Blueberry jelly is the kind of preserve that feels like dusk in July... deep purple, slightly wild, and just sweet enough. It skips the skin and seeds and gives you pure flavor... lush, smooth, and spoon-worthy.
Blueberries are a summer staple around here. My kids eat them by the handful, and every year we stash some away in the freezer for pancakes and smoothies. But no matter what else we make, we always set some aside for jelly.
It's one of the few fruits I prefer as jelly rather than jam. The skins can be bitter, and the texture in jam gets a little... chewy. Jelly? Jelly is smooth, clear, and full of pure blueberry flavor.
You’ll need quite a few berries, blueberries are stingy with their juice, but the result is something rich, jewel-toned, and absolutely worth the effort.
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Jelly
No skins, no weird texture. Just smooth, vibrant jelly.
Low-sugar friendly with the right pectin.
Stores beautifully (canned, frozen, or just chilled).
Perfect for toast, goat cheese, yogurt, and gift baskets.
Tastes like actual blueberries, not just sugar syrup.
What Kind of Blueberries Work Best?
- Fresh or frozen both work great. Frozen berries actually yield more juice!
- Use ripe, flavorful berries. Under-ripe = bland. Overripe = murky flavor.
- You’ll need a lot: 4 cups of blueberries = ~1 cup juice.
This recipe uses 16 cups of blueberries to yield around 4 cups juice, which gives you about 4 half-pint jars.
Ingredients
- 16 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 4 cups water
- 1 box low-sugar powdered pectin
- 2 cups sugar (or honey)
How to Make Blueberry Jelly
Prep the Canner & Jars: Wash jars and lids in hot soapy water. Set up your water bath canner with enough water to cover jars by 1 inch. Heat jars to 180°F and keep warm.
Cook the Berries: Place blueberries and water in a large pot. Mash them gently with a potato masher, then bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries have softened and released their juice.
Strain the Juice: Pour hot berry mash into a jelly bag over a large bowl. Let drain at least 2 hours... overnight is even better. Resist squeezing the bag too hard unless you’re okay with a cloudy jelly.
Make the Jelly: Measure 4 cups of strained blueberry juice into a clean pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the low-sugar powdered pectin. Boil for 1 minute. Add sugar (or honey) and return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for another minute, stirring constantly.
Check for Gel: Dip a cold spoon in the mixture. If the jelly sheets off in twin drops or thick ribbons, it’s ready. If it runs like syrup, boil again for 1 minute or add more pectin.
Jar It Up: Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and screw bands on fingertip-tight.
Water Bath Can: Place jars in your prepared canner. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude). Turn off heat, remove lid, let sit 5 minutes, then transfer jars to a towel-lined surface.
Want to Skip Canning?
Totally fine.
Refrigerate jars for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year.
Just use straight-sided jars and leave ½” headspace if freezing.
Notes & Tips
Don’t double this recipe—jelly doesn’t scale well and may not set.
You can use blueberry juice if you can find it, just make sure it’s 100% juice.
I don’t recommend liquid pectin for this, it needs more sugar than fruit to gel properly.
You can sub honey, but it may affect gel strength. Use a trusted low-sugar pectin like Sure-Jell or Pomona’s if going that route.
Tools I Actually Use:
🔗 Jelly bag & stand
🔗 Half-pint jars & lids
🔗 Water Bath Canner Kit
🔗 Low Sugar Pectin
🔗 Water bath canner
More Sweet Preserving Recipes:
📖 Recipe
Smooth & Vibrant Blueberry Jelly (Low Sugar Option)
This blueberry jelly is smooth, spreadable, and packed with bold summer flavor—without the bitterness or grit of the skins. Whether you use fresh, frozen, or even bottled blueberry juice, this jelly sets beautifully and tastes like a spoonful of July sunshine. Made with low-sugar pectin for more fruit-forward flavor and less sweetness.
Ingredients
- 16 Cups Blueberries (substitute 4 Cups blueberry juice)
- 2 Cups Sugar (substitute honey)
- 1 Box Low-Sugar Pectin (1.75 oz)
Instructions
- Prepare Jars & Canner: Wash jars, lids, and bands. Keep jars hot in simmering water while you make the jelly. Fill your water bath canner with enough water to cover jars by 1 inch.
- Cook the Berries: In a large pot, combine blueberries and water. Mash gently, then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries soften and release juice.
- Strain the Juice: Pour the hot berry mixture into a jelly bag (or fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth) set over a bowl. Let strain at least 2 hours, or overnight for best yield. Avoid pressing too hard if you want clear jelly.
- Make the Jelly: Measure 4 cups of strained juice into a clean pot. Bring to a boil. Whisk in the powdered pectin and boil for 1 full minute. Add sugar (or honey), return to a rolling boil, and boil hard for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Check for Gel: Dip a clean spoon into the jelly. If the mixture sheets off in thick drops, it's ready. If not, boil another minute or add a bit more pectin.
- Ladle into Jars: Fill hot jars with jelly, leaving ¼” headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and add lids. Tighten bands to fingertip tight.
- Water Bath Can (Optional): Place jars in the canner, cover with water, and bring to a rolling boil. Process half-pint jars for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude—see notes). Remove lid, rest 5 minutes, then transfer jars to a towel-lined counter. Let cool 12–24 hours before checking seals.
Notes
• 1,001–3,000 ft → 15 minutes
• 3,001–6,000 ft → 20 minutes
• 6,001+ ft → 25 minutes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
64Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 48Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 0g
Kristi says
Do you happen to know the pressure setting for canning blueberry jelly?
Danielle McCoy says
You really shouldn't pressure can jams or jellies, it'll destroy them.
Trish says
Can you double the recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
No. I would make two separate batches otherwise it may not gel properly.
Ellie says
I have 2 questions regarding blueberry jelly:
1. How many grams does one box of the no sugar needed pectin you are using in this recipe? The link you provides shows jar like containers (not pouches).
I would very much like to try your recipe but need to know how many grams to use or, alternatively, teaspoons or tablespoons.
2. Can I use any size of a jar once the jelly is ready to poured in a jar? I like the size of your little jars in picture.
Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Ellie,
The pectin is 1.75 ounces, which is 49.6 grams. You can use half-pint or smaller jars to can in. The little jars in the picture are half-pint jars made by ball.
Joyce says
Can I use a Victorio food strainer to extract the juice from the blueberries and then add the water, sugar and pectin before processing in a hot water bath and canning in 1/2 pint jars?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can definitely use a Victorio food strainer to extract the juice from the blueberries. It’s a great tool for getting all that delicious juice without too much fuss. Once you’ve got your juice, you can go ahead and add the water, sugar, and pectin according to the recipe. After that, simply process your jelly in a hot water bath and can it in your 1/2 pint jars.
Alyssa says
Should it be solidified after the 12 hours? Mine didn’t, but I’m trying to decide if I should follow the articles that say it could take time, or the articles that say I should add more pectin. I followed the recipe exact so I am lost.
Danielle McCoy says
Sometimes there's just too much liquid or not enough sugar or the pectin just isn't as effective. Yes, it should be jelly consistency by 12-24 hours. You can certainly re-boil and add more pectin.
Linda says
Do I have to water bath my blueberry jelly I am making using the low sugar pectin. You said optional. My first time making jelly.
The Rustic Elk says
Yes, you really should water-bath it, especially if it’s your first time making jelly. I simply said it's optional because it can be used quickly fresh (refrigerated), or frozen.
Channing Friend says
Could I substitute strawberry juice to make strawberry jelly?
Elle says
Not for this recipe, no. Strawberries are even lower pectin than blueberries, so I'm afraid it wouldn't set up if you swapped it 1:1 since it's low sugar.