How to Make Dandelion Jelly

Delicious dandelion jelly one of the first flower jellies you can make in the spring. It brings all the sweetness of the season, is super easy to make, and is the perfect topper for a variety of baked goods and breakfasts.

If you’re truly passionate about making your own jelly and preserves, why wait until autumn to start? There are plenty of wonderful recipes you can make long before the first berries begin to set. One of my all-time favorite early spring options is dandelion jelly.

Not only is this among the first jelly-making opportunities of the year, but it comes with some unique health benefits and has a delightfully light honey-sweet flavor. Plus, dandelions tend to be pretty easy to find which makes it a great option for novice foragers.

What is Dandelion Jelly?

Dandelion jelly is made from the yellow petals of this prolific flower. It doesn’t contain any roots or green parts. This is great because it means you can leave the plant intact, allowing it grow more dandelions to feed bees so you can make more jelly later on.

Like other flower jellies, including one of my other favorites, redbud jelly, this one is made in the spring when flowers are plentiful. Dandelion flowers have a natural honey-sweet flavor with floral undertones. This mixed with the lemon juice in this recipe creates an incredibly bright-tasting jelly that makes the perfect bread, bagel, or yogurt topping.

Flower jellies are super easy to make. You start by soaking the petals to create a tea. This takes some time but is very simple to do. From there, you boil the tea with sugar and pectin to thicken it up, and you’re done.

As you likely know, dandelions have many health benefits, such as fighting inflammation, supporting liver health, and improving blood pressure and triglyceride levels(1). Dandelion jelly offers many of these benefits in a form that is so much tastier than dandelion tea or supplements. 

Key Ingredients

To make your own dandelion jelly, you only need four simple ingredients plus some water.

• Dandelions. When harvesting your dandelions, be sure to only forage in areas you know are free from herbicides. Pop off or cut off the heads and leave the plants intact. You’ll need approximately 4 cups of dandelion flowers to get 2 cups of petals.
• Sugar. I use organic raw sugar but anything you have on hand will work in a pinch.
• Pectin. Because there is no sugar in the flowers themselves, it can be a little bit of a trick to get the jelly to set. A good pectin is key to success. I like this option from Anthony’s.
• Lemon juice. A little lemon juice really helps to bring out the floral notes in the dandelions and helps transform the jelly into a jar of sunshine.

How to Make Dandelion Jelly

To make dandelion jelly, you first need to make dandelion tea. This takes some time to steep, so be sure to start the process at least one day ahead of time. Once the tea is ready, you can begin making the jelly.

How to Make Dandelion Tea

1. Start by removing the petals from the dandelion flowers. You can do this by gripping the green bud part and pulling the petals out by the bunch. Or you can grip the petals in one hand and cut the green part off using a pair of scissors (you’ll lose a little petal length this way, but it is much faster).

2. Once you have about 2 cups of petals, place them in a large (at least 48-ounce) heat-safe jar.

3. Boil 2 ¼ cups of water. Pour the water into the jar with the petals and stir gently. Using a funnel can be helpful here. 

4. Let the tea steep on the counter for around 4 hours. Then place the tea in the fridge for another 20 hours or more. The longer you let the tea steep, the more intense the flavor of the jelly will be.

How to Make Dandelion Jelly from Tea

1. Pour your steeped dandelion tea through a sieve into a medium pot. I recommend pressing down on the petals with a spoon to get all that concentrated tea out.

2. Add two tablespoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of pectin to the pot with the tea. Turn the heat to high and boil the mixture for one minute while stirring. Then add 2 cups of sugar, allow the mixture to return to a boil, and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

3. Remove the pot from heat and quickly but carefully ladle the mixture into your sterilized and prepared canning jars. Be sure to leave ¼ inch headspace in each. 

For short-term storage, put the lids and rings in place and allow the jars to cool before placing them in the refrigerator. For long-term storage, boil the jars in a deep canning pot for 10 minutes before allowing them to set.

Recipe Tips

• Double or triple the recipe, if you can. This recipe only makes two 8-ounce jars of jelly. If you have enough dandelions (and the time to collect them all), feel free to double or triple the recipe to make canning the jars worth your time.
• Canning isn’t required. If you’d rather make a small batch, don’t feel obligated to can. As long as you keep the jelly in the fridge, it will last about 3 weeks.
• You may need a filter. If a fine sieve still allows small debris into your finished tea, try running it through a coffee or nut milk filter. This should give you a cleaner product. 
• Pick your sugar. Using raw sugar adds a bit of dark coloration to the final jelly (as you can see from my photos. If you want a brighter yellow jelly, you can use white sugar. Other sugar types and alternative sweeteners can work, but you’ll have to experiment with the amounts. 

How to Store Dandelion Jelly

If you don’t plan on canning your jelly, move the jars to the fridge as soon as they cool. They should last upwards of three weeks if kept cold.

If you do can, your jelly will last up to a year. Once you open the jar, be sure to store it in the fridge. Like most canned jellies, it should last up to six months after opening, but discard if you see any mold growth before then.

FAQs

What Does Dandelion Jelly Taste Like?

Dandelion jelly tastes like light, floral honey. Our recipe has a bit of a lemony kick that really helps to bring out those brighter notes and that perfectly compliments the forward-facing sweetness.

Why Is My Dandelion Jelly So Runny?

Most often, if your jelly is still runny after a few hours, it just needs more time to set. Try popping it in the fridge for 24 hours. If it’s still runny, reboil with another teaspoon or two of pectin.

Aren’t You Stealing Food From the Bees?

As long as you harvest ethically, you won’t be stealing food from early spring bees. Ethical harvesting means cutting the buds off instead of pulling the plants, and only taking what you need, which should never be all the flowers you see. Plus, the plants you harvest from will quickly replace missing flowers, so your bees will still have plenty to eat.

How Long Does Dandelion Jelly Store?

If you can your dandelion jelly, it will last up to a year in the cellar or pantry. If you don’t can it, the jelly will last up to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Dandelion Jelly?

No, you can’t freeze dandelion jelly or any other kind of jelly. Once frozen, the gelatin-like bonds of the jelly denature and the product turns to liquid.

How Do You Make Dandelion Tea?

Dandelion tea is made by steeping dandelion petals in hot water for 24-plus hours. The longer you steep, the more flavor your tea will have.

Aren’t Dandelions Weeds?

If dandelions are growing in a place they’re not wanted, then they are considered weeds, according to the technical definition. However, if you want dandelions in your yard so you can make delicious dandelion jelly, then you can go ahead and call them flowers.

Serving Suggestions

Flower jellies like this one have a subtle, aromatic flavor that pairs well with a neutral base such as oatmeal bread, plain bagels, or other bakery favorites. But the honey-sweetness of dandelion jelly also makes it a great addition or topping to a variety of other dishes.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:

• Dandelion Pancakes – This one is just a no-brainer (and a deliciously healthy breakfast).
• Oatmeal – Dandelion jelly provides a simple way to dress up plain oatmeal for a healthy start to the day.
• Homemade Yogurt – Add a little sweetness to your yogurt by blending dandelion jelly in or use it as a topper along with walnuts and blueberries. 
• Healthy Apple Bread – The sweetness from the apples pairs perfectly with the honey flavor of the jelly. 
• Pumpkin Protein Waffles – These waffles are packed with protein to help you start your day right. Make them even better with a dollop of dandelion jelly.