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Homemade grape jelly is one of the simplest and most satisfying preserves you can make, and it’s a favorite with kids and adults alike. Whether you’re working with fresh-picked Concord grapes or a jug of store-bought juice, this easy grape jelly recipe will walk you through every step of the process, including canning instructions for a shelf-stable pantry staple.
You can use fresh grapes, bottled juice, or even wild foraged grapes, and I’ll cover both low-sugar and traditional versions with powdered or liquid pectin. I’ll also share tips for preventing crystals and troubleshooting jelly that won’t set.
Why Make Grape Jelly at Home?
There’s something nostalgic about grape jelly. It’s the star of every childhood PB&J, but homemade grape jelly is a whole different experience from the store-bought kind. It’s fresher, more flavorful, and you control everything that goes into the jar.
Grapes are delicious but don’t keep long fresh, so turning them into jelly is one of the best ways to preserve them (unless you’re making homemade wine)—especially if you’re growing your own or foraging wild grapes in season.
If you have a lot of time on your hands, try making old fashioned grape jam (with the peels), but for the rest of us, grape jelly is much easier than other types of grape preserves. All you need is juice and pectin to get the job done.
Best Grapes for Grape Jelly
Concord grapes are the classic choice, but just about any variety will work—wine grapes, table grapes, and even wild grapes all make excellent jelly. Each variety brings its own color and flavor, from deep purple to pink to pale gold.
We grow several cold hardy wine grape varieties here in Vermont, and I’ve used them all for jelly. Some have a more complex, tart flavor, while others are naturally sweeter. Don’t worry too much about how sour the grapes taste raw—you’ll be adding sugar during the jelly-making process.
If you’re making jelly for picky kids, sweet table grapes or bottled grape juice are usually a safe bet.
Juicing Grapes for Jelly
If you’re starting with fresh grapes, the first step is extracting the juice.
Steam Juicer Method
I use a steam juicer to juice fruit from our homegrown grapevines, and it can hold about 10 pounds of fruit at once. That allows me to just toss the fruit in and let them seam while I keep working in the garden.
Using our outdoor canning kitchen means I can keep an eye on the pot while still enjoying the sunshine. It also means I’m not heating up the house in the summer months.
It’s a great tool if you’re working with large batches or want to process multiple types of fruit.
Stockpot Method
No steam juicer? No problem. Stem your grapes and place them in a heavy-bottomed pot with a bit of water to prevent scorching.
A “batch” of grape jelly requires 4 cups of strained grape juice. You’ll need about 3 1/2 pounds of grapes and 1/2 cup of water to yield a 4 cups grape juice.
Mash them slightly to release the juice, then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander. Let the juice drain for at least 2 hours—or overnight for best results. For small batches, I tie the cloth and hang it over a bowl to let gravity do the work.
Pro tip: Grape juice can look cloudy at first, especially with green grapes. Don’t worry—it’ll clear once you add pectin and lemon juice during the jelly-making process.
Preventing Crystals in Grape Jelly
Grapes naturally contain tartaric acid, which can form sharp little crystals (tartrates) in your jelly if not removed. While they’re not harmful, they’re not pleasant to bite into either.
Every grape variety has a different amount, and some may not form any crystals at all. If you’ve made grape jelly without crystals forming then you likely have a variety that’s low in tartaric acid.
Congratulations! You got lucky, but you never know when you’re working with a new grape variety.
To avoid crystals:
- Chill the juice overnight before making jelly.
- Strain it again through a fine cloth (or multiple layers of cheesecloth) to remove sediment.
- Pour carefully so you don’t disturb the settled crystals at the bottom.
This step is especially important with wild grapes, which have higher tartaric acid levels.
How to Make Grape Jelly
Once you have grape juice, either extracted from fresh fruit or simply purchased from the store, you’re ready to make grape jelly.
Start by measuring the juice. A “batch” of grape jelly requires 4 cups of juice. That’s because you’ll be using added pectin to make the jelly and each box is good for roughly 4 cups of liquid.
I’ve tried making grape jelly without added pectin, and it’s really tricky. Grapes don’t have quite enough natural pectin to set, especially when you remove their skins. You can, however, make grape jam with the skins without added pectin, but that’s a very different preserve.
If you’d like to try making grape jelly without pectin, I’ll walk you through that process a bit later.
Add 4 cups of juice and 1 box of powdered pectin to a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or stockpot. Stir to dissolve the pectin and bring the mixture to a boil. Don’t add the sugar yet. The sugar must be added last when you’re using regular boxed pectin, and the grape jelly won’t set if you add it at the beginning.
Be sure you use a large pot and fill it no more than halfway, as the mixture will foam to double its volume as it cooks.
Allow the grape juice and pectin mixture to boil hard for about 1 minute, and then add the sugar.
The total amount of sugar varies considerably in different grape jelly recipes, but you’ll need at least 4 cups. Standard boxed fruit pectin (like Sure-Jell) requires a 1:1 ratio of juice to sugar by volume to set properly. Some recipes use as much as 6 to 8 cups of sugar, and that’s quite sweet even by modern standards.
Grape juice is already quite sweet. I’d suggest using as little as possible, and going with 4 cups unless you have exceptionally tart grapes.
Stir the sugar into the grape juice/pectin mixture and bring the pot back to a hard boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and ladle the grape jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
It takes 12 to 48 hours for pectin to set, so be patient if it’s not set as soon as it cools. Give it time, and soon you’ll have a beautifully set grape jelly.
Canning Grape Jelly
Grapes are naturally acidic and they’re perfect for waterbath canning. Once you’ve made your homemade grape jelly, process the jars in a waterbath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation).
If you’re new to canning, I’d suggest reading this beginner’s guide to water bath canning before getting starting.
Ways to Preserve Grapes
Looking for more ways to preserve grapes this season?
Grape Jelly
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups grape juice, from 3 1/2 pounds grapes
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 box Powdered Pectin, 1.75 oz, such as Sure-Jell
Instructions
Juicing Grapes for Jelly
- To extract grape juice, stem the grapes into a stockpot or saucepan and add 1/2 cup water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil while mashing the grapes to encourage them to release their juice. Continue to cook until the grapes completely fall apart, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and strain through a jelly bag or double layer or cheesecloth. Allow the juice to strain for at least 2 hours.
- Refrigerate the juice overnight to allow tartrate crystals to separate out.
- Strain the cold juice through the cheesecloth again. Pour carefully, and leave the tartrate crystal sediment behind at the bottom of the jar. Not all grapes form visible tartrate crystals, but this is a good precaution anyway and will prevent crystals in the finished grape jelly.
- If you’re starting with purchased grape juice, skip these steps and begin below.
Making Grape Jelly
- Add 4 cups of grape juice to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, ensuring that the fills the pot no more than 1/3 of the way (mixture will foam). Add the powdered pectin and stir to dissolve. (Don’t add the sugar yet.)
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and boil 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Bring the mixture back to a hard boil and boil 1 minute before turning off the heat.
- Ladle the grape jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Store in the refrigerator for a refrigerator jam and use within 3-4 weeks.
- If canning, process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes if under 1,000 feet in elevation. Add 1 minute to the processing time for every additional 1,000 feet.
- Check jar seals after 24 hours, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Properly canned and sealed jars should maintain quality on the pantry shelf for 12-18 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yes, you can make grape jelly using bottled juice as long as it’s 100% grape juice with no added sweeteners or preservatives. Many people use Welch’s or similar brands when fresh grapes aren’t in season. Just follow the same directions you’d use for fresh juice—measure 4 cups per batch and proceed with pectin and sugar as needed.
Grape jelly is made from strained juice, giving it a smooth, clear texture. Grape jam includes the skins and pulp, resulting in a thicker, more textured preserve.
If you like a bolder flavor and don’t mind the occasional bit of skin or seed, jam might be the way to go. Otherwise, stick with jelly for that classic spreadable finish.
There are a few common reasons why grape jelly doesn’t set:
You may not have boiled the jelly long enough after adding the sugar.
The sugar-to-pectin ratio might be off.
If using low-sugar pectin, not enough calcium (or sugar, depending on the type) may have been added.
Improper timing—pectin takes 12 to 48 hours to fully set after cooling.
If your jelly is still runny after a couple of days, you can reprocess it by reheating and adding additional pectin.
Technically yes, but it’s not reliable. Grapes are low in natural pectin, and without the skins and seeds (which contain most of the pectin), it’s hard to get a firm set. Even methods that add green apples or lemon peel don’t always gel reliably. Unless you’re using a family variety known to set well without help, it’s best to use a boxed pectin for grape jelly.
I love making jams and jellies without pectin whenever possible, but I’ve still yet to make a no pectin grape jelly that actually sets.
The closest I’ve come is with wild grapes, which thickened to somewhere about halfway between a syrup and a jelly…but still didn’t “set.”
Some books suggest that you use about 1/3 underripe grapes, since unripe fruit has more pectin. Even that didn’t really help when I tried it.
The book Canning for a New Generation has a recipe for grape jelly with green apples, that basically uses the pectin from green apples to set a grape jelly. Even still, she notes that it still won’t set properly much of the time and it’s temperamental.
In her recipe, she simmers 3 1/2 pounds of grapes with 1 pound of chopped green apples (peels and cores included) and one sliced lemon (peel and seeds included) for about 20 minutes. That mixture is then strained through a jelly bag before proceeding.
Apple cores, lemon rind, and lemon peel are all high in pectin and basically, add pectin without actually adding a box of pectin. Still, even then it still helps if some of your fruit is underripe.
The strained juice is then cooked with sugar (3/4 cup per cup of juice) until it reaches gel stage. That’s 220 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. I did it…and it still had a very runny set.
If you happen to have grapes that naturally have a higher pectin content, as in, your grandma’s been making grape jelly without pectin for years, congratulations!
But for the rest of us, I’d suggest using boxed pectin to make grape jelly.
That depends on your goals:
Powdered pectin (like Sure-Jell) is the most common and works well for a traditional grape jelly. It requires a 1:1 ratio of juice to sugar to set properly.
Low sugar pectin lets you control sweetness or use alternative sweeteners, and you can use as little sugar as you’d like. I personally like Sure Jel Low Sugar (pink box).
Liquid pectin is added at a different stage and requires more sugar, producing a very sweet jelly. It also has a less firm set, and contains a bunch of preservatives.
Pomona’s Universal Pectin allows for complete flexibility with sweeteners, but may result in a firmer, more jello-like texture.
I usually recommend powdered low-sugar pectin for the best balance of flavor and texture.
The gritty crystals sometimes found in grape jelly are caused by tartaric acid, a natural compound in grapes. To prevent crystals:
–Refrigerate the grape juice overnight before making jelly.
-Pour carefully to avoid disturbing any sediment at the bottom.
–Strain again through a fine cloth (cheesecloth or muslin) before adding pectin.
This step is especially important with wild grapes, which have more tartaric acid than cultivated types.
A single batch of grape jelly typically uses 4 cups of grape juice. This amount matches one box of powdered pectin. If you’re juicing fresh grapes, you’ll need about 3½ pounds of fruit and ½ cup of water to yield enough juice.
Yes! Grape jelly can be stored as refrigerator jelly or freezer jelly:
Refrigerator jelly will last 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge.
Freezer jelly should be stored in wide-mouth jars or freezer-safe containers and will last up to 6 months.
This is a great option if you don’t want to water bath can your jelly.
It’s perfectly fine to make a refrigerator jelly, and simply allow the jars to cool on the counter before storing in the refrigerator. The refrigerator grape jelly should keep for about 3-4 weeks.
A freezer jelly will last a bit longer, extending the shelf life to about 6 months.
Canning grape jelly, on the other hand, means you have a shelf-stable preserve that will last unopened in the pantry for 12 to 18 months. That means you can enjoy grape jelly any day of the year.
Properly canned grape jelly will last 12 to 18 months unopened when stored in a cool, dark place. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and used within 3–4 weeks.
Check jars for signs of spoilage (bulging lids, off smells, or mold) before using.
It’s best to avoid doubling jelly recipes. Pectin-based preserves rely on precise ratios of juice, sugar, and pectin, and larger batches may not set properly. Instead, make multiple small batches—this also gives you better control over each set and texture.
Easy Jelly Recipes
If you’re hoping to keep that jelly pot going, I’ve got plenty of other easy jelly recipes to try.
Strawberry jelly is a sweet, seedless preserve that captures the flavor of fresh June berries and is always a hit with kids. Blackberry jelly is a great option if you love the flavor of wild berries but don’t want to deal with the seeds—especially if you’re working with foraged fruit. For something a bit more tart and complex, try red currant jelly, which has a brilliant ruby color and pairs beautifully with meats or cheese boards.
Pear jelly is a mild, delicate preserve that’s wonderful on toast but also makes an elegant glaze for baked goods. If you’re looking for something with a bold, tangy punch, pomegranate jelly is perfect for holiday gifts or winter spreads. And for a truly unique option, try dandelion jelly, made from spring blossoms. It tastes surprisingly like honey and brings a bit of sunshine to your pantry shelves.
Hi this is my first time making grape jelly! Well technically second time I tried it last year but the pectin I think was outdated so it didn’t set up! Well another mistake I made was not reading thoroughly your instruction, so used to powdered directions for thee liquid pectin, although I’m not sure how bad it will turn out as it seemed to be setting while ladling it into the jars. I will let them sit over night and see how it worked!
Check back in with us and let us know how it worked.
I love this recipe. Thank you so much! The first attempt I made using a different recipe created sugary juice. I am saving it – maybe to use as concentrated grape juice, as I don’t know what else to do with it. Any suggestions?
What was the original recipe that you used? You can definitely use it as a juice/syrup but there may be another way to salvage it.
My jelly ended up being not very spreadable. Do you think it’s possible I added too much pectin or maybe the kind of grapes? I used Munson table grapes 🤷♀️ not very experienced in making jelly
It’s possible that you could have just cooked it a little too long. It sometimes can take some practice to know how long to cook it.
What if I don’t end up with 4 cups of strained juice to make the jelly?
How much did you have?
Wonderful! Really lovely!
If I use the no /or low sugar sure-jel, can I use same process of steps or do I need to follow directions on sure-jel box… I have talble grapes from my garden that are ultra sweet and wont need much if any sugar
You can follow the directions on the box.
My son worked at a vineyard for a few years and when they had extra vines for planting he brought them home. We have 3 panels of grapes in our side yard with no idea what exact varieties, other than types of wine grapes. Last year I steam juiced 3 gallons of juice and made several batches of grape jelly using your directions. It is so delicious, so much tastier than the usual concord jelly. Getting ready to juice our grapes again this week. The jelly made wonderful Christmas gifts last year. Thanks!
You’re very welcome.
I have a question. I completely misread the juice extraction portion. I got distracted while I was doing. I added a lot of water to the grapes when I cooked them done. Did I ruin my chances of making jelly. Could I boil the juice more to cook out some of the water? The juice I did extract has great color and smells like a grape. Just don’t want to end up with runny jelly. Could I add some store bought unsweetened juice and add to it after I boil it down? I processed probably 20lbs of grapes. Don’t want it to be for nothing. HELP!! Thank you!
Sorry I am just now seeing this but yes you should be able to cook for a longer period of time to reduce the excess liquid. Did your jelly turn out for you?
I have failed at making jelly 95% of the time I try (the remaining 5% were just a failure at failing). I have failed every way known to man, and probably invented a few new ways in the process.
I wish I had found your blog years ago. I just put the grape jelly into jars, and it is PERFECTION! I had never heard about letting the acid crystals settle out before….. why do the fancy blog-mammas in their pristine white kitchens and full make-up never tell us that??
Today I picked the fallen fruit from around the nectarine tree, and was ECSTATIC to find your jam recipe. THat will be my next project.
I also love that your recipes take two days to prepare – ie: pick, clean and juice the grapes one day, make jelly the next. A busy home-school doesn’t have the luxury of spending four hours harvesting and preserving the fruit all in one day!
This makes us so happy. I’m so glad that it was so helpful for you.
I have concord grapes and we picked them and froze them whole until Winter. I thawed and juiced them with a strainer,cheese cloth and wooden pin. Then canned the juice. When I pulled out the jars there was this cooked mush floating on the top. Waited until my mom came home to process juice to jelly. Strained it three times through cheese cloth. Got it all out, so we thought. Processed the jelly but in some of the jelly there is the same sentiment at the bottom. I am not sure what it is.
This is most likely tartrate crystal sediment. It is usually recommended to refrigerate the juice overnight and allow the crystals to separate out. Then before making the jelly you want to strain the juice leaving any sediment behind.
I’ve just started canning and this is my first attempt at grape jelly – full disclosure! I ended up straining the pulp/juice a total of three times and did ultimately have to use half store bought juice. When I got to the point of adding the jelly to the jars I noticed a white/lavender film rose to the top. I scraped it off but I am curious what caused this. It otherwise looks good and is setting up nicely. Thank you!
It’s most likely jelled foam. If your fruit foams in the pan and you don’t skim it, that foam will rise to the top of the jelly. If this is the case, the jelly is still safe to eat. You can just scrape it off the top if you want.
You said you steam your grapes to extract the juice. I actually have a combi oven with steam and sous vide function. What % of steam do you use at what temp, and for how long?
I am not familiar with using that type of appliance. You would have to consult the instruction manual for their suggestions on juicing. The steam juicer is just heated on the stovetop until the water boils.
Hello!
Just finding your recipe (darn the luck!) I started with another recipe that stated to cover grapes with water and simmer for 10 minutes. I only had 1.5 lbs of grapes but ended up with 4 cups of liquid after running through a food mill. It seems a bit watered down. I’m not sure if adding the sugar and continuing will result in a good jelly, or if I should attempt to reduce the mixture first. Any thoughts?
Thank you!
Rachael
If you think it seems watered down I don’t think it would be a bad idea to reduce it down.
The steps and suggestions on how to make grape jelly without pectin were helpful, along with the warning that it would be tricky.
I added lemon and apple peels and cooked it to 221 degrees. It gelled beautifully and tastes amazing!
Hi Ashley, Thanks for the recipes and instructions. My hubby put in a request for grape jelly, but there is no pectin available in the stores of my small town, this time of year. So I really appreciated your instuctions for making grape jelly without pectin. I especially was grateful for the step to strain out the crystals…I didn’t know about that. For measurements, I used the recipe in the old Ball canning book. I then added the peel of one very big lemon…with lots of the white part, and the peel and core of a granny smith apple…for good luck! And then I cooked it! The Ball book suggested a full roaring boil, and never mentioned to turn it down, so it boiled hard the whole time! I used the candy thermometre, and used another suggestion to let the temperature rise to 221 or 222 to ‘make sure it was really ready to gel’ lol! All in all it took over 15 minutes of hard boiling, but it finally reached that point. I only got 4 small jars, but it set beautifully, and the tastes is amazing…so ‘grapey’…haha…..my hubby says it’s better than store bought…high praise from him! So…thanks again for the detailed instructions!
That’s wonderful. You’re very welcome. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Ashley!
I’ve read through this recipe and your recipe for grape jam. I have seeded Concord grapes of two unknown species (planted by the people who lived in my house before me – lucky me!!) that I plan to use for jelly (this recipe). I don’t have a canning device, so I am planning to use a large heavy sided pot to do the final 10 minute water bathing (I’d like to keep these jars on the shelf – it’s just me here). Two questions: how do I “test the lids” without opening them and getting the “pop” that confirms they sealed?..and, with water bathing, and since I do not have the proper device, why do I need to put something into the bottom of the pot (suggestions are a round cooling rack or dish cloth) – does this prevent the jars from breaking?
Thank you so much for your well-written recipes/tips!!
Vici
After you let your jars cool, you can push down on the lid. If it is solid then it is sealed. If it gives then it is not. You can also remove the bands and lift up on the lids to make sure they’re sealed.
I made this jelly from wild grapes that were growing in my neighborhood. The grapes were very tiny and seedy, and the juice I got from them was very thick and less than I expected–about 1 1/2 cups instead of 4 cups. I think this is because so much of the fruit was solids., and there were a lot of crystals that I removed. BUT, although I only got a little over a pint of jelly, it is the “grapiest” grape jelly ever! Astonishing. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I made the low sugar grape jelly from home grown grapes. I used 1/2 c sugar and the pectin you recommended. It turned out really good. I had enough grape juice, but not enough low sugar pectin, so I decided to make regular jelly. I had regular sure gel pectin and used 4 cups of sugar. However, I think I used about 4 3/4 cups of juice and the jelly didn’t set. Do you have any recommendations for me? It could be used as is for topping on pancakes, but can I fix it once it’s been canned? Suggestions? Thank you!
Can you tell me how long it has been since you canned it?
8 days. I put a few leftover ounces in the refrigerator. It’s very tasty but still runny. I have 5, 8 oz. jars like that.
Here is a post that I found that shares how to remake jelly that didn’t set properly. https://www.homestead-acres.com/how-to-fix-jam-or-jelly-that-didnt-set/ Let us know how it works out for you.
I am away from home for a week but I will try it after I get back and let you know. Thank you!
Ok sounds great!
Returning home, I found the jelly had thickened. So it was 14 days total to thicken. Your advice about being patient was spot on!
That’s wonderful news. So glad to hear it.
Made a batch of Concord Grape Jelly and a batch of Champagne Grape Jelly using these instructions. Turned out great. Thanks for your instructions. You are my go to canning person!
Cindy
Wonderful! So glad it worked out for you =)