It’s an autumnal classic, traditional Scottish rosehip jelly. All country-loving folks make this gorgeous sweet yet tart jelly every year. I’m no exception. It’s one of those preserves that you just have to make yourself. So let’s go make some.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Rosehip jelly isn’t something you’ll find in the shops so it is really rather special and makes a great gift too.
- This is a super easy homemade rosehip jelly recipe.
- The taste – rosehip jelly is delicious and really useful too as a glaze for roasting meats, with a cheeseboard, adding to gravy and of course just on the side of your plate with chicken, baked ham etc.
To make rosehip jelly one first requires rosehips. This means a bit of foraging. These are tricky little buggers that look deceptively cute with their jolly red colouring adding touches of glory to an otherwise dull autumnal day. They tempt you on the hedgerows and you feel you just have to make something yummy out of them.
And come on, how difficult can they be?
Picking rosehips
It is at this point that the human mechanism for forgetfulness falls into place. That same mechanism that makes women forget (!) or at least subdue the memory of pain/agony/torture of childbirth and have another offspring. You have forgotten the scratches etc of former years. Hey ho, off you go again.
You head into the bushes reaching here and there to catch the tantalising little beauties. With each reach and gather you seem to become entangled in the thorns.
Pulling back is a huge mistake because now you are impaled. You end up with crisscrosses all over as if having had a bit of a turn on the self-harming front.
Homewards with the bounty.
Admire those gorgeous red beauties, you have struggled and striven to get the little sods! Onwards to the kitchen…..
The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Processing rosehips
Do not be tempted to remove the seeds or anything remotely crafty like that. Settle instead for chopping off the tufty hard ends. This will be a boring in the extreme and take FAR longer than anticipated. You may well lose the will to live…..
Having done all that throw the damn things in the food processor and pulse them on and off to break them up and open the little monsters. Smirk with glee as you look at them whirring away and imagine their screams of agony that can hardly compare to your own in the bushes earlier.
By the way, try to avoid touching the furry bits inside these joyous little goodies, they cause you to itch like crazy. Did you know that rosehips were once the original components for itching powder!
Ingredients for rosehip jelly
There really aren’t many ingredients in this jelly, only 4 in fact!
There are rosehips, sugar, lemon juice and apples.
How easy is that! If you haven’t made any sort of jelly before then check out my Making Great Jelly page.
Do rosehips contain pectin?
They don’t have a lot of pectin themselves but apples do so they make up for the lack of pectin in rosehips. I add lemon juice to my homemade rosehip jelly and this adds to the pectin levels.
If you don’t want to use lemon juice you can use preserving sugar instead of standard granulated sugar.
Making Rosehip Jelly
Like all good jelly making this is an overnight job. You want to get the most of the juice from those rosehips and apples once you’ve boiled them together. Now the most important thing in making any jelly is NOT to squeeze the bag to get more juice out of it. Oh I know it’s tempting.
You’ve let it drip overnight and see there is a mass of fruity pulp in the bag and not a huge amount of juice in the bowl. DO NOT squeeze the jelly bag. Resist the temptation to squeeze that bag at all costs.
If you do squeeze out the last of the juice your rosehip jelly will end up cloudy and not that gorgeous jewel-like clear jelly you were looking for.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Foraging
Foraging for fruits and berries is great fun. And when the results are as good as this amazing rosehip jelly then it is well worth the odd scratch and maybe falling in a ditch or two along the way.
When youo are foraging for rosehips allways leave some on the bush for the birds. Forage responsibly please.
How long will this jelly keep?
This will keep for up to a year in a cool dark place but once opened store in the fridge and use within a month.
How to use rosehip jelly
Serve this yummy jelly on toast in the morning or with a cheese board in the evening.
It is a tart, sweet jelly that goes really well with cold meats too. So bring it out with a plowman’s at lunchtime too.
Use this as a glaze when you are baking gammon and other meats.
Add it to your toasted sandwiches too and stir some into gravy for added flavour..
Now that you’ve got your rosehips you might want to make something else with them.
Remember foraged fruits like rosehips can’t be bought in the shops. So this rosehip jelly makes a great wee foodie gift for friends and family.
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Traditional Scottish Rosehip Jelly
Ingredients
- 1 kg apples any sort really
- 450 g rosehips
- 500 g sugar
- 1 lemon juice only
Instructions
- Trim the turfts off all the rosehips and then pulse in food processor.Chop the apples in quarters, don’t bother to core or peel them, and toss into a large pan. Cover with water and add an extra 300ml/1/2 pint of water on top.
- Bring to boil and cook until they are tender. Now throw in the rosehips breathing a sigh of relief that you won’t have to touch the damn things again. Simmer for a further 10 minutes and let it cool a little.
- Set up a jelly bag/cheesecloth in sieve or whatever you have to strain the mix and then pour it in there and let it drip into a bowl overnight.
- Next day resist temptation to squeeze the bag because if you do it will make the jelly cloudy and you’ve worked way too hard to end up with cloudy jelly.
- Measure the liquid and for every 600ml/1 pint use 400g/14oz of warmed sugar.
- Put all this back into your pan with the lemon juice and slowly bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar. Now boil until you reach setting point of 105c/220f or test with the old chilled saucer technique.
- Let it cool a little before pouring into sterilised jars. Seal and sit back admiring your work.
This is something I’ve never gotten round to making. I must do it next year when my huge supply of homemade preserves has gone down a bit. We do have lots of rosehips in the hedgerows all around our little patch of land, so the birds can have them this year and I’ll share some with them next 🙂
Hmmmmm huge cupboard full of preserves, sounds familiar! The birds will surely enjoy the rosehips this season.
K x
This looks delicious, Karon! I’ll have to wait another 6 months before harvesting rosehips, it’s Spring for us right now 🙂
Always hare to imagine the seasons all topsy turvy in our different parts of the world!
K x
Hi Karen, thanks for posting this. I have just arrived back (scratched hands and all!) with a load of rosehips from the local briar patch and was looking for recipes. I notice a lot of them, including yours, use apples as well …. is that a flavour thing or just for the pectin. I have jam sugar in the cupboard with added pectin so I’m wondering if I should add the apples or not. Thanks 🙂
I use apples for the pectin but also to bring in more flavour and bulk the jelly out juice wise.
K x
Thanks Karon, and apologies for misspelling your name the first time!
I just found your post and I never comment on blogs but I had to tell you this is the best food blog post I’ve ever read! What a great blend a honesty, humour, and essential information; I’m going to show it to my students as an example of blogging done right!
Thanks, so glad you liked the post
K x
I agree, written with both humour and “ooh that looks delicious” type of recipes. Szed is yo my homepage! Thank you, Karon
Hi Kate
Thanks for this lovely comment. Just thrilled you like my site so much.
K
Hi Karon -looks good – can you tell me how long does the jelly keep for?
Mine lasts up to a year unopened.
K x
Do the itchy hairs not bother you after they have been processes?
No not a problem
K
I love this post – laughed out loud – just wondering how many jars it makes?
Glad you liked the post, should make about 4 medium sized jars
K
best simple recipe with no sugar added…
thank you
Thanks glad you like it
K x
Hi
My jelly is dripping right now. Thank you for your recipe, much appreciated
Kim in the uk
Hi Kim
Hope you enjoy the jelly!
K
Help! I loved the jelly, fabulous flavour, but it overset. As a jam newbie I was meticulous about quantities and took the pan off the heat as soon as it reached 105°C but I can cut it with a knife. I made the pear and chocolate jam the next day (another 5* recipe) and I’m not even sure I can get it out of the jar. Any idea what I’m doing wrong please? I have another 1lb of rosehips and would love a spreadable jelly this time.
Elaine
Hi Elaine
So sorry to hear you have been having setting problems. Jelly can be notoriously tricky on setting. I use chilled saucers in the freezer and do the srinkle test if I’m having setting issues. I test the jelly before it’s reached the setting temperature and if the wrinkle test says it’s ready I go with that. Never heard of over setting with my pear and chocolate jam. I’m so sorry. Don’t chuck out the over set jelly, use it sliced thinky with cheese like Membrillo or a fruit cheese. If you are trying again on the rosehips try the wrinkle test.
K
Hi Karon,
thanks for the advice, I’ll use the wrinkle test from now on.
The rosehip jelly is way too nice to throw, I’ve chopped some of it into small cubes and tossed ithem in icing sugar..a cross between jelly babies and Turkish delight.
I’m so glad I found your brilliant site, can’t wait to try more recipes.
Elaine
Hi Elaine
What a lovely way to use the rosehip jelly, like Turkish delight, like that idea. Thanks so much for your lovely comments on my site, i really appreciate that.
K
Thank you for the simple and entertaining recipe! However, my jelly hasn’t set and I need help!
It was my first time making jelly and I only just learned the difference between jam sugar and preserving sugar. I couldn’t get hold of preserving sugar and read that granulated sugar would work the same. When it didn’t seem to be setting (no matter how long I boiled it for it wouldn’t pass the wrinkle test) I tried adding 1 sachet pectin (which I had bought before learning the difference between jam and preserving sugar). I jared up the jelly but it didn’t set even with the added pectin. Is there anything I can do to save it?! More pectin?
Thanks in advance 🙂
Hannah
Hi Hannah
Reboil it and use a thermometer to check that you hit that all important setting point. Jelly can be a pest when it does this. It should set once it’s reached that temperature. Did you check the temperature when you boiled it first time?
K
Thank you! I re-boiled it and it has set beautifully! I think my thermometer is faulty as it didn’t reach 105c either time, but it did pass the wrinkle test the second time. I used a pot with much better heat conduction so I think that helped. Thanks again, I’m delighted!
Hi Hannah
Thrilled to hear this.a good preserving pot can make all the difference. I’m so glad you got the jelly to set as it tastes so good and well worth the extra effort to reboil it. Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it.
K
Thanks so much for posting this recipe! I finished making it today and it is delicious (from licking the spatula)! It was my first time making jam (I foraged the apples and rose hips) and although intimidating, it went well. Mine turned out cloudy even though I followed the instructions to the T. I don’t really mind though.
Hi Caden
So glad you have made this jelly and that it’s your very first jam. Well done you, very impressed. Now you’ll just have to make all sorts of yummy preserves!
K
I just love the way you have written the receipe for rose hip jelly ,the humour made me follow your receipe above others.Mine turned out too runny so I added more sugar and re boiled it and bingo we now have 5 jars of beautiful jelly.Thank you
Hi Helen
Glad you enjoyed the post and have had success with your jelly. It can be tricky stuff sometimes when it comes to setting.
K
I made this here in the U.S. with rose hips gathered in the pacific northwest, Jonathan apples, and regular sugar. The apples were loaded with pectin and so while I had lots of stirring, I didn’t have to add extra pectin. I cut down on the sugar. It jelled just fine. Will definitely make this again!
Hi Susan
So thrilled you made the rosehip jelly and like it so much. Lovely to think about it being made so far away.
K
Hi I have just started the first part of this recipe. I had more reships than I need so doubled up the quantity of apples.When I added the water to cover them they floated and it was difficult to decide when they were covered in water so i had to guesstimate.
After daring and sieving the pulp, I now have 3.7 litres of juice. is this excessive and do I need to reduce it to continue. I have tasted the juice and it is pleasant but not a strong taste. Thank you for your response in advance. Susan
Hi Susan
wow that’s a lot of juice. I would suggest reducing it a bit or your jelly won’t have much flavour at all. It is difficult to judge water when you have to just cover fruit and it bobs up. I should suggest putting a small plate on top of the rosehips and adding water. Hope your jelly works out okay.
K
I love to make jelly every fall and just give it away..my twin boys love the rose hip jelly..I stick with jelly,rather than jam,I can,t eat the seeds…but everyone love the different kinds of jelly I make from the Pinterest site..keep em coming..I,m loving it…
Hi Mary
So glad you like my jelly recipes so much. Really appreciate your comment.
K
I made this for the first time this week. It got rave reviews from my children so we gathered more rosehips yesterday.
Hi Amanda
So glad everyone likes it so much. Love making this one every year myself.
K
Cute writing and jelly! I love your humor. Im from vietnam and never knew rosehips were edible. Now im curious how those jelly tastes like.
Hi Thao
Thanks for your nice comments. Hope you get to try the rosehip jelly
K
Thanks so much for your recipes – I made a batch of this jelly and some rosehip vinegar. I did learn that using leather work gloves for picking helps minimize the thorniness of that task. (The “Oliver Twist” style with open fingers allowed for easy grabbing and protection)
I did find it took an interminable amount of time to get the temperature high enough to set the jelly – I spent close to an hour with an oven mitt, stirring on and off and checking by saucer and thermometer.
I think next time I’ll use a tad less water as the flavour was not as intense as I’d hoped. Nevertheless I’m thrilled to have used some of my incredible supply. Cheers!
Hi Kirstin
Glad you got the glove situation sorted for picking. So glad the jelly worked out in the end and that you like the vinegar too.
K
Made this with wild rose hips from the Rhode Island coast to share with my California family to remember our vacation. The jelly has a lovely color and flavor. We have eaten it with cheddar cheese on crackers and on fresh biscuits with homemade butter. Tastes like a fruity honey. Very nice recipe!
Hi Mimi
So glad you liked the recipe for the rosehip jelly and that it was such a hit with the cheese and crackers and homemade biscuits.
K
Used sharp scissors to cut off turfts…seems much faster than a knife
just made a double batch…used 2 lemons in place of preserving sugar for pectin and also used crabapples.
really good recipe!!!!!!!
Hi Tom
Glad you liked the recipe. Always fun to play around with ingredients and adapt things to suit yourself. You should have plenty there to keep you going for a while.
K
Thanks very much for the recipe, which I made this weekend. Highly entertaining description and straightforward recipe.
This was the first jam/jelly I’ve ever made. The last few degrees of boiling sugar were rather nervewracking! Used jam sugar as couldn’t get hold of preserving sugar – it’s definitely set! If I make it again (and I’ve seen morewild rosehips locally so am tempted), I (a) might use the last of my jam sugar and mix it with granulated sugar. The bit I’ve tasted has been very nice, and I say this as a person who goes through a jar or two of jam a year.
I’ve also made rosehip liqueur with a brandy base; hopefully that will be nice too.
Hi Katrina
Thanks for getting in touch and so glad you have enjoyed making this rosehip jelly. Yes you could mix jam sugar with some granulated sugar.
K
Just picked some rosehips with my daughter and found your recipe, laughed very hard at your writing !! Scratches up my arms as I type, some of the rosehips partially detufted thank you for brightening our day, you touched our hearts ♥️
I’m looking forward to my first rosehip jelly with my 16yr old daughter Thank you !! Xx
Hi Lydia
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, I really appreciate it. I do hope that the rosehip jelly turns out really well for you and that you both enjoy it.
K
Greetings from Canada ! Came for the recipe…stayed for the poetry! My imagination joined you through all the scratches and (in)sanity of the process. Looking forward to trying your recipe(s) as I have about a pound or so of dried wild rosehips, gathered this spring prior to the roses budding for the coming season.
Hi Kim
Glad you liked the blog post on my rosehip adventure. Hope you enjoy the jelly when you make it.
K
Dear Karon, I’m very grateful for your recipe and all the tips, plus the Scottish accent. My family and I have foraged for wild rosehips since I was a small child near our family cottage on an island in Maine, USA. They are rosa rugosa, “Beach Rose,.” The species is different from the hips in your photo. However, I have a feeling that the jelly comes out very similarly. I made a test run with a small pile of fruit to my friends’ delight and now have three bags and bowls of dripping pulp through cheesecloth and strainer. In the morning I’ll make a larger quantity of jelly and am very excited about this. Everyone who has tried it agrees that the charcuterie board is or will be amazing with this wonderful jelly.
It didn’t rain much this year and many of the fruit on the beaches were not looking great. The most gorgeous bush was in front of a beautiful house in full sun next to a lawn not far from the beach where my parents’ ashes were scattered. I mustered the courage to ask the owner of the house if I could pick her rosehips and make her a jar of jelly. She was delighted and asked me to stay for a drink with her friends and husband, which became a scrumptious seafood dinner and good times. Tomorrow I’ll bring her the jar I promised. She has also asked me to throw a song into the barter i.e. me performing for her (I’m a pro musician).
Our family always made apple butter-like jam from our foraged rosehips which is an even more labor-intensive process, and I’m truly reveling in the joy and community which has come from my wish to use your jelly recipe for the first time this year! Thank you for the inspiration, clear instructions, and spirited writing.
Hi Hannah
I’m so glad you managed to pick some rosehips and through that have made new friends. I hope you and your friends enjoy the rosehip jelly.
K
Hi,
I’ve read on some recipes that people strain the rose hip juice twice to make sure to get rid of all the little hairs. Is this something you e ever done? I’d rather only strain once if possible
Hi Alex
All the information on how I make my rosehip jelly is on the blog post including my way of straining the juice overnight.
K
can I freeze the rosehips and make the jelly when I have more time? Also can you make the jelly with rosehips gathered in september?
yes I’ve frozen them before. As long as the rosehips are ripe and bright red not hard and orange/yellowish.Hope this helps.
K