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Blueberry lime jelly combines fresh blueberries with the bright tropical flavor of limes for a silky smooth preserve with a lot of character. Blueberries and limes are the perfect combination, and the lime flavor really makes this blueberry jelly sing.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Blueberry lime jelly takes the popular blueberry lime jam concept and turns it into a smooth, crystal-clear jelly. Instead of crushed berries with bits of fruit throughout, you get a gorgeous spread with that same bright citrus zing cutting through the sweet blueberry flavor. If you love the blueberry-lime combination but prefer your spreads seedless and silky, this is the recipe for you.
This jelly is inspired by the Ball Blue Book’s tested recipe for blueberry lime jam, which has become incredibly popular with home canners. The jam version uses crushed berries, but I wanted a smooth jelly that would spread like silk on toast and show off that beautiful deep purple color. By cooking the lime with the berries and then straining, you get all the flavor without any bits of pulp or zest in the finished product.
You’ll need about 4 quarts of fresh or frozen blueberries to yield the 4 cups of juice needed for this recipe. If you have homegrown blueberries or access to pick-your-own during peak season, this is a wonderful way to preserve that flavor with a citrus twist.
Notes from My Kitchen
After making the blueberry lime jam and blueberry lime marmalade, and falling in love with the flavor combination, I knew I had to try a jelly version. My husband loves limes (and anything citrus, really), so I’m always looking for ways to incorporate them into my canning projects. This jelly has become another favorite in our lime recipe collection.
The deep purple color is absolutely stunning, and the smooth texture makes it perfect for spreading on fresh biscuits. We always have plenty of homegrown blueberries in season, and this jelly lets us enjoy that summer harvest all year long with a little extra brightness.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Blueberry Lime Jelly
- Recipe Type: Jelly Recipe
- Canning Method: Water Bath Canning
- Prep Time: About 30 minutes (plus straining time)
- Cook Time: About 15 minutes
- Canning Time: 10 minutes for half pints
- Yield: About 5 to 6 half pints
- Jar Sizes: Half pints or quarter pints
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Blueberries, water, lime zest and juice, pectin, and sugar
- Safe Canning Recipe Source: Adapted from Ball Blue Book blueberry lime jam
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Similar Recipes: This recipe is similar to other fruit and citrus jellys, like lemon jelly, raspberry jelly and blackberry jelly.
Ingredients
This recipe uses standard powdered pectin (like Sure-Jell or Ball Classic) and follows the classic jelly method. The lime is cooked with the blueberries to infuse the juice, then strained out along with the berry pulp.
Here’s the blueberry lime jelly version:
This is a pectin-set jelly made from strained blueberry juice with lime for brightness. The powdered pectin gives a reliable set without needing to cook the juice down for an extended time, which keeps the flavor fresh.
- Blueberries: The base of the jelly, cooked with water and strained to extract juice. Fresh or frozen both work well, and frozen actually release their juice more readily since freezing breaks down the cell walls. Wild blueberries will give you a more intense flavor and deeper color if you can find them. If you want to skip the cooking step, you can use already-prepared juice from my Canning Blueberry Juice recipe (just substitute it cup for cup for the juice you’d extract here).
- Water: Cooked with the blueberries to help extract their juice. The berries will release their own liquid as they break down, and the added water makes sure there’s enough volume to strain cleanly.
- Lime: Adds brightness and a citrus note that pairs well with blueberries. Both the zest and the juice go into the jelly, with the zest cooked alongside the berries for flavor and then strained out with the pulp. Use a vegetable peeler to take off wide strips of peel and avoid the white pith underneath (the pith is where the bitterness lives). Finely grated zest works too, though it can cloud the finished jelly slightly. For more lime preserving ideas, see my lime canning recipes roundup.
- Powdered Pectin: Provides the set. Sure-Jell and Ball Classic are interchangeable here. If you’re working from bulk or flex-batch pectin, you’ll use 6 tablespoons in place of one standard box.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the jelly and works with the pectin to create the gel. Standard powdered pectin requires the full sugar amount to set properly, so don’t reduce it. If you want a lower-sugar version, you’d need to switch to a recipe formulated with Pomona’s Pectin instead.
For the zest, use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of lime peel, avoiding the white pith. These large pieces are easy to strain out later. If you only have finely grated zest, that works too, though you may get a slightly cloudy jelly.
Step by Step Instructions
This is a two step recipe, where you first extract the juice and then make the jelly. Don’t prep a waterbath canner until you have the juice on hand and you’re ready to make the jelly.
Extract the Juice
Place the blueberries in a large saucepan with 4 cups of water. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lime in wide strips and add to the pot. Squeeze the lime juice into the pot as well. Slowly bring to a simmer over medium heat, mashing the berries with a potato masher as they cook. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the berries have completely broken down and released their juice.
Strain the Juice
Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or a colander lined with several layers of damp cheesecloth set over a large bowl. Let it drain for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. You can gently squeeze the bag to release more juice, though this may result in a slightly cloudy jelly. You should end up with about 4 cups of juice. If you’re short, add a splash of water or apple juice to reach 4 cups.
Make the Jelly
Pour the 4 cups of strained blueberry lime juice into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Whisk in the powdered pectin until completely dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add Sugar and Finish
Add the sugar all at once, stirring to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly skim off any foam.
Fill Jars
Ladle the hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving ยผ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, center lids on jars, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
Setting Notes
If the jelly seems soft after canning, give it 24 to 48 hours before deciding it hasn’t set. For more information on getting jelly to set properly, see my post on troubleshooting jelly set.
Canning Blueberry Lime Jelly
Without canning, blueberry lime jelly will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year. For shelf-stable storage, process the filled jars in a boiling water bath.
Prepare your water bath canner while the jelly is cooking. Lower the filled jars into the canner, making sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process for 10 minutes for half pints, adjusting for altitude as noted below.
After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Let jars cool undisturbed on a towel-lined counter for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Altitude Adjustments
For water bath canning, processing times increase at higher elevations:
- 0 to 6,000 feet: 10 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
Yield Notes
This recipe yields about 6 half pints. You’ll need approximately 4 quarts (16 cups) of blueberries to yield the 4 cups of juice required.
Juice yield varies depending on the juiciness of your berries. If you end up with more than 4 cups, save the extra for drinking or another recipe. If you have less, top off with water or apple juice.
Serving Ideas
Blueberry lime jelly is beautiful on toast, biscuits, and English muffins, where its smooth texture and bright color really shine. The citrus note makes it especially good at breakfast, pairing nicely with butter and fresh bread.
Use it as a glaze for cakes, tarts, or pastries where you want a smooth, shiny finish. The deep purple color looks stunning drizzled over cheesecake or swirled into vanilla ice cream. It also makes an elegant filling for thumbprint cookies or layer cakes.
Blueberry Lime Jelly FAQs
Yes, frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh for making juice. No need to thaw them first; just add them directly to the pot with the water.
The jam uses crushed berries and keeps the pulp, giving it texture. This jelly strains out all the solids for a smooth, clear spread. Both have the same delicious blueberry-lime flavor.
Yes! Use the zest and juice of 2 limes instead of one for a more pronounced citrus flavor. Just cook them both with the berries.
Don’t toss it! The strained pulp can be turned into blueberry butter by cooking it down with sugar, or used in smoothies, baking, or as a topping for yogurt and oatmeal.
Lime Canning Recipes
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Blueberry Lime Jelly
Equipment
- Canning Jars, Lids and Bands
- Large Deep Stainless Steel Saucepan
- Jelly bag or cheesecloth
- Potato Masher
- Vegetable Peeler
Ingredients
- 4 quarts blueberries, fresh or frozen (16 cups)
- 4 cups water
- 1 large lime, zest in strips plus juice
- 1 box powdered pectin, 1.75 oz, like Sure-Jell or Ball Classic (or 6 Tbsp bulk)
- 5 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Place blueberries in a large saucepan with 4 cups water. Using a vegetable peeler, remove lime zest in wide strips and add to pot along with the lime juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, mashing berries as they cook. Simmer 10 minutes until berries have completely broken down.
- Pour mixture through a jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander over a large bowl. Let drain at least 2 hours or overnight. Gently squeeze bag if desired. Measure 4 cups juice, adding water if needed.
- Pour 4 cups strained juice into a large, deep saucepan. Whisk in pectin until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar all at once, stirring to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim foam.
- Ladle hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes for half pints, adjusting for altitude. Let stand in canner 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
Juice Yield
You’ll need about 4 quarts (16 cups) of blueberries to yield 4 cups of juice. Juice yield varies with berry ripeness; if short, add water or apple juice to reach 4 cups.Lime Zest Method
Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest in wide strips, avoiding the white pith. Large pieces are easy to strain out. The lime infuses the juice during cooking, so the citrus flavor is woven throughout.More Lime Option
For stronger lime flavor, use the zest and juice of 2 limes.Using the Leftover Pulp
Don’t toss the strained pulp! Make blueberry butter, add to smoothies, or use in baking.Altitude Adjustments
- 0 to 6,000 feet: 10 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Blueberry Canning Recipes
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