Homemade Apple Jelly is a beautifully clear, golden preserve made from the natural juice of fresh apples. Smooth and glistening, it captures the pure, crisp sweetness of apples in every spoonful. Its delicate flavor is lighter than apple butter or jam, making it a versatile spread for toast, biscuits, or scones, and an elegant glaze for roasted meats or desserts. With just apples, sugar, and pectin, this jelly brings out the orchard’s essence in a simple yet refined way, perfect for both everyday breakfasts and special occasions.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds ooking apples (such as Braeburn, Granny Smith, and/ or Rome Beauty
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup apple juice, or up to 2 cups as needed
- 1 (1.75 ounce) package regular powdered fruit pectin or 6 tablespoons classic powdered fruit pectin (such as Ball®)
- 7 1/2 cups white sugar
Instructions
- Remove stems and blossom ends from apples. Do not peel or core (peels and cores contain pectin and will be discarded later). Chop apples.
- Combine apples and the water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
- Place a colander lined with cheesecloth in a large bowl. Pour apple mixture into colander. Let drain, without pressing, until mixture stops dripping, 1 to 2 hours. Add enough apple juice to juice in bowl to reach 5 cups. (Discard solids.)
- Return juice to clean large pot. Whisk in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add sugar. Return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute. If foam forms on surface, quickly glide a metal spoon over surface to skim off foam; discard.
- Ladle into 10 sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims; adjust lids and bands.
- Place filled jars in a boiling water canner, with enough water to cover jars by 1 inch. Process for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to a boil). Remove jars from canner. Cool on a wire rack.