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These Halloween jello roll ups bring color and fun to your holiday table with chewy jello spirals and ghost shapes on skewers. The ghosts have a light orange flavor while the rolls come in any color you like. Everything starts with a few simple ingredients and ends with a treat that looks as good as it tastes. This recipe is beginner-friendly, so kids can help make the shapes and assemble the skewers for a playful dessert.
Halloween jello roll ups combine fruity jello rolls and sweet ghost shapes on skewers. They’re really simple to put together and perfect for a spooky holiday treat.
You might also like candy corn cupcakes, bat Oreos, Harry Potter style chocolate frogs, ghost jello shots, and these mummy hand pies.
Why You’ll Love It
Kid-friendly: Simple steps make this a fun family project.
Festive colors: Customize with any jello flavor for bright layers.
Playful presentation: Skewers turn candy into edible decorations.
Beginner-friendly: No baking skills are needed for this recipe.
Jello Roll Ups Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and creamy flavor to the ghosts.
Unflavored gelatin: Creates the base for the ghost shapes.
Orange extract: Gives the ghosts a light citrus flavor.
Jello: Any flavor works to make colorful rolls for the skewers.
Mini marshmallows: To separate layers in the jello rolls and support the ghosts on skewers.
How to Make Jello Pinwheels
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the ghost mixture: Mix gelatin with cold water and then boiling water, add sweetened condensed milk, stir in extract until everything is completely melted, and pour into ghost molds to set.
Make the jello rolls: Dissolve jello with water, add marshmallows, melt and stir smooth, then chill until set.
Assemble rolls: Lift jello sheet, roll tightly, slice into spirals and set aside.
Build the skewers: Layer jello rolls and ghosts with a marshmallow layer for support, securing everything in place.
Substitutions and Variations
Flavor change: Use vanilla or lemon extract, or your favorite flavors, instead of orange.
Color swap: Pick jello flavors to match any holiday theme. I used flavored gelatin in Halloween colors but you can use whatever you prefer.
Sugar-free jello: Sugar-free jello mix works fine, if you prefer a sugar-free gelatin mixture.
Extra topping: Add candy eyes to ghosts for a fun twist.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your Halloween feast with some cheese-stuffed pumpkin bites, Halloween bruschetta and a veggie platter.
Main dish: Enjoy Halloween pasta or this mummy stromboli. And don’t forget the skull potatoes!
Desserts: Serve these Halloween jello roll ups and perhaps also some boozy dirt cups or eyeball jello shots!
How to Store Halloween Jello Rolls
Store: For short term storage (such as the same day you want to serve them) store them in the refrigerator on a platter with plastic wrap. For storing longer, put them in an airtight container with a lid and they should last 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: This isn’t suitable for freezing.
Top Tips
Whisk well: The jello powder needs to be completely dissolved before mixing in the other ingredients.
Use firm molds: Silicone molds work best for smooth ghost shapes.
Slice carefully: A sharp knife keeps the jello rolls neat.
Work quickly: Assemble skewers before rolls warm up.
Re-roll if needed: If you can’t get the jello rolls rolled tight enough the first time, you can always re-roll them after they’re cut and before you put them on the skewers.
Chill well: Fully set layers hold shape better when skewered.
Halloween Jello Roll Ups FAQs
Any silicone mold with ghost shapes works well. (I used this one!)
I recommend that you don’t. The jello mixture will come out without sticking. In fact, if you use nonstick spray, when you pull them out you’ll see wrinkles on the outside of the jello and ghosts from the spray because it doesn’t absorb. They won’t have a smooth surface, which looks better.
No, you can serve the rolls and ghosts separately if you prefer.
Halloween Jello Roll Ups Recipe
Halloween Jello Roll Ups
Equipment
- Baking Dish 9 x 13-Inch
- Skewers 10-Inch
Ingredients
For the Gelatin Ghosts
- ½ Cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Envelope gelatin, unflavored
- ¼ Cup cold water
- ½ Cup boiling water
- 1 Teaspoon orange extract
- mini marshmallows, to support the ghost on the skewers
For the Jello Rolls
- 1 Package jello, any flavor, 1 x 6-Ounce or 2 x 3-Ounce Packages
- 3 Cups mini marshmallows
- 1 Cup boiling water
Instructions
Make the Gelatin Ghosts
- Pour unflavored gelatin into a small bowl.
- Add cold water and whisk until gelatin is dissolved.
- Add of sweetened condensed milk and set aside.
- Boil ½ cup of water then pour onto the gelatin mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Add orange extract and stir in.
- Place your ghost mold onto a small baking sheet or cutting board (it will be easier to transfer to the refrigerator on a hard surface without spilling)
- Pour gelatin into your ghost molds. Leave a little space at the top of the mold, so it will come out easier. If you fill it all the way to the top of the mold, the edges might stick as you try to get it out.
- Place the mold in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or until firm.
- Once the ghosts are ready, remove them by pushing directly up on the ghost head until it comes out of the mold.
Make the Jello Rolls
- Pour jello into a medium bowl.
- Pour boiling water into bowl and whisk until dissolved.
- Add mini marshmallows and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes. Marshmallows will be slightly puffy.
- Whisk the mixture together until smooth.
- Pour jello mixture into a 9 x 13-inch pan
- Place in the refrigerator and let cool for 2 hours or until firm. The marshmallow will automatically separate from the Jello on its own while chilling; the separation is what makes the 2 colors.
- Once firm, slowly pull up the sides of the jello until you’ve removed it from the pan. You can place it on a cutting board.
- On the cutting board, starting in the middle of the long side, begin to roll the jello as tightly as possible.
- Once rolled, take a sharp knife and cut slices about ½-inch wide. You want the jello roll slices to be thick enough to allow the skewer to easily go through it.
- Repeat these directions for each color of Jello rolls you would like to make.
Assemble the Skewers
- Start by grabbing a 10-inch skewer. You can make any mix of colors you would like.
- When placing the jello roll onto a skewer, pierce the tail end of the jello roll first and slide down as far as you would like. This keeps the end of the jello roll from unraveling.
- The ghosts will slide a little easier than the jello rolls. To keep them from sliding off, you can place a mini marshmallow onto the skewer first and then the ghost. It will help support it and keep it in place. It’s best to put the ghost on top of the jello rolls or in the middle of 2 jello rolls.
- Once you’ve assembled all your skewers, lay them on a platter to serve.
Notes
Use firm molds: Silicone molds work best for smooth ghost shapes.
Slice carefully: A sharp knife keeps the jello rolls neat.
Work quickly: Assemble skewers before rolls warm up.
Re-roll if needed: If you can’t get the jello rolls rolled tight enough the first time, you can always re-roll them after they’re cut and before you put them on the skewers.
Chill well: Fully set layers hold shape better when skewered.
Nutrition
This recipe for Halloween jello roll ups is a quick way to add spooky color to your table. The ghosts have a light citrus flavor while the jello rolls bring sweet chewy layers in any color combination you like. Everything sets in the fridge and assembles in minutes so it’s perfect for parties or family fun. Make jello roll ups for your Halloween party and they’ll be the star of the evening!
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
