A classic crab apple jelly recipe, with my best tips, along with step-by-step instructions and photos, to make sure your homemade jelly is perfect!
Equipment you will need
Large pot – for boiling the crab apples.
Cheese cloth – or a large piece of scrap cotton or muslin, for draining. An old pillow case works well! If using cheese cloth, buy enough to at least triple it up.
A candy thermometer – while you can make jelly without a thermometer, you will eliminate most of the guesswork from jelly making if you can accurately monitor the temperature of your jelly as it boils. Jelly needs to reach 220F in order to gel.
If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the “Cold Plate Test”. I have detailed this method in the Recipe Card below.
Clean jars, rings and lids – for canning
How to prepare crab apples for making jelly
When you get your crab apples, whether you pick them yourself or you buy a basket from a market, they will probably have stems on most of them. Crab apples will also have a noticeable blossom end.
My mother has made crab apple jelly for years and she never removes the stems or blossom end. I usually remove the stems and leave the blossom end. You can remove the stems and trim off the blossom end, if you like. It’s all good :)
I always cut the crab apples in half. Sometimes apples can be wormy and cutting in half just lets you get a look at the inside. I also find they soften in the simmering water more efficiently when cut in half.
Step-by-Step Photos
- Prepare crabapples.
- Place into large pot with water to prevent browning.
- Bring apples to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes to soften.
- Prepare draining station with a large colander lined with cheesecloth or cotton.
- Pour into colander to collect the bulk of the liquid, then tie a knot in the top of the cheesecloth and hang it from a kitchen cabinet door knob over the colander to collect the juices for a couple of hours.
- Measure the amount of juice and make a note of it.
- For every 1 cup of juice, measure out 3/4 cup of white granulated sugar and add to a metal baking pan. Set aside.
- Boil the juice in a large pot for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the sugar in the oven until very warm.
- Add hot sugar to the juice and stir just until the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring mixture to a boil and without stirring.
- Cook until the mixture, monitoring the temperature.
- Boil until the mixture reaches 220F (or passes the Cold Plate Test)
- Pour through a fine strainer to remove any foam.
- Pour into sterilized jars.
- Allow to stand without lids and undisturbed until cooled.
Good to Know
- The freshest crab apples make the best jelly, so always start with apples as fresh as possible.
- Keeping the ratio of sugar to juice is critical not only to ensure that the jelly sets, but to aid in preservation of the jelly. As such, do not reduce the amount of sugar in jellies and jams.
- Wondering why the sugar is heated? Heating the sugar brings it closer to the temperature of the heating juice, so that when it’s added, it won’t shock the juice and will dissolve more quickly. You won’t have to boil the jelly as long to reach the setting point.
- Do be sure to WATCH THE SUGAR CONSTANTLY while it is heating in the oven, to avoid it over-heating and dissolving!
- Always keep in mind that the boiling time it will take for the jelly to set will vary from kitchen to kitchen. Don’t worry about the time. Boil until it reaches 220F or passes the Cold Plate Test, however long that takes.
Top Tip!
Resist the urge to press or poke the apples while they are draining, as doing so will result in cloudy jelly. Just collect and use juice that drains naturally from the apples.
How to Test if Jelly is Set with the “Cold Plate Test”
- Place a glass plate in the freezer for about fifteen minutes before starting to make your jam.
- To test your jam, turn off burner under jam. Spoon a puddle of jam onto the cold plate from the freezer. Run your finger through the jam on the plate. If jam wrinkles along the edges next to your finger line, it is set. If it seeps back in to the space where you ran your finger through, it is not yet set.
- If jam is not set, rinse the plate with cold water and return it to the freezer. Turn the heat back on under the jam and cook for a few minutes longer then test again. Repeat until jam wrinkles when tested.
How to store and preserve crab apple jelly
Homemade crab apple jelly can be refrigerated for several months. For longer storage or room temperature storage, you MUST process the jelly by boiling water canning. You can refer to this document from the National Center for Home Food Preservation for guidance.
What to do if the jelly didn’t set
It happens and it can happen for any number of reasons. If you have left your jelly out for 24 hours and it didn’t set, simply dump the contents back in to your pot and re-boil it until it sets (use a thermometer to cook to 220° F. or until it passes the wrinkle test, as above.
Get the Recipe: Crab Apple Jelly
A classic crab apple jelly recipe, with my best tips, along with step-by-step instructions and photos, to make sure your homemade jelly is perfect!
Ingredients
- 4 cups crab apple juice, from 3L basket of crab apples *See Note 1 below for using different quantities of crab apples
- Cheesecloth, muslin or old (clean) cotton pillow case, for draining fruit
- 3 cups White sugar, *See Note 2 below for ratio of sugar to juice to use
- Clean jars, rings and lids
Instructions
- ** If you don't have a thermometer, place a plate in the freezer before you start making the jelly. ** If you are planning to "can" your jelly for longer, room temperature storage, be sure to sterilize your jars before filling. See the Recipe Notes below for guidance on how to sterilize jars.
- Wash the apples. You can remove the stems and cut off the blossom ends, if you like, though it's not necessary. I generally remove the stems but leave the blossom ends. You can leave the crabapples whole or cut them in half. If your apples come from a wild tree (ie. not sprayed), you may want to cut in half to make sure the inside is good. That's what I generally do.
- Place prepared apples into a large stock pot with a bit of water as you go, to prevent browning. When all the apples are prepared, add additional water, just until the water peeks through the top of the apples (if any of your apples are floating, you've got too much). Bring apples to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer the apples, without stirring, until the apples are softened, about 10-15 minutes.
- While fruit is simmering, place a large colander over a bowl or large measuring cup and line with tripled-up cheesecloth, a piece of muslin or a cotton pillow case.
- When fruit is softened, pour the apples and the liquid into prepared colander and collect the bulk of the liquid. At this point, I like to knot up the cheesecloth and hang it over an upper cabinet knob to drain for 2-3 hours. *Try not to squeeze the apples by bundling up to tightly when hanging. A "sling" effect works best. RESIST THE URGE TO POKE, PRESS OR SQUEEZE the apples to get more juice. That will make for a cloudy jelly. Just let gravity do its work and when the dripping stops, discard the pulp and the cheesecloth.
- Measure out the amount of juice you have collected and make note of how many cups of juice you have (I got 4 cups of juice out of this 3L basket of apples). Add the juice to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring, for about 20 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam, as necessary.
- Meanwhile, measure out the sugar. You'll need 3/4 cup of sugar for every 1 cup of apple juice that you had. (So for my 4 cups of juice, I used 3 cups of sugar). Place the sugar in a metal baking pan or oven-proof bowl (or on a baking sheet, alternately) and pop into a 300° oven anywhere from 5-15 minutes to warm, stirring it around a couple of times (time in the oven will vary depending on how much sugar/oven etc., so WATCH CLOSELY. It should be hot to the touch, but not so hot it starts to melt around the edges.).
- When sugar is hot, remove from oven. Remove pot with apple juice from the heat. Stir in the hot sugar just until it is dissolved (when you can see the bottom of the pot clearly). Place the pot back on the heat and boil, WITHOUT STIRRING, until jelly reaches 220° on a candy thermometer (NOTE: For each 1000 feet of altitude above sea level, subtract 2 degrees F. For instance, at 1,000 feet of altitude, the jelly is done at 218°F; at 2,000 feet, 216°F, etc.) or until the jelly passes the cold plate test (*see Notes below for how to test).
- I like to pour the jelly through a fine sieve to strain off any foam, then pour or ladle jelly into clean or sterilized jars (if canning) and leave with lids off until cool, without moving the jars around. When jelly is almost cool, seal with lids and let stand in a sunny window, undisturbed for 24 hrs. Refrigerate or process in a boiling water canner and store.
Notes
- The amount of crab apples you start with doesn't need to be precise, as the jelly will be made by measuring out the juice and adding a ratio of sugar. I generally start with a standard 3L or 4 quart basket. I don't recommend doing too many apples at once. If you have more, do multiple batches.
- The ratio for sugar to juice is 3/4 cups of sugar for every 1 cup of juice.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 922kcal, Carbohydrates: 237g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g, Sodium: 15mg, Potassium: 338mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 231g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 0.5mg
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I cooked some crabapples down and strained them overnight to get the juices, I havent had time to add sugar, boil and make the jame yet, do you know how long I can keep the juice in the fridge? It has already been in there for 3 days so I think I should just toss the juice and not make any jam. Looking for suggestions.
Hi Tanya, I’m not an expert on that, but I think I would not go much past today. Not just for food safety reasons, but because the pectin will decline as it sits and perhaps affect the set of the jelly.
could I use Stevia or some other sugar substitute?
Hi Susan and no, you couldn’t do a straight substitute of stevia for sugar. You would need to add a no-sugar commercial pectin into the mix in order for the jelly to set.
First time canner here! Was given a crate of crab apples and decided sure let’s do this. Found your recipe and it was so easy to follow. The jars are currently sunbathing, but it looked like it was setting into jelly as I put the lids on. I can’t wait to try this! Going to pick up some wax tonight to wax ‘‘em up tomorrow! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe
Hi Jackie and so glad to hear! I have a basket of crab apples on my counter right now ready to become jelly :) Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer! My Jelly has set beautifully and is absolutely delicious. I will certainly be making this again. Thanks again!
Yay! Do enjoy. There is nothing like fresh apple jelly this time of year :)
Hi,
I’ve wanted to make crab apple jelly for ages. After foraging some apples from a local tree I reaslised I didn’t have enough apples. I decided to follow the above recipe with the apples I had. Then I followed it again using the hawthorn berries I’d also picked. I mixed the liquids together once I’d strained them, then continued with the recipe. The jars look like jewels! Will be making again before the apple season is over.
So glad to hear! Thanks so much :)
This is a great recipe, I followed it exactly and I ended it with a superb crabapple jelly, just like your pictures! Because I live over 1,000 feet in altitude I used the cold plate method and it was perfect.
I love all of your explanations and tips. Like you said, it has passed the test of time and I will surely pass it on as well. Many thanks again!
So glad to hear, Chantal :) Thanks so much!
Hello. I made the jelly recipe using apples on a tree near me. I followed the recipe and set one jar in the fridge and the rest in the sunny dinning room window. Guess what? 24 hours later the window jam was set and pretty clear. But the jar in the fridge was some what set but not completely for sure…. Still liquid on the sides when you tip it over. So it too is in the south window. I have no idea why but bless your grandma. We should listen to our female ancestors very well. Thx.
So glad to hear, Diane and yes, I always follow the kind of advice, even when I don’t understand it :) Thanks so much!
We have a small crabapple crop this year due to hail damage but do have some hardy mac apples as well (some are hail damaged but still edible). Do you think we could use a mixture of both types of apple for this jelly?
Hi Lori and technically, I think you could use some additional Macs. The flavour would be a bit different, but should work just fine. I assume the macs are quite tart, which would be good actually, to keep the jelly from being too sweet with the amount of sugar used here. Let me know how it works out :)
My sister’s crab apple tree was so loaded this year, I said “let’s make jelly!.” I followed your recipe exactly and it worked great! It did take much longer to reach the 220 degrees, however; we got within 3 degrees and stopped because the pan was going to overflow. It still worked fine, but I’d like to know how long this jelly is good in the cupboard after adding the was.
So glad to hear, Scherrie :) Once waxed, it will keep at least a year.
Can somebody answer my question? Last year my cranbapple bloomed so much that I gave away buckets of apple and now I would like to know if these only bloom every other year or so, can somebody help me please?
Hi Blanche, our crabapple tree seems to go in two-year cycles. After a year of lots of blossoms and apples, the next year is usually considerably less. It’s not that it doesn’t bloom, just significantly less every two years.
Following your recipe exactly, but using an instant read thermometer, the jelly came out perfect, beautiful & delicious! Thank you so much!’
So glad to hear, Ann :) Thanks so much!
I don’t have any proper preserving jars or wax so plan to use sterilized recycled jars with a good lid. If I keep these in the refrigerator will the jelly last for weeks or even months without going moldy?
Thanks
Hi Tim and yes, it should keep months, as long as it is refrigerated the entire time (right after making).
I’m going to try this tomorrow. Only have a small amount of crabapples so will only be a small batch. Can I put in jars and refrigerate without treating jars or using wax? Just use jars washed in super hot water that would be sterilised i guess.
Hi Mel and yes, you can just refrigerate it and skip the waxing :) Enjoy!
After making the jelly I use the pulp to make crabapple butter. A double win. i like to make it quite spicy with a bit more cloves and it tastes delicious with a roast pork dinner.
Great idea, Ruth! Thanks :)
Oooh! I’d love to get your crab apple butter recipe also!
I purchased a crab apple tree from a Walmart parking lot at the end of the season; the poor thing looked tired, and I felt sorry for it. We gave it a home in the back garden, western exposure, and almost immediately it began to thrive. Its leaves grew glossy green and the tiny pale apples dotting its branches swelled and transitioned to a velvety ruby red. Yesterday, my little granddaughter, who is a toddler, began picking the apples. I joined in and soon the tree’s branches were bare. Not wanting to waste the fruit, I looked on-line for a crab apple jelly recipe. I was so pleased to come across yours, the only one I found which is scalable. Your instructions are very clear, and the end result is magical. Five perfect 125 ml jars of jelly. Many thanks to you for sharing this recipe, and to the generations of women in your family who kept this recipe alive. Tomorrow morning, I will be making your English Muffin Bread. :)
Such a lovely way to spend a day! And so glad you have some lovely jelly, too :) Do enjoy! Thanks :)
Hi Melissa and I understand your concern. I have presented the recipe here as made by my mother and hers before her. Obviously canning standards have evolved since then. As I am not a master canner, I can’t offer canning advice. I would refer you to research reputable sources for the current suggestions for safe canning of jelly.
Thanks for your response! Interestingly, 16 lids have inverted ‘bumps’ and don’t release when being pushed down on so I seem to have 16 strong seals (I guess the jelly temp was still ‘hot’ enough funny enough). For the two that didn’t seal I presume I remove the lid and pour the wax on, then put the lids back on? Thanks again!
It’s a good thing your instructions state to place the jelly in a window with the sun. The lids are popping back out and now I know the seals aren’t adequate. I’ll have to take the lids off and apply the paraffin to the top of the Jelly if that’s the correct way to add it.
Yes, simple melt the wax over very low heat and pour a layer directly onto the set jelly. Allow to set before replacing lid.
Hi Ron and no, you don’t need to core the apples. As this is a jelly, you will only be using the juice and all the apple bits will be trapped in the cheesecloth and discarded.
This is a wonderful recipe, makes delicious jelly. I followed the instructions even heated the sugar. It must be an old recipe to be so simple. Will absolutely be making it again next crabapple season. Thank you for sharing.
So glad to hear, Constance and yes, this is from my Mom, who probably got it from my Grandmother, who probably got it from her mother :) Thanks and enjoy!
Hi Jennifer
Great recipe, instructions made it simple and easy!
Just need a reminder on the length of time to re-sterilize jars in the oven, if using
that method. The lids, I always re-boil until paraffin is cooled and it’s time for lids.
A fun experience with my 11yr old granddaughter Calle, who helped pick the crabapples!
So glad to hear, Gillian. As for sterilizing jars in the oven, 20 minutes at 275F should do it! Thanks :)
Do you have a measurement on the amount of apples? Ours are wild from our backyard tree
Hi Cindy, you can start with any amount of apples. If you read through the recipe, once you have boiled the apples and extracted the juice, you will use the amount of juice you have produced to calculate how much sugar you need to add (see recipe instructions Steps 5 and 6). I suggest a batch starting with no more than a basket of apples the size shown and doing multiple batches, if necessary, if you have more apples to use up. It just becomes too unwieldy with more than that. Hope that helps.
This has become my fav recipe. I reduce my juice down by half so it’s extra concentrated. So yummy
Sounds delicious, Melody! Thanks :)
Hi Lori, the paraffin wax sealing is the old-school way of preserving this jelly. As this is an old recipe (several generations handed down), this is how it was done back then vs. the more modern technique of hot water sealing. I, personally, have never hot water sealed this jelly. Someone commented here that it works just fine, though again, I haven’t tried it myself. My feeling is that hot water sealing would probably be the preferred/safer method of canning now, though I still do wonder a bit about how the heat of the hot water bath affects the “jelling”. So I guess my thinking at this point would be to try one jar with hot water sealing and then, if all goes well, do the rest of them that way and skip the paraffin. Hope that helps :)
Have been making this receipe since 2016 – BEST receipe ever!!!!
If instructions are followed, this produces a beautiful, clear jelly. From personal experience, an instant thermometer ensures the best results.
In the process of filing my receipes (still use a paper system!) and couldn’t resist another comment.
So glad to hear, Irene :) My parents have been making this jelly for decades (and their parents before them, I’m sure :) And you’re right, I love an instant read thermometer for this, too! Thanks!
I made crabapple and blackberry jelly and put in 3 sterilised bowls with no lids. Can I put I put in refrigerator and use up within 1 week.
Hi Rosaleen, yes, it will be fine in the fridge. I would cover with plastic wrap myself though, just to keep the top of the jelly from drying out.
Thanks for the excellent recipe and guide! My final product came out beautiful! I could stare at this colour all day.
Can you maybe note the cooking time in your recipe/description? I didn’t expect it to take so long to get to the jelly stage (I seriously thought my thermometer was broken) and maybe for newbies like me an indicator like that would help.
Thanks for the general sugar to juice ratio! Helped a lot compared to other recipes. :)
Hi Kelly, So glad you enjoyed it and I agree about the colour. Makes me happy just looking at it. As for the cooking time, I didn’t indicate as it really varies between kitchens, depending on how hot the sugar was (or wasn’t), the thickness of the pan etc. and I really wanted people to rely on their thermometer and not the time. That said, though, I will indicate it can take a while :) Thanks!
Hi Jennifer!
That’s a really good point. I agree with relying more on the thermometer than anything else. I’m making another batch today using your guide but I’ve steeped lavendar in at the boil apple stage, and added a cup of separately steeped flower water. Fingers crossed!
Crossed :)
When putting the simmered apples through the jelly bag, do you also pour the water that you simmered them in or scoop the apples out of the remaining water and through the water away?
Hi Mary, yes, you pour everything from the pot (water and all) through the colander.