Edible Jell-O Slime (Scented Oobleck!)


Published: April 27, 2021 · Updated: March 6, 2024 by Sacha — This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure.

Not only does this Jell-O slime smell fantastic, it’s also made from 100% edible ingredients—which makes it perfect for younger kids who like to put everything in their mouths! Use this recipe as a fun scented alternative to oobleck!


If you’ve ever visited my blog before, you may have noticed that edible sensory activities are a pretty big deal in our house.

It started out as a way to include our younger kids in activities, but these days, even our older kids seem to prefer activities that they can nibble on. And although they’re old enough to play with “big kid” slime, they’re always excited to find out what our “little kid” concoctions taste like.

We’ve been having lots of fun lately making edible slime using psyllium husk powder, marshmallows, and marshmallow fluff. We even made a batch of taste-safe marshmallow slime that glows under black light (yes, really)—perfect for Halloween!

One type of slime that we hadn’t tried making yet was Jell-O slime… which seems odd considering how much our kids love Jell-O! (They’re particularly fond of smashing it with spoons and conducting Jell-O digs.)

3-oz box of grape Jell-O.

So we decided we just had to try it. And suffice it to say that it’s looking like we’ll be adding Jell-O to our weekly grocery list going forward!

About Jell-O Slime

Because it’s made using kitchen ingredients, this slime is taste-safe and can be given toddlers and young kids who like to put everything in their mouths. It doesn’t taste terrible, but it’s not meant to be a snack, so be sure to supervise your children while they’re playing with it!

If you’re used to making slime activated by borax or contact lens solution, the texture of this slime may not be exactly what you’re expecting. It’s not very stretchy and it closely resembles oobleck, which is very “goopy” and behaves like a solid when being manipulated, but oozes like a liquid when resting.

If you want to make slime that’s both taste-safe and stretchy like borax-based slime, our Rainbow Marshmallow Slime and Edible Marshmallow Fluff Slime recipes may be closer to what you’re looking for!

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Required Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to whip up a batch of taste-safe Jell-O slime at home:

Ingredients to make Jell-O slime.

Note: I’ve included quantities in the recipe shared below, but it’s not an exact science. You may have to experiment a bit to find your preferred texture!

How to Make Edible Jell-O Slime (Step-by-Step)

1. Open Jell-O Packet

Start by opening a 3-oz pack of regular Jell-O and pouring the whole thing into a small mixing bowl.

Grape Jell-O powder in white bowl.

Note: Most Jell-O slime recipes call for sugar-free Jell-O, but we much preferred the texture of the regular one—we found that the slime made using sugar-free Jell-O was too stiff. However, that’s just a personal preference, so please feel free to use whichever version you prefer!

2. Add Cornstarch

Add about ½ cup of cornstarch to the bowl and stir with a spoon until the Jell-O powder and cornstarch are well combined.

Cornstarch and Jell-O powder inside a white bowl.

3. Add Water

Add a bit of water to the mixture and continue stirring with a spoon. Start with one tablespoon and slowly add more, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well between each addition.

Jell-O powder and cornstarch mixture with water added.

You shouldn’t need more than 2 or 3 tablespoons—I started with ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) and it ended up being too much, so I had to add some more cornstarch to compensate.

Purple goop inside a white bowl.

You can always do the same thing if you end up adding too much water, so no need to worry. And if ever you end up adding too much cornstarch, simply add a bit more water until you’re happy with the texture. It’s quite forgiving!

How to Play with Jell-O Slime

You’ll know your slime is done when it reaches a texture where it starts to offer resistance against the spoon, but behaves like a liquid when you stop applying pressure to it. When it reaches that consistency, it’s ready for your child to play with!

Spoon holding up Jell-O slime above bowl.

The texture is really cool when you get it right! As long as you’re manipulating it (as pictured below), it will behave like a solid and you’ll be able to roll it into a little ball…

Hand holding up a ball of purple slime.

…but once you stop applying pressure, it will start behaving like a liquid and will ooze through your fingers!

Hand with purple slime oozing through the fingers.

My kids love placing small toys in this slime and pretending it’s quick sand. If they apply pressure, the toys stay on the surface—but if they let them rest on top, the toys slowly sink into the slime until they’re no longer visible. So cool!

How to Store Jell-O Slime

If ever play time is done and your Jell-O slime is still usable, just place it in a container in the fridge until it’s time to play with it again. It will likely be a little stiff once you take it back out, but that can be fixed by adding a bit more water and stirring it until well combined!

Our children have already requested this slime several times since we first tried it. I hope your kids love this recipe as much as ours did!

Hand holding up purple slime.

Edible Jell-O Slime

Sacha
Not only does this Jell-O slime smell fantastic, it’s also made from 100% edible ingredients!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Slime
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box (3 oz) flavored Jell-O regular or sugar-free
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 2-3 tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Pour Jell-O powder into a medium bowl.
  • Add cornstarch and stir until combined.
  • Slowly add water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until desired the consistency is achieved. If the slime becomes too runny, add a bit more cornstarch. Play immediately.

Notes

To dispose of this edible Jell-O slime, leave it out to dry overnight before throwing it in the trash or compost.
Have you tried this?Mention @thecraftathomefamily or tag #thecraftathomefamily to let us know how it went!

Related Taste-Safe Sensory Recipes

Looking for more taste-safe sensory recipes to prepare for your kids? Check out these articles:

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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