Candy Apple Jelly – a flavorful, simple jelly made easily with just a few simple ingredients! This jelly is perfect to welcome fall and even better given as gifts!
Fall is just around the corner and what is better than pumpkin everything than apples and apple spice??! When I think of fall, apples come to mind – everything from apple pie to warm, apple muffins…
- Apple Crisp (gluten free!)
- And even maybe caramel apple bars (YUM!)
This jelly though… I’ll be honest, it is perhaps one of my favorite items to make and also to gift. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love this Candy Apple Jelly. It comes together very easily and makes the cutest gifts for family and friends.
Gift this jelly a variety of ways:
- In small 4 oz jelly jars…
- Or, in 8 oz wide mouth canning jars with adorable tags that you can make at home yourself (even if you write out by hand!)
- Or, pick up these cute jars on Amazon and add this jelly to a larger basket of more fun holiday items – maybe cookies, or even banana bread, and tie with a ribbon.
Candy Apple Jelly
The last few weeks I’ve tossed together Prickly Pear Jelly, Hatch Chile Jam, Rose Hip Jelly (can you say YUM??!!), and so many more – even Pine Needle Jelly. If you haven’t thought of making Apple Candy Jelly though – you must.
My kids devour this jelly it on their Peanut Butter sandwiches, making it the most requested jelly I make at home myself.
Candy Apple Jelly starts with your favorite apple juice – 4 cups is with a single box of Red Hot candies. Each cup of apple juice will yield approx. 1 half pint jar of finished jelly.
Can’t find Red Hots?
You can also use Hot Tamales as well.
In a large saucepan, combine the apple juice, candies and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Then stir in sugar and return to a full rolling boil for approximately one minute.
Remove the mixture from the heat and skim off the foam. Ladle your mixture into six hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a quarter-inch for headspace. Carefully wipe the rims and center the lids on the jars. Screw on the bands until finger-tip tight.
Place the jars into the canner with simmering water. You’ll want to ensure that they are completely covered with water by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and process in the water bath for 10-12 minutes.
Remove the jars and cool. As the jars cool, they should set – sometimes it can take up to 24 hours (if not longer) for jars to set appropriately so be patient!
Canning in a High Altitude Environment?
Candy Apple Jelly
Equipment
- Water Bath Canner
- 6 half pint canning jars, lids, rings
Ingredients
- 4 C apple juice
- 1/2 pkg Red Hots candy can substitute
- 1 pkg low-sugar Pectin 1 3/4 oz.
- 4.5 C granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash the canning jars. Place the canning jars, lids and bands in the oven at 200 degrees F to sterilize while you are making the jam (it helps to have them all on a baking tray to keep them together).
- Fill the water bath canner with water on a separate stove burner to prepare the jelly for the water bath.
- In a large saucepan, combine the apple juice, candy and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring continuously.
- Stir in sugar, and then return to a full, rolling boil for a period of one minute.
- Remove from the heat, skim off the foam. Ladle the mixture into six, hot and sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims.
- Center the lids on the jars. Screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight.
- Place the jars into the hot water bath canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10-12 minutes. Remove the jars. Allow up to 24 hours for the jelly to set.
Notes
Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?
- DO NOT reduce the sugar in this recipe! The amount of sugar provided above is reflective of regular pectin. That pectin needs the appropriate amount of sugar for the jelly to set.
Higher Altitudes:
The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Add one minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.Have you ever tried Candy Apple Jelly? If not, please try it and leave a comment to let me know how it turned out for you. Rate the recipe, too – I’d be so grateful!
