Last Updated on April 9, 2023 by Ellen Christian
This Dandelion Jelly Recipe is a delicious sweet herbal jelly that pairs wonderfully with homemade biscuits or toast. Try it today.
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Dandelion Jelly Recipe
I love making homemade jam and jelly in the summer. Have you had a chance to make my peach jalapeno jam recipe?
Or, you might want to learn how to make banana jam. It’s one of my favorite classic jam recipes.
I love being able to forage in my own yard for things to serve my family. And, dandelions are one of the easiest flowers for people to identify.
Just about everyone has them growing in their yard somewhere. And, both the flower and the leaves are edible. Have you ever tried my dandelion green recipe?
There are lots of wild edibles recipes you can use to keep your grocery budget down.
Why not try this honeysuckle jelly recipe next?
How do you eat dandelion jelly?
You can eat dandelion jelly in the same way you eat any herbal jelly. It tastes wonderful on homemade biscuits or a slice of homemade wheat bread.
But, you can also add it to your pancakes or even have it on crackers with cream cheese.
Is dandelion jelly safe to eat?
Yes, this is a sweet herbal jelly that tastes a bit like honey. All of the parts of the dandelion are safe to eat – the flowers, leaves, and roots.
How do you harvest dandelions for jelly?
For the best results, you want the blossom of the flower and the tiny bits of green directly underneath the blossom. You do not want the stem or the leaves for this recipe.
When you harvest them, try to avoid taking the ones that are close to the road. These flowers are exposed to car exhaust much more than the ones in your backyard.
When picking the flowers, please don’t take all of them from the area you’re harvesting. It’s important to leave some flowers for the bees to harvest for their honey.
As with any wild edible, please don’t clear out a whole area. Pick a few from different spots always leaving several behind. Never pull up the root so it can grow again next year.
How do you disinfect dandelions?
You don’t really need to disinfect dandelions. You really only need to clean them. So, you can soak them in a sink full of cool water overnight for the best results.
I generally just soak them for about two hours when I get them from an area that I know is safe like my backyard. If you use pesticides in your yard, please do not use those dandelions for jelly.
What do I need to make dandelion jelly?
- 8 1/2 pint jelly jars
- 1 box of low sugar powdered pectin (Sure Jell)
- Lemon juice
- Granulated sugar
- Dandelion flowers
- Large pot
- Strainer
You need to use pectin for this recipe. Dandelions contain no pectin naturally so if you don’t add it, it won’t set properly.
Do not leave the lemon juice out. It changes the pH of the jelly to make it safe to can. You won’t taste it in the recipe at all.
How many jars does this dandelion jelly recipe make?
This recipe makes 8 half-pint jars. Or, you can make 16 of the smaller-sized crystal jelly jars if you want to give some away as a gift.
Directions
- Pick the flowers trying to get as little of the green leaves as possible. You don’t want them in your jelly.
- Rinse them well and soak them to remove impurities.
- Separate all of the yellow petals from the green parts.
- Make a tea with boiling water and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.
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- Strain the flowers.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and boil according to directions.
- Pour into sterilized jars.
- Process in a hot water bath canner according to directions. For mine, it takes 10 minutes.
- Remove and allow them to cool.
How should I store these?
After you have processed them and allowed them to cool, you can store them in the cupboard like you do any jam or jelly you get from the store. They are shelf-stable once canned.
Once you open the jar to use, you will need to return the unused part to the refrigerator.
Sterilizing jars
- Place your jars and lids in a canning pot with a rack in the bottom. If you don’t have a canning pot, you can turn a round cake pan or tart pan upside down in the bottom of a large, deep pot.
- It is important to have something for the jars to sit on so they don’t get too hot on the bottom and burst. Cover the jars with hot water, allowing the jars to fill with the water.
- Water should come to about 1 inch over the top of the jars. Place lid on the pot and bring to a simmer and heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars making sure the water is drained out of them. Dry the rings and discs.
- Ideally, you want to time this so you are removing the jars from the pot at about the same time as the jelly is ready to pore in so the jars will be still hot.
- Otherwise, the hot jelly could cause the jars to break if they are too cold.
If you love dandelions, you may want to try:
More jam recipes
Dandelion Jelly Recipe
This Dandelion Jelly Recipe is a delicious sweet herbal jelly that pairs wonderfully with homemade biscuits or toast. Try it today.
Ingredients
- 4 c. dandelion flowers (loosely packed)
- 4 c. boiling water
- 4 c. granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 box powdered pectin (low sugar variety) Sure Jell makes it.
- 8 ½pint jelly jars (this will vary, depending on how much liquid you squeeze from the dandelions)
Instructions
- First, you will need to make a dandelion tea. Rinse dandelion petals thoroughly. Make sure all green is removed.
- Place flowers in a large container, such as a glass jar.
- Pour the boiling water over the flowers and stir lightly to cover. Allow it to cool then place in the refrigerator to steep overnight or at least 4 hours.
- **Read all directions before proceeding so you can time the sterilizing of the jars with the jelly making.
- Strain the flowers from the liquid, using a cheesecloth, strainer or simply squeeze them with your hands. The cheesecloth will result in a clearer jelly but the strainer works just fine for me.
- Place the 4 cups of liquid into a large pot. Add the lemon juice and pectin and stir. Bring the liquid to a boil. Stir in the sugar and allow the mixture to return to a boil and boil for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Immediately ladle the mixture into the hot jars. Fill to about ¼ inch of the tops to allow expansion. Wipe any drips from the rims of the jars. Place flat parts of the lids on the tops of the jars. Screw on the rings of the lids by hand.
- Place jars into your canning pot. You may need to remove a bit of the water first then add it back in after the jars are in the pot. Again, make sure the water is at least an inch above the jar tops. Cover with the pot lid and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and remove the jars to cool. Allow it to cool on the counter overnight to set up.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
80Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 0g
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
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