Easy No-Bake Jello Candy Melts
These No-Bake Jello Candy Melts are a nostalgic, simple, and sweet treat that requires no oven, just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of mixing and rolling. They are fast, easy, giftable, and crowd-pleasing.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
- shallow dishes or plates for coating
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper or wax paper for lining baking sheet and storage container
- Airtight container for storage
Ingredients
Candy Dough
- 16 ounces powdered sugar about half of a regular 2-pound bag
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened
Coating
- Plain white sugar for coating
- Boxes of powdered Jello pick your favorite flavors; dry powder used
Instructions
- Make sure your cream cheese is properly softened. If it's too cold, it won't mix smoothly with the sugar.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it's smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the cream cheese, mixing on low speed at first to avoid a sugar cloud! Keep mixing until everything is well combined and you have a stiff dough. It should be easy to handle but not sticky.
- Now, let's prepare the coating! In shallow dishes or plates, pour some plain white sugar. In separate dishes, pour your different colors of dry Jello powder. You'll want about 1/4 cup of plain sugar mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of Jello powder per color, or adjust to your preference. Stir them together until the color is uniform.
- Pinch off small pieces of the dough, about the size of a marble or a little bigger, and roll them into balls between your palms.
- Immediately roll each ball in your prepared Jello/sugar mixture, making sure it's completely coated. Place the coated candies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Repeat until you've used all the dough, rolling batches in different colors if you like!
- Pop the baking sheet into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the candies firm up.
- And that's it! Your gorgeous, colorful Jello Candy Melts are ready to enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Once firm, transfer to an airtight container. Layer with wax paper to prevent sticking. Store in the refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks.
Tips:
- Soft cream cheese is key for smooth mixing.
- Don't skip the chill time for proper texture.
- If dough is sticky, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Can make dough ahead and store in fridge; let soften slightly before rolling.
Substitutions/Additions:
- Mix Jello flavors for coating.
- Add vanilla or almond extract, nuts, or mini chocolate chips to dough (nuts may make rolling tricky).
- Roll in sprinkles, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or dip bottom in melted chocolate.
- Recipe is typically gluten-free; check specific brands.
FAQ:
- Full-fat cream cheese is recommended for best texture.
- If candies don't hold shape, dough might be too warm or need more powdered sugar; try chilling or adding sugar.
- Freezing may change texture; best enjoyed fresh or from the fridge.
Tips:
- Soft cream cheese is key for smooth mixing.
- Don't skip the chill time for proper texture.
- If dough is sticky, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Can make dough ahead and store in fridge; let soften slightly before rolling.
Substitutions/Additions:
- Mix Jello flavors for coating.
- Add vanilla or almond extract, nuts, or mini chocolate chips to dough (nuts may make rolling tricky).
- Roll in sprinkles, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or dip bottom in melted chocolate.
- Recipe is typically gluten-free; check specific brands.
FAQ:
- Full-fat cream cheese is recommended for best texture.
- If candies don't hold shape, dough might be too warm or need more powdered sugar; try chilling or adding sugar.
- Freezing may change texture; best enjoyed fresh or from the fridge.