Dirty Shirley Jello Shots

How to make it

1. 1

   Peel wide strips of zest from 1 lime with a vegetable peeler and drop them in a jar. Add 2 Tbsp lime juice, the vodka and a pinch of salt and stir.

2. 2

   Add the cherries, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. The longer they soak, the boozier they get.

3. 3

   When the cherries are ready, empty the gelatin into a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, pour in the boiling water and stir until fully dissolved. Let it cool for about 5 minutes so it's warm, not hot, which keeps the alcohol from cooking off.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, measure ½ cup of the infused vodka into another cup and stir in the soda and grenadine. Discard the lime zest and set the cherries aside. Save any leftover infused vodka for another drink.

5. 5

   Stir the vodka mixture into the gelatin and divide it among 10 to 14 jello shot cups set on a small tray.

6. 6

   Refrigerate until the gelatin just starts to set, 45 to 55 minutes, so the cherries will stay in place.

7. 7

   Gently nestle one cherry into each cup with the stem pointing up, then refrigerate until fully set, at least 3 hours.

Swap it: Makes 10 to 14 shots depending on cup size; plan on about 4 hours, mostly chilling. Each shot holds only a small amount of vodka, but they go down easily, so serve them with food and plenty of water. Kid-friendly version: skip the vodka and soak the cherries in lime juice; replace the ½ cup infused vodka with more lemon-lime soda and label them clearly.