Description
Bright, herbal, and delicately sweet, this Lemon Balm Jelly transforms a simple garden herb into a calming, citrus-infused preserve—perfect on toast, pastries, or as a unique homemade gift.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 cups fresh lemon balm leaves, cleaned
- 1 box powdered pectin (1.75 oz)
- 1–4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Sterilize jars by boiling for 10 minutes or running through a hot dishwasher cycle.
- Rinse lemon balm leaves thoroughly and pat dry.
- Place leaves in a heatproof container and pour over 4 cups boiling water. Steep for 10–20 minutes, then strain and discard leaves.
- Pour the infused liquid into a large saucepan and add lemon juice. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in powdered pectin and boil for 1 minute.
- Add sugar (1–4 cups, to taste) and boil for another minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Ladle hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims and seal with lids.
- Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 feet). Cool completely and check seals.
Notes
Do not over-steep the leaves—10–15 minutes ensures bright flavor without bitterness. For a low-sugar version, use low-sugar pectin and adjust sweetness to taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 68
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 3mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.001g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.099g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 0.01g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: lemon balm jelly, herbal jelly, lemon balm recipe, homemade preserves, lemon herb spread