I watched the kids collecting honeysuckle yesterday, picking flowers from the vines and sucking their sweet nectar, and it occurred to me- we should make honeysuckle jelly!

The kids thought this was a great idea, and were very easily persuaded to collect a couple cups of the flowers for me.

The recipe I used only made one pint jar. Which was okay ’cause this was my first time making this jelly, and I wasn’t sure how it would taste. Next time I’ll double it and use half-pint jars. Here’s how it’s done…

You’ll need:

• 2 cups honeysuckle flowers
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1/8 c. lemon juice
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 oz liquid pectin

First you need to make an infusion to draw the flavor out of the flowers. It’s very simple. Prepare the flowers by removing the tiny green tip at the base of the petals.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a med. saucepan, turn the heat off, then add the honeysuckle flowers you’ve gathered and allow them to steep for about 45 min., stirring occasionally.

Strain the flowers from the liquid. I had a little over a cup of liquid after straining. You only need one cup of the infusion for this recipe. (Use any leftover infusion to make a honeysuckle sore throat syrup!)

In the same saucepan, stir together 1 cup flower infusion, the lemon juice, and the sugar; bring to a hard boil that won’t stir down. Add the pectin and boil for 2 min; reduce heat if necessary to avoid boiling over.

Ladle into a hot, sterilized jar. I don’t water bath my jellies,  but you can if you want.

*What’s cool about this recipe is that it only makes one pint jar, so you don’t even have to can it really. Simply pour it into a glass container with a lid, allow it to cool, then store it in the fridge. Anyone can do it!

If you like the way honeysuckle smells, you’re gonna love how this stuff tastes!

Have you ever made Honeysuckle Jelly? Got a different recipe to share? I’ll definitely be making more of this stuff before the honeysuckles are gone. It is de-lish!!