Mermaid Jello Cups: Fun Mermaid Party Idea

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Mermaid Jello Cups are a magical way to celebrate a birthday or to surprise any mermaid lover! This fluffy jello mousse is topped with white whipped topping waves, colorful sprinkles, chocolate shells and a mermaid tail. They are not difficult to make but look spectacular on a mermaid dessert table!

Need Mermaid Birthday Party Ideas?

I may have a slight obsession with mermaids crafts and treats. I have a whole section dedicated to mermaid party ideas and this my *ahem* seventeenth mermaid post. I don’t know what number is too many really, but I can’t say I’ve hit it yet. Because my mind always seems to have new mermaid ideas to share. And why not share? Mermaids are fun and mermaid birthday parties are still in trend so why stop now?

Can’t stop, won’t stop.

So next up are these Mermaid Jello Cups. This cups feature Jello Magic Mousse. And I’m not the genius who came up with this recipe. My mom has been making it for decades and got it directly from Kraft. A few years ago I shared a pretty Jello Cake recipe using this same recipe as a base and I think it turned out awesome. (Go check out what it looks like inside!) Jello is really a versatile product and can be used with various combinations like applesauce and jello or jello and ice cream. You can even make jello punch!

One day I thought to myself that using blue jello would really create a pretty aqua color that would be so pretty for the ocean! So I decided to make a version for both mermaids and sharks. If you are having a mermaids and shark party, this recipe is perfect for you. Check out my shark jello cups and make both!

Mermaid Jello Cups Ingredients

Very few ingredients are needed to make these cups. It really depends on how fancy you want to get with your decorations on top. To make them as shown you’ll need:

• blue gelatin
• whipped topping
• sprinkles
• candy melts
• canola oil or shortening (optional)
• mermaid tail mold
• chocolate seashell mold (my exact set is out of stock but this is similar)

But you’ll also need a mermaid tail mold and a sea shell mold to make these toppers. Not sure what mold to get? Here is breakdown all the mermaid tail molds I found on Amazon to know which one is right for each project. For this project I did this silicone tail mold but they are very delicate. Some people do struggle with this mold pasted on feedback I’ve received. I can get about 3/4 of them out without breaking them but a lot of people can’t. If you want a sturdier tail you can chose the smaller single tail mold. It will be a lot heavier and most likely won’t stand upright like the one I used for this project. But you could lean them up in the back of the cup for support or push them further down and I think they would be amazing.

How to Make Mermaid Jello Mousse

To start these mermaid jello cups, you’ll want to mix together your blue jello and boiling water in a large bowl. Stir for two minutes so the gelatin is fully dissolved.

Add in your whipped topping and stir until fully melted and combined. This is a full 16 oz tub of COOL WHIP but of course you could substitute two of the more common 8 oz size.

Your jello mousse will become all foaming and a beautiful aqua color.

Pour into small glass dishes or plastic cups. I filled my 6 oz dessert cups up 2/3 of the way full and got 8 desserts. I find it easiest to place on a small baking tray and covering with plastic wrap before transferring to the refrigerator to firm up. Allow up to 8 hours to get fully firm.

Greek Yogurt Alternative

If you aren’t a fan of whipped topping, you can instead use Greek yogurt. Simply follow this two ingredient Greek Yogurt Jello Recipe and swap out the strawberry gelatin for blue gelatin. It won’t have the same two toned, fluffy look but will have a smooth, creamy consistency.

How to Make Chocolate Sea Shells

These chocolate seashells can be as complicated or as easy as you like! Melt 1/4 cup candy melts in short 15-30 second intervals, stirring often. Do not over cook chocolate. Stir to completely combine and add a bit of canola oil or shortening for a super smooth look. Using a spoon, carefully drop chocolate in silicone mold, filling to the top.

If you want to keep things simple, you could do solid colors like light pink, lavender and white. You can also add bright white to your pink or lavender candy melts to create a lighter shade. I did this with my lavender to create a more pale color. I also took my seashells a step further and used two colors.

From experience, I’ve found the easiest way to create this look is with food safe brushes! I brushed some white into the bottom of the silicone mold and then filled in with light pink or lavender candy melts.
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Gently tap the mold on a hard surface to even out and remove air bubbles. If you have a lot of excess I would suggest leveling with the flat edge of metal spatula. It  will create a cleaner look. Then place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to fully harden before gently removing. 

Chocolate Mermaid Tails

I have a post on how to make sparkling chocolate mermaid tails. The mold featured in the post would work for this project but it is quite a bit larger. (See my choosing the right mermaid tail mold for the job post to see the size comparison.) This mold is great because you can make 16 mermaid tails at once and the tails are small, light and detailed, making them perfect for this project. But be very careful with removal. Do not try to remove them when they are very cold and brittle. (Do not freeze) Remove each one individually, and careful separate each tail from the silicone silicone mold. The tip of the tails are especially vulnerable to breaking. Make extra because you may lose some. It helps to level the chocolate or be very careful to not overfill. Otherwise the excess chocolate can make it harder to remove.

Melt candy melts and small amount of canola oil in microwave save dish in short 30 second intervals, stirring often. Stir to completely combine. Using a spoon, carefully drop chocolate in mermaid tail mold, filling to the top. Using straight edge of scraper or knife, slide along top of mold to remove excess chocolate. Gently tap mold a few times against a hard surface to remove any air bubbles. Transfer to refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from silicone mold.

How to Make Mermaid Jello Cups

Once your jello is firm, you can assemble these fun mermaid mousse cups. You’ll want to start by adding additional whipped topping or whipped cream if preferred using a spoon to create a the look of white waves.  Buy your favorite mermaid sprinkle mix or make your own! I used a combination of colorful sixlets, blue nonpareils, silver confetti sprinkles, silver jimmies and pink stars. This silver sprinkle mix or a variety of these silver and gold sprinkles from Amazon would also be a good choice!

Top with your chocolate tails, sea shells and your sprinkle mix! If using whipped topping, these store well in the fridge. The jello can easily be made the day or two in advance, although I recommend assembling them the day you are planning to serve.

Dive into these magical mermaid jello cups! These cups are simple but are a showstopper on any dessert table.

4.78 from 9 votes

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Mermaid Jello Cups

Mermaid Jello Cups are a simple but magical mermaid party idea that guests of all ages will love. Dive into jello mousse cups topped with whipped topping, fun sprinkles, chocolate mermaid tail and sea shells!

Course Dessert

Keyword birthday party, jello cup, jello magic mousse, kids dessert, mermaid dessert, mermaid party, mermaid party ideas

Prep Time 30 minutes

Chill Time 8 hours

Servings 8

Author Emilie

Ingredients

• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 box 6 oz. JELL-O Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin
• 1 tub 16 oz. COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
• 1 tub 8 oz COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
• assorted sprinkles
• 1 to 2 cups assorted candy melts bright white, lavender, pink, bright pink (optional)
• canola oil or shortening optional

Instructions

1. Whisk boiling water and gelatin in a large bowl for approximately two minutes, or until fully dissolved.

2. Add in 16 oz. whipped topping and whisk until fully combined.

3. Pour evenly into 6 ounce glass dessert dishes or clear plastic cups.

4. Refrigerate several hours until firm.

5. If making chocolate mermaid tails and seashells, melt candy melts and oil in microwave safe dish in short intervals, stirring often. Do not over cook.

6. Once fully melted add a small amount of canola oil or shortening to make smooth. (You'll want about a 1 teaspoon for 1 cup of candy melts) Carefully spoon chocolate mermaid tail and seashell mold, trying to not overfill.

7. Gently tap mold a few times against a hard surface to remove any air bubbles. Using a straight edge of scraper or knife, slide along top of mold to remove excess chocolate if needed.

8. Transfer to refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove from silicone mold.

9. Once jello is firm, top with additional whipped topping, chocolate mermaid tail, chocolate sea shells and sprinkles. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

If you love the look of these mermaid jello cups, check out my mermaid rice krispie treats and my mermaid hot chocolate which features a similar color scheme!