How to Make Glow in the Dark Jello Brains

5 from 1 vote
This recipe for making glow in the dark jello brains is super simple but looks great under a black light. Perfect for your spooky Halloween party!
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For a fun and edible addition to your glow in the dark Halloween party, learn how to make glow in the dark jello brains. Just add a black light to make it glow!

How to make glow in the dark jello brains
How To Make Glow In The Dark Jello Brains

An easy and fun way to add spookiness to your Halloween table is to make jello in a brain-shaped mold…and making it glow in the dark (with a black light) is even more fun.

Ingredients

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  • 2 3-oz boxes of jello – I prefer this blue color* for the best glow-in-the-dark effect, but any color will work
  • large bottle of tonic water

Equipment

  • brain shaped mold*
  • bowl that’s big enough for the brain mold to fit inside – this works best if the edge of the mold can rest on the rim of the bowl
  • pot or kettle for boiling water
  • black light – to make the jello glow

How To Make Glow In The Dark Jello Brains

brain jello mold inside of a bowl

Place the brain mold inside the bowl so that it is level and stable. 

This keeps the mold level so that the jello sets properly.

Pour the contents of your 2 jello boxes into the mold

Heat water to boiling

Pour 2 cups of boiling water into the mold and stir so that the jello is dissolved

Add 2 cups of cold tonic water into the mold and stir again. This is what will make the jello glow in the dark.

brain mold filled with blue jello

Put the bowl with the mold in the refrigerator making sure that it is still level after you move it.

Refrigerate until the jello has set, usually 4-5 hours.

It can be stored in the refrigerator like this for up to 3 days.

How To Get The Jello Out Of The Mold

Just before serving, you’ll need to remove the jello from the mold without breaking it.

To do this, remove the mold (with the jello still in it) from the bowl and set it aside temporarily.

Fill the bowl about half way with hot water.

Place the mold back into the bowl so that the hot water comes far enough up the sides to heat the areas where the jello is (but does not come over the top).

Get the plate ready that you will be using to display the jello.

Turn the mold over on top of the plate.

jello brains on a plate

And voila…jello brains!

glow in the dark blue jello brains with a black light pointed at them

The last step is to add a black light that makes the jello glow!

Find more information on how to use black lights to make things glow in the dark HERE.

How To Store Jello Brains

The jello brains can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before serving.

Leave it in the mold until just before the party. This will make sure that the jello holds its shape.

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Glow In The Dark Jello Brains

Glow In The Dark Jello Brains

5 from 1 vote
Servings: 1 mold
Prep 5 minutes
Chilling Time 4 hours
Total 4 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 small (3-oz) or 1 large (6-oz) boxes of Berry Blue jello
  • 2 cups tonic water chilled

Equipment

  • Brain shaped mold
  • Bowl big enough for the brain mold to fit inside
  • pot or kettle

Instructions
 

  • Place the brain mold inside the bowl so that it is level and stable.
  • Pour the contents of 2 boxes of jello into the mold.
  • Boil some water.
  • Pour 2 cups of boiling water into the mold and stir so that the jello is dissolved
  • Add 2 cups of cold tonic water into the mold and stir again
  • Refrigerate the jello until it has set (usually 4-5 hours)

How To Get The Jello Out Of The Mold

  • Remove the mold from the bowl and set aside temporarily
  • Fill the bowl about half way with hot water.
  • Place the mold back into the bowl so that the hot water comes far enough up the sides to heat the areas where the jello is (but does not come over the top of the jello).
  • Get the plate ready that you will be using to display the jello.
  • Turn the mold over on top of the plate and the jello should come out.
  • Add a black light to make the jello glow.

Notes

  • Substitute other jello colors for the blue to match your party decor.
  • Chilling the tonic water before adding it to the mixture will help the jello set better.
  • The jello brains can be stored in the mold in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
  • To keep the shape, don’t remove the jello from the mold until just before serving time.
Nutrition Facts
Glow In The Dark Jello Brains
Serving Size
 
1 mold
Amount per Serving
Calories
808
% Daily Value*
Sodium
 
844
mg
37
%
Potassium
 
12
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
194
g
65
%
Sugar
 
186
g
207
%
Protein
 
13
g
26
%
Calcium
 
5
mg
1
%
Iron
 
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

authorWanda Simone
courseDessert
cuisineAmerican
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Do you have questions or comments about how to make glow in the dark jello brains?  Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on October 13, 2014 but was updated with new content on March 19, 2024.


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2 Comments

  1. Allison L says:

    If I make this today (Sunday), will it still glow and look good on Tuesday (two days)?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Allison…I have made the glow-in-the-dark jello molds the day before Halloween and it was fine, so I think 2 days ahead should work, too. Happy Halloween!