You can’t deny that lilacs smell incredible. But did you also know that they’re edible? You can capture that heavenly aroma with this spring treat – lilac blossom jelly. Its light, sweet floral taste is a favorite in our household & it also makes a lovely gift.
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Every spring, when the lilacs are in bloom, we become intoxicated with their scent. It’s one of our top five favorite flowers! So, naturally, during the week that they’re in full bloom, we hit the ground running with as many preservation methods as possible.
I’ve been making this lilac jelly for years & it’s always a huge hit! Guests that stop by for a farm visit find themselves leaving with a jar or two. It’s also made its way into Christmas baskets, as a reminder that spring is coming, even in the depths of winter.
Lilac jelly is super simple to make, especially if you’re already familiar with our dandelion jelly recipe. If you know how to water bath can, you can make this jelly shelf-stable to last for years. Otherwise, it still stores wonderfully in the fridge for a good period of time.
So let’s get right into it!
First off you’ll need lilac blossoms. Specifically, you’ll want at least two cups of just flowers. For a stronger floral taste, add additional blossoms, maxing out at no more than four cups of blooms.
Find a nice spot to sit down & spend a little time trimming or plucking the flowers from the tough, woody stems.
Next, we need to make our lilac tea. Pour four cups of boiling water over your two cups of blossoms and steep in the fridge for 24 hours. This will give you the flavor base for your jelly.
To make the jelly, combine your lilac tea, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 box of powdered pectin in a large pot – bring to a boil.
To that, add 4 cups of sugar and bring it back to a boil. Boil your jelly for 1 to 2 minutes. Beware that it will foam and rise up while boiling, so make sure your pot is pretty good sized.
Remove your pot from the heat, skim off the white foam floating on top, and ladle your jelly into jars. For fridge storage, you’re ready to go! If you want to water bath can your jelly for stable shelf storage, continue to the next step.
Water Bath Canning Lilac Jelly
You’ll need 5 to 6 sterilized half-pint jars, with sterile lids and rings. Using your canning funnel, ladle the hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.
Run a knife or your canning spatula around the edge to remove any air bubble.
Screw on the lid, finger tight, and process for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you are above 6000 ft elevation).
Using your canning tongs, remove the jars from the canner and place on a towel.
Leave undisturbed, in a draft free area, for 24 hours.
Enjoy!
Lilac jelly is great on dandelion scones, muffins, pancakes, waffles, homemade bread, and more! The light floral notes complement a wide variety of baked goods. We absolutely love it! I just whipped up my batch for this spring & it’s time for you to do the same!
What do you think? Are you ready to give lilac jelly a try? It’s a fun departure from traditional jellies and a great spring project.
If you enjoyed this article, please share it to spread the lilac love.
Have you made a batch of lilac jelly? Send us an email or leave a comment below! You can also let us know on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest pages.
Be sure to check out these helpful articles for more foraging ideas…
- How to Make Dandelion Jelly
- Dandelion Cream Scone Recipe
- Foraging & Uses for Purple Dead Nettle
- Purple Dead Nettle Pesto Recipe
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Lilac Blossom Jelly Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups lilac blossoms
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 box powdered pectin
- 4 cups sugar
Instructions
- Remove the lilac blossoms from the stem and put in a bowl or container
- Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the petals and steep in the fridge for 24 hours
- Strain as much liquid out of the blooms as you can (should get between 3-4 cups of lilac tea)
- Add additional water if needed to make sure you have 4 cups of liquid
- Combine your lilac tea, lemon juice, and powdered pectin in a large pot. Bring to a boil
- Add sugar and return to a boil. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes
- Remove from heat and skim off white film
- If storing in the fridge, ladle into half-pint jars, label, and refridgerate. Should keep for many months.
Water Bath Canning
- If canning, ladle your jelly into hot, sterilized half-pint jars. Leave 1/4 inch headspace.
- Run a knife or spatula around the edge of the jar to remove air bubbles.
- Wipe the rim with white vinegar (to remove debris) and screw on your lids, finger tight
- Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes or according to your altitude
- Remove from canner and let jars rest, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Label and store
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I had my 6 grandchildren help me gather dandelion flowers to make this jelly. It was well worth the effort!! So delicious!!! If I had known it would be so good, I would have made them pick an entire bushel of flowers!! In the evening, that same day they all helped take the petals out of the flower heads while they watched a movie and had snacks in their sleeping bags! Next year I’ll make a lot more of this wonderful jelly, it does taste like honey and sunshine! Thanks!!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it! What a fun project. That really sounds like a wonderful day with your grandchildren 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!