Treat yourself to a fresh and fruity no-bake dessert with this Watermelon Fruit Jello recipe. Made without any added sugars or sweeteners, this refreshing and healthy fruit snack is an easy gluten-free, dairy-free, and AIP/Paleo treat, made in a watermelon shell.
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Watermelon Fruit Jello has become a viral TikTok dessert! Think of this recipe as a combination of a jello fruit cake and a jello fruit salad made in a watermelon bowl. It’s not only super pretty to look at but easy to make and a recipe the whole family will enjoy.
As the creator of an online dairy-free and gluten-free baking school, I understand how challenging it is to find dairy and gluten-free treats that taste as delicious as their conventional counterparts. This naturally dairy-free and gluten-free fruit jello recipe is AIP, Paleo, kid-approved and allergen-friendly.
Want some more refreshing fruit treats? Try my Watermelon Mochi Recipe, Lemon Custard with Berry Compote, Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Bars, Strawberry Matcha Latte, or Trinidadian Citrus Chow.
Watermelon Fruit Jello Recipe
If you typically steer clear of jello for fear of artificial flavors and ingredients, you’re in luck! This jello with fruit recipe combines fresh fruit with homemade jello in a watermelon shell. Despite being totally different from commercial jello, it contains all of the benefits of the gelatin-based dessert without food dyes or added sugars!
Conventional packaged jello typically contains artificial ingredients, undisclosed “natural flavors” and lots of refined sugar. However, this sugar-free jello is made without any artificial colorings or flavorings. It relies completely on a variety of fresh fruit for sweetness and uses pasture-raised, unflavored beef gelatin to set the mixture.
I use a mini watermelon as the “bowl” for this recipe. Once I remove the watermelon from the rind, I fill it with a mixture of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and green and red grapes. Unflavored beef gelatin and water is all I use to bind the fruit. When completely set, the texture of the jelly is firm and chewy. Each bite is filled with cold and refreshing fresh fruit. You’re going to love it!
This mixed fruit jello recipe is so visually stunning but surprisingly simple to make. While it does take a few hours for the jello to set, the active prep time in this recipe is less than 30 minutes. So this means it’s a great make-ahead dessert that’s perfect for summer, and a definite crowdpleaser for kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
- strawberries
- blueberries
- seedless grapes – I recommend a mixture of green and red for the contrast
- mini watermelon – I prefer to use a mini watermelon for this recipe as it lessens the amount of gelatin needed for the jello to set and is more manageable to work with.
- unflavored grass-fed gelatin
- cold and boiling water
Ingredient Substitutions
- Fresh fruit: While you can choose many different fruits to fill this jelly with, I do not recommend using pineapple, papaya or kiwis. Because these fruits contain an enzyme that breaks down protein, it affects the ability of gelatin to set effectively. Additionally, I suggest you avoid using bananas that will brown in the fridge once cut. However, great alternatives to the fruits I use above are mangoes, raspberries, and blackberries.
- Watermelon: Instead, you can use a small cantaloupe or honeydew melon as the shell for this fruit jello recipe. Note that if you use a larger melon, you will have to to increase the amount of gelatin, water and fruits.
How to make Watermelon Fruit Jello
Step 1: Prepare the Gelatin
Bloom the gelatin by whisking it with cold water to ensure it is evenly distributed. Next, quickly whisk in the boiling water until it is completely dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the Watermelon Bowl
Slice the top off the watermelon and scoop the flesh out the watermelon to create a shell, while leaving the rind in tact.
Step 3: Fill Watermelon with Fruits
Place watermelon cavity into a bowl for stability and fill with fruits of choice.
Step 4: Add Gelatin, Cover and Refrigerate
Next, pour the gelatin mixture over the fruit until it fills the entire watermelon. Cover with the top of the watermelon and place in fridge to set for 5 hours or overnight.
Step 5: Cut and Serve
Cut the watermelon in half vertically and then into slices of desired size.
Tips and Tricks
How to keep fruit from sinking in jello
Fill the fruit all the way to the top of the watermelon shell and pour the gelatin mixture all the way to the top of the “bowl”. This ensures the fruits are are weighed down and won’t float to the top or sink to the bottom.
Remove bubbles from the jello
When you fill the watermelon bowl with the gelatin mixture, you might see bubbles on top. Gently tap the sides of the bowl with both hands to help pop the bubbles. Don’t worry if a few remain!
Save and repurpose the watermelon flesh
Store the scooped out watermelon flesh in the fridge in an airtight container for up to three days. You can eat it fresh as is or use it to make watermelon juice. Use the fresh juice in my watermelon mojito mocktail, or watermelon mochi recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary ingredient in jello is gelatin is made from animal collagen and is not vegan. While I have seen some recipes use agar agar, I have not tested it in this recipe.
Yes! This is the perfect make-ahead recipe because it requires at least five hours in the refrigerator to set. I suggest making it the night before serving, but waiting to slice it just before ready to serve.
I don’t recommend frozen fruit in this recipe. As moisture releases from the fruit in the fridge, it will change the texture of the fruit jello slices.
As I note above, I do not recommend using pineapple, papaya or kiwis. These fruits contain the protease enzyme actinidin that breaks down protein and affects the ability of gelatin to set effectively.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Refrigerate this watermelon fruit jello in two ways:
- Store the entire “bowl” of jello, unsliced in the watermelon cavity and covered in plastic wrap for up to two days.
- Once sliced, store in a sealed container for 24 hours. However, anything beyond that time and the fruits will start to release moisture and get a bit soggy.
I hope you love my Watermelon Fruit Jello recipe. If you do, I would appreciate it if you would give the recipe a rating and review. Be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious and using the hashtag #healmedelicious.
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Watermelon Fruit Jello Recipe
- Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 slices 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This refreshing Fruit Jello recipe is made in a watermelon shell without any added sugars, artificial flavors or food dyes. It’s kid-approved, gluten-free, dairy-free, and AIP/Paleo.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup cold water
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 1 mini watermelon
- 1 cup seedless grapes (I used a mix of red and green grapes)
- 1 cup strawberries, finely diced
- 1/2 cup blueberries
Instructions
- In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin by whisking gelatin with 1 cup cold water to ensure it is evenly distributed. Quickly whisk in the boiling water with the bloomed gelatin until it is completely dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Slice the top off the watermelon and reserve the cut piece. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to scoop the flesh out the watermelon to create a shell, while leaving the rind in tact.
- Place watermelon cavity into a bowl for stability and fill with prepared fruit.
- Pour in the cooled gelatin mixture until it fills the entire watermelon.
- Cover the watermelon with the reserved cut piece and place in fridge to set for 5 hours or overnight.
- Once the jello has set, cut the watermelon in half vertically and then into slices of desired size.
- Serve cold!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 5 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
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