Its been a few years since I made dandelion jelly. With extra time on my hands I thought I’d make a run of it, but can’t seem to find enough dandelions. Maybe I need to venture down to Granny’s yard and see if she has any.
Dandelion Jelly
- 1 quart of dandelion flowers
- 1 quart of water
- 1 box of Sure Jel or other type pectin
- 4 1/2 cups of sugar
- sterilized jars, lids, and rings
Give your flowers a good rinse. I know for certain the ones in my yard and Granny’s haven’t been sprayed by pesticides but they’ve probably been sprayed by the local dogs. I wouldn’t use dandelions that have been sprayed by pesticides.
Add flowers to quart of water and bring to a boil.
Boil for 3 minutes.
Drain flowers from liquid. Using a piece of cheese cloth works well to get the tiny pieces out.
Put strained liquid in a large pot. I usually end up with about 4 cups of liquid after boiling and straining the dandelions. Stir in pectin and let mixture come to a full rolling boil.
Once mixture boils add sugar and stir mixture until it comes to another full boil.
Boil for 1 minute. Quickly ladle hot liquid into sterilized jars and seal.
A lot of folks say dandelion jelly tastes like honey, but I think it has more of a delicate floral taste—sort of like Chamomile Tea.
Dandelions are often thought of as the lowliest of flowers, but I find their cheery yellow faces hard to dislike.
Tipper
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I made it! I haven’t made jelly in 4-5 years. Everyone agrees this tastes like dark honey. I am so pleased! Gonna go ask my neighbors if they’ll let me in their yard. I love your YouTube and your blog! Appalachia is not my home. Atlanta is. But my son lives in the mountains in Virginia, part of Appalachia and I dream of getting out of the city and moving there.
Susannah-wonderful!!
Had picked dandelions and steeped the and poured into mason jar and placed in the fridge as I needed to go take care of some other things. It’s been there 2 weeks. Should I discard or go ahead and try to make jelly?
Lynn-I think I would try making jelly with it. I’ve never done that but it seems like it should work 🙂
I just got in from picking dandelions. Will be a first for me and I’m super curious about it. The only foraged food we have used/eaten is stinging nettle…..which we have in abundance. Have you ever made jelly from nettles?
Cindy-I haven’t. I don’t have nettle have in my mountain holler but wish I did! I’ve tried to grow them but had no luck 🙂
Would you use the same recipe for honeysuckle?
Auther Ray-I found this honeysuckle jelly recipe: https://texashomesteader.com/recipe-honeysuckle-jelly-childhood-memories-in-a-jar/ I’ve never made it but it looks good!
My 14 year old son and I made Dandelion Jelly for the first time yesterday! It turned out wonderful, and we had a great time following along your YouTube video in the kitchen. We also tried the Fried Dandelions, made with gluten-free flour, since I’m celiac. They turned out great! Thank you so much for sharing the knowledge
I love dandelions and right now they are just starting to bloom here. I’ll have to see if I have enough sugar to make some jelly – I know I have just the right size jars. Thanks, Tipper!
I just love dandelions! There are so many ways to eat/drink them (fried, salad, tea, jelly, etc.) They’re pretty; and they’re easy to grow.
Tipper, I make your recipe almost every spring!! It makes about 5 half pint jars and it is so delicious! I think everyone should try it. This year I have made dandelion, peony, white clover, lilac, and now I am waiting on the honeysuckle to bloom, gonna try that as my new one! I have roses but haven’t tried jelly. I thought I’d mix the rose petal and peony petal together just to taste it!!!
We fried some. I thought they were better than Wild morels! Rinse the flowers, then cover with water and add a spoon of vinegar. Let set an hour or so, drain, then egg and flour to bread and fry.
Delicious!
Tipper, you need to have my yard. I have plenty and I don’t kill them except in the garden. Actually they are hard to kill out for they have a long tap root. I’ve ate dandelion greens and also used the roots but have never had dandelion jelly.
Some years ago I knew a woman who made Jellies and sold over internet she said she made dandelion jelly . I wonder if she still does(her Name was Pam)
Tipper,
I have never tried the Dandelion Jelly before, but Yours shore is pretty and Golden. I laughed out loud when I read you’re opening, that it was alright to use the Dandelions was sprayed by dogs, but not by pesticides.
My neighbor just below my shop has a Blue Heeler and She comes into my front yard to do her business. They’re from Wisconsin. Old Whisky don’t like dogs that come into our yard. I call him, “sir barks alot”. …Ken
It’s been a while since I made it too, Tipper. It is tasty! I’m wanting to make some sassafras jelly, but not sure about the sugar supply. I have some, but do I want to use it if it will be hard to replace? That’s the question–and it stopped me from making redbud and violet jellies too.
You posted the recipe several years ago and I gave it a try. My grandsons absolutely loved the honey-like jelly. Just last week my eighteen year old asked when I was going to make it again. I told him I couldn’t find enough dandelions to make even a half batch. You would think the above average rainfalls would have had them popping up everywhere.
I’ve never made Dandelion Jelly, actually, I don’t recall even tasting it but I’d sure be willing to give it a try. I like unusual things things and flower jelly would qualify as unusual!
About how many jars will that recipe make?
Jack-as I said its been a while since I made the jelly, but if I’m remembering right I believe it makes about 5-6 half pints.
You sure do put up pretty jars, Miss Tipper! I bet dandelion jelly is good tasting! I know drinking dandelion tea is supposed to help health. An Englishman I know showed me that. He’s fill his cup with fresh picked and washed dandelions and pour steeping water over them in his cup. He is still a healthy old man! I knew an old Hungarian woman ( she was a real card) who made dandelion WINE. Obviously, she drank it too!!! There’s also dandelion greens used in poke salad or as salad greens. As a person who’s examined thousands of pounds of CALIFORNIA produce, I wouldn’t concern myself with a little dog urine. It’s fine as long as washed off. (Actually you’d be surprised at stuff you eat. Like frozen foods are allowed 2 or 3 RAT hairs on each frozen pizza. Oh there’s a lot of food secrets that aren’t pleasant.) I too find myself hating to mow over a dandelion or contemplate its demise. It’s a beautiful little HAPPY flower and as a child, it had to be a first flower I picked for MOMMY or my kids picked for me. The bees love them, ants love them and I say why not show the dandelion some love and respect today????
And just like that, I will never be able to buy another frozen pizza. I’d better start making pizza dough!
I think I have figured out that the reason we have all heard so many unusual kinds of jelly is that the featured ingredient often just contributes color and flavor. The ‘gel’ part is the sugar and pectin. So kudzu bloom, corn cobs, pepper, mint etc can each make jelly. I have some fragrant roses blooming right now that I think would make jelly.
Your dandelion jelly sure looks pretty. It looks like sourwood honey. I remember a picture you posted once of your jelly jars in the window with the sun shining through them. They looked like gems, just glowing, prettier even than Christmas lights.
That is so pretty. It reminds me of corn cob jelly, which I have made. Maybe one of these days I’ll try making it.