3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

Get Started

Learn more & Get Tips

Favorite

Homemade Apple Jelly Makes a Great Gift

video Homemade Apple Jelly Makes a Great Gift

Making apple jelly is easy and tasty, too!

71 comments

1-40 of 71

Dec 10, 2011. 7:00 AMbrett5kc says:

Can you use store bought apple juice?

Dec 11, 2011. 1:43 PMmleverette (author) says:

You can use store bought apple juice but you will need to add pectin - like Sure Jel. You cannot follow my method with store juice.

Good luck

Sep 15, 2011. 9:17 AMsmitty44 says:

I am using Cortland apples and running them through my juicer to extract the juice, it a sweet / tart, juicy apple, made great apple butter.
My question is, do I add water to the straight juice? if so, how much?
Do you always add sugar? and when do I use a pectin?

Thanks

Dec 11, 2010. 9:42 PMfdr1124 says:

Hi, i am trying very hard to be sugar-conscious and was wondering if I could make apple jelly with splenda instead. Would this affect the jelling process? Also, if I wanted to make a raspberry or strawberry jam would i have to make a juice first?

Dec 12, 2010. 1:29 AMmleverette (author) says:

If you plan to use a sugar substitute, you will need to add commercial pectin like Sure-Gel. Follow the instructions in the package.

You do not need to make juice for jam. Jam uses the whole fruit. Jelly is made from juice.

Good luck

Dec 9, 2010. 6:56 AMme-applejelly says:

Very fast and look nice too. Will try it on saturday....maybe...

Aug 30, 2009. 3:18 PMKotka says:

Your site is very helpful. I have an apple tree in the back yard. I don't know what kind of apples, but there's way too many to eat. Yesterday I tried making jelly, with the recipe from the pectin box. Except I added a cinnamon stick and red food coloring to the mix. Could this be what caused it not to gel? I mixed red currants (also from the back yard) with apples the week before and followed the recipe quite haphazardly, and that gelled very well--not too thick, the way I like it.

Aug 30, 2009. 4:09 PMmleverette (author) says:

The cinnamon stick and red food coloring should not have made a problem unless you added a whole bunch of coloring! The red currents you added gave the apples more pectin as they are tart. You can re-boil the apple jelly. Just add some lemon juice - about 2 tablespoons per quart of juice/jelly. That should make it gel. Good luck!

Jul 16, 2009. 6:39 AMjnsbrower says:

Do we boil it on high the whole time? Do we let it boil the whole time? Also when making the juice from the peels and cores how much water do we put in? Thank you so much in advance!!

Jul 16, 2009. 7:45 AMmleverette (author) says:

Add just enough water to cover your peelings in your pot. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool enough to strain easily. Then you have apple juice! Time to make jelly.

Jul 14, 2009. 10:04 AMjnsbrower says:

How do I get the juice from the apples?

Jul 14, 2009. 10:26 AMmleverette (author) says:

First, wash your apples and peel them. You are going to use the peelings to make the apple juice. Make applesauce from the fleshy part of the apple! Place your peelings in a large pot and add enough water to barely cover the peelings. Put the lid on your pot and bring to a boil. Stir to be sure that all the peelings are submerged. Allow the peelings to boil about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain the juice and you're ready to make jelly. The juice can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Good luck!

Jul 3, 2009. 12:37 AMScott_ says:

can you use different fruits in this method? I defenintly want to try this but I also like getting creative with recipes.

Jul 3, 2009. 5:26 AMmleverette (author) says:

Scott, this method works with any fruit that has a high pectin content - it won't work with bananas!. The fruit must not be overly ripe or bruised. And, remember, if you use a fruit that doesn't create a gel you have some lovely pancake syrup! Good luck. Mary

Jul 3, 2009. 6:06 AMScott_ says:

thank you.

Dec 4, 2008. 1:15 PMSteelrose says:

I saw lower that you confirmed with someone that a particular brand of apple that just will not jel. I just picked up Granny Smith, McIntosh and Fuji, do you know if I will have that problem with any of these? Also, do you think these apple would work well together, mainly I'm looking at the Granny Smith as its abit more tart than the other brands. Thanks for your instructable and any help you will provide in the future :D

Dec 5, 2008. 7:49 AMmleverette (author) says:

McIntosh are my favorite! You'll do great with them and the Granny Smith. I have never made jelly from Fuji but I think if they are part of the mixture you won't have a problem. Good luck with it all!

Dec 8, 2008. 3:59 PMSteelrose says:

thanks for your response, i currently have it boiled - i don't feel confident that it jelled well yet - i was wondering if I could refrigerate 1 jar first to jel it quicker - or do you think refrigerating will cause problems?

Dec 8, 2008. 4:11 PMmleverette (author) says:

Refrigeration won't hurt. If after everything has cooled completely and it still hasn't jelled, you can empty out the jars and continue boiling. You'll need new flat lids to reseal the jars.This can be done the next day ... be patient, it takes a long time to cool! Good luck!

Dec 8, 2008. 9:56 PMSteelrose says:

hmm it still looks... pretty much like apple juice, not even syrupy... you think maybe i should look into getting some pectin tommorrow or do you think alot more boiling is the key? (it was boiled for about 25 minutes the first time around (than 10 to seal the jars) already).

Jun 8, 2009. 8:18 PMwillie101abn says:

The best rule of thumb is the sourer the apple or fruit the better the jelly. Crab apples make the best jelly. Cooked ,mashed and strained ( NO SEEDS ) seeds will not let juice gel. 1 cup of juice to 1 cup of sugar boil till juice clings to wooden spoon and makes clingy strings.

Dec 9, 2008. 4:57 AMmleverette (author) says:

If you're not confident that it will jell, get some pectin. 25 to 35 minutes should have done it. Maybe it was the fuji apples....they aren't very tart. Just get some new flat lids, wash out your jars and start again with pectin. Be brave and give it a try!

Apr 17, 2009. 1:06 PMtgarza9907 says:

Hi, I just watched your video on making apple jelly. My daughter needs to make a type of jelly/jam for science class and we thought apple-cinnamon jelly would be great. I have two questions. How do you get the juice from the peelings and cores? Do you boil them? If so, after they boil, do you just drain them in a strainer and that is now your juice? Also, she would like to add some cinnamon to this to make a kind of apple-cinnamon jelly. Can you tell me about how much of the cinnamon to add and in what stage of the process? Thanks so much for your video! You have been a huge help!

Nov 30, 2008. 1:00 PM

elimasmx says:

Wow! It look so simple!!
I'll make some jelly NOW
*runs to the closest market to buy apples*

Dec 1, 2008. 4:33 AMmleverette (author) says:

Good for you! Jelly makes a great holiday gift. Just add a loaf of crusty bread, some nice butter and a spreading knife and you're in business! Good luck Mary

Dec 1, 2008. 8:40 PM

elimasmx says:

Thank you! And.. can I use the whole apple(cut into pieces) to do the juice? I have lots of apples and I'm not sure that I can eat all of them. (:

Dec 2, 2008. 3:37 AMmleverette (author) says:

You can use the entire apple but you'll need to do a bit of straining to remove all of the pulp before making jelly. I use just the peelings and the cores for jelly. Then, I make applesauce from the pulp of the apples. Applesauce freezes beautifully. You can also can the applesauce! Mary

Dec 2, 2008. 6:59 PM

elimasmx says:

Thank you a lot!

Dec 1, 2008. 8:34 PM

elimasmx says:

Thank you! And.. can I use the whole apple(cut into pieces) to do the juice? I have lots of apples and I'm not sure that I can eat all of them. (:

Jan 11, 2008. 6:34 PMVery Keri says:

Your video is great, but it's missing a few things. I have never made jelly before, so I want to know things like how to make the juice from start to finish. How many apples should I buy? I see that you used special tools, but do I need them? If not, what would I use as a substitute? (presumably tongs) I would love to spend my Sunday in my kitchen experimenting with jelly, but I want to know what I'm getting in to first.

Jan 11, 2008. 7:11 PMmleverette (author) says:

Thanks for your questions. You make juice from the peelings and cores of the apples. Simply wash the apples, peel them (save the inner slices for apple sauce or pie or eating). Place the peelings and cores of the apples in a large pot, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes or so. Strain the juice and you're ready to make jelly. You will need about 2 pounds of apples. The exact amount doesn't really matter because you will make your juice and then measure it and add a cup of sugar per cup of juice. You don't need any special tools. A wide-mouth funnel is handy for filling the jars but you don't need one. A jar lifter is great but I grew up lifting out the jars with tongs or a potholder. Give it a try, you'll enjoy the results. And remember, if the jelly doesn't get firm, you can always use it as pancake syrup!

Aug 16, 2008. 3:43 PMrosesnjazz says:

Hi - I have an apple tree and am always looking for new things to make. The video was great and I can't wait to try making jelly. Two questions: 1) I was going to make apple juice with a juicer - would this type of juice change the jelly recipe? 2) If I use peelings and cores to make juice instead of the juicer, how much water versus peelings ratio (approximately) should I use to make the juice? Is it like 1 cup of peelings, 1 cup of water? Thanks!

Aug 17, 2008. 5:33 AMmleverette (author) says:

Thanks for your kind remarks! You can certainly use apple juice from a juicer to make jelly. Be sure to strain the juice through cheesecloth or a cotton kitchen towel if you want your jelly to be crystal clear. If that doesn't matter to you, just use the juice straight. To make the juice will peelings and cores, I don't have an exact measurement. When you put your apple peelings and cores in the pot, add enough water to barely cover them. I promise, it will be fine! Enjoy your jelly!

Aug 25, 2008. 4:17 PMrosesnjazz says:

Hello: I tried making the jelly last night. It has been cooling for almost 24 hours and it's nowhere near set, so I think perhaps I did something wrong. I cooked it for 20 - 25 minutes, which was a bit longer than on the video - but it seemed to me that the mixture looked as it did on the fork. Is there another way to see if the mixture is jelling? I would like to try this again.

Aug 26, 2008. 6:07 AMmleverette (author) says:

I'm sorry that your first try didn't work - but don't despair! There are many variables in jelly making including the pectin levels, humidity and the sugar to liquid mix. You can correct the problem by doing one of two things. 1. Empty your jelly from the jars back into your cooking pot and continue boiling until you get a better gel. You will need to use new sealing lids when you seal your jars again. 2. Empty your jelly back into the cooking pot and add a package of pectin (Sure-Jel or Certo). The added pectin will assure a gel. Commercial pectin is not a chemical additive - it is made from fruit. Again, use new sealing lids when finishing your process. Good luck!

Oct 13, 2008. 5:52 AMEsta says:

Thank you for sharing how to make apple juice and then make apple jelly. This is my most favorite jelly flavor on earth! Compares in no way to store-bought apple jelly. So I tried with the 4:4 cup recipe, which made roughly 5 half-pints of what I would call apple syrup. I boiled for about 45 minutes before pouring in the jars. I used red delicious apples from my parents' tree in Easley, SC. My mother warned me that their apples would not gel. Both of my parents, now in their 70s, are from farming backgrounds. My mother is too old now to cook, but she said some decades ago that their apples just would not "gel," even with Sure-Jel, so she quit trying that long ago. They grow two types of apples: red delicious and Arkansas black. So decided to try this recipe just as in the video. The flavor is marvelous, and I really don't mind that it's not jellied. In fact, it's cool to have that tasty apple syrup. However, since this is a mystery...what do you think? Maybe next time I could try a box of Sure-Jel to the 4:4 recipe? Maybe I should buy local N.C. jonathans? Or, if it's not going to gel anyway, maybe I could try replacing some of the sugar with Splenda.

Oct 13, 2008. 6:34 AMmleverette (author) says:

Esta, Sometimes Mother knows best! She is right - red delicious apples don't have enough pectin (they are too sweet and mild) to make good jelly - but they do make delicious apple syrup for pancakes and waffles. The Arkansas Blacks are a more tart apple and will work for jelly if they are not overly ripe. Jonathan or Hoovers or Rome Beauty will make good jelly. If any of the apples are very ripe, you'll need Sure-Jel. Good luck!

Oct 14, 2008. 11:24 AMEsta says:

Can't wait to try again in 10-14 days. Thanks for the specific remarks.

Aug 27, 2008. 4:31 PMrosesnjazz says:

Do I need to follow the certo instructions as if I were starting from scratch or re-cooking the jelly? The ratios of sugar to juice are different than your instructions. And the amount of juice is more than one certo package recommends. Any suggestions before I give this a try? Thanks! I'm determined to get this right!

Aug 28, 2008. 5:14 AMmleverette (author) says:

You can add the Certo to the mixture you already have. As you reboil the jelly, stay right with it as it will begin to thicken quickly. Just use the amount of certo recommended for the amount of "jelly juice" you currently have. Good luck!

1-40 of 71