[1] Jell-O shots are commonly made with vodka but can be prepared using almost any type of hard liquor, grain alcohol, or wine.

[7] The exact origin of the jello shot is unknown, as gelatin and alcohol mixtures predate the commercialization of Jell-O in 1897.

Several precursors to jello shots have been described, such a recipe in the 14th century Le Viandier de Taillevent for aspic flavored with wine.

[2][8] The jello shot is sometimes attributed to 19th-century chef Marie-Antoine Carême, who created a recipe for pink champagne jelly flavored with orange flowers.

Multiple sources[1][2] attribute the creation of the modern jello shot to American satirist and musician Tom Lehrer, who claimed to have invented the jello shot as a way to circumvent a ban on alcohol at a navy base he was stationed at.