I love when readers send in their canning recipes! The last recipe Susan submitted for Canned Pickled Dill Carrots was a super hit, so I was pretty excited when she submitted another one. This time, she’s using lilacs to make jelly, which is a first for me. I’m so excited to try it out. Here’s what Susan had to say:
Hi Mavis!
My lilacs are blooming, so I decided to make this Lilac Jelly. I will be using these for gifts – kind of a “gourmet” item. I hope to make another batch before my flowers “rust” and are gone.
Ingredients
2 cups lilac blossoms, no leaves or stems
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 drops purple food coloring, OPTIONAL {the color of the jelly will be a golden/yellow otherwise. I add the coloring for aesthetic appeal.}
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon butter {for less foaming}
4 cups sugar
One box powdered pectin
Directions
Place the blossoms in a glass bowl and pour the boiling water on them. Let this steep on the counter overnight {or approximately 8 hours}. Strain the flowers out of the water. Squeeze dry, adding the liquid into what you already have. You should have roughly 2 1/4 cups infused water. Add more water if needed.
Place the flower infusion, lemon juice, butter and pectin in a large heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil. Add sugar all at once. Return to boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Ladle jelly into clean, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4″ head space. Wipe rims and screw on the lids. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner.
Makes 5 half pint jars {5 cups}
Susan 🙂
Thanks for sharing another great recipe, Susan!
Thanks so much for sharing Susan. They look so pretty and sound delicious!
Looking for a few more canning recipes? Search my Full List of Canning Recipes
Looking for a good canning book? Here’s a list of my favorites:
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
- The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook
- Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It
- Food in Jars
- The Amish Canning Cookbook
- Not Your Mama’s Canning Book
Also, check out these tutorials if you’ve never used a canner before:
Tutorial: Hot Water Bath Canning
Tutorial: How to Use a Pressure Canner
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Victoria says
Oh my goodness! I will have to try this when my lilacs come in. I probably shouldn’t admit this in public but I used to eat lilac blossoms as a child.
Susan says
Me, too!! With a friend. LOL!!
Growing up we had 2 white, 2 dark purple and 2 light purple trees right out our back door. To this day, lilacs are my favorite.
E in Upstate NY says
Made this last year. Used neighbor’s deep dark purple flowers. What a disappointment! Was a sallow yellow! Didn’t want to use food coloring to change color. House smelled wonderful while making. Flavor was ok. Glad I tried, won’t make it again.
Lisa Julia says
i think the lilac ‘tea’ is better if the water is hot but not boiling. boiling water cooks the lilacs so they are almost like a vegetable. I also think using a couple blueberries is a natural way to add back some pretty color.
elizabeth says
I bet this jelly is really good. I’ve made dandelion jelly before and it is so yummy!
Susan says
I really want to try Dandelion Jelly!! BUT…there are NO dandelions anywhere near me!!!! I’ve been looking 🙂
When I drive by areas with a field of them, I want to stop so bad. But where to get permission?? And have to be sure they are safe…not sprayed or near a freeway or anything.
Nancy says
I really want to try this! My daughter is away at school and her favorite lilac tree will soon be in bloom. What a treat if I could send her a “taste” of home! I do have a question, though. The recipe calls for a box of powdered pectin. I live in Canada and always use Certo liquid pectin. What brand would I buy and how big a box of powdered pectin? Finally the snow is gone here and soon I will be able to start planting my veggies! Love your site….keep up the awesome work!
Susan says
Most powder pectin comes in a 1.75 oz. box . I use either MCP or Sure Jell.
If you buy bulk – one 1.75 oz. box = 3 1/2 Tablespoons. HTH 🙂
Ruth Ward says
I just made this jelly. It has a very delicate taste. Smell of lilacs. I used the Sure Jell. Look me up on Facebook, I posted some pictures of my efforts.
barbara says
they look so pretty, but hubby only eats blackberry
PattyB says
When I moved in with hubby, he had this house for 9 years as a bachelor. His gardening skills are limited to mowing, edging, and trimming anything that resembles a bush into a square. There was a lilac bush out back but I didn’t know what it was at first. He cuts it back to the ground every year. I convinced him to stop that and I finally got lilacs this year!!!! Yipee. Now, to keep him and his clippers away from it!
I am trying this jelly tomorrow as the blossoms are steeping as I write!
Mavis says
Let us know how you like it. And your husband makes me laugh. Fingers crossed he stays away from your gorgeous lilacs!
Erin says
I made this recipe. It is go good. Tastes like a delicate honey flavour. Only thing is: this made 4 not 5 jars. Hrm. I was making it for my son’s teachers. I really did need five. Here’s to steawberry jam for the last one.
Laura P says
When you say 2 cups of blossoms, is that loose or packed? I grew up in my grandparents house, and there are 5 or 6 bushes outside. It’s my sister’s house now, so come lilac season I could probably “steal” some!
Lisa Julia says
Well this was a bust for me. My first time trying to make any kind of jelly. It didn’t set so i tried to ‘fix’ it and ended up with rubber. Tried to fix it again and it’s now more like a syrup that lost it’s lilac-ness in the process. I might try again but finding the right balance of pectin and how to know it was ‘done’ made it a real challenge.
Deb says
My lilacs petals are steeping now! I like the idea of using food color. When do I add the food coloing? At what point? Thank you for a good recipe!
Julie S says
LOVE this recipe!! I made my first batch a couple of weeks ago with purple lilacs (the jelly is a beautiful golden color) and my second batch this morning using a lilac that has variegated petals. Today’s batch ended up the most gorgeous pink color! I’m going to be so happy in the cold of winter to open up one of these babies and have that taste of spring. Thank you for sharing!!!
Kathy says
How do you convert it to use liquid pectin? Thank you, can’t wait to try!
Carol says
I just made this today it tastes like honey I made a batch of Liliac and dandelion and both of them taste like honey