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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Jodi says
How much juice should you get from each batch? And is the water added to the apples not into the juice?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Jodi, The water is used to extract the juice as explained in step 2. You should have about 4 cups of juice (step 5).
LIAM FRIEL says
Hello
Is it safe to use 10 pints of crab apple juice which had to wait for 3 days before cooking .[?..delayed through illness].
MANY THANKS. URGENT!!
LIAM.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Liam, Yes, you can use it as long as the crab apple juice was refrigerated. I hope you are feeling better.
Colleen says
Can I use crabapple juice that has been in the fridge for 6 days or should t do it again?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Yes, as long as it was refrigerated and shows no sign of mold.
Karen Thielen says
I’m trying jelly for the first time as our crabapple tree is loaded with fruit. I’m wondering if I’m able to double the recipe?
©Rachel Arsenault says
I don’t recommend doubling the recipe. Instead, you can juice all your crabapples, and then measure and process in batches. Small batches are easier to control.
If doubled, heating the juice to jelly stage may become difficult. The jelly needs to be cooked longer, which may cause more evaporation of the liquid and could affect the finished product. Cooking longer can also result in a rubbery jam, increased chances of burning the batch, and jam that does not set.
Kristina says
I tested the jelly stage on a spoon, but I am worried that my first batch won’t set. What do I need to do if I have to reboil it?
Otherwise, this is my second time following this recipe and everyone I give the jelly to loves it.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Kristina, I am so glad you love the recipe. Here are tips for re-making jelly that failed to set. Although, crabapple syrup is really good too.
Sarah says
Have you ever tried adding hot peppers or chilies to make it a hot pepper jelly? Wondering if you may have some measurement suggestions.
Thank you!
©Rachel Arsenault says
Adding peppers dramatically alters the chemistry of the jelly and would make it unsafe for canning using this recipe. I haven’t tried it, but The All New Ball Book of Canning has a recipe called, “Spicy Apple Jalapeño Jelly” that looks interesting. I was unable to find a safe tested recipe for apple pepper jelly online, but if you do a search, there are many small batch refrigerator or freezer recipes you can try.
Terry says
I have a question: I got water in the crabapple juice. Will it still be okay to use or will I have to make some adjustments?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Terry, Some water won’t be an issue.
Monique McIntyre says
will the jelly only set completely and thicken when it’s cool, if it does’nt set, can I re-boil it again?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Monique, Did you test for jelly stage? Once the jelly passes the test, it will be runny when you put it in the jars, but should gel when completely cool. If not, you can enjoy the crabapple syrup as is, or remake and try again. If you want to reboil, try adding one tablespoon to the syrup.
Melissa says
I am trying to figure Figure out when I should add the sugar. I don’t see it mentioned in the instructions. Could you please clarify for me… does it go in when I am cooking the fruit or after I have strained it.
©Rachel Arsenault says
The sugar is added in step 5 of the recipe instructions.
Meri says
Can I use an ornamental crab apple variety? I know all crabapples differ in taste, sugar and pectin content, and overall acidity and was curious what kind of cultivars you’ve used in the past.
©Rachel Arsenault says
Meri, I have never tried the tiny ornamental crabapples to make jelly, but according to extension.org, you CAN use ornamental crabapples to make jelly:
Q: I am having a hard time finding a fruit-bearing crabapple tree to make jelly. I was wondering if ornamental crabapples are edible and could be used?
A: You bet! Through ornamental trees are selected for their landscaping characteristics rather than for the quality of their fruit, they are absolutely safe to eat, and in your case, to use in making jelly.
Just be sure to identify and give theme a taste before going through all the trouble. Some don’t have any flavor at all.
Laura Axe says
Is it possible to use a.sugar substitute like apple concentrate instead of refined sugar?
©Rachel Arsenault says
Sugar is necessary for this recipe since we are relying on the natural pectin in the crabapples to get the juice to gel. It also sweetens the tart flavor of the crabapple, and helps prevent the jelly from spoiling.