If you’ve ever been curious about turning backyard blossoms into something sweet, this Quick and Easy Dandelion Jelly Recipe for Beginners is the perfect way to start.
When I was a kid, the first sign of spring wasn’t the warmer weather—it was the bright yellow flowers popping up across our neighborhood. My siblings and I would spend the whole day gathering dandelion blossoms for my mom. She used them to make tea, salve, and my favorite: this easy dandelion jelly recipe using fresh dandelion blossoms.
The first time I tried dandelion flower jelly, I was surprised by the flavor. It doesn’t taste grassy or herbal—it tastes like sunshine and honey in a jar. Friends always ask what’s in it, and they’re amazed it comes from a wildflower.
This recipe is a little nostalgic, a little magical, and so rewarding. If you’ve never made a wildflower jelly recipe before, this is the perfect place to start.
🌼 What Is Dandelion Jelly?
Dandelion jelly is a sweet, floral jelly made from the yellow petals of dandelion flowers. It’s soft, fragrant, and golden—like capturing spring in a jar. This dandelion flower jelly doesn’t use the whole plant, just the pretty tops that open to the sun.
It’s a springtime favorite among foragers and homesteaders, especially those who love making unique, seasonal treats. This wildflower jelly recipe is perfect for using up the abundance of dandelions many yards produce every year.
🌾 Foraging Tips: How to Harvest Dandelions Safely
To make the best jelly, you’ll need to harvest safely. Here’s how:
- Pick your dandelion flower heads on a sunny day, ideally in mid-morning after the dew has dried.
- Choose spots away from roads or areas treated with pesticides or weed killer. Safe foraging for edible dandelions is important.
- Only use fully opened yellow blossoms. Avoid the stems, leaves, and green parts at the base—they can make the jelly bitter.
- You’ll need quite a few flowers—around 8 cups of dandelion heads will give you about 4 cups of petals.
With just a little time and care, you’ll have more than enough dandelions to make this delicious dandelion jelly and maybe even a little extra for later use!
What You’ll Need for This Dandelion Jelly Recipe
This dandelion jelly recipe is simple, and you’ll only need a few basic tools and ingredients:
🛠 Equipment:
- Large pot or large saucepan
- Small pot or large saucepan for the jelly
- Fine mesh sieve, fine mesh strainer, or coffee filter
- Jelly bag (optional, for extra clear jelly)
- Water bath canner or large pot with rack
- Jar lifter, damp cloth, and clean canning jars (4–6 half-pint jars)
- Hot jars and lids, rings, and the rims of the jars wiped clean
- Glass jar or bowl for straining
- A dry place to store your jelly afterward
⏱ Time & Yield
- Prep Time: 1 hour
(Includes foraging, cleaning, and separating yellow petals from the green base) - Cook Time: 20 minutes
(Boiling the dandelion tea, cooking the jelly, and preparing for canning) - Setting Time: 12–24 hours
(Time for jars to fully cool and the jelly set to firm up) - Total Time: Approx. 13–25 hours
(Much of this is inactive resting/setting time) - Yield: About 4 to 5 half-pint jars (8 oz jars) of delicious jelly
Quick and Easy Dandelion Jelly Recipe for Beginners
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Dandelion Petals just the yellow petals, not the green base of the flower
- 3 Cups water
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice fresh or bottled, for acidity
- 1 Box Powdered Pectin or liquid pectin (like Sure Jell), 1.75ounces
- 4 Cups Sugar
- Optional: drop of yellow food coloring for a brighter look
Instructions
Step 1: Harvesting the Flowers
- Pick the dandelion flower heads on a sunny morning in early spring. Make sure they’re from areas free of weed killer or pets. You’ll need plenty of dandelions—about 8 cups of dandelion heads will give you 4 cups of dandelion petals.4 Cups Dandelion Petals
Step 2: Preparing the Petals
- Remove the yellow petals from the green bits. The green parts can make your jelly bitter. This can take a long time, but it’s a labor of love. A great activity for kids on a sunny day.
Step 3: Making Dandelion Water
- Place your petals in a small pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boiling water stage, then simmer for 5–10 minutes. Cover and let steep until room temperature, or even overnight for a stronger flavor. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, coffee filter, or jelly bag. You should end up with 2–3 cups of liquid (your dandelion water). Add more water if needed.3 Cups water
Step 4: Making the Jelly
- Pour your dandelion water into a large saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 box of pectin. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, 1 Box Powdered Pectin
- Add 4 cups of sugar (or slightly less for a softer set). Stir well and return to a rolling boil. Boil for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat.4 Cups Sugar
- Skim any foam and stir in a drop of yellow food coloring if you like. Your hot jelly is ready!Optional: drop of yellow food coloring for a brighter look
Step 5: Canning the Jelly
- Ladle the jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp cloth. Remove air bubbles and adjust lids.
- Place jars in a water bath canner with enough water to cover by 1–2 inches. Check your water level. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars with a jar lifter and let them cool undisturbed. You’ll hear the oz jars sealing as they cool.
Your Own Private Notes
Nutrition
How to Use and Store Dandelion Jelly
This delicious jelly is perfect for toast, biscuits, or even over goat cheese. Store sealed jars in a dry place for long-term storage (up to a year). Open jars should go in the fridge and be used within a few weeks.
If a jar doesn’t jelly set, don’t worry—it still makes a great syrup for pancakes.
More Dandelion Recipes and Ideas
If you have an abundance of dandelions, you can try dandelion tea, dandelion greens sautéed with garlic, or even dandelion leaves in a salad.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is full of old-fashioned dandelion recipes to explore. You can even freeze extra dandelion water for later use or make violet jelly with similar steps.
This wild jelly is made at home, it’s the real deal. Where I’m from, we can’t find this in the grocery store.
Making homemade dandelion jelly is a sweet way to honor the beauty in something often seen as a weed. Whether you’re a seasoned forager or giving this a try for the first time, this canning recipe brings a bit of spring sunshine into every bite.
Don’t forget: the first thing you need is enough dandelions—so go outside and gather those yellow blossoms before they’re gone for the season! It’s dandelion season right now where I live.
Thank you for sharing this recipe