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Dandelion Jelly

Dandelion Jelly in jars
Image Credit:
minadezhda/shutterstock
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
Makes about 5 cups.
Category
Dips and Spreads
Course
Other
Credit
Robert Thomas
Sources
Old Farmer's Almanac

This Dandelion Jelly recipe makes a beautifully golden, clear, delicate jelly. It’s surprisingly delicious—similar in taste to honey. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are a wonderful spring foraging plant as its flowers, leaves, and roots are completely edible!

We found this Dandelion Jelly recipe in The 1977 Old Farmer’s Almanac, along with recipes for dandelion root coffee and batter-fried dandelion blossoms.

Notes: Don’t be overly concerned that dandelion blossoms are food for bees; this is not as big an issue as folks make it out to be. See which flowers are best for our native bee pollinators. However, if you are concerned, make sure you leave some dandelions for the bees and do not overharvest. Of course, never harvest dandelions from areas that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals. 

Ingredients
1 quart (4 cups) of bright, fresh dandelion blossoms
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package of powdered fruit pectin
5-1/2 cups of sugar

Instructions

  1. Rinse the dandelions quickly in cold water and snip off the stems and green collars under the blossoms. Boil the petals in 2 quarts (8 cups) of water for 3 minutes. Cool and strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the petals with your fingers to extract all the juice.
  2. Measure 3 cups of the dandelion liquid and place in a large stainless-steel saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 package of powdered fruit pectin (1 ¾ ounces). Bring the mixture to a boil. Add 5 ½ cups of sugar, stirring to mix well. Continue stirring, and boil the mixture for 2-½ minutes.
  3. Quickly ladle hot dandelion jelly into 4 hot sterilized pint jars leaving ¼-inch of headspace.  Wipe the rims of the jars and add lids that have been washed and dried. Add screw bands and tighten until fingertip-tight.

To Can Dandelion Jelly

If you plan to eat the jelly within several weeks, keep it in the refrigerator (or freeze). However, if you want the jelly to last up to a year, you’ll need to “can” or process the jars under high heat. Here’s how:

  1. Place jars on a rack in a boiling water bath canner and make sure they are completely covered with water (1 to 2 inches above the jars). Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
  2. Process ½ pint and 8 oz jelly jars for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove canner lid waiting 5 minutes, then remove the jars to a towel on the counter and cool for 12 to 24 hours.
  4. Test sealing of jars by pressing lightly in the lid’s center and store sealed jars. Any jars that don’t seal may be refrigerated and used.

About The Author

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

We love introducing fun new recipes as well as time-tested recipes, straight from the archives!

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 05/26/2022 - 15:48

Hi, Sandi. We would not recommend making that substitution.

 <span>Rebecca A Woosley</span> Sat, 05/01/2021 - 16:44
Can this be made without pectin?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 01/17/2024 - 16:21

Hi, Rebecca. You need to add the pectin because dandelions do not contain it naturally such as when you are making fruit jellies and jams.

 <span>Rebecca A Woosley</span> Sat, 05/01/2021 - 16:43
Can the pink dandelions be used for Jelly too?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 01/17/2024 - 16:22

Yes, you can use pink dandelions to make jelly.

 <span>Maggie Krainin</span> Sun, 04/18/2021 - 09:34
Surely you mean we should measure out 3 pints of dandelion liquid, not 3 cups? Three pints plus the lemon juice, pectin and sugar should fill the 4 pint jars just right.
<span>Sharon Jean Ve…</span> Tue, 05/03/2022 - 14:17
they are filling 1/2 pint jars, not pint jars so 3 cups liquid would be right.
<span>J</span> Sat, 04/17/2021 - 19:09
I found it easier to pull the flower out than cutting off the stem and separating out the green petal shaped portions. I then washed the flowers, as more manageable dry for separation than wet. If someone else has some tips for the separation process, which was the most time consuming part, I would love to hear it. Taste was excellent.
<span>Jade</span> Mon, 05/08/2023 - 00:27
If you take the dandelion head and twist it in your fingers applying pressure right at the green nub the petals come out really easily
<span>Sue Lampe</span> Wed, 04/14/2021 - 15:46
For those who asked, Ball makes a low or no sugar pectin. You can use honey, artificial sweeteners or as I do, less sugar than typical jam/jelly recipes call for. The directions on the inside of the label tell you how to modify the recipes.