Sweet Mandarin Orange Jelly is delightful and flavorful! It's a bright burst of sunshine in a jar of homemade jam! It's easier to make than you think and a hundred times better than anything storebought - you'll love this jam!
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I always take jam and jelly home when we travel. I make sure there's enough for everyone but it always seems like there's an extra jar.
I've joked about this, but it's not unusual for my Aunt's Barb and Shirley to arm wrestle over that one extra jar of strawberry, blueberry or mango jam while the rest of us laugh, giggle and urge them on!
It's also a given that the TSA will search my suitcase when we fly. They inspect the "cargo" and 8 times out of 10 there is a jar missing (true story!). I really should be nice enough and pack some bagels or muffins to serve with the jam, don't you think?
At least I hope they don't open it up and just throw it away!!
Anyway, if you've ever enjoyed handcrafted preserves you know it's nothing like you get from the market. The flavors are amazing, real fruit with tons of flavor!
This recipe for orange jelly is one my friend Michelle shared with me many years ago. It has a sweet delicate flavor and it tastes like what I imagine is sunshine in a jar. This is one of my favorite jams!
I think mandarins are my favorite winter fruit, they have such a bright fresh flavor and the natural sweetness is so delicious! Living here in the Central Valley this fruit is readily available. It's not unusual for us to go thru 40 lbs. over the wintertime. AND it makes the BEST jelly!
Ingredients for Mandarin Orange Jelly
- fresh mandarin oranges
- fresh lemons
- pure cane sugar
- Liquid pectin, I do not recomment powdered pectin for this recipe.
- butter (optional)
Mandarin Orange Jelly
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh mandarin juice don't strain, just pull out seeds and big pulp pieces
- 7 cups sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice only use freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 package Liquid Certo Pectin Pectin
Instructions
- Sterilize the jars, lids and rings to prepare for jam.
- Juice the mandarins and lemons.
- Measure the juices exactly. Combine orange juice, cups of sugar and butter to a large heavy bottom pan. Place over high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add 1 package Liquid Certo, bring to boil and boil hard for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and immediately ladle the hot jelly into sterile jars leaving ¼ inch headspace.
- Using a damp, clean paper towel, wipe off the tops of the jars and then add the lid. Screw the ring on the jar and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal.
- Makes 7-8 pint jars of Orange Juice Jelly
Notes
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Nutrition
Instructions
- Sterilize the jars, lids and rings.
- Juice the mandarins and lemons.
- Add juices, sugar and butter to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add 1 package Liquid Certo, bring back to a full boil. Boil hard for 1 minute more.
- Remove from heat and immediately ladle into sterlized jars.
- Add the lid and screw on tightly.
- Process in a boiling water canner for ten minutes to seal completely.
- Makes 7 to 8 half pint jars of jelly.
FAQ's
No, they are different. Mandarins are smaller and sweeter than oranges. They have loose skin that is easy to peel.
Yes you can as long as it's fresh squeezed (I would not substitute frozen). I prefer mandarin because the flavor is more concentrated and intense, but if you don't have/can't get mandarins use fresh squeezed orange juice instead.
Here's the difference; jelly uses the juice of the fruit and marmalade is made from citrus with the bits of the peel suspended in the jelly.
No, you totally got this! If you can read and follow directions you can make this jam! What you may need are some basic canning supplies. There's a link at the bottom that shows you exactly what you need. Orange jam is easy to make!
Tips to make orange jam
- Follow the directions exactly. When the directions say boil for one minute, boil one minute exactly - set a timer!
- Do not use an artificial sweetener, sugar substitute or eliminate the sugar, even a portion of it! This can cause the jam to not set up properly OR the jam could spoil, growing mold on the top!
- When you remove the jam from the stove, it's going to smell amazing and look gorgeous! Resist the urge to stick your finger in it to test it! It's basically boiling sugar and will burn you! Ummm... speaking from experience here. 😋
- The jam may seem runny at first. Allow it to completely cool to room temperature. It can take up to 3-4 days for the jam to be completely jelled.
You've seen bags of "Cuties" in the store, right? They would be perfect for this Orange Jelly Recipe! Cuties are a specific type of mandarines known as tangerines.
Related Recipes
- Peach Jam Recipe
- Low Sugar Homemade Apricot Jam
- Strawberry Jam
- Bam Bam Pomegranate Jam
- Christmas in July Pepper Jam
This mandarin jelly truly is sunshine in a jar-bright, citrusy, and downright irresistible. If you make a batch, I'd love to hear how it turns out! Leave a comment below and drop a five-star rating if you loved it.
And if you share it on Instagram, don't forget to tag me @bowl_me_over-I can't wait to see your golden jars of goodness!
Deborah melvin says
Could jalapeño be used to add a little spicey flavor. I love pepper jelly
Debra Clark says
I'm sure jalapeños would be a great addition for spice, or you could use red pepper flakes. However if you're looking for pepper jelly, be sure to check out this recipe. It's AMAZING!! https://bowl-me-over.com/christmas-in-july-pepper-jam/
Tara says
Do you have to cut off all the pith of the oranges before juicing? Can I use bottled lemon juice?
Debra Clark says
I do not remove the pith of the mandarins. You're fine Tara. For the lemon juice, I'd use fresh lemons. It's such an important part of the jam. Enjoy!! This is unbelievably delicious!
angela says
hello! I'm interested in making this but have never made jelly before, and have a few questions:
-can I divide this recipe to make less jelly overall? I'm not sure if jam/jellies are like baking where recipes need to be exact because of science reasons, or if you can wing it as long as the proportions are correct.
-do I have to can these, or can I keep the resulting jelly in the fridge? or will that affect how it sets?
Thank you!
Bowl Me Over says
I always compare Jams and Jellies to science. Similar to baking the measurements must be exact. I do not recommend changing the recipe. You'd be better off researching and finding an Orange Jelly freezer jam recipe than experiment trying to change this one. Regardless, I'll be you'll enjoy the end results! Best of luck to you Angela!
Sharon says
Can you substitute tangerine juice in the recipe instead of the mandarin juice?
Bowl Me Over says
Absolutely! Tangerine juice works great as well. Make sure you're using juice without preservatives. (Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been on vacation.)
Colin says
Can I use powdered gelatin? I cant find pectin here.
If so, how many grams? Thank you.
Bowl Me Over says
I've only used liquid pectin in this recipe. I can't advise how any substitutes would work. You can find it here with Amazon (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/46HK7Fc. I hope you try the recipe, this jelly is absolutely amazing.
NANCY says
Why the butter?
Bowl Me Over says
Great question Nancy, the butter helps reduce the amount of foam that forms on the top of the jam. It's optional, you can skip it if you'd prefer. The form is edible, it just isn't as pretty so it's totally up to you.