Description
Capture the essence of spring with this vibrant and delicious Fresh Dandelion Jelly recipe. It’s surprisingly easy to make and tastes like pure sunshine in a jar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–5 cups fresh dandelion petals (yellow parts only, packed loosely)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- Optional: 1 pouch liquid fruit pectin (if desired for firmer set)
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Dandelions: Gather dandelions from a pesticide-free area. Pluck only the yellow petals, discarding all green bits, until you have approximately 2 cups tightly packed.
- 2. Steep Dandelion Tea: Place petals in a heatproof bowl. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, pour over petals. Cover and steep for 4-12 hours in the refrigerator.
- 3. Strain Tea: Strain the steeped tea through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large pot. Gently press petals to extract liquid. Discard petals.
- 4. Cook Jelly: Add lemon juice and sugar to the dandelion tea in the pot. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a rapid rolling boil.
- 5. Test for Set: Boil rapidly, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 220°F (104°C) or passes the ‘wrinkle test’ (spoon a small amount onto a chilled plate, cool, then push; if it wrinkles, it’s ready). This may take 15-25 minutes.
- 6. Can Jelly: Skim off any foam. Ladle hot jelly into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and bands. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove and cool on a towel for 12-24 hours.
- Prep Time: 30 mins (plus 4-12 hrs steeping time)
- Cook Time: 20-30 mins