mine is the 1.3 L size. But the jello doesn't all fit in there. I just fill it 1/3 with jello, then put the remaining jello in another dish or individual cups. And do the same thing with remaining layers.
Nancy
I used a Bundt pan. All the Jello fits.
Anna
Cool! Did it come out easily for you?
Sally
I made this last year and my family couldn't believe I made it:)
I will definitely make it again this year. What a beautiful salad!
Anna
Yay! So glad it turned out for you!
Cherie Hayworth
Loved by all at potluck
Anna
Thank you!
Cathy Andrews
My grandmother made this jello EVERY CHRISTMAS. We ate dinner at 2:00, opened our gift exchange in the mid afternoon , then just as it was getting dark, we had the delicious jello. Probably kept chilled on a non heated porch. It was always in a clear glass 9x11 pan. One year she put the lime jello on top (?mistake?). We ate it, but it wasn’t as good. I called her for the recipe, and now I am the keeper of the recipe. I made it with cool whip once and was not happy- the layers separated. So real whipped cream is used here. Even if it’s the only time all year I buy and use it!
Anna
I Love holiday traditions!
Jean Chouquette
If I put crushed pineapple in the green jello, then how much less cold water?
Thanks
Anna
It won't need adjusting very much unless there's a lot of juice along with the pineapple. Just try to figure for the amount of juice you would be adding.
Anna
Yummy dish!
Mary combs
Beautiful dish. I know it's delicious. Can't wait to make. Thanks 4 recipe
Anna
You're welcome. Enjoy!
Minah
Thanks for your recipes,where were you all my life?❤️❤️👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Anna
You're welcome. haha 🙂 I'm a little late, aye?
Keely Swenson
Yummy, just like Mom used to make.
Linda Hartin
Could I make this recipe and omit the cream cheese for a dairy free person?
Anna
That should be fine.
Maria
How far ahead can it be made?
Anna
A couple of days should be fine. I'm making mine on Friday for Sunday.
Diane White
Very close to a recipe my Mom made for me every Christmas except:
1 no marshmallows or kool whip
2. Lime layer had a can of grapefruit pieces added to the jello
3. One can of Whole berry cranberry sauce added to the red layer
I have to make it a few times to make sure it sets, but I was thrilled to have so much help to make it again!
Anne
According to the picture, the top layer is red (cherry) so we should start with that, not the lime gelatin. Correct?
Anna
If you are using a mold you will want to start with whatever color goes on the top.
Sally
I was trying to find a new something for my Christmas dinner and saw this. I've never made a Jello ring before and had to borrow one from my sister-in-law. Well, I can say it came out perfect and my two boys couldn't believe how wonderful it looked and even better, it tasted. On my top layer I cut cherries in half and froze them before making the top layer so the cherry Jello had cherries in it. They said it was their new favorite dessert/salad. We all actually ate it before our dinner. Thank you for sharing this new found favorite. It truly made our Christmas a special one.
Anna
I am delighted that you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!