Get ready to impress (and maybe terrify) your Halloween guests with this fun and festive Halloween Jello Brain! This jiggly dessert features a wobbly lime Jello base, using pantry ingredients and a spooky brain mold.
It's the perfect creepy centerpiece for a Halloween party buffet table!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This Halloween, add a little bit of creepiness to your party with a Jello brain centerpiece! It's easy to make and will be a hit with both kids and adults, and is perfect for a spooky themed party.
The combination of wobbly lime Jello, sport coconut threads or fruit cocktail, and creamy coconut milk creates a visually stunning and textually delightful dessert that's perfect for any creepy children's Halloween party.
- Fun and Festive: The brain mold makes this dessert a guaranteed conversation starter, adding a spooky touch to your Halloween party.
- Easy to Make: This recipe requires minimal effort and uses basic ingredients, making it perfect for busy Halloween enthusiasts.
- Customizable: Experiment with different fruits or Jello flavor variations to personalize this recipe to your taste.
- Budget-Friendly: This dessert is a cost-effective way to add a festive touch to your Halloween celebration.
Ingredients You'll Need
I used to live in the Philippines, so when I was planning this Brain Jello dessert, macapuno coconut was the first thing that popped in my brain! Pun intended! Macapuno is threads of baby coconut. A tool is used to cut noodles of immature coconut and it's then preserved in either a syrup or in water. Rinse the syrup off if you can't find it in water.
A drained can of fruit cocktail or pineapple tidbits are an alternative if the macapuno threads are not readily available. I like the macapuno though, as it looks more like 'brains' in the unmolded dessert!
- Macapuno sport coconut - Or a can of drained fruit cocktail or pineapple tidbits.
- Coconut milk - canned.
- Yellow Food Color
- Lime flavored Jello (or any color of gelatin dessert).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make A Halloween Jello Brain
If using lime jello, adding some yellow food color makes it more electric and creepy looking. Use any cut canned fruit if the sport coconut threads (macapuno) are just not easy to find in your local Asian grocery store.
Mix the Jello Ingredients
- You'll mix the Jello according to the package directions.
- Dissolve the two 6 oz packages of Jello with three cups of boiling water. Stir well to completely dissolve. Add yellow food color to lighten the green to lime
- Mix in the can of coconut milk and stir well. Add the jar of coconut threads, or use drained fruit cocktail. Mix well.
Mold and Chill
I have a link below for where I purchased my brain mold off of Amazon. It holds two prepared 6 oz packages of gelatin dessert, a drained can of fruit cocktail, and most of a jar of canned coconut milk.
Use 11/2 cups of water per Jello package instead of 2 cups though, so the Jello Brain sets up firmer.
- Place the brain mold in a stainless steel bowl to stabilize it. Stainless will retain more chill and allow the gelatin to set up faster.
- Pour the lime green Jello mixture into the brain mold. Refrigerate until firm. Run hot water on the outside of the mold, then tip out onto a platter.
Unmold and Serve
- To serve, remove from the refrigerator. Run hot water on the OUTSIDE of the mold for about 1 minute.
- Use a knife and run it gently around the top edge of the mold.
- Place a plate or a platter over the top of the brain mold, then tip right side up so that the mold releases onto the plate or platter.
- Garnish with the gummy eye balls and serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this creepy looking Jello Brain on your Halloween party buffet table with other fun and spooky treats. For added drama, garnish with red gummy worms or candy eyeballs for a truly gruesome presentation.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this Jello brain recipe.
- You can use any color of Jello if lime is not your vision of an alien brain.
- Fruit cocktail or pineapple tidbits are great alternatives to the Macapuno coconut threads.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making this Halloween Jello Brain recipe:
- Use a stainless steel mixing bowl to stabilize the filled mold while setting up in the refrigerator. The stainless steel will chill it faster.
Related Recipes
- Halloween Orange Sherbet Punch
- Sweet & Sour 'Bat' Wings
- Halloween Meat & Cheese Platter
- Oven Roasted Garlic
- Spider Web 7 Layer Dip
- Hocus Pocus Cookies
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Brain Mold for Gelatin This mold fits nicely in a bowl so that it's stabilized while chilling in the refrigerator.
- Eye Ball Gummy These large gummy eyeballs give that final creepy look to this jello dessert!
Storage Options
- Keep this Jello molded dessert in the refrigerator until firm.
- Keep chilled until ready to serve, and to store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.
- This Jello dessert is not suitable for freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Macapuno sport coconut is a type of young coconut with a chewy, jelly-like texture. It can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. You can substitute canned fruit cocktail if macapuno is unavailable.
Absolutely! Just be sure to chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces.
Brain molds can be found online, at party supply stores, or in some grocery stores during the Halloween season.
More Delish Ideas
- Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
- Halloween Chex Snack Mix
- Halloween Sweet and Sour Chicken 'Bat' Wings
- Halloween 7 Layer Dip (Spider Web Taco Dip)
Halloween Jello Brain
Ingredients
- 3 cups Boiling Water
- 2 packages Lime Jello 6 oz each
- 14 oz Coconut Milk
- 12 drops yellow food coloring
- 12 oz jar Macapuno String 16 oz can of Fruit Cocktail
- 4 gummy eye balls garnish, optional
Instructions
- Boil the three cups of water.3 cups Boiling Water
- Empty both 6 oz boxes of jello in a bowl. Pour the three cups of boiling water over and still until dissolved.2 packages Lime Jello
- Add the Coconut milk to the Jello mixture and stir well. Add the yellow food color drops to change the dark green to a lime green.14 oz Coconut Milk, 12 drops yellow food coloring
- Mix in the jar of Macapuno coconut threads, or use a drained can of fruit cocktail.12 oz jar Macapuno String
- Pour the Jello mixture into the brain mold that is inverted into a bowl for stability. Place in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, remove from the refrigerator. Run hot water on the OUTSIDE of the mold for about 1 minute. Use a knife and run it gently around the top edge of the mold.
- Place a plate or a platter over the top of the brain mold, then tip right side up so that the mold releases onto the plate or platter. Garnish with the gummy eye balls.4 gummy eye balls
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use a stainless steel mixing bowl to stabilize the filled mold while setting up in the refrigerator. The stainless steel will chill it faster.
- If you can't find Macapuno String, any canned fruit cocktail will look great also!
Leave a Reply