Transform the tart flavor of crabapples into a delicious homemade crabapple jelly. Crabapples have enough natural pectin so no additional pectin is needed for this crabapple jelly recipe.
One of the fruit trees on the edge of our property is a crabapple tree. These are often planted along with traditional apple trees to help with pollination. They are hearty trees that don’t require much care.
Both crabapples and apples are in the Rosaceae family, and members of the Malus genus. Crabapples are small trees often reaching about 15-to 25-feet at maturity. The fruit is under two-inches in diameter and the flavor is very tart. My crabapples ripen before the rest of the apple trees, so I like to take advantage of their ruby goodness.
With a little sweetening, crabapples can be transformed into a delicious crabapple jelly that can be enjoyed on homemade bread, swirled into yogurt or paired with roast pork.
Tips for Making and Canning Homemade Crabapple Jelly
Crabapples have enough natural pectin so no additional pectin is needed for this crabapple jelly recipe. Pectin is a naturally occurring complex carbohydrate in fruit that is concentrated in the fruit’s skin and the core. When pectin is cooked, it thickens to a gel.
Select firm crabapples with no signs of insect or worm damage.
Unripe fruit has more pectin than ripe fruit, but ripe fruit has more developed flavor. So try to mix about 75% ripe fruit with 25% under ripe fruit. You can tell if an apple is ripe by cutting it open and looking at the seeds. A ripe crabapple will have brown seeds and an under ripe apple will have light colored seeds.
Allow time for the crabapple juice to strain
When making juice or jelly, I typically split the process over a few days to allow extra time for the juice to strain completely. This is even more important with crabapple jelly because you want to get as much of the natural pectin from the juice as you can so your jelly thickens up properly.
How to test for jelly stage
If you are new to making jelly, the NCHFP website has a nice description of how to tell when the jelly point has been reached: Testing Jelly without Added Pectin.
- Temperature Test: Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the jelly. Jelly stage is when the temperature of the boiled juice is 220?F.
- Spoon or Sheet Test: Plunge a cool metal spoon into the boiling jelly mixture and lift the spoon out sideways so the liquid drips out. The jelly stage had been reached when the liquid forms two drops that flow together into a sheet that hangs off the edge of the spoon.
- Refrigerator/Freezer Test: Place several plates in the freezer before you begin making your jelly. To check for jelly stage, place a spoonful of hot jelly onto the cold plate and let it rest for 30 seconds. Tip the plate to one side. Jelly stage is reached when the mixture gels on the cool plate and doesn’t run down the plate when tipped.
Cooking time will vary with each batch because the natural pectin level is different in each individual apples. I use all three testing methods but rely on the freezer plate method for the final check.
Steps for Making Crabapple Jelly
Wash the crabapples plain water, remove stems, cut out any bad spots, and trim the blossom ends. Cut the crabapples in half. Use a kitchen scale to weigh out 3 pounds for this recipe.
Extract the crabapple juice by combining the prepared crabapples in a large saucepan with enough water so that the fruit is barely covered, about 3 cups. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer, and cook the crabapples.
Strain the juice from the cooked fruit, add sugar, and boil until jelly stage. Then follow the remaining steps outlined in the recipe below to can your crabapple jelly.
Equipment:
- Water Bath Canner
- 6 half-pint jars
- Lids and bands
- Canning tools: lid lifter, jar lifter, canning ladle, funnel, and bubble popper
- Jelly strainer
- Candy thermometer
- Kitchen scale
- Plus basic kitchen supplies such as a large sauce pot, small pot, towels, potato masher, measuring cup.
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Wash the crabapples plain water, remove stems, cut out any bad spots, and trim the blossom ends. Cut the crabapples in half. Use a kitchen scale to weigh out 3 pounds.
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Extract the crabapple juice by combining the prepared crabapples in a large saucepan with enough water so that the fruit is barely covered, about 3 cups. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer, and cook the crabapples. Heat and simmer slowly until skins are soft, and the juices are released. Gently mash the crabapples with a potato masher and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruit is soft. Do not overcook crabapples because excess heat will destroy the pectin and change the flavor and color.
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Strain the cooked fruit through a damp jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth. Allow the crabapples to strain for several hours, or overnight. If you want clear jelly, do not squeeze the bag. I care more for flavor rather than appearance, so I often give the bag a squeeze to press out all the flavorful juice. Discard solids.
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Prepare your jars and lids by washing in warm, soapy water and rinsing thoroughly. Place jar rack into water bath canner, set jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. Warm your lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep jars and lids warm until ready to use.
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Measure out about 4 cups of crabapple juice and pour into a saucepan, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until jelly stage (220°F at sea level, or until the jelly mixture sheets from a metal spoon.). Remove from heat and skim off foam.
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Spread kitchen towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to remove warm jars from canner, drain, and line up on the towel. Use your canning ladle and funnel and add the crabapple jelly to warm jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims. Use your magnetic lid lifter to lift lids out of the warm water, center lid on the jar, and screw on band until it is fingertip tight.
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Using jar lifter, place jars carefully into canner leaving space in between them. Once jars are all in canner, adjust the water level so it is at least one inch above the jar tops. Add more boiling water if needed so the water level is at least one inch above the jar tops. When adding water, use the hot water from the small pot your lids were in. Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.
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Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, continue boiling for 5 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. (adjust processing time for your altitude if necessary).
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When processing time is complete, turn off heat and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 10 minutes. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter; remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Use a jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel. Allow the jars to cool for 12 to 24-hours. You should hear the satisfactory “ping” of the jar lids sealing.
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After 12 to 24-hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate jar and use up within a few days.
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Transform the tart flavor of crabapples into a delicious homemade crabapple jelly. Crabapples have enough natural pectin so no additional pectin is needed for this crabapple jelly recipe.
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Remove the screw on bands and wash the jars. Label and date the jars. Store your jars in a cool, dark place and use within 12 months. Yields about 4-6 half-pint jars depending on the natural pectin level in your crabapples.
Additional Canning Information:
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
How to Can: Getting Started at the Ball Website
You May Also Like:
- Honey Sweetened Concord Grape Jelly
- Small Batch Chokecherry Jelly
- Spiced Apple Jelly with No Added Pectin
- Cherry Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Homemade Blueberry Syrup with Honey
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Charleen Haugen says
One thing I have found when making crab apple jelly, is to let the apple go through a good frost, down to about 25° F. This really sweetens them.
Charlotte McEnroe says
I have 6.5 cups of juice. Do I need to make two batches, or can I do it in one batch?
Thank you
Charlotte
©Rachel Arsenault says
Charlotte, Yes, I would split it into two batches. Smaller batches are easier to keep the temperature even to get the jelly to gel.
Judi Mallett says
I have been making crabapple jelly for several years now for ok M the Dolgo apple tree in my front yard. I am frequently adjustingtheprocedure of making jelly and sometime refrigerate the juice until I have time to boil it into jelly. I don’t measure the crabapples ahead of time because I know that every four cups of juice will have four cups of white sugar added. I have two questions. How long do you think the juice couple be stored in the fridge before boiling. The last of my juice has been in there for two weeks now. Secondly, do you think one year maximum storage. I still have a few jars from 2015. The jelly has darkened but otherwise looks ok.
Thank you,
©Rachel Arsenault says
I wouldn’t keep apple juice in the refrigerator for longer than 24-hours. You can freeze it if you need more time. I do suggest using up your home canned jars within a year.
Chris Hernandez says
My first attempt was a complete fail. I simmered for about 45 minutes prior to mashing in about 4 1/2 cups of water. Perhaps a suggested amount of time added to the instructions might help one to know if they are in the ball park. At the draining stage, the mash came out like refried beans after simmering for only 12 minutes compared to the recommended 15. I let it drain overnight which produced about a half a cup of juice and the mash was like a rock.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Chris, I am sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you. The amount of time for simmering is stated in the recipe in step 2. Simmer over low heat for only 15 minutes just until the fruit is soft. I am not sure from your comment if you simmered for 45 minutes or 12 minutes. 45 minutes is way too long. If it was 12-minutes, you should have had more than a half-cup of juice. Did you add the 3 cups of water as instructed? It would have been 3 cups of water plus the apple juice.
Shirley says
I used your recipe for crab apple jelly but it doesn’t seem to have jelled. Does it take a few days or weeks for it to jell?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Shirley, Did you test for jelly stage before removing it from the heat? Sometimes it takes a while before the juice begins to gel when boiling. Once it reaches jelly stage, it should firm up right away as it cools. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what went wrong. If your crabapple jelly fails, it will still taste good. You can enjoy runny jelly on pancakes, in yogurt, or on ice cream.
Arianna Ditto says
My mom made this jelly, and me, my brother, and my cousin all loved it! It tasted exactly like apple jelly! 😀
Constance says
Fabulous recipe. I was visiting family and walking around their neighbourhood and saw this splendid crabapple tree laden with fresh fruit. Turns out they were a family friend who offered up as many apples I wanted to pick. I Was a bit worried at first when it seemed to be taking a long time for the liquid juice to turn into a jelly. I think I ended up stirring the fruit for a good 30 minutes. Once it started to gel it was a really quick process. It is a wonderful, tart and flavoursome jelly. I’ll be going back this week to collect more fruit.
Annie says
Love this ! Easy to follow,make and deliscious to eat !
Donna Beauchamp says
Making the jelly this moment. I have extracts the juice the way you described, Now I have to add the sugar- butI have tasted the juice and like the flavour now! Do I have to add sugar or will it jell without it?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Donna, The jelly may not reach jelly stage without the sugar. I don’t recommend eliminating the sugar in a jelly recipe because you may compromise the shelf life and ability of the jelly to set up properly. You can read more info here: https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/how-make-jelly
Rachel says
Could I substitute honey for the sugar?
©Rachel Arsenault says
I have not tested using honey with this recipe. Let me know if you decide to try it.