Decadent Chocolate Raspberry Sauce Canning Recipe for Beginners

During the summertime, my raspberry bushes produce far more fruit than I can eat.

In the wintertime, I miss all of that fruity goodness.

Once I learned about canning chocolate raspberry sauce, this problem was solved!

I always ensure I have some on hand for an Easter angel food cake. However, it’s really tasty for desserts held all year through.

How to Can Homemade Chocolate Raspberry Sauce

This sweet snack is really easy to prepare, and you only need a few ingredients to get started. It’s a perfect recipe for people who are new to canning, too!

Equipment Needed

• Colander
• Potato masher
• Flour sifter
• Stainless steel saucepan
• Small saucepan
• Water canner with lid
• Seven half-pint jars with lids and rings (for a whole canner load)
• Jar lifter
• Lid lifter
• Canning funnel
• Ladle

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons pectin
• 4½ cups crushed raspberries
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6¾ cups sugar

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Canning Time

10 minutes

Step 1: Choose Your Raspberries

This recipe is designed for standard red raspberries.

Don’t be tempted to swap out raspberry/blackberry hybrids like tayberries, as they may have a different acidity and make your final product unsafe to store.

I pick raspberries straight from my garden for this recipe. If you don’t have fresh berries available, you can use frozen products.

Let them thaw before you get started.

If you’re buying berries from a store or farmstand, look for bright red fruit with no bruises or spots of mold.

Step 2: Prepare Your Jars and Lids

This recipe moves quickly, and you must stir your sauce constantly to keep it from sticking and scorching.

I always prepare my jars before I start cooking, as I know I won’t have time to step away from the bubbling pan without the risk of ruining my final product.

You’ll need about seven half-pint jars for a full batch of this recipe. Run your finger across the top of each jar, and don’t use anything that’s cracked or chipped.

Wash your approved jars in hot water and soap.

Place your clean jars in your canner, and fill the pot with water.

Put the lid on the canner and let the jars simmer over medium heat. Your glass will be very clean when you’re ready to fill the jars, and your pre-heated water will make processing easier.

Place your lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Place the pan over low heat and let the lids warm.

Step 3: Gently Rinse Your Berries

Raspberries are incredibly fragile, so they’re not easy to clean. However, I’ve found a method that helps me remove dirt and debris without ruining the fresh fruit.

Fill your sink with cold water. Place a layer of raspberries in a colander and dunk it in the sink. Stir the berries in the water gently, and then lift the colander to let the water drain. Place your washed berries in your stainless steel pan.

Work in batches until all of your berries have been carefully cleaned.

Step 4: Crush Your Berries

I use a potato masher for this step, as raspberries crush really quickly and easily.

Push straight down on your berries as they rest inside your stainless steel pan. They should be the consistency of mashed potatoes when you’re done.

You’ll need exactly 4½ cups of crushed berries for this recipe. I like to scoop the crushed berries out of the pan and make sure I have enough to move forward.

Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to your crushed berries. Stir this liquid in thoroughly.

Step 5: Measure Your Sugar

In a later step, you’ll add your sugar all at once while stirring. You won’t have time to measure your sugar while you’re busy moving the berries around and preventing scorching.

Measure now, and your future self will thank you.

Place 6¾ cups of sugar in a bowl and set it aside until you need it.

Step 6: Sift Cocoa

Cocoa powder can be thick and prone to clumps, especially if it’s been sitting in a cupboard for a long time. A product like this won’t break down properly inside the crushed berries.

That’s why sifting is important.

Sift ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder over your stainless steel bowl filled with raspberries. Stir this mixture until it’s blended.

Step 7: Cook Berries with Pectin

Pectin helps liquids solidify when they’re inside the canner.

For this recipe, you’ll need 6 tablespoons of pectin. That’s about the amount inside a package of powdered pectin.

Sprinkle your pectin over the berry and chocolate mixture, and stir carefully until you don’t see any powder or clumps.

Bring this liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir it frequently to keep it from scorching.

Step 8: Add Sugar and Boil

Add your pre-measured sugar to the liquid all at once while you’re stirring constantly. The sugar will melt quickly, and the liquid will come back to a boil.

Boil the liquid hard for 1 minute. Stir constantly to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Take the pan off the heat.

Step 9: Fill Your Jars

With your jar lifter, remove your prepared jars from the canner and place them on a cutting board or towel. Fill your jars one at a time.

Place your canning funnel in the jar, and use your ladle to scoop up the liquid from your pan and put it in the jar. Run a knife around the edge of each jar to remove air pockets.

Leave ¼ inch of space at the top of the jar for the sauce to expand during processing.

Step 10: Apply Lids and Rings

Seeds and bits of sugar on the top of the jars can prevent a proper seal. It’s important to remove that debris.

Dampen a paper towel and run it across the top of each jar. Then, remove your lids with your lid lifter and place one on each jar. Secure it with a ring screwed down while finger-tight.

Step 11: Process Your Jars

Place your filled jars in the canner and ensure they’re covered with at least an inch of water. That water should be boiling before you start your timer.

Put the lid on your canner. Process your jars for 10 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.

Step 12: Let Jars Rest

When processing is complete, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the canner. Let the jars rest for 5 minutes.

Use your jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner. Place them on a cutting board or towel to rest undisturbed for 24 hours.

Step 13: Store Your Jars

After 24 hours, remove the rings from the jars. Press on the center of each lid. If they don’t move or pop, the lids sealed properly. Write the date on each lid.

Place those jars in a cool and dark place to rest until you’re ready to use them.

If the lids aren’t fully fixed, you don’t have to throw the contents away. But your jars aren’t safe for standard storage. Instead, the jars should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a few days.

You can also freeze them and use them later.

How Long Does Canned Chocolate Raspberry Sauce Last?

The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. At this point, the lids are still tightly affixed, and the contents should be safe.

However, you should poke at the lids and ensure they don’t move. You should also visually inspect the contents and throw out anything that looks moldy or rotten.

Ideas for Using Chocolate Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry chocolate sauce is incredibly tasty. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• Coat your Easter angel food cake with a smear of chocolate sauce.
• Spread a thick coat of sauce over your cheesecake.
• Inject chocolate sauce into baked cupcakes.
• Serve chocolate sauce with ice cream.
• Add red pepper to chocolate sauce for a quick homemade mole.
• Dip cookies or graham crackers into a can of chocolate sauce.
• Mix sauce with yogurt in the blender for a tasty dessert drink.
• Stir chocolate sauce into a mug of hot chocolate.
• Swap out chocolate sauce for barbeque sauce.