This is the Best Pomegranate Jelly Recipe. Made with fresh, or store bought. juice with sugar and pectin. Simple to make and the perfect way to capture the fresh flavor of pomegranate to enjoy all year!
Love Jellies and Jams? Me too! Be sure to try my Apple Cinnamon Jelly, Blueberry Jelly, and Strawberry Rhubarb Jelly.
This recipe was originally published January 1, 2014. It has since been updated to include helpful tips and fresh photos.
Why You’ll Love This Jelly Recipe
- 3 Ingredients: The toughest decision you will have is deciding if you want to use store bought or fresh juice.
- Holiday Favorite: Pomegranate is the very best homemade jelly and perfect for gift giving.
- Family Favorite: Our go-to whenever we are in need of a fresh jar of jelly.
THIS Homemade Pomegranate Jelly Recipe is a blast from my past. My grandparents had two giant pomegranate bushes in their yard. We would help pick the fresh fruit and would get completely stained as we ate the tiny seeds.
From there we would help her get heaping mounds of seeds to make jelly. This jelly. It is so unbelievably good. There is nothing quite like a warm piece of toast, slathered in melted butter, and spread with pomegranate jelly. The perfect way to can the fresh flavor of pomegranate so you can enjoy it all year long.
Pomegranate Jelly Ingredients
This jelly requires only 3 simple ingredients and comes together quickly. It is what I like to consider a beginner jelly recipe, since it is practically no-fail. Here is what you need to get started:
- Pomegranate Juice: You can use fresh squeezed juice, see below for details, or store bought. If you decide to use a jar from the store, be sure you pick pure pomegranate juice, nothing with added sugar. I recommend POM Wonderful. It does not contain any preservatives, added sugar or artificial sweeteners and is 100% juice, according to their website.
- Granulated Sugar: White sugar works with the juice and pectin in the recipe to not only give you a sweet flavor but also that perfect gel thickness.
- Pectin: I have only tried powdered pectin for this recipe. If you’re familiar with liquid I am sure it could work.
That’s it. All you need are these three simple things with the addition of a very tall pot and candy thermometer.
How Do You Get Juice Out Of A Pomegranate?
- Deseed the pomegranate. There are several different ways to do this, we find this tutorial the most helpful.
- Remove all of the white flesh pieces from the seeds.
- Place the seeds into a blender and pulse until watery and pureed.
- Run through a fine strainer or cheese cloth to remove any large pieces, leaving you with the juice.
How To Make Pomegranate Jelly
- PREP: Gather your ingredients. If you plan on using fresh juice, squeeze and measure to 5 cups.
- BOIL: Combine the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and pectin into a very tall pot.
- SUGAR: Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 seconds. Carefully Stir in the sugar.
- BOIL: Return to a rolling boil and allow the jelly to cook to 220 degrees or until it passes the freezer test, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- PROCESS/FREEZE: Place in freezer jars or seal in canning jars according to the instructions on your canner.
Helpful Tools
- Tall Pot: This will bubble up as it cooks. Keep a close eye on it as it simmers and be sure to use a tall pot (affiliate).
- Candy Thermometer: Having a thermometer on hand is so helpful in making sure the jelly gets to the right temperature.
- Pectin: This recipe does require the use of pectin to help thicken the jelly. I use a box of 1.75 oz pack of Sure-Jell (affiliate).
Recipe Notes:
Yes. I always try to use fresh squeezed fruit juice. However, sometimes it is just easier to use store bought versions. For this recipe I suggest purchasing quality 100% pomegranate juice. Try to avoid juice that contains added sugar.
If processed correctly, your jelly could last up to two years. Make sure you follow the directions of your steam bath and use sterile clean jars. Once opened it will last up to three months.
Pectin is a starch that helps your jelly set or become more solid. It is the key ingredient in making jams and jellies. You can use a powdered or liquid version. Either will work with this recipe. I use the powder.
We have had success cooking are jellies and jams to 220 degrees f. It gives us a solid, and still spreadable, jelly. Be sure to invest in a quality candy thermometer (affiliate) to keep track of your jellies cooking temperature.
I use the “freezer test” to see if my jelly is done cooking and set. For this, simply place a small spoonful of boiling jelly onto a small plate. Place in the freezer for just a few minutes. Remove and see if it has set.
More Must Try Jelly Recipes
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Pomegranate Jelly
Ingredients
- 5 cups of pure pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 (1.75 ounce) box powdered pectin
- 7 cups sugar
Instructions
- Combine the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and pectin into a very tall pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 seconds.
- Carefully Stir in the sugar.
- Return to a rolling boil and allow the jelly to cook to 220 degrees or until it passes the freezer test, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Place in freezer jars or seal in canning jars according to the instructions on your canner.
Notes
- Cook your jelly until it reaches 220 degrees F OR passes the freeze test.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Linda says
If I am using the pink box of sure jell how much sugar do I add.
Jesseca says
Hi Linda. This recipe uses a 1 (1.75 ounce) box of powdered pectin. I’m not sure what the pink box means. If it’s 1.75 oz of powdered pectin follow the recipe as stated.
Rhodora Lacap says
Great recipe and easy to make.
Dawn says
I tried this recipe because of the lower sugar amount and it absolutely would not set up. usually the pectin is added to the juice and boiled before adding sugar. your recipe does not mention that. Secondly, this recipe required boiling for almost 10 minutes before reaching 220 degrees, and pectin breaks down with longer cook times. I even tried recooking this using the directions on the Sure*Jell sheet to no avail. Very sad for the waste of ingredients and time. I think part of the problem is the lower sugar to juice ratio.
Jesseca says
Sorry that you had a difficult time with this recipe, Dawn. I actually JUST made this for the holidays and noticed that I did mess up some of the measurements. I’ve updated the recipe including measurements that are more accurate and will fully set up. I also adjusted the cooking process to help get that thicker set. So sorry that you had an issue. I hope this helps.
Gloria M says
Is it possible to use sweetener instead of regular sugar?
Jesseca says
Hi Gloria, I can’t be certain since I have never tried it myself. I did some research and noticed a few sites say that the jelly will be thinner. This is already a tad thin so I can’t say confidently if it would be a good idea or not.
Nour says
Hi can i replace the pectin with other or could don’t use it??
Jesseca says
I have never made jelly without pectin, so I would not be a great resource for substitutions on that ingredient.
Casey says
This recipe was good. Mine was a little runny but still tasty. Wish it included a cooking temperature.
Jeri says
This is an absolutely amazing recipe. I made my pomegranate jelly this year and wanted to try a new recipe and this was the best by far. This recipe is going in my recipe box and it will be passed down no doubt. Thankyou
Rachel says
How long does it take to set in canning jars
Rebekah says
If you use the PomWonderful, do you still add the sugar?
Jesseca says
Yes. PomWonderful is 100% pure juice but you can adjust the amount of sugar if you prefer.
Drew says
Liked the recipe. I cooked it a bit longer.
Katie says
I made this recipe but cooked until a candy thermometer reached about 220 degrees. I did a spoon test and it came out perfect.
Ashlee says
Mmmmmm love pomeggranate’s!!! I want some!
Aimee @like mother like daughter says
this looks beautiful and delicious. i love the taste of pomegranates, but hate the pain of taking them out of the shell… now do you know a trick on how to juice the seeds?
Jesseca says
plastic gloves and a lot of cheese cloth. Not my favorite at all. I think last time we used a blender followed by the cheese cloth.
Rainbow Allen says
Just a thought. Make it with 100% pom juice and you won’t have to deal with all the seeds
Ellie says
Cut the poms in half cross- wise, juice with a citrus juicer, then run the juice through a fine mesh sieve. Easy easy and less mess.
Jesseca says
Thanks for that tip Ellie! That’s incredibly helpful
Yvonne @ TriedandTasty says
Your pictures are so pretty!! I’d love to taste this 🙂
Olivia says
Hi There I made this last night and I followed your directions perfectly, but my jelly never set :(! Can you please tell me what I did wrong or what I can do to fix the problem :)? Thanks so much. I really want to make this!!!!
Jesseca says
Hi Olivia,
Don’t throw your jelly out just yet! We can definitely trouble shoot this. Check out this post on how to recook jam or jelly that did not set correctly: https://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-thicken-homemade-jam-234749
I will remake this recipe and adjust the cooking to ensure that the jelly sets every time.