Apple Scrap Jelly Recipe

I turned cores and peels into Apple Scrap Jelly With Pectin, a surprising pantry project that shows how much good can come from what we normally throw away.

I never thought apple scraps (peels and cores) could turn into something this addictive, but here I am. I squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into the bright juice, taste it, and get surprised every single time, like how did I miss this all these years.

I even labeled it as a Homemade Apple Jelly Recipe in my messy notebook, and sometimes the blog calls it Spiced Apple Jelly Recipe just cuz it feels like fall in a jar. It’s imperfect, a little rustic, and honestly makes me want to hoard peels like a squirrel.

Ingredients

• Peels and cores lend natural pectin, mild tannins, and a little apple fiber.
• Granulated sugar sweetens, boosts yield, increases carbs and acts as a preservative.
• Lemon juice adds bright acidity, helps gel, gives vitamin C and a fresh sour pop.
• Optional powdered pectin gives a quicker, firmer set, handy if you’re impatient.
• Cinnamon brings warm spice, subtle sweetness and cozy fall vibes.
• Water extracts juices from scraps, controls consistency, adds no calories.
• It’s mostly carbs with some fiber, low protein, and preserved, pantry-friendly goodness.
• Good for reducing waste, uses odds and ends from apple cooking.

Ingredient Quantities

• 6 to 8 cups apple scraps (peels and cores, from about 8 to 10 medium apples)
• 4 to 6 cups water, approximate
• Granulated sugar, about 3/4 to 1 cup per cup strained apple juice
• Fresh lemon juice or bottled lemon juice, about 1 tablespoon per 2 cups strained juice
• 1 package powdered fruit pectin, optional (use if you want a quicker firmer set)
• 1 small cinnamon stick or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional for a spiced note

How to Make this

1. Rinse your 6 to 8 cups of apple scraps (peels and cores) and trim any bad spots, then put them in a large saucepan with about 4 to 6 cups of water and the small cinnamon stick or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon if you want a spiced note.

2. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes until the scraps are soft and the liquid is flavored and a bit reduced; stir now and then and press a few pieces against the side with a spoon to help release juice.

3. Remove from heat and let cool a little, then pour the mixture into a jelly bag, nut milk bag, or several layers of cheesecloth set over a bowl; dont squeeze if you want the clearest jelly possible, let it drip for several hours or overnight for best clarity.

4. Measure the strained apple juice you collected. Add fresh or bottled lemon juice at about 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of strained juice.

5. Decide sugar and pectin: use about 3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar per cup of strained juice depending on how sweet you want it, and use 1 package powdered fruit pectin only if you want a quicker, firmer set.

6. If using powdered pectin follow the package directions closely; generally you bring the juice to a full boil, stir in the pectin (some brands say mix pectin with a little sugar first), then add the remaining sugar and boil hard for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring constantly.

7. If not using pectin, heat the juice, lemon and sugar together and boil until it reaches 220 F (104 C) or passes the cold plate or sheet test (a spoonful on a chilled plate wrinkles when pushed). Skim off any foam with a spoon.

8. Sterilize jars and lids, then ladle the hot jelly into hot jars leaving about 1/4 inch headspace, wipe rims clean, apply lids and rings finger tight.

9. Process jars in a boiling water bath for about 10 minutes (adjust processing for your altitude according to a reliable canning guide), then remove jars and let cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours.

10. Check seals, label jars with date and store sealed jars in a cool dark place for up to a year; any unsealed jars refrigerate and use within a few weeks.

Equipment Needed

1. Large saucepan or stockpot (about 6 quarts)
2. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Jelly bag, nut milk bag, or several layers of cheesecloth set over a bowl
5. Large heatproof bowl to collect the strained juice
6. Fine mesh sieve (optional, for extra clarity)
7. Candy thermometer or instant-read thermometer
8. Ladle and funnel for filling jars
9. Canning jars with lids and rings, plus a jar lifter or long tongs and a large pot for the boiling water bath

FAQ

Apple Scrap Jelly Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Apple scraps: use 8 to 10 chopped whole apples (cores removed) simmered to make juice, or 4 to 6 cups unsweetened apple juice from the store, but if it’s filtered you may need to add pectin or extra lemon because filtered juice usually has less natural pectin.
• Water: swap in apple cider, light white grape juice, or even a mild black tea for extra body and flavor, just taste and cut the sugar a bit if the liquid is sweet.
• Granulated sugar: try honey or maple syrup (use a bit less, expect a softer set and stronger flavor), or a granulated sugar substitute formulated for canning if you want lower sugar, follow that product’s directions for preserving.
• Powdered fruit pectin: use bottled liquid pectin (follow its package for amounts), or skip commercial pectin and simmer the juice longer to concentrate it, or toss in a couple extra apple cores or a grated green apple to boost natural pectin.

Pro Tips

1. Collect and freeze your apple scraps in a labeled bag until you have enough. It’ll save time and you won’t be tempted to toss peels, plus frozen scraps actually bruise less when they thaw, so you get more juice.

2. For the clearest jelly let the juice drip slowly and dont squeeze the bag unless you dont mind a cloudy finish. Hang the bag over a bowl and walk away, overnight if you can, then decide if you want to press for extra yield.

3. Foam is the worst. A scant teaspoon of butter added once the liquid is boiling will calm the foam and make skimming easier, or just skim with a spoon while it cooks. Either way, do it gently, cause stirring too hard can make it foam more.

4. If you want a quicker firmer set use powdered pectin and mix it with a little sugar first like the package says, then follow the boil directions exactly. If you skip pectin be patient, more cooking time and the right amount of lemon helps the set, but it will take longer and the flavor concentrates a lot so taste as you go.