Dandelion Jelly Recipe (Low Sugar, Safe for Canning)

Capture spring in a jar with this low sugar dandelion jelly recipe. This dandelion jelly recipe uses Pomona’s Pectin and bottled lemon juice for safe canning, creating a jelly that is a perfect balance of sweetness and delicate floral flavor.

As spring spreads its vibrant hues across the landscape, nature offers a beautiful gift: dandelions. Often dismissed as pesky weeds, these golden blossoms can be transformed into a delicate, honey-like jelly that captures the flavor of the season.

I like to wait until the apple trees bloom before gathering dandelions, leaving plenty for the bees and early pollinators. Then I wander the property with a basket, collecting bright yellow blossoms for this simple spring treat.

Dandelion jelly surprises the taste buds with its lightly sweet, floral flavor and subtle citrus notes. It’s a lovely way to preserve a bit of spring in a jar.

Is Dandelion Jelly Safe to Can?

Dandelion jelly has been the subject of some confusion in recent years. Several older canning recipes were removed from university extension websites because they had not been scientifically tested to confirm that the final product reached a safe acidity level (below a pH of 4.6).

This is important because safe water bath canning depends on proper acidity to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, including those that cause botulism.

This recipe is adapted from Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin by Allison Carroll Duffy, developed in partnership with Pomona’s Pectin. The formulation uses bottled lemon juice for consistent acidity and a calcium-based pectin system for reliable gel formation with lower sugar.

Guidance from Oregon State University Extension confirms that jelly made from dandelion tea using this method is safe for water bath canning when prepared as directed.

For safety, it’s important to follow the recipe as written and avoid altering the proportions of liquid, lemon juice, or pectin.

About the Ingredients

Before we begin, let’s take a look at each ingredient and uncover how these simple elements come together to create jars of homemade dandelion jelly.

Dandelion Flowers

Only use dandelions that you know have not been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides or exposed to other toxic substances. Be sure you know how to identify dandelions, too. Here’s a quick ID guide: Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale.

Harvest dandelion blossoms on a sunny morning once the flowers open and right after the morning dew has evaporated. Choose bright yellow blossoms that are full and vibrant. Avoid wilted or closed flowers because they may add a bitter flavor. Pluck the flower and its green base, leaving the stems behind, and place them in your container.

You’ll need about 1 quart or 4 cups of loosely packed fresh dandelion blossoms for this recipe. If you prefer to weigh your ingredients, it comes to about 100 grams depending on how tightly you pack them. Keep picking until you have enough for this recipe.

The blossoms should be used soon after picking because the flowers will close up, making it tricky to remove the petals. And if you can’t gather enough, consider making a smaller batch of jelly by halving the recipe.

Pomona’s Universal Pectin

This recipe uses Pomona’s Pectin, which works differently from traditional boxed pectin.

Instead of relying on large amounts of sugar to form a gel, Pomona’s uses a calcium-based system that allows the jelly to set with less sugar and a shorter cooking time. This helps preserve the delicate flavor of the dandelion infusion.

This pectin system is part of what makes the recipe reliable for canning when used with the correct balance of liquid and added acid.

Sugar and Other Sweeteners

While this recipe uses sugar to sweeten it, thanks to Pomona’s pectin’s versatility, you have some flexibility with the amount and type of sweetener you can use in this dandelion jelly recipe.

While this recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you can use up to 2 cups if you want it sweeter. Once the pectin is dissolved, give the mixture a taste. If you find it’s not quite sweet enough for your liking, add more sugar and let it boil for an extra minute while giving it a good stir.

If you prefer, you can also use alternative sweeteners. Consider substituting 1/2 to 1 cup of mild-flavored honey to create a tantalizing honey-sweetened dandelion jelly.

Pomona’s pectin allows for flexibility with sweeteners, but for the best results, choose sweeteners that measure similarly to sugar or honey. Avoid reducing the sweetener below the minimum recommended for proper gel formation.

Bottled Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is essential to this recipe, serving multiple purposes to ensure safety, flavor, and color:

• Firstly, it plays a crucial role in adjusting the acidity level necessary for safe preservation through water bath canning.
• Lemon juice also adds flavor to the dandelion jelly. Its tangy, citrusy notes complement the floral essence of the blossoms.
• Additionally, lemon juice helps preserve the jelly’s vibrant yellow color.

Use bottled lemon juice to ensure a reliable and consistent acidity level. Do not reduce or substitute the lemon juice in this recipe.

How to Make Dandelion Jelly

After picking your dandelion blossoms, it’s time to make your own delicious homemade dandelion jelly and preserve it using home canning techniques. Let’s get started on the details!

If you’re new to canning or need a quick refresher, I highly recommend taking a moment to explore my water bath canning tutorial.

To make your canning project easier, I also created a free Home Canning Checklist you can print and keep nearby while you work. Get your copy here:

The complete, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post, and this section provides a detailed overview of each step.

Step 1: Gather Your Kitchen Equipment

Gather your canning and kitchen equipment before you begin. Take a moment to organize your work area and make sure you have everything you’ll need at your fingertips. Here’s a handy list of the items to prepare:

• A water bath canner with a canning rack
• 5 half-pint canning jars
• Canning lids and bands (lids should be new, while bands can be reused)
• Canning ladle
• Canning tools: a jar lifter, funnel, and bubble popper
• A small clear jar with a lid to hold the calcium water mixture
• Basic kitchen supplies: a large saucepan, prep bowls, a generous-sized spoon, a whisk, measuring cups and spoons, and clean kitchen towels.

Step 2: Prepare the Ingredients

Here’s how to get your ingredients prepared and ready to go:

Separate the Dandelion Petals

You will only use the yellow petals for this recipe. Separate the yellow petals from the green base of the dandelions. The green parts can be bitter and introduce an odd color to your jelly.

Separating the petals from the base can be tricky. After some trial and error, I discovered a helpful technique. Firmly grasp the green part at the base of the flower, right where it meets the stem, and begin plucking the petals from one edge.

You’ll find that once you start, the remaining petals become easier to grasp and remove. Discard the green parts, then gather approximately 2 cups of loose dandelion petals into a bowl.

Prepare the Pectin

Inside the Pomona’s pectin box, you’ll find two envelopes; the larger one is the pectin, and the other is the calcium powder.

In a bowl, combine 4 1/4 teaspoons of the pectin powder with the sugar (or alternative sweetener). Whisk the mixture thoroughly until all the ingredients are fully blended.

Create the Calcium Water Mixture

In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine 1/2 teaspoon of calcium powder with 1/2 cup of water. Shake the jar vigorously, ensuring the calcium powder dissolves completely in the water.

You’ll only need a portion of calcium water for this recipe. Store the remaining mixture in the refrigerator, as it can come in handy for future jam and jelly-making adventures.

Step 3: Make the Dandelion Tea

Pour 4 1/2 cups of water into a large pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water reaches a vigorous boil, remove the pot from the heat and let it settle for a few minutes.

Now, add the prepared dandelion petals to the pot. Use a spoon to stir, making sure all the petals are submerged, then let them steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Don’t infuse for more than 30 minutes, or the tea may turn brown. If this does happen, you can still use the dandelion infusion for jelly, but the color will be darker.

Step 4: Prepare the Canning Gear

While the dandelion tea infuses, prepare your canning equipment and organize your work area, ensuring everything is conveniently accessible for the next steps.

Begin by washing your jars, lids, bands, and canning tools in warm, soapy water. Thoroughly rinse them to remove any soap residue, and set them aside to air dry. Take a moment to carefully inspect the jars as you rinse them, ensuring there are no cracks or chips in the rims of the jars that could compromise the canning process.

Place the jar rack into your water bath canner and arrange the clean jars upright on the rack. Add water to fill the canner and cover the jars. Bring the canner to a gentle simmer at approximately 180°F (82°C) and let the jars heat for about 10 minutes. This step warms the jars and helps prevent breakage due to thermal shock. Keep the jars hot until you’re ready to fill them.

Step 5: Make the Jelly

Strain the dandelion infusion through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, use a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as you can, and then discard the petals. Rinse out your pot and place it back on the stove.

Measure 4 cups of the dandelion liquid and add it to the saucepot. If you find yourself short, you can add water to reach the desired amount. Next, add the lemon juice, 4 1/4 teaspoons of the prepared calcium water to the saucepan, and stir to mix well.

Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, slowly add the sugar/pectin mixture while stirring vigorously to dissolve. Continue stirring until the jelly returns to a full boil. Once it boils, remove the pan from the heat and skim off any foam.

Step 6: Fill the Jars

Lay a dry kitchen towel on the counter. Carefully lift a jar from the canner using a jar lifter, allowing the water to drain back into the pot. Place the warm jar on the towel, and keep the remaining jars in the canner to stay warm.

Using a canning funnel and ladle, carefully fill the jar with the dandelion jelly, leaving about 1/4-inch of headspace at the top. This allows room for expansion during the canning process. After filling the jar, glide the bubble popper through the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.

Take a damp towel and wipe the rim of the jar to remove any residue or stickiness. A clean rim will help create a tight seal between the lid and the jar. Ensure the rim is free from any jelly that might interfere with achieving a proper seal.

Center a lid on top of the jar, place a band over the cover, and screw it on firmly until it is fingertip tight. as this may prevent air from escaping during the canning process.
Return the filled jar to the canner. Repeat the same process with the remaining jars, filling them one at a time so the jars stay warm.

Step 7: Process the Jars in the Water Bath Canner

Once all the filled jars are back in the canner, adjust the water level so it covers the jars by at least 2 inches.

Cover and bring the canner to a full rolling boil over high heat. Once the canner boils vigorously, start your timer and process the jars for the time specified in the recipe below. Maintain a steady, active boil throughout the entire processing time.

Step 8: Cool and Store

After the processing time is complete, turn off the heat, let the jars settle for about 5 minutes, and then carefully remove them from the canner using the jar lifter and place them on a kitchen towel or cooling rack.

Keep the jars upright and don’t touch the lids or tighten the bands. It will take time for the jars to seal completely. Allow the jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

Ways to Enjoy Dandelion Jelly

Congratulations on successfully canning your delicious dandelion jelly! It’s often called “poor man’s honey” because of its light, floral sweetness.

Here are a few ways to enjoy your homemade dandelion jelly:

• Breakfast: Spread a generous dollop of dandelion jelly on freshly baked bread, toast, or English muffins. The sweet floral flavor and smooth texture of the jelly will make for a delightful breakfast or snack.
• Tea Time: Elevate your tea experience by adding a spoonful of dandelion jelly to your favorite cup of hot or iced tea. Watch as the jelly dissolves, infusing your tea with its distinctive flavor. It’s a delightful twist on traditional tea accompaniments.
• Cheese Board: To enhance the flavor of your cheese platter, pair dandelion jelly with mild, creamy cheeses like Brie or goat cheese. Add a slice of cheese to a cracker smeared with dandelion jelly, and enjoy the delightful explosion of flavors.
• Gourmet Gifts: Share the joy of dandelion jelly with your loved ones by gifting jars of this exquisite creation. Package the jelly jars beautifully and include a personalized note. It’s a thoughtful and delicious present that will be cherished.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to enjoying dandelion jelly. Let your taste buds guide you as you explore its versatility in a range of culinary creations. Don’t hesitate to experiment and discover new ways to savor this floral delicacy.

FAQ: Dandelion Jelly

These are some of the most common questions about making dandelion jelly, especially regarding safety and substitutions.

A Taste of Spring in Every Jar

Dandelion jelly is one of those simple recipes that feels a little magical by transforming bright yellow blossoms into a delicate, golden spread with a light, honey-like flavor. It’s a beautiful way to make use of a seasonal ingredient that’s often overlooked and preserve a bit of spring to enjoy throughout the year.

By following this tested recipe using Pomona’s pectin and bottled lemon juice, you can confidently make a low sugar jelly that’s both delicious and safe for water bath canning. Whether you spread it on toast, stir it into tea, or share it as a thoughtful homemade gift, dandelion jelly is a lovely reminder of the season.

Once you get comfortable using Pomona’s pectin, it opens the door to a whole range of low sugar jam recipes using fresh fruit. You may also like these recipes:

• Low sugar raspberry jam recipe made with Pomona’s pectin
• Homemade low sugar blueberry jam with Pomona’s pectin
• Low sugar strawberry jam recipe for canning
• Easy low sugar cherry jam using Pomona’s pectin

Each recipe highlights fresh fruit flavor with less sugar and uses the same reliable pectin method.

If you love salsa, consider adding our eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to 50 Salsa Canning Recipes, to your resource library. This 72-page eBook is packed with a variety of delicious salsa recipes, including classic tomato salsas to roasted and grilled salsas to tomatillo and delicious fruit blends, all safe for water bath canning. It’s the perfect guide to help you preserve your garden harvests.