Vintage Coffee Jelly Recipe (1950s Recipe)

The 1950s are filled with jello and this vintage coffee jelly recipe is an example of one of those jello recipes that is actually delicious!

To help bring this vintage recipe to life again SKS Bottle & Packaging provided the glass jars. Check them out for all your bottle and jar needs!

Coffee jelly, a dessert combining coffee and Jello, is a fun treat from the past that is unexpectedly delicious! Plus it’s easy to make.

This recipe comes from 1954. I found it in a vintage magazine in an article about coffee desserts. Coffee desserts seemed to be pretty popular during the time given the number of recipes you find. I made another vintage coffee recipe a while ago, a coffee ice cream float. Both recipes are delicious!

Brief History of Coffee Jelly

Coffee jelly is a delightful dessert that was first seen in cookbooks published in England as early as 1817. It gained popularity in the early 20th century.

Back in its heyday, coffee jelly attained a remarkable level of popularity, and this can be attributed, in part, to it being cheap.

As food and tastes evolved, coffee jelly is not really seen anymore in the US. However, it remains popular in Japan. You also will see it in some Asian restaurants in the US. 

During the 1950s, coffee jelly creations began incorporating flavored Jello into this dessert. Likely due to the popularity of Jello at the time. Jello is also very cheap and accessible. 

How to Make Vintage Coffee Jelly

This simple version of coffee jelly is made using Jello and instant coffee! It can sound weird but it’s actually pretty delicious. It’s worth the try, you may be surprised.

Scroll down to find the full recipe card. There is a printable version as well!

You will need these ingredients:

• Lemon Jello
• Instant Coffee
• Whipped Cream
• Powdered Sugar

That’s all! It’s really simple to make and also a very budget-friendly dessert.

If you haven’t used instant coffee or it’s been a long time, it can actually be really good. You want to buy a high-quality version but it’s great to have around for recipes like this and if you want coffee fast.

I used Mount Hagen instant coffee in this recipe. It’s really quite good. I used it a lot to make oat milk lattes at home. It’s also organic and Fair Trade.

I’ve also since discovered Thrive Market’s brand of instant coffee. It’s even cheaper and still really good. You can buy both the Mount Hagen instant coffee and Thrive Market brand at Thrive Market, which is my favorite online grocery store.

Once you have all of these ingredients the recipe is really easy. You will have to plan ahead to allow time for the Jello to set but otherwise, you can whip it up in no time.

Start by allowing the Jello to dissolve in hot water, stir in the coffee, and then the cold water.

Pour this mixture into a glass dish. I used a 6-inch Pyrex container but I can’t recommend Pyrex anymore as a private equity firm bought them recently. Now I recommend either getting Pyrex containers from the thrift store or checking out the ones from Sur La Table.

Let it set in the fridge for 4 hours or until fully set. When it has set, cut into half-inch cubes. Set them aside. Whip up some whipped cream and fold in powdered sugar. 

After that, you will alternate layers of the coffee jelly cubes and whipped cream in a glass. That’s all! Now it’s ready to enjoy. 

For my glasses, I used glass jars from SKS Bottle & Packaging. They have glass jars and bottles of all sizes and styles. I used their 10 oz clear wide-mouth jars. This makes for big servings so you could easily use smaller jars or glasses.

Can You Make Other Flavors of Coffee Jelly?

The lemon flavor sounded very weird to me but citrus is often mixed with coffee and it was pretty good. 

I think next time I’d try a flavor like cherry. You could use any Jello flavor that sounds good to you. 

Continue to Content

Vintage Coffee Jelly Recipe

Print

Layers of delicious coffee-flavored Jello and whipped cream.

Prep Time 4 hours

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 3-ounce package lemon Jello
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup powder sugar, sifted
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Instructions

1. Dissolve Jello in hot water; stir in coffee; add cold water.
2. Pour into the dish and chill in the refrigerator until set, usually around 4 hours.
3. When set, cut into half-inch cubes.
4. Fold sugar into whipped cream.
5. Put alternating layers of coffee jelly cubes and whipped cream in glasses or jars.

Notes

The original recipe said 6 servings but those are pretty small servings. I only got 3 when using 10 oz jars.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

More Vintage Recipes You Need to Try

Once you try this vintage recipe you can find more to try on the blog.

• Retro Jello Recipes That Are Actually Delicious
• Homemade Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream
• Easy Chocolate Coffee Pudding