Apple Mint Jelly (Easy Canning Recipe)
Apples are in abundance this time of year! This apple mint jelly has a touch of sweet, tart, and delicious mint. If you’re looking for a new delicious recipe using apples, you are going to love this Apple Mint Jelly.
I was coming home this evening, and as I pulled into my driveway, I noticed that the leaves on the ground were a beautiful yellow and gold. Then I started to think of all the things that I love about fall.
Two of my favorite fall activities are going to pumpkin patches and picking apples!
Pumpkin and apple are two of my favorite fall scents, and soon after school starts for the year, I start to think of all the yummy and wonderful recipes I can make and try after I have gone to pick apples.
This Apple Mint Jelly is something I have been wanting to try for a while. Since I don’t do a lot of canning, I was slightly hesitant to until this year – but I shouldn’t have been! It was so easy, and it turned out fabulous.
I wish I had tried it sooner, but you don’t have to make the same mistake! 😁
I know that once you try this recipe, you will want to make a second batch for your pantry shelf or give them away for DIY housewarming gifts, Christmas presents, or birthday treats.
If you love this unique mint-flavored apple jelly, you will want to learn how to make Dandelion Jelly.
Ingredients Needed For Apple Mint Jelly Recipe
You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this irresistible jelly!
- Apples – a combination of red and green is ideal
- Granulated Sugar
- Pectin
- Water
- Mint Leaves – fresh and tightly packed
How To Make Apple Mint Jelly
Here’s how to make a delicious fall-favorite apple mint jelly.
Step 1
Sterilize the jelly jars using the instructions supplied below.
Step 2
Once the jars have been sterilized, remove all leaves and stems from the apples.
Step 3
After removing the leaves and stem, cut each apple into small chunks leaving the core, peel, and seeds intact.
Place apples, mint, and water into a large pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 4
Reduce the heat after the mixture comes to a boil. Then cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 5
With a potato masher (or mashing utensil of your choice), crush the apple mint jelly mixture.
Then place a cover back on the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the mixture from the stove and pour it through a strainer with a bowl under the strainer or cheesecloth-lined bowl.
Let the mixture drain for a couple of hours. Then squeeze the mixture through the strainer with your hands to extract any extra juice that may remain.
Step 7
Using 6 cups of the juice, add in a small amount of water if you feel like it needs a little moisture.
In a large cook pot, add juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and pectin.
Step 8
Stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil. Then add the rest of the sugar and allow it to come to a boil again. Stir constantly and boil for 1 more minute.
Remove the foam from the top with a spoon.
Step 9
Using a ladle, add the hot apple mint jelly liquid to the sterilized jars. Be careful not to touch the ladle to the edge of the jar.
Leave about 1/4″ space at the top of the jar.
Wipe off the rims of the jars before placing the lid discs and rings onto the jars. Hand-tighten the ring.
Step 10
In a large pot, add water and heat. Once, the water is hot, lower the jars in the water. Be sure that the water covers the tops of the jars by as least 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.
Step 11
Boil the jars for 5 minutes before removing them from the water and placing them on a countertop rack to cool for 24 hours.
How To Sterilize Jars And Can This Jelly
If you’ve never canned anything before, it’s essential to do it appropriately to prevent dangerous botulism. Follow this process.
Step 1
In a large canning pot, place the jelly jars and lid with a rack in the bottom.
If you do not have a canning rack, you can place a round cake pan upside down in the bottom of a pot.
NOTE: The jars will get too hot and break if they sit on the bottom of the pot.
Step 2
When adding water to the pot, make sure the jars are completely filled with water, and the water comes to at least 1 inch over the top of the jars.
Step 3
Cover the pot with a lid, bring to a simmer, and heat for 10 minutes. Drain water from the jars as you remove them from the pot.
Ideally, try to make sure the jars are finishing the sterilization process when the jelly is ready to be poured into the jar. NOTE: If the jars have had a chance to cool, the hot jelly could cause the jars to break.
Apple Mint Jelly Recipe Notes And Tips
- IMPORTANT: Follow the directions carefully. Jelly requires just the right amount of liquid, sugar, and pectin. Practice makes perfect. 😉
- Using fresh mint will yield the best results.
- If you use any sugar substitutes in place of the sugar, it is likely that the jelly will not turn out as well. It may not even work at all.
- Undercooking the jelly will cause the pectin to not gel. On the other hand, overcooking will result in the jelly becoming too hard.
Variations Of Apple Mint Jelly And Ideas To Try
- Top your oatmeal, toast, bagel, yogurt, crackers, or waffles with your delicious homemade jelly.
- Instead of mint, try using a different herb such as chive, ginger, rosemary, lemon verbena, or thyme, depending on your personal preference.
FAQs
I imagine you might have a question or two about making Apple Mint Jelly! Here are some answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
What are the best apples to use for this recipe?
When determining what kind of apples to use for this recipe, you need to pick a variety that will hold up during the cooking process.
Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady are some of my favorites to use with this recipe. I prefer to use a combination of red and green.
How long will this Apple Mint Jelly keep in the fridge?
An opened jar of homemade jelly will keep in the fridge for up to 2 – 3 months.
Any unopened jars of jelly that have been canned in a hot water bath will generally keep for up to 2 years if stored properly.
However, it is imperative to make sure that the jar lids are SEALED. Here’s how: check the little bubble in the middle of the lid, if it’s popped up, the lid isn’t sealed.
Can I freeze the Apple Mint Jelly?
I would not recommend trying to freeze this mint apple jelly! It will not freeze well. But it WILL last for up to 2 years stored in a pantry.
I hope you love this homemade jelly! It’s easy to make and awesome to enjoy or give as a gift for any occasion!
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Apple Mint Jelly
Ingredients
- 6 lbs apples
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 cups water
- 3 cups tightly packed mint leaves
Instructions
Sterilizing Jars:
- Place your jar and lids in a canning pot with a rack in the bottom. If you don't have a canning pot, you can turn a round cake pan or tart pan upside down in the bottom of the pot. It is important to have something for the jars to sit on so they don't get too hot on the bottom and burst.
- Cover the jars with hot water, allowing the jars to fill with the water. Water should come to about 1 inch over the top of the jars.
- Place the lid on the pot and bring to a simmer leaving on the heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars making sure the water is drained out of them. Ideally, you want to time this so you are removing the jars from the pot about the same time as the jelly is ready to pour into the jars so that the jars will still be hot. Otherwise, the hot jelly could cause the jars to break if they are too cold.
Jelly Instructions:
1. Refer to the instructions below to sterilize jars before proceeding.
2. Remove any stems or leaves from the apples. Leave the core, peel and seeds intact. Cut the apples into small chunks. Place the apples, water, and mint into a large pot. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 10-minutes. Crush mixture with a potato masher or similar item, then recover and simmer for an additional 5-minutes.
3. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined bowl or pour into a strainer with a bowl under it. Allow to sit and drain for several hours, then squeeze the mixture in the strainer with your hands to get any remaining juice out.
4. Measure 6 cups of juice, adding a small amount of water if necessary. Add this juice, 1/4 cup of sugar, and pectin into a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the remaining sugar and return to a boil, then boil for one minute, continuing to stir. Spoon off any foam from the top of the mixture.
5. Ladle into prepared jars, leaving approximately ¼-inch head space. Clean any drippage from rims of the jars. Place lid discs and rings onto jars and hand tighten.
6. Lower jars into the large pot of hot water, making sure water covers to about an inch over the tops of the jars. (can use the water and pot from sterilizing jars, just add extra water as needed.) Cover pot with the lid and bring to a boil. Boil for 5-minutes. Remove jars to a rack or countertop to cool for 24 hours.
