Dandelion Jelly Recipe
Dandelion jelly is a bright, golden spread made by steeping freshly picked dandelion petals in hot water, then cooking the floral tea with lemon juice, pectin, and sugar. Its flavor is lightly floral and often compared to honey.
Only gather dandelions you can identify with complete confidence. Pick flowers from an unsprayed area away from roads, pet areas, and treated lawns. Use mostly yellow petals; the green base can add bitterness.
Ingredients
4 cups loosely packed dandelion petals
4 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin, about 1.75 ounces
4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
Make the dandelion tea. Place the petals in a heat-safe bowl or large jar. Pour the boiling water over them, cover, and let steep in the refrigerator overnight.
Strain the liquid. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a clean thin cloth. Press gently, then measure 3 cups of the strained dandelion tea.
Prepare the jelly base. Add the tea, bottled lemon juice, and powdered pectin to a large, deep pot. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
Add the sugar. Stir in all the sugar at once. Continue stirring until it dissolves.
Boil briefly. Return the mixture to a rolling boil that does not stop when stirred. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes.
Fill the jars. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully ladle the hot jelly into clean jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space at the top.
Cool and set. Let the jars cool undisturbed. Refrigerate after cooling. The jelly can take 12 to 48 hours to fully set.
Serving Ideas
Spread dandelion jelly on warm toast, biscuits, scones, or crackers with soft goat cheese. It also makes a lovely glaze for cakes, a filling for thumbprint cookies, or a floral addition to a spring charcuterie board.
Storage Note
For refrigerator jelly, keep sealed jars chilled and use within a few weeks. If you want shelf-stable jars, use only a tested water-bath-canning procedure and current altitude-adjusted processing times from a recognized food-preservation authority. The National Center for Home Food Preservation provides tested guidance for jams and jellies.
*Just a note about water-bath-canning I have a kit myself which doesn’t seem to be on sale anymore. But I found it online but not for sale here. The most useful part I find of these kits are the basket holding item.