Cherry Jelly

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Cherry jelly is an easy to make homemade preserve, and the best part is you don't have to pit the cherries!

Prep Time2

Cook Time10

Canning Time (Optional)10

Total Time2 20

Course: Jelly

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cherry canning

Servings: servings (makes 5 to 6 half pint jars)

Author: Ashley Adamant

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Juice:

4 pounds cherries sour or sweet
1/2 cup water stovetop method

For the Jelly:

4 cups strained cherry juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice optional, for sweet cherries
1 box powdered pectin 1.75 oz regular powdered pectin, or 6 Tbsp Bulk Pectin
5 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

Cook the cherries whole with the water until they pop and release their juice, then strain through a jelly bag without squeezing. Measure the strained juice.
Combine the cherry juice and optional lemon juice in a deep pot and whisk in the pectin until dissolved. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
Add all the sugar at once, 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 into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, center the lids, and apply bands fingertip-tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Rest the jars 5 minutes, then cool 12 to 24 hours and check the seals.

Notes

Lemon Juice: Sour cherries are acidic enough that the jelly sets and cans safely without lemon, so it's optional here. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons with sweet cherries to balance the flavor, or a pinch of citric acid (about 1/2 teaspoon for 2 tablespoons of lemon) for a more neutral taste.

Don't Pit the Cherries: You cook the cherries whole and strain out the juice, so there's no need to pit them. The pits and skins are left behind in the jelly bag.

Don't Squeeze the Bag: Let the juice drip on its own for clear jelly. Squeezing forces pulp through and makes the finished jelly cloudy.

Don't Overcook: Pectin sets as the jelly cools, not while it boils, so the jelly looks thin in the pot and that's normal. A full rolling boil for one minute after the sugar dissolves is all it needs. Give it 24 to 48 hours to set before deciding anything went wrong.

Don't Double the Batch: Pectin jellies set on a precise ratio, and doubling often keeps them from gelling. Make batches one at a time.

Low Sugar Option: For a less sweet jelly, use Sure-Jell Low Sugar or Pomona's Universal Pectin and follow the package directions. With cherry jelly that's about 2 cups of sugar for 4 to 5 cups of juice. Reducing the sugar lowers the yield.

Storage: Sealed, processed jars keep on the pantry shelf for 12 to 18 months. If you're not canning, refrigerate for up to 1 month, or freeze in straight-sided jars for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening.

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

Nutrition