Dandelion Jelly (Canning Recipe)

Name: Dandelion Jelly
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 790 min
Ingredients: 4 cups dandelion petals (green parts removed (about 5 cups fresh flowers)); 4 cups water; 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice; 1 box (1.75 ounces powdered fruit pectin); 4 cups granulated sugar

How to turn the little yellow flowers all over your yard into a sweet, golden jelly that tastes a little like honey. This is a slow spring project, not a hard one, and yes, removing all those petals is worth it.

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This is not a hard recipe. Truly. But it does ask one thing of you: patience.

The petals need to be removed from the green base, and that part takes a while. Put on a podcast, sit at the kitchen table, and just work through the bowl. The green parts are what can make dandelion jelly taste bitter, so this is one of those annoying little tasks that actually matters.

Once the petals are ready, the rest is simple. You steep them into a tea, strain it, add bottled lemon juice and pectin, boil it with sugar, and process the jars in a water bath canner. And then you get a row of cheerful little jars that look like sunshine. Not a bad trade for a few handfuls of weeds.

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what You’ll Need

No you can’t reduce the sugar or leave out the pectin or use fresh lemon juice. I’m sorry!

Equipment

Water bath canner or large stockpot with a rack
6 half-pint canning jars
New lids and bands
Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
Large saucepan or jam pot
Ladle
Canning funnel
Jar lifter
Clean towel or cooling rack

Ingredients

4 cups dandelion petals, green parts removed. You’ll need about 5 cups of fresh flowers to get 4 cups of petals after the green parts are removed.
4 cups water
2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice.
1 box (1.75 ounces) powdered fruit pectin. (I used Sure-Jel Powdered Pectin)
4 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

I highly recommend doing this with a friend or a child so that you have something to pass the time during the more tedious parts of the work. It can be fun if you let it be.

If you’ve never canned anything before, this is a fine place to start but I highly recommend you read my Canning for Beginners guide so you’re familiar with the process before you’re knee-deep in failures and don’t know what to do

Step One: Pick and Prepare the Flowers

Pick fully bloomed dandelion flowers from an area that hasn’t been sprayed and isn’t close to a roadway. Midday is best because the flowers are wide open and easier to work with.

Remove as much of the green base as you can. The easiest way is to roll the base of the flower between your thumb and pointer finger until the yellow petals loosen and release into the bowl.

Yes, this takes time. Put on the radio and enjoy yourself!

Step Two: Make the Dandelion Tea

Measure 4 cups of yellow petals and place them in a heatproof bowl. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, pour it over the petals, cover the bowl, and let it steep for 12 to 24 hours.

Sealed jars of dandelion jelly cooling on an orange cloth with a jar lifter and dandelion flowers.

The tea may look a little greenish-brown before the lemon juice and pectin are added. Don’t panic. That’s normal, and the color improves as the jelly comes together.

Step Three: Prepare the Canner and Jars

Wash your jars, then place them in your water bath canner. Fill the canner so the jars are fully submerged and bring the water to a simmer while you make the jelly.

Prepare your lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Keep everything hot and ready so you can fill the jars as soon as the jelly is done boiling.

Step Four: Strain and Measure

Strain the steeped petals through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer. Try not to squeeze too hard if you want a clearer jelly.

Measure 3 cups of dandelion tea into a large pot. Measure carefully here. Too much liquid can keep the jelly from setting properly.

Step Five: Add Pectin and Lemon Juice

Add the powdered pectin and bottled lemon juice to the dandelion tea. Stir continuously and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.

Once it reaches a rolling boil, boil for 1 minute while stirring.

Step Six: Add the Sugar

Add the sugar all at once and stir well. Bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil, the kind that doesn’t stop when you stir it.

Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This timing matters because it helps the jelly set.

Step Seven: Fill the Jars

Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle the hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth. Apply lids and bands, tightening the bands just to fingertip tight.

Step Eight: Process the Jars

Place the filled jars into the canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.

Bring the water to a full boil and process half-pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as needed. If you live above 1,000 feet, follow a trusted altitude-adjustment chart for boiling-water canning.

Step Nine: Cool and Check Seals

Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and set them on a towel or cooling rack where they can sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

Check the seals once the jars are cool. The lids should not flex up and down when pressed.

Storage Instructions

Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for 12 to 18 months, or according to your jar and lid manufacturer’s recommendations. For the best quality, use within a year.

Once opened, refrigerate the jar and use it within 3 weeks.

If any jar does not seal, refrigerate it and use it first.

Using it Up

Dandelion jelly is sweet, soft, and floral, so use it anywhere you’d use a mild honey or a light fruit jelly.

Spread it on biscuits, or toast, English muffins
Stir nto hot tea
Use as a glaze for roasted carrots or honey ham

More Spring Preserving

For a smaller project, this small batch strawberry jam is easy and sweet.
If you love bright, old-fashioned pantry recipes, make this orange marmalade for canning.
For planning your spring projects, read what to preserve now while waiting for summer.
And if you’re gifting jars, these printable jam jar labels make everything look prettier.

Troubleshooting Your Jelly

The jelly didn’t set. What happened?

This is usually from too much liquid, incorrect measuring, or not reaching a full rolling boil before timing. You can reprocess it by reheating with additional pectin, following the pectin manufacturer’s instructions.

My jelly is too firm.

It may have boiled a little too long or had slightly too much pectin. It’s still fine to eat, just thicker than ideal.

The jelly tastes bitter.

This usually means too much of the green base made it into the petals. Next time, remove more of the green parts before steeping.

My jelly is cloudy.

Cloudiness can happen if the petals were squeezed too hard while straining. Use cheesecloth and let the tea drip through gently for the clearest jelly.

My yield was low.

You may have had less than 3 cups of finished tea after straining. Make sure you measure the strained tea before cooking. If you’re slightly short, top it up with water before adding the pectin and lemon juice.

Printable Recipe

Dandelion Jelly

Katie Shaw

Dandelion jelly is a simple, old-fashioned preserve that turns fresh spring dandelion petals into a golden, lightly floral spread. It has a honey-like flavor with a subtle herbal note and a little citrus brightness from the lemon juice. Makes 6 pints.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 10

Resting Time 12

Total Time 13 10