Elevate your gatherings with the timeless elegance of this vintage-inspired sparkling white grape and Champagne molded gn.
With only four ingredients, this classic retro congealed salad beautifully combines the effervescence of Champagne with the lusciousness of white grapes into a light and refreshing dessert!
table of contents
Ingredient details
You’ll only need 4 ingredients to make this elegant Champagne gelatin dessert recipe. There are a few ingredient substitution alternatives below if you need them.
- Seedless white or green grapes, 3 cups
- Champagne or sparkling wine, 1 bottle (750 ml)
- White grape juice, 3 cups
- Unflavored gelatin, 4 envelopes
White grapes: These are all light-colored grapes. They can be green, yellow or pale golden. The sweeter the better!
The jello salad looks more interesting with the grapes halved or quartered instead of whole. The ones I used were huge, so I quartered them.
Sparkling wine: Choose a good sparkling wine or Champagne that you enjoy the taste, but not a fancy one. Leave the good stuff for the New Year’s toast.
You can also use the Italian sparkling wines Prosecco or white Lambrusco. White Lambrusco may be difficult to find (it’s usually red) but it’s a great budget alternative.
Unflavored gelatin: Such as Knox gelatin, which you can find in the baking section of your grocery store. Each box of Knox gelatin comes with 4 envelopes, so you’ll need a whole box for this recipe.
To substitute for gelatin powder in bulk (that comes in a large package) use 4 tablespoons instead.
How to make
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make our jellojoy’s sparkling white grape jello vintage mold:
- Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup of cold white grape juice in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until gelatin is hydrated.
- Bring the remaining 2 cups of juice to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the dissolved gelatin, mixing until it’s completely melted.
- Wait for the gelatin mixture to cool down until just warm. You can put the pan over a large bowl with ice water to speed up the process.
- Slowly pour in the sparkling wine (or soda). Remove excess foam that’s risen to the top.
- Refrigerate until it’s thickened to a soft gel or cold egg white consistency.
- Fold the grapes into the thickened gelatin then gently pour the mixture into the mold, with the help of a spoon.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
How to easily unmold the jello:
- Carefully run the tip of a knife or toothpick around the edges of the gelatin mold, then gently pull the jello away from the edges using wet fingertips.
- Fill a bowl that will fit the gelatin mold about half-way up with warm water (not hot). Dip the mold into the warm water for 10 seconds.
- Invert the serving plate centered on top of the mold, and holding them firmly together, flip them over.
- Gently shake or tap the mold to help release the gelatin, then lift it to remove.
If the sparkling wine jello doesn’t come out on the first try, dip the mold again in warm water and repeat the flipping operation.
Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves or mint leaves.
Recipe variations
Non-alcoholic
Substitute the Champagne or Sparkling wine for 3 cups of lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up) or ginger ale.
Or, even better: a bottle of alcohol-fee Sparkling White Grape Juice Cocktail.
Reduced-sugar, low-calorie
To make a lower-calorie version of this retro jello salad recipe you’ll need to replace the natural white grape juice with a reduced sugar alternative. Here are a few options:
- White grape flavor zero-calorie drink mix
- Sugar-free grape infused water or seltzer
- Brewed and cooled green tea – this zero-calorie drink adds a herbal and floral taste that pairs well with grapes. It can feel bitter, so add sweetener to taste.
Also choose a less sweet sparkling wine or Brut Champagne. If making it without alcohol, use sugar-free soda instead of regular.
Extra tips
Stir gently to keep the bubbles
To keep the Champagne or Sprite bubbles suspended in the jello you need to be very gentle while pouring and mixing.
I had bubbles on my first run of this recipe when I was testing the ingredient amounts, but when I repeated it to make the photos I got distracted and mixed my bubbles away.
If you’d like to see the full sparkling effect of Champagne bubbles trapped in gelatin, take a look at my Pink Champagne Jello Shots recipe. I was very careful mixing that one!
To be honest, for this grape jello recipe I prefer the totally clear look of the gelatin mold sans bubbles. It really showcases the beautiful grapes suspended in the jelly and you can see all the rich details.
Use a metal pan or mold
Flimsy molds don’t provide enough support to set gelatin. Even if you can manage unmolding it in one piece, the shape of the dessert can look distorted and uneven.
For jello jigglers or other small jellied recipes, it’s okay to use silicon molds.
However, for recipes like this one which take larger amounts of liquid, and specially with suspended fruit, please use a jello mold, loaf pan, ring pan or Bundt pan made of a stiff material like metal or glass for best results.
Making ahead and storage
This white grape and sparkling wine jello salad will keep well refrigerated for up to one week. It’s a wonderful dessert to make ahead and save time in the busy kitchen during the holidays!
The grape salad needs to stay covered or it can absorb smell and taste from the other items in your fridge. It’s easier to just keep it in the mold, covered with plastic wrap, and unmold it before serving.
The Champagne of Jell-O
Did you know that sparkling white grape was a real jello flavor? Introduced by the Jell-O brand in 1997 to commemorate its 100th year anniversary, the limited-edition flavor was a hit and marketed as “The Champagne of Jell-O”.
A box of the original Sparkling White Grape Jell-O is currently on display at the Museum of JELL-O Gallery, and you can still find sealed boxes on eBay for a small fortune.
If you ever tried the original and miss what’s probably the most glam Jell-O flavor ever invented, I hope you will also enjoy my humble modern version!
Sparkling White Grape Jello
A showstopping centerpiece retro congealed salad to add a touch of sophistication to any gathering, made with only 4 ingredients!
- 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 3 cups white grape juice (divided)
- 1 bottle sparkling wine (see notes below for more options)
- 3 cups seedless white grapes (halved or quartered)
- Sprinkle gelatin over 1 cup of cold white grape juice in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to hydrate.
Bring the remaining 2 cups of juice to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the dissolved gelatin, mixing until it's completely melted.
- Wait for the gelatin mixture to cool down until just warm. You can put the pan over a large bowl with ice water to speed up the process.
Slowly pour in the sparkling wine (or soda). Remove excess foam that's risen to the top, then chill until it's thickened to a soft gel or cold egg white consistency.
Fold the grapes into the thickened gelatin then gently pour the mixture into the mold, with the help of a spoon.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
How to unmold
Fill a bowl that will fit the gelatin mold about half-way up with warm water (not hot). Dip the mold in the warm water for 15 seconds. Remove it from the water and gently pull the jello away from the edges with wet fingertips or the tip of a knife or toothpick.
Invert the serving plate centered on top of the mold, and holding them firmly together, flip them over. Gently shake or tap the mold to help release the gelatin, then lift it to remove. If the jello doesn't come out on the first try, dip the mold again in warm water and repeat the flipping operation.
This recipe will fit a 10-cup mold. For best results, use metal jello molds, loaf pans, ring molds or Bundt pans. Avoid flimsy materials like silicone.
Recipe variations
Add sugar: This sparkling jellied salad is lightly sweetened with just white grape juice. It’s good as a light dessert or as a refreshing side salad. You can add up to 1/3 cup of sugar if you like, together with the grape juice in the pan where it will melt easily.
Sparkling wine: Choose a good sparkling wine or Champagne that you enjoy the taste, but not a fancy one. You can also use Prosecco or white Lambrusco.
Non-alcoholic: Substitute the Champagne or sparkling wine for lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up), ginger ale or alcohol-fee Sparkling White Grape Juice Cocktail.
Reduced-sugar, low-calorie: Replace the white grape juice with a reduced sugar alternative, such as white grape flavor zero-calorie drink mix, sugar-free grape infused water or seltzer, or brewed and cooled green tea (add sweetener to taste).
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