How to Make Dandelion Jelly – Recipe

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I’ve always wanted to try making some Dandelion Jelly – and this year, I did.

Spring is Dandelion season here in southern BC! And wow do we get a lot of Dandelions here; we run an organic homestead here so do not use any pesticides or commercial weed killers.

And, because of that, our native flowers and plants are left to grow, flower and reseed themselves.

Dandelions are not weeds, no matter what people say! They are nutritious for us – we often eat salads made up of young Dandelion greens in very early Spring here. They are one of the earliest blooming flowers here!

So in Spring, I enjoy making Dandelion Jelly and we love eating it year round on toast and spread on English muffins for breakfast.

It’s quite easy to make and doesn’t take a long time to put up a batch. It has a sweet and delicious taste – now I have 8 jars in my pantry for us to enjoy all year around.

Here’s how to make Dandelion Jelly from fresh dandelion flowers for your family; great for gifts too!

How to Make Dandelion Jelly

Note: One batch will make about 4 or 5 half pint jars.

First, you will need to go picking! For one batch of Dandelion Jelly, you will need 2 cups of dandelion petals.

You don’t need to compact the blossoms. Just pick two cups of loose flowers.

You do NOT want the green parts or stems on the backs of the flowers, you just want the yellow flower petals.

I found the easiest way was to take scissors and my measuring cup out into the yard and just snip the petals right from the leaves into the cup.

Take 2 cups of boiling water and add this to the petals to make a dandelion tea. Leave for up to 24 hours to let the dandelions steep in the water.

I waited until the water had cooled down, then placed the measuring cup in the fridge.

When you are ready for the next step, pour the contents from the measuring cup and strain through a strainer into a large pot.

Boiling Dandelion Jelly

Add 1/4 cup lemon juice. Then add 4 cups of sugar and give it all a good mixing.

Bring this mixture to a full rolling boil, which is a boil that cannot be stirred down.

Once it boils, add 1 package of Certo liquid pectin. You may also be able to use pectin powder.

Bring it back to a boil, and boil it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

If some foam develops from air bubbles, just skim it off using a metal spoon. Eat it if you like, it’s yummy. Kids usually love the skim!

You may find, as I did, that the liquid has a greenish tinge to it.

Since I wanted my finished jelly to be a bright yellow, I added drops of yellow food coloring. Just add a few drops, then stir and see if it is a pretty yellow. If not, add a few more drops.

You can also add some honey for natural sweet flavor and the golden color for your dandelion jam!

 

Canning Dandelion Jelly

Since I am going to be water bath canning these jars of jelly, I poured hot water over the seals. This helps soften them up, ensuring a better seal when you screw the lid on the jar. It may be easiest to leave hot seal or jars on a towel.

Ladle the jelly into clean half pint jars. Wipe the rims of the jars and add seals and rings. At this point, you can just let the jelly jars cool on the counter at room temperature with the lids on for 24 hours. Then, keep the jelly in the fridge – it will last several weeks.

If you want to store the jelly for a longer time, process the canning jars (right after filling and sealing) in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Here’s how I water bath canned Cherries. Different fruit but the process is just the same, so go ahead and read through how water bath canning works.

All kinds of jellies and jams can be safely preserved by using the water bath canning method. It’s easy to do and it’s a great way to learn how to safely can food at home.

Preserving Food at Home

If you want to read more about preserving and find our awesome recipes, take a look at this page all about Preserving Food. It has links to every preserving recipe on this site!

And it goes through all kinds of preserving including pickling, freezing food, water bath canning, pressure canning and even dehydrating!

Isn’t it pretty? That Dandelion Jelly is such a pretty colour of yellow – it’s sure to please.

Enjoy on homemade toast! It is also delicious as an appetizer – spread some softened cream cheese on a nice cracker and add a small dollop of jelly. Or try some spread on pancakes – yumm!

Want to try your hand at making Dandelion Wine? We have been making this for years and we often give a bottle as a hostess gift. Check the link for the complete recipe and process for making your own Dandelion Wine from dandelion flower heads!

 

Want even more Dandelion Recipes?

Grab my ebook Delicious Dandelions: a Recipe Collection!

 

Want to print the recipe for making your own Dandelion Jelly? Here it is:

Dandelion Jelly Recipe Card

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originally published 2017; latest update August, 2022