Canning Rose Hip Jelly

Rose hips are extremely high in vitamin C. In fact, since the British were cut off from their supply of citrus fruits during World War II, they used rose hip syrup to ensure their intake of vitamin C.

To make either rose hip syrup or jelly, you start out by making rose hip tea. I find that as little as 1 cup of rose hips makes a decent batch of jelly, but 2 cups will work better. I left the quantity vague to accommodate those who may not have a lot of rose bushes. Personally, I think that wild rose hips make a wonderful jelly.


Rose Hip Jelly
(yield is about 6 half-pint jars)
(Printable Recipe)

1 to 2 cups rose hips
4 1/2 cups water
1 package powdered pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar

Remove the blossom end from rose hips, wash them, and cut them in half. Bring the Water to a boil. Add rose hips and return to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 20 minutes. Strain through a dampened jelly strainer . Measure 4 cups of liquid. You may add a little more water if too much evaporated away while the tea was steeping. Add pectin and bring to a full rolling boil. Add sugar and return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Fill hot canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add lids and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

High altitude instructions
1,001 - 3,000 feet : increase processing time by 5 minutes
3,001 - 6,000 feet : increase processing time by 10 minutes
6,001 - 8,000 feet : increase processing time by 15 minutes
8,001 - 10,000 feet : increase processing time by 20 minutes