This healthy, naturally sweetened orange jello salad is so fun and delicious! We’re taking jello salad, and filling it with extra goodness and nutrition today. Using grass-fed gelatin and adding extra vitamin c into it, along with a dairy-free coconut whip cream – this is not your average orange jello treat!
Thank you to Perfect Supplements for sponsoring this post!
Healthy Orange Jello Salad Recipe
This orange jello has been such a fun recipe in our house!
I grew up eating jello made from a box, and, funny thing, it wasn’t until I was an adult that I learned that you can make your own without artificial food coloring and dyes and loads of extra sugar.
That’s just not my jam. And if you’re with me, you’ll love this orange gelatin recipe!
It gives me orange creamsicle salad vibes. The next time your sweet tooth is making some noise, try making this easy creamy orange jello salad!
Nutrition boosts
The base for our orange jello is orange juice, honey, and gelatin. We add more goodness in with a couple of nutrition boosts.
Our first nutrition boost comes from Perfect Bovine Gelatin!
Gelatin is made up of collagen protein but in a slightly different form. They have almost the exact amino acid (protein) profile since they both contain collagen protein.
Gelatin will gel/thicken when cooled, which is the biggest difference between collagen and gelatin.
The second nutrition boost is from Perfect Acerola Vitamin C Powder!
Vitamin C helps to support immunity and Acerola Cherry is an amazing source of high-quality vitamin C. The freeze-dried acerola cherry powder adds a slight tartness and is a great pairing with orange juice & honey.
It mixes in easily with liquids and tastes tart and delicious.
Dairy free whip cream
To top this orange jello salad off, we’re making an easy coconut whipped topping to go along with it!
Of course, you could definitely make a traditional whip with heavy whipping cream, but I think the coconut flavor and orange are so great together. It reminds me of a creamsicle.
To make coconut whip cream, first, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk. Once it’s fully chilled, scoop out the solid coconut cream, whip it up in a mixer, and sweeten it to your liking!
Future cool whip recipes can use this coconut whip as a substitute!
Basic ingredients you’ll need for orange jello salad
Scroll down to view the full recipe card below for the full simple ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.
How to make dairy free jello salad
- Before making this easy recipe, place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge for 1-2 hours to let it fully chill.
- Heat a small saucepan or pot over medium-high heat and add 2 cups of orange juice. Bring to a gentle boil, and remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup of orange juice. Mix together the gelatin and Acerola powder, then sprinkle on top of the orange juice. Let the powders dissolve into the juice, or mix them together.
- Pour the hot orange juice into the cold orange juice, and stir to combine, or use a hand mixer. Add 1.5 tbsp honey, and mix until dissolved. Taste to see if you’d like to add a little bit more honey in. Pour into a dish or jello mold and chill in the fridge (it will take about 2 hours for it to set).
- To make the coconut whip cream, take the chilled can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Open, and scoop the firm coconut cream into a mixing bowl. Whip for 1-2 minutes on high, then add the honey and continue to whip until the coconut whip cream is fluffy. Taste the whip to see if you’d like more honey added in. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
- When the orange jello is firm, spread the dairy-free whip cream as the top layer. Top with mandarin oranges if desired. Serve, and enjoy!
Watch me make this delicious dessert recipe
The full how to video can be watched below, or on my YouTube channel!
Try this healthy twist and different flavors
Delicious jello salad flavors are endless! A classic recipe is great, but if you’re looking for different ways to flavor homemade dairy free jello salad, try one of these!
Fresh strawberries blended and strained in place of the orange juice make a tasty strawberry jello salad! Add a little whipped cream or cool whip and pretzels for a strawberry pretzel salad that goes great with Christmas dinner, and summer cookouts!
Raspberry jello with fresh berries and whipped cream cheese is another great way to flavor it up! Mini marshmallows would be a fun addition, along with some grated dark chocolate bar.
Try a tropical twist and use mango juice in place of orange juice, and then serve with crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits, honey-sweetened Greek yogurt or sour cream, and shredded coconut.
Make a green jello salad by using lime juice and squeezing the liquid out of defrosted frozen spinach into the jello mixture. This will give you a natural green colored lime jello salad without food dyes.
Best way to store it orange jello salad
Gelatin salads should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Use a lid, or plastic wrap to keep them fresh.
I chilled my jello straight into one of my Pyrex storage containers, and simply put the lid on it when I was ready to store it.
Store for up to 1 week in the fridge!
Jello does not freeze very well. When it defrosts from frozen, it gets runny and slushy like. This recipe is best eaten within the first week of making it.
More delicious recipes you’ll love
Orange Jello Salad – Dairy Free!
Ingredients
- 3 cups orange juice
- 2.5 tbsp Perfect Bovine Gelatin
- 1 tbsp Acerola Vitamin C Powder
- 3 tbsp honey, divided (or more if you’d like)
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (chilled for at least 2 hours in advance)
Instructions
- Before making this easy recipe, place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge for 1-2 hours to let it fully chill.
- Heat a small saucepan or pot over medium-high heat and add 2 cups of orange juice. Bring to a gentle boil, and remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup of orange juice. Mix together the gelatin and Acerola powder, then sprinkle on top of the orange juice. Let the powders dissolve into the juice, or mix them together.
- Pour the hot orange juice into the cold orange juice, and stir to combine, or use a hand mixer. Add 1.5 tbsp honey, and mix until dissolved. Taste to see if you’d like to add a little bit more honey in. Pour into a dish or jello mold and chill in the fridge (it will take about 2 hours for it to set).
- To make the coconut whip cream, take the chilled can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Open, and scoop the firm coconut cream into a mixing bowl. Whip for 1-2 minutes on high, then add the honey and continue to whip until the coconut whip cream is fluffy. Taste the whip to see if you’d like more honey added in. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
- When the orange jello is firm, spread the dairy-free whip cream as the top layer. Top with mandarin oranges if desired. Serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
If you try this mandarin orange jello salad recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
Originally published November 2021. Updated June 2023.
