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Violet jelly is more than just a preserve—it’s a celebration of spring in a jar. With its delightful color, fresh berry flavor, and the joy of using wildflowers from your own yard, it’s the perfect recipe to share with family and friends. Whether you’re gifting it or keeping it for yourself, this jelly is sure to brighten up your pantry and your breakfast table all year long.
Spring is a great time to get outside, and this fun floral jelly will give you all the reason you need. Wild violets’ delicate, sweet flavor transforms into a delicious jelly that tastes surprisingly like fresh berries. It’s the perfect spread for toast, scones, biscuits, or anything else that could use a little springtime sweetness.
Wild violets are abundant and easy to identify, growing in shaded, moist spots all over the place. Whether you’re an experienced forager or a newbie, you’ll find that making violet jelly is surprisingly simple—and the results are absolutely worth it.
With my little ones at home all summer long playing in the yard, we had plenty of time to try our hand at new floral jellies.
We’ve already made tried and true dandelion jelly for years (tastes like honey), and now we’re making forsythia jelly (tastes like peaches) and apple blossom jelly (tastes like plums). Wild violet jelly is next on the list!
The flavor is sweet, floral, and slightly tangy, with just a hint of berry-like goodness, making it perfect for everything from spreading on toast to drizzling over ice cream.
And the color! That vibrant pink hue that appears after adding a bit of lemon juice is pure magic. What starts as a turquoise-colored tea transforms into a jewel-like pink as soon as the acid hits. It’s the kind of chemistry lesson that makes cooking so fun, especially when you can share the process with kids, who love watching the color change.
Ingredients for Violet Jelly
Making violet jelly is a fun and rewarding way to capture the sweet essence of spring in a jar. For a batch of 4 half-pint jars, you’ll need:
- 2 cups wild violet flowers (loose and lightly packed)
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid powder)
- 4 cups sugar (adjust based on sweetness preference)
- 1 box (1.75 oz) powdered pectin (regular or low-sugar)
The key ingredient in this recipe is, of course, the wild violet flowers. These delicate blooms give the jelly its sweet and floral flavor, with a surprising berry-like undertone. When you harvest violets, be sure to only use the flowers—leaves and stems are not needed for the jelly. If you have a lot of violets growing in your yard or nearby, this recipe is a great way to utilize those lovely blooms!
Water is used to steep the flowers and create violet tea, which is the base for the jelly. After steeping, the water will turn into a beautiful turquoise or greenish hue, which will magically transform into a vibrant pink once you add lemon juice (or citric acid).
Lemon juice is crucial for two reasons: it balances the sweetness of the sugar while providing the acidity needed to activate the pectin and help the jelly set properly, and it makes the jelly safe for canning. If you prefer a more neutral flavor, you can substitute the lemon juice with citric acid powder—about 1/2 teaspoon for the 1/4 cup of lemon juice called for in the recipe. Citric acid will still help set the jelly, but with less of the tart citrus flavor.
Powdered pectin is what I’m using in this recipe, with regular or low-sugar pectin working equally well. If you choose low-sugar pectin, you’ll have more flexibility with the amount of sugar you use. You can go as low as 2 cups for a lightly sweetened jelly, or up to 4 cups if you want something on the sweeter side.
For those using Ball Flex Batch Pectin, you’ll need 6 tablespoons, which is equivalent to the 1.75 oz box of Sure-Jell or other similar pectins.
I don’t recommend using liquid pectin for this recipe because it requires a significantly higher sugar-to-liquid ratio (7 cups of sugar for every 4 cups of liquid). However, if that’s your preferred method, feel free to adjust accordingly.
If you decide to use Pomona’s Pectin, follow the directions on the box for mint jelly. Pomona’s works a bit differently and has pectin and a pectin activator that you’ll need to add.
Harvesting Wild Violets
The first step in making violet jelly is, of course, harvesting the violets. If you’re lucky enough to have them growing in your yard, you’re halfway there. Wild violets thrive in shady, moist areas, and you’ll typically find them in spots like the edges of your lawn, near trees, or on the north side of your house.
When picking the flowers, choose blossoms that are free from pesticides, pollution, or any other chemicals. Only the flowers are used in this jelly, so you don’t need to worry about the stems or leaves. Depending on where you live, you might find violets blooming from early spring to summer, making it a perfect time to make this jelly just before the fruit harvest season.
(If you can’t find wild violets, you can use other viola flower species, like cultivated pansies or johnny jump ups.)
You’ll need about 2 cups of violet flowers for a batch of jelly. This might take a little time, as the flowers are small and delicate, but gathering them can be a relaxing and fun activity, especially for kids who are eager to help. I’ve found that it’s easier to harvest them directly into a quart jar—half-filled—so you don’t have to spend extra time gathering them into a bowl or basket.
Making Violet Tea
Once you’ve gathered your flowers, the next step is to create violet tea. Simply pour 4 cups of boiling water over the flowers and let the mixture steep for about 15-20 minutes. Initially, the tea will be a greenish or turquoise color—this is perfectly normal, and don’t worry, it won’t stay that way.
After the flowers have steeped, strain out the petals. What you should have now is a beautiful liquid that’s just the beginning of your violet jelly. The next step is adding lemon juice, which not only enhances the flavor but also plays a critical role in the jelling process. The acidity of lemon juice activates the pectin and changes the color of the tea from turquoise to a beautiful pink.
This is one of the coolest parts of making violet jelly. When you add the lemon juice, the color of the tea shifts dramatically. It goes from a blue-green to a stunning pink/purple shade, and it’s like a little magic trick happening right in your kitchen. This is where the natural compounds in the violets interact with the acid to reveal the vibrant color.
It’s also a perfect example of why violet jelly tastes so much like berries. The same compounds that give violets their color are also present in berries like blueberries and blackberries. When the acid is added, it brings out the sweet, berry-like flavors in the jelly. You’ll notice that violet jelly is less floral and more fruity in taste—a delightful surprise for anyone who might expect it to taste like perfume!
Making Violet Jelly
Once you’ve added the lemon juice (or citric acid) and have your vibrant pink tea, it’s time to make the jelly.
It’s the same process you use for making any floral jelly. You’ll add powdered pectin to the tea and bring it to a hard boil. Don’t add the sugar just yet—if you do, the jelly won’t set properly. Once the pectin has dissolved and the mixture boils for 1 minute, it’s time to add the sugar.
The addition of sugar will thicken the mixture, and after another minute of boiling, you should have a perfectly set jelly. The consistency is important here—violet jelly should be thick enough to hold a spoon but smooth enough to spread easily on toast or scones.
Canning Violet Jelly
Once your jelly has reached the right consistency, it’s time to can it. You can store it in the fridge if you plan on using it up quickly, but I love the option of preserving it in jars so I can enjoy it all year round.
To can the jelly, you’ll need to use a water bath canner. After filling your sterilized jars with jelly (leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace), seal them with two-part canning lids. Then, process the jars in a water bath canner for about 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation).
If you’re new to canning, don’t worry—it’s relatively simple. The water bath ensures that the jelly is sealed properly, keeping it shelf-stable for months. After processing, allow the jars to cool on a towel-lined counter, and you’ll hear the satisfying “pop” of the lids as they seal.
Violet Jelly
Ingredients
- 2 cups wild violet flowers, loosely packed
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice, or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
- 1 Box powdered pectin, 1.75 oz, Sure-Jell or similar brand
- 4 cups sugar, or less, see notes
Instructions
- Harvest 2 cups of wild violet flowers. Choose only blossoms that are free from pesticides. If using a mason jar, harvest the flowers directly into the jar, about halfway full.
- Pour 4 cups of boiling water over the violet flowers. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. The tea will likely be a greenish or turquoise color initially.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of lemon juice (or 1/2 tsp citric acid) to the violet tea. The color will change from turquoise to a vibrant pink.
- Strain out the flowers, then pour the tea into a large saucepan. Add the powdered pectin and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
- Stir in 4 cups of sugar, then bring the mixture back to a boil. Boil for 1 more minute, until the jelly begins to thicken.
- Test the jelly by placing a spoonful on a chilled plate. If it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it’s ready to jar.
- Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars clean.
- Seal the jars with two-part canning lids. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). If you’re not canning, store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
- After processing, remove the jars and allow them to cool. You’ll hear the lids pop as they seal. Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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