Canning mint jelly is one of my favorite things to do.
The final product is crisp and fresh-tasting, and you really don’t need many ingredients to get started.
If you have wild mint growing in your yard (like I do), this is a great way to use the sweet-smelling leaves and stems.
If you don’t have wild mint, it’s easy enough to buy in the produce section of your grocery store.
How to Make & Can Mint Jelly in a Water Bath Canner
This mint jelly recipe modified from the National Center for Home Food Preservation comes together quickly, and it’s really tasty!
Equipment Needed
- Colander
- Sharp knife
- Stainless steel saucepan with lid
- Small saucepan
- Mesh or wire strainer
- Glass measuring cup
- Water canner with lid
- Four half-pint jars with lids and rings (for a whole canner load)
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1½ cup chopped mint leaves and stems
- 3½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pouch liquid pectin
- Green food coloring (optional)
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Canning Time
5 minutes
Step 1: Choose Your Mint
We’re using the mint to create juice for this recipe.
Nothing goes to waste with this method. Both leaves and stems contain plenty of juice.
Look for mint that’s bright green with no singed edges or bug holes. The leaves should smell minty fresh when you sniff them.
Ideally, the leaves will also feel a little moist when you crush them between your fingers.

Step 2: Wash Your Mint
Like most herbs, mint grows quite low to the ground. A little dirt and debris are to be expected, but they can harm the clear jelly you’re trying to make.
Washing can ensure no contaminants end up in your final product.
Place all of your mint in your colander, and rinse the leaves with a stream of cool water. I like to pick up the stems and separate them to ensure that trapped bits go down the drain.
Step 3: Chop Your Mint
With your sharp knife, roughly chop the mint leaves and stems. Stop when you have about 1½ cups of product packed tightly.

The more mint you have, the more flavorful the jelly will be. If you’re stingy with the leaves, the final product won’t have enough zing.
Step 4: Cook Your Mint
Combine your prepared leaves with 2¼ cups of water in your stainless steel pan. Stir to combine the leaves and the water.

Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. The goal is to make the fluid heat up as quickly as possible, so crank up the burner as high as it will go.
Step 5: Let Mint Rest
Once the liquid has boiled, remove the pan from the heat. Place your lid on the pan, and let the liquid rest for 10 minutes.
If you’re using food coloring, add a drop or two now.
This rest allows the sugars and mint oil in the leaves and stems to transfer to the liquid. Don’t be tempted to rush this along.
Just let the mint rest and percolate.
Step 6: Prepare Jars and Lids

While your mint leaves are resting, turn to your jars and lids.
Since this recipe calls for such a short processing time, you must ensure that your jars are sterilized before you fill them.
Start by washing your jars in hot water and soap. If you’re reusing jars, ensure they’re not chipped or cracked. Jars like this might break in the canner and spill your precious jelly.
Place your clean jars in the canner and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil, and place the lid on the canner. The jars should simmer for at least 5 minutes.
I like to leave them in the canner while I work on the rest of the recipe.
Put the lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Turn the heat on low and let the adhesive on the lids soften.
Step 7: Strain Your Mint Juice
Place your mesh strainer over a glass measuring cup.
Use your ladle to scoop up the liquid from your mint combination and catch the leaves and stems in the strainer. Discard these solids.
You should collect 1¾ cups of mint juice in your measuring cup.

Step 8: Sweeten Your Jelly
Place your mint juice back in your stainless steel pan. Stir in 3½ cups sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Over high heat, bring the liquid to a boil while stirring constantly.
It’s really important to stir all of the edges of the liquid, so the sugar inside the jelly won’t scorch from staying in contact with the same part of the pan.

Step 9: Add Pectin
Once your liquid is boiling so hard that you can’t stir it down, open your package of liquid pectin and stir it into the jelly.
Allow the liquid to come to a boil once more. Boil the liquid hard for 1 minute.

Step 10: Perform a Spoon Test
The pectin should cook and help the jelly set up.
I like to test all of my jams and jellies to ensure they’re solid and ready for the jars.
Dip a cold spoon into the liquid and hold it up to the light to check it. You’re ready to can when the liquid drips much slower than it should.
A drop or two should hang off the spoon suspended in the air.

If the jelly falls off the spoon too quickly, keep cooking it for another minute or two.
Remove the pan from the heat when your jelly passes the test.
Step 11: Fill Your Jars
With your jar lifter, remove the sterilized jars from the water canner. Place them on a cutting board (not the cold countertop, which could break them).
Working one jar at a time, place the canning funnel inside the jar and ladle full of hot jelly.

Leave ¼ inch of space at the top of each jar for the jelly to expand as it cooks. Use a ruler to ensure that you’re not putting too much in each jar.
Step 12: Apply Lids and Rings
Dampen a paper towel and run it across the top of each jar. This step ensures that sticky jelly won’t interfere with the adhesives on the lids from sticking.
With your lid lifter, remove the lids from the saucepan. Place one lid on each jar and hold it in place by tightening the rings until they’re finger-tight.
They should be tight enough to hold the lids on, but they should be loose enough to allow air to escape during processing.
Step 13: Process Your Jars

Place your filled jars inside the canner and ensure they’re covered by at least an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, and put the lid on the canner.
Process your jars for 5 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 14: Let Jars Rest
After 5 minutes, take the lid off the canner and turn off the heat. Let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes so the contents can stabilize.
After 5 minutes, use your jar lifter to take the jars out of the canner and place them on a towel or cutting board.
Let them rest for 24 hours. Don’t touch them or poke them during this time.
Step 15: Check the Lids
After a day, remove the rings from the jars.
Press the center of each lid, and listen for pops and clicks. They suggest the jars didn’t really seal.
Jars like this should go straight to the refrigerator and be eaten within the next few days.
Write the date on the lids of properly sealed jars. Place them somewhere dark and cool for long-term storage.

How Long Does Canned Mint Jelly Last?
The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. Writing the date on each jar ensures that you know when your products are about to expire. Make sure you eat them before that date appears.
Ideas for Using Homemade Mint Jelly
Mint jelly is a perfect addition to almost any pantry. These are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- Garnish lamb shanks with a dollop of mint jelly.
- Stir a tablespoon of mint jelly into meatloaf.
- Coat duck with mint jelly before roasting.
- Add mint jelly to olive oil for a tasty salad dressing.
- Eat mint jelly straight from the jar with crackers.
- Top brie with mint jelly before heating.
- Glaze pork chops with mint jelly.
- Brush grilled salmon with a thick coating of jelly before serving.
- Mix your jelly with cottage cheese for a fruit dip.
- Cook down the jelly and use it as a glaze for poppyseed muffins.

Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups chopped mint leaves and stems
- 3½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pouch liquid pectin
- Green food coloring (optional)
Instructions
Choose Your Mint
- Select bright green mint with no signs of wilting or insect damage. Both leaves and stems are used to maximize juice extraction. Fresh, moist mint will yield the best flavor and color for your jelly.
Wash Your Mint
- Rinse the mint thoroughly in a colander under cool running water to remove any dirt or debris. Shake off excess water and set aside to dry slightly.
Chop Your Mint
- Using a sharp knife, roughly chop the mint leaves and stems until you have about 1½ cups packed tightly. The more mint you use, the more flavorful your jelly will be.
Cook Your Mint
- Combine the chopped mint with 2¼ cups of water in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to extract the mint flavor.
Let Mint Rest
- Remove the saucepan from heat and cover it with a lid. Let the mint mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. If using green food coloring, add a drop or two at this stage for a vibrant color.
Prepare Jars and Lids
- Wash the half-pint jars in hot, soapy water and inspect for any cracks or chips. Place the clean jars in the water canner filled with water and bring to a simmer. Simultaneously, soften the lids by placing them in a saucepan of boiling water.
Strain Your Mint Juice
- Pour the mint mixture through a mesh or wire strainer into a glass measuring cup, pressing down to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids, leaving you with approximately 1¾ cups of mint juice.
Sweeten Your Jelly
- Return the strained mint juice to a stainless steel saucepan. Stir in 3½ cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent the sugar from scorching.
Add Pectin
- Once the mixture is boiling, add the pouch of liquid pectin. Stir thoroughly and continue to boil hard for 1 minute to activate the pectin, ensuring the jelly sets properly.
Fill Your Jars
- Using a jar lifter, remove the hot jars from the canner and place them on a cutting board. Insert a canning funnel into each jar and ladle the hot jelly into the jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top. Run a knife around the edge to remove any trapped air bubbles.
Apply Lids and Rings
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel to ensure a clean seal. Place the softened lids on each jar and secure them with rings, tightening until finger-tight.
Process Your Jars
- Return the filled jars to the water bath canner, ensuring they are submerged by at least an inch of boiling water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 5 minutes, adjusting for your elevation if necessary.
Let Jars Rest
- After processing, turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Let the jars sit in the canner water for 5 minutes. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars and place them on a cutting board to cool completely for 24 hours.
Check the Lids
- After 24 hours, press the center of each lid. If it doesn’t move or pop back, the jar has sealed properly. Label the jars with the date and store them in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate any jars that haven’t sealed and consume within a few days.
Notes
- Mint Selection: Fresh, vibrant mint yields the best flavor and color. Both leaves and stems are utilized for maximum juice extraction.
- Food Coloring: Optional, but a few drops can enhance the jelly’s appearance without altering the flavor.
- Pectin: Liquid pectin is essential for achieving the right consistency. Do not substitute unless specified.
- Sterilization: Properly sterilizing jars and lids is crucial to prevent contamination and ensure the jelly remains shelf-stable.
- Processing Time: Adjust the processing time based on your altitude to ensure jars are safely sealed.
- Storage: Properly sealed jars can last up to a year in a cool, dark place. Always label jars with the date to keep track of their shelf life.
