Prepare the Iris: In a small bowl, sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water. Let it bloom for 5 minutes.

Create the Iris Color: In another small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of boiling water with a few drops of blue or green food coloring. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk.

Melt the Iris Gelatin: Microwave the bloomed gelatin for 10-15 seconds until melted. Stir it into the colored mixture.

Pour the Iris Layer: Pour a small amount of the colored gelatin into the bottom of each mold (about 1/4 inch). Place a gummy candy on top of each, centered. This will be the pupil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until set.

Prepare the Eyeball Base: Sprinkle the remaining gelatin over the remaining cold water in a large bowl. Let it bloom for 5 minutes.

Dissolve the Gelatin: Add the boiling water to the bloomed gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.

Add Vodka: Stir in the vodka.

Create the Eyeball Base Color: Add the remaining sweetened condensed milk and a tiny drop of blue or green food coloring to the gelatin mixture. The goal is to create a slightly opaque, whitish color resembling the sclera (white of the eye).

Pour the Eyeball Base: Carefully pour the eyeball base mixture over the set iris layer, filling the molds almost to the top.

Create the Veins (Optional): Use a syringe or eyedropper to carefully inject thin lines of red food coloring into the eyeball base to create veins. Be subtle – a little goes a long way! Alternatively, you can use a toothpick to drag a small amount of red gel food coloring through the base.

Chill: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until completely set.

Unmold: To unmold, gently loosen the edges of the jello shots with your fingers or a knife. You can also briefly dip the bottom of the mold in warm water (but be careful not to melt the jello!). Invert onto a serving plate.