Honeysuckle Jelly – Canning Recipe

Looking for a new foraging recipe to try? This honeysuckle jelly is easy to make and it is so good! You just need a few handfuls of bright yellow honeysuckle flowers to get that sweet flavor of summer.

Honeysuckle Jelly – Canning Recipe

Don’t know about you but I love that sweet smell when I step out the door and honeysuckle is in full bloom. You know summer has arrived. Making honeysuckle jelly is such a great way to enjoy that smell and flavor all year long.

This recipe can be made and stored right in the fridge if you use a lot of jelly. But I love to can mine so you can enjoy it throughout the year until the next season of honeysuckle.

For this recipe, you will want to pick the bright yellow honeysuckle flowers. But make sure you do not include any of the dining and wilting ones. 

If you like this recipe, here are a few others to try.

• How To Make Loquat Jelly (Canning Recipe)
• Recipe For Candied Jalapenos (aka Cowboy Candy) (Canning Recipe)
• Homemade Blackberry Jelly With Chia
• Homemade Blueberry Butter Made In The Slow Cooker
• Strawberry Instant Pot Jam
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Butter

Canning Processing Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 15 minutes
Prep Time: about 15 minutes
Steeping Time: 24 hours
Makes: about 10 4oz Jelly Jars

Preparing Jars & Lids:

Boil jars and lids for at least 10 minutes before using. You can have them boiling while you are making your jelly.

Remove from water and make sure they are drained. Place upright on a towel on the counter while you are filling with jelly liquid.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 1.75 oz Box Less or No Sugar Pectin
• 2.5 Cups (loosely packed) Yellow Honeysuckle Flowers
• 3 Cups Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 4 Cups Water

How To Make This Jelly:

Place flowers in a strainer and rinse under cold water and remove any debris or dead flowers.

Add the washed flowers to a glass bowl. Pour 4 cups of boiling water over them.

Cover the bowl with a cloth of plastic wrap and leave it on the counter to steep. Leave on the counter until cooled to room temperature.

Then move the bowl to the fridge to finish steeping. It needs to steep for a total of 24 hours for the best flavor.

This is the point you should have your jars and lids boiling so they are ready when the jelly is ready to can.

After 24 hours, remove from fridge and strain mixture over a mesh sieve saving the liquid. Lightly press flowers to get all the liquid out then discard flowers.

Pour the strained liquid into a large saucepot and bring to a boil.

Pour in lemon juice and vanilla and stir.

In small mixing bowl mix pectin and 1/2 cup of sugar together until well mixed.

Add the pectin mixture to boiling honeysuckle liquid and mix until fully dissolved.

Then add 2.5 cups of the sugar mixing constantly. Bring the mix to a rolling boil then boil for 1 full minute.

Pour or scoop mixture into pre-paired jars. Make sure to leave about 1/4 to 1/2 inch space from the top of the jar. I fill mine right to where the threads of the jar start.

Pop any air bubbles in the jar. If you leave bubbles it can make the jar burst. Wipe off the rim of jars.

Place the heated lids on top of the jars and then the ring and tighten the ring.

Canning Processing:

Put the closed jars in a boiling water bath and boil for 10 minutes. You need to have the jars on a rack so they are not right on the bottom of the pot they also need to be spaced so they are not touching. 

You need the water to be at least a half-inch overtop the tops of the jars.

After they have boiled for 10 minutes carefully lift jars and remove them from the water. Place the jars on a towel on the counter.

Allow to totally cool before moving. When sealed the top little bubble will be sucked in and you will hear a little pop. Any that do not seal will need to be refrigerated.

Do you have to have a canner for this recipe?

The fast answer is no!

This can be made and stored in the fridge if you have a large family or will be given as gifts to be eaten right away.

Also, even if you will be canning you do not need to have a canner. I can these little jars right in a normal large pot. I simply place a little trivet in the bottom of the pot because the jars can not sit right on the bottom.

Then I simply place a cotton washcloth between the jars to keep them from touching while they process.