Redbud Jelly (& Syrup)

Redbud jelly is a delicious way to enjoy edible redbud flowers each spring, capturing their soft color and delicate flavor in a jar you can spread on toast long after the blooms are gone.

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This recipe makes either redbud jelly or a redbud syrup, and the only real difference between them is the pectin. Add it and you get a soft, spreadable jelly; leave it out and you have a floral syrup for cocktails, drinks, and drizzling over desserts.

A good flower jelly is a way to hold onto the aroma and flavor of fresh edible flowers long after the season ends, even when there’s snow on the ground. Redbud blooms early, so it’s often the first flower jelly of my year.

Notes from My Kitchen

We try a new flower jelly just about every spring, since the season is short up here in Vermont and I can never quite let the blossoms go without holding onto a few. The spring we found a redbud tree in full bloom, we were back in the kitchen making jelly that same afternoon. The petals steep into a tea overnight, and the moment the lemon juice goes in, the whole jar shifts to a clear pink.

A full batch gives me about 5 half-pint jars, mild and lightly floral, and it’s lovely on toast or cornbread. If I’ve got extra redbud tea, I’ll leave the pectin out of part of it and make a syrup for spring drinks. Either way, it’s a fleeting kind of preserve that tastes like the few weeks it came from.

What Does Redbud Jelly Taste Like?

Redbud jelly is delicate and lightly sweet, with a soft floral character and a faint green, pea-like note that comes from the flowers themselves. Redbud is in the legume family, so the blossoms carry a subtle fresh-bean quality alongside the sweetness. It’s mild enough to spread on toast or cornbread without taking over.

In the jar, the jelly is a pretty pink. That color shows up the moment the lemon juice hits the steeping tea, shifting it from a dull gray-purple to a clear pink (it’s worth watching), and that pink carries straight through to the finished jelly.

Identifying and Harvesting Redbud

Redbud trees bloom around the same time as the first dandelions. For most of the country, that’s early spring, usually sometime in March, though here in Vermont, it isn’t until May, since winter likes to stick around in the north country. You can identify a redbud by looking for a tree absolutely covered in tiny pink flowers that look a bit like snapdragons, often blooming right out of the trunk and branches before the leaves appear.

If you find the tree toward the end of its flowering season, you’ll start to see early leaves unfurling at the branch tips alongside the last blooms. Harvest the flowers when the tree is in full bloom, and only take blossoms from trees that haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, since you’ll be steeping them straight into the jelly.

Pull the blossoms off and leave the stems on the tree. Once you’re home, give them a quick look to clear out any insects, then de-stem and pick out any bits of bark or leaf before you make your tea.

Ingredients for Redbud Jelly

Redbud jelly uses the same basic formula as other flower jellies: fresh edible flowers steeped into a tea, then set with sugar, pectin, and a bit of lemon juice for balance and safety.

• Redbud Blossoms: Use just the flowers, de-stemmed, with any bark or leaf debris picked out (a few unopened buds in the mix are fine). Harvest from trees that haven’t been sprayed, and rinse the blossoms before steeping. The flowers bring both the delicate flavor and the pink color to the finished jelly.
• Water: Use clean filtered water if your tap water has a strong chlorine taste, which can carry through into the delicate floral flavor.
• Lemon Juice: The lemon juice does several jobs at once. It draws the color out of the petals, balances the sweetness and intensifies the floral flavor, helps the pectin set, and lowers the pH enough to make the jelly safe for canning. Use bottled lemon juice for its consistent, reliable acidity. For a more neutral flavor you can use citric acid powder instead, at about 1 teaspoon in place of the 1/4 cup of lemon juice.
• Sugar: Regular powdered pectin needs plenty of sugar to gel, so this recipe follows the current Sure Jell ratio of 5 cups sugar to 4 cups of liquid for an old-fashioned jelly that sets reliably. There’s a lower-sugar option in the note just below if you’d prefer one.
• Pectin: Reach for regular powdered pectin (like Sure Jell) here. It’s dependable and gives a consistent set with this floral tea. (Leave it out entirely and you’ll have a redbud syrup instead.)

How to Make Redbud Jelly

Making redbud jelly is a lot like any other flower jelly: steep the blossoms into a tea, then set that tea with lemon juice, pectin, and sugar. The one quirk with redbud is that the lemon juice goes in early, right when you pour the water over the flowers, because the acid is what pulls the color out of the petals and turns the tea a clear pink.

Don’t skip that lemon juice. It brightens both the color and the flavor, helps the pectin set, and lowers the pH enough to make the jelly safe for water bath canning, so it belongs in the recipe whether or not you plan to can. If you’d rather make a redbud syrup, you’ll follow all the same steps and simply leave the pectin out.

Prepare the Redbud Blossoms

You’ll need about 4 cups of redbud flowers for a full batch. Pick them when the tree is in full bloom, pulling the blossoms off and leaving the stems behind on the branch.

Take a few minutes to de-stem the flowers and pick out any bits of bark, leaf, or other debris. A handful of unopened buds mixed in is fine, but you want mostly clean petals going into the jar.

Make the Redbud Tea

Pack the cleaned blossoms loosely into a clean quart jar (don’t press them down, since the water needs room to move through them). Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, pour it over the flowers, and then stir in 1/4 cup of bottled lemon juice right away. The lemon does double duty here, drawing the color out of the petals and starting the acidification that keeps the jelly safe.

Let the tea steep for about 24 hours, moving it to the refrigerator after the first few hours. That’s longer than most flower jellies call for, but redbud really does improve with the extra infusion time. Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing or squeezing to get every bit of that pink liquid, and you should end up with about 4 cups of tea.

Add the Pectin

Pour the strained redbud tea (with its lemon juice already in it) into a jelly pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Don’t add the sugar yet.

Once it’s boiling, whisk in one box of powdered pectin until it dissolves completely, then keep it at a full boil for one minute. (If you’re making syrup instead of jelly, this is the step you skip, going straight to the sugar.)

Add the Sugar

After that minute of boiling with the pectin, add 5 cups of sugar all at once. (Don’t add the sugar before or at the same time as the pectin, or the jelly won’t set.) Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, then bring everything back to a full rolling boil for one more minute.

Pull the pot off the heat and skim off any foam with a spoon. Ladle the hot jelly into prepared jars right away, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. A canning funnel makes this a lot less messy.

Canning Redbud Jelly

Canning is optional, but it’s an easy way to keep redbud jelly on the shelf year-round, and it makes a nice spring gift. If you’d rather not can, let the jars cool completely on the counter, then store the jelly in the refrigerator for up to a month or the freezer for up to 6 months.

To can redbud jelly, have your water bath canner, jars, and lids ready before you start. After filling the jars and leaving 1/4 inch of headspace, wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth, set on the two-part canning lids, and tighten the bands until fingertip tight. If you’re new to canning, my beginner’s guide to water bath canning walks through the whole process and the supplies you’ll need.

Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Lift the jars out and let them cool undisturbed on a towel for 24 hours, then check the seals. Refrigerate any jars that didn’t seal and use them first. Properly sealed jars hold their quality on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months, and you’ll want to refrigerate after opening.

Ways to Use Redbud Jelly

Redbud jelly is mild and lightly floral, so it’s right at home on breakfast foods. Spread it on toast, a croissant, or an English muffin, or set it out alongside warm cornbread or biscuits at dinner. Its soft pink color makes it a pretty addition to a spring brunch spread.

The flowers themselves are worth playing with beyond jelly. Redbud blossoms show up in spring recipes like a redbud sour cocktail, a lemon cornmeal loaf cake, and a fresh redbud salad. And if you have extra tea, skip the pectin and turn it into a redbud syrup for drinks and desserts.

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Redbud Jelly (& Syrup)

By Ashley Adamant

Redbud jelly is a delicious way to enjoy edible redbud flowers each spring.  These trees are not only beautiful, they're delicious! 

Prep: 1 day d

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Canning Time (Optional): 10 minutes mins

Total: 1 day d 25 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Water Bath Canner
• Jelly Strainer with Bag
• Canning Funnel
• Canning Jars, Lids and Bands

Ingredients 

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For the Redbud Tea

• ▢ 4 cups redbud flowers, de-stemmed, about 1 quart loosely packed
• ▢ 4 cups water
• ▢ 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice, or 1 teaspoon citric acid

For the Jelly

• ▢ 1 box powdered pectin, 1.75 oz, regular, such as Sure-Jell original or 6 Tbsp bulk pectin
• ▢ 5 cups granulated sugar

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Place the de-stemmed redbud blossoms loosely in a clean quart jar. Bring the water to a boil, pour it over the flowers, and stir in the lemon juice right away (the acid turns the tea pink).
• Steep about 24 hours, moving the jar to the refrigerator after the first few hours. Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pressing to get every bit of liquid. You should have about the amount of tea called for; top off with a little water if needed.
• Pour the strained tea (with its lemon juice) into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the powdered pectin until fully dissolved and boil for 1 minute.
• Add all the sugar at once and stir to dissolve. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
• Ladle hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands fingertip tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and let jars rest 5 minutes, then cool undisturbed 12 to 24 hours before checking seals.

Notes

Redbud Syrup: For a syrup instead of jelly, follow the same steps but leave out the pectin. Keep the lemon juice, since it sets the color and provides the acidity. Store the syrup in the refrigerator, or can it the same way as the jelly.

Identify Carefully: Use flowers from eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), the tree covered in tiny pink pea-like blooms in early spring. Harvest only from trees that haven’t been sprayed, and rinse the blossoms before steeping.

Use Bottled Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice has a steady acidity that fresh lemons don’t, and that acidity is what keeps this jelly safe to can. Use the full amount and don’t swap in fresh juice or cut it back. Citric acid works as a substitute at 1 teaspoon for the 1/4 cup of lemon juice.

Don’t Double the Batch: Pectin jellies set on a precise ratio of liquid, sugar, and pectin, and doubling a batch often keeps it from gelling. Make batches one at a time.

Give It Time to Set: Pectin jelly can take 24 to 48 hours to firm up. If it still looks loose the next day, hold off on re-cooking and check the troubleshooting guide first.

Low Sugar Option: For a less sweet jelly, use Sure-Jell Low Sugar or Pomona’s Universal Pectin and follow the package directions for mint jelly. With Pomona’s, increase the lemon juice to 1/2 cup, since it doesn’t contain added citric acid. Reducing sugar lowers the yield.

Storage: Sealed, processed jars keep on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months. Without canning, store in the refrigerator up to a month or the freezer up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.

Altitude Adjustments: 0 to 6,000 feet: 10 minutes. Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Tbsp, Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 0.01g, Fat: 0.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.001g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.001g, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 2mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 0.1IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 0.04mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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