Homemade Apple Jelly Recipe

I kept things simple in my Apple Jam With Pectin recipe, where a small trick yields a clear, sparkling jelly made from just apples, sugar and lemon juice.

I never imagined a jar of jelly could cause such a stir, but I made a batch that had people sneaking spoons at midnight. Using everyday medium apples and a packet of powdered fruit pectin, I pulled a clear, sparkling jelly that tastes brighter than it looks.

I experimented once with a Crockpot Apple Jelly Recipe and the texture surprised me, then tried a more classic Apple Jelly Recipe Canning With Pectin approach that gave a perfect set. I’m not gonna give everything away here, but if you like things a little unexpected, this one’s worth trying.

Ingredients

• Apples give natural pectin, fiber and sweetness, they also add subtle tartness, bright flavor.
• Granulated sugar supplies sweetness and helps gel, but it’s high calorie, low nutrients.
• Lemon juice adds acidity, helps set pectin, brightens flavor and adds vitamin C.
• Powdered pectin is the gelling agent, makes jelly firm, it’s processed fruit fiber.
• A little butter can reduce foaming during cooking, optional but handy.
• Water helps extract juice and control thickness, plain but essential for cooking.
• Straining with cheesecloth makes crystal clear jelly, removes pulp and unwanted bits.

Ingredient Quantities

• About 8 to 10 medium apples, washed and quartered (should yield roughly 6 cups apple juice)
• 1 cup water (for simmering the apples to get the juice)
• 1 (1.75 oz / 49 g) package powdered fruit pectin, regular (not low sugar)
• 6 cups granulated sugar (measure carefully for proper set)
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (adds acidity and brightens the flavor)
• 1/2 teaspoon butter, optional (helps reduce foaming)
• Cheesecloth or a jelly bag for straining the juice
• About 6 half-pint (8 oz) canning jars with lids and rings, sterilized

How to Make this

1. Sterilize your jars, lids and rings by boiling them 10 minutes or running them through a hot dishwasher cycle, then keep jars hot in simmering water until ready; have your lids in hot water too.

2. Quarter the washed apples (no need to peel), put them in a large pot with 1 cup water, simmer gently until very soft, about 20 to 30 minutes, then mash the apples to help release the juice.

3. Pour the cooked apples into a cheesecloth or jelly bag set over a bowl and let the juice drip out; for clearer jelly, don’t squeeze hard, let it drip for an hour or refrigerate overnight, you should end up with about 6 cups juice.

4. Measure the juice, if you have roughly 6 cups proceed, if you have less or more adjust sugar proportionally; set the juice in a large heavy pot and sprinkle in the
1.75 oz powdered pectin, whisk to dissolve.

5. Bring the juice and pectin to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.

6. Add 6 cups granulated sugar all at once, stir until dissolved, return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute while stirring constantly; this is important for a proper set, so don’t skip it.

7. Remove from heat, skim off any foam with a metal spoon, then stir in 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice and the optional 1/2 teaspoon butter to reduce remaining foam.

8. Ladle the hot jelly into the hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, wipe rims clean, center lids and screw on rings fingertip tight.

9. Process jars in a boiling water bath with at least 1 to 2 inches of boiling water covering them; once the water returns to a full boil, process for 5 minutes (start timing when boiling resumes), then remove jars and let cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours.

10. Check seals (lids should not flex), label and store sealed jars in a cool dark place, refrigerate after opening; if any jar didn’t seal, keep it in the fridge and use first.

Equipment Needed

1. Heavy bottomed large pot or Dutch oven for simmering the apples and cooking the jelly
2. Cheesecloth or jelly bag plus a large mixing bowl to catch the juice
3. Six half pint canning jars with lids and rings, sterilized and kept hot
4. Large stockpot big enough for a water bath and a jar lifter or long tongs for safe handling
5. Canning funnel to ladle hot jelly into the jars without drips
6. Whisk to dissolve the powdered pectin into the juice
7. Long handled metal spoon for stirring and skimming foam
8. Ladle and a simple ruler or headspace tool to leave 1/4 inch headspace
9. Kitchen timer and clean towels for wiping rims and cooling jars

FAQ

Homemade Apple Jelly Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Apples: If you dont have fresh apples you can use 6 cups of unsweetened 100% apple juice or cider (skip the simmer/strain step). Or boost natural pectin and flavor by swapping half the apples for crabapples or quince and cook as directed.
• Powdered pectin: Use a liquid pectin product made for regular-sugar jellies instead, but follow the liquid pectin maker’s directions for amounts and timing. Another option is to rely on high-pectin fruit (crabapples or underripe apples/quince) added to the juice and omit commercial pectin.
• Sugar: You can replace granulated sugar with honey (about 3/4 cup honey for 1 cup sugar by volume) or use a mix of white and light brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but expect a softer set and darker color. For true reduced-sugar jellies use a low-sugar pectin and follow that pectin’s instructions.
• Lemon juice: Swap the 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice for 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or the same amount bottled lime juice for similar acidity. If using food-grade citric acid, follow package conversion to match the acidity, because correct acid level is important for the jelly to set.

Pro Tips

– Use a mix of apple types for best flavor and yield: a few tart apples like Granny Smith plus sweeter ones like Fuji or Honeycrisp give a brighter jelly, and softer apples like McIntosh or Gala squeeze out juice easier.

– For really clear jelly, let the juice drip slowly and refrigerate the juice overnight instead of squeezing the bag hard; squeeze makes it cloudy. If you must speed things up, be gentle and expect less clarity.

– Measure sugar carefully and scale it to your actual juice volume since this recipe depends on a 1 to 1 sugar to juice ratio. If you have a candy thermometer, aim for 220 F for a reliable set, or use the cold plate test if you dont have one.

– Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot so the mixture boils evenly and you can reach a full rolling boil faster. Boil the sugar mix hard for the full minute, skim foam well, and a tiny bit of butter helps cut remaining foam.