Low-Sugar Lilac Jelly
This low-sugar lilac jelly preserves the brief magic of spring blooms without drowning them in sugar. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it captures that fresh floral flavor—slightly citrusy, faintly green, unmistakably May—in a soft-set jelly perfect for yogurt, ice cream, or cocktails. It’s beginner-friendly and waterbath safe, so you can bottle up those three perfect weeks of lilac season to enjoy all year.
Servings 4 half-pint jars
Equipment
- Large saucepan or jam pot
- Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- 1 Quart-sized mason jar (for steeping)
- 5 Canning jars with two-part lids
- Water bath canner (if preserving)
Ingredients
- lilac blossom petals (de-stemmed) 4 cups
- water 4 cups
- lemon juice (bottled for canning, fresh for fridge jelly) 2 tablespoons
- granulated sugar 1½ to 2 cups
- box (1.75 oz Sure-Jell Low Sugar powdered pectin (pink box)) 1
- A small handful of frozen blueberries (optional, for color)
Instructions
- Place de-stemmed lilac petals (and optional blueberries) in a quart mason jar.
- Bring water to boil. Pour over flowers. Cover loosely with cloth. Steep 24 hours at room temperature or refrigerated after 4 hours.
- Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing to extract all the liquid. You need about 3½ to 4 cups.
- Pour strained tea into a large saucepan. Add lemon juice. Watch the color change and try not to squeal.
- Pre-measure sugar and set it aside.
- Bring tea and lemon mixture to a boil. Slowly add pectin, stirring constantly to dissolve.
- Return to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring the entire time.
- Add sugar all at once. Stir to dissolve.
- Bring back to a rolling boil. Boil 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat. Skim foam.
- Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims. Cap with two-part lids.
- For canning: Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 ft). Cool undisturbed 24 hours. Check seals.
- For fridge jelly: Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Allow 24 hours for full set.
Notes
Pectin: Written for Sure-Jell Low Sugar (pink box). For Pomona’s Universal Pectin, follow the directions in their box using the mint jelly recipe as a guide.
Color: Dark purple lilacs give the most vivid jelly. For pale or white varieties, a few frozen blueberries during steeping adds beautiful color without changing the flavor.
Lemon juice: Don’t skip it. Brightens flavor, activates pectin, ensures safe acidity for canning.
Sugar flexibility: With low sugar pectin, you can go as low as 1½ cups or up to 3. Less sugar means more lilac flavor, a slightly softer set, and slightly lower yield.
Steeping time: Longer is better for flavor. 24 hours gives the most intense lilac taste, but even 4 hours makes a lovely jelly.