UPDATE: While I have made 7 successful batches, it appears that many folks are running into trouble with this recipe. I recently made an 8th batch and it failed to gel.
I have since experimented with several pectins and taken the advice of Stephanie, a reader, and switched to Dutch Gel Pectin which works like a treat! Simply use a generously rounded 2/3 cup of the Dutch Gel and VOILA! Thanks so much to Stephanie for the great idea!
My husband lives, breathes, sleeps, drinks, and eats coffee. I mean REALLY.
We tea drinkers often get a reputation as being high maintenance, but my husband takes the cake with his coffee rules. The guy opts to drive rather than fly on all business trips under 12 hours so he can take HIS coffee and HIS coffee maker with him.
He gets it delivered automatically every month through Amazon.com because running out of coffee? Well, that’s simply unacceptable.
His love for coffee runs to all things coffee related with the singular exception of coffee yogurt which just “isn’t right”.
So after our grand trip to the Western Caribbean a couple of months ago which included a stop in Honduras where they had roughly 4 million coffee related gift shops he was in coffee lover’s heaven.
One of the shops in Roatán sold coffee jelly. The moment I saw it, I knew I’d be making it at home. How could I not?
I got home and started experimenting, beginning with my go-to pectin: Pomona’s Universal Pectin. I use Pomona’s for all the jams and jellies I make here during the summer and fall months.
It has never failed me and so I expected it to perform like a treat here. I was beyond shocked when my first 4-cups-of-coffee batch failed to set. “No problem! It’s coffee syrup!” I thought, and handed it out to friends as such.
I increased the pectin in Batch 2, and had a slightly thicker syrup, but still no set! What the heck? Batches 3, 4, and 5 were made after consulting with their helpline, but still yielded a thick syrup that was most certainly not a jelly.
At this point, I had blown through 14 cups of coffee (the last two batches having been smaller, experimental sized batches) and finally decided to throw a Hail Mary by using a box of my long-ago-abandoned SureJell.
I went all in with another 4-cup batch (because SureJell doesn’t lend itself to increasing or decreasing the batch size) and held my breath after removing the processed jars from the pot of hot water.
Since then, we have discovered that Dutch Gel is actually the most foolproof of all of the available pectins I have used.
It was PERFECT. It had the ideal jelly texture and viscosity and was a sight to behold.
Upon reflection (and discussion with my sister who is also a devoted Pomona’s user), I think the reason Pomona’s failed here when it has never failed before is a quirky one.
Pomona’s gelling action is activated by a low sugar environment (which I used in my experiments) and the addition of calcium water. Coffee has been proven to leach calcium from bones (it’s on the watch list of foods to avoid if you have osteoporosis) so my theory is that it prevents the calcium water from activating the pectin.
Like I said… it’s a theory, but it’s the only reason I can think of that Pomona’s wouldn’t do the job it’s so good at doing.
…And that is the story both of how Dutch Gel found a small place on my shelves (next to the Pomona’s) for one single use, and how I blew through a 32 ounce bag of my husband’s coffee beans and he was relegated to eating a jar of Coffee Jelly for breakfast and was quite surly until I overnighted a new bag here the next day from Amazon. Ahem. Whoops. Sorry, honey.
Cook’s Notes
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- I’m going to go ahead and say it. Dutch Gel is the best option for pectin here. Pomona’s failed absolutely in every single variation I tried.
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- Don’t get weirded out by the presence of lemon juice in the recipe. For starters, it’s absolutely necessary to make this a safe item to can. The acidity is what prevents microbial growth in the jar, so it’s not optional to omit it.
Secondly, though, you really don’t taste it. It does a good job of brightening the coffee flavour without being overtly lemony. (Besides this, there are nations in the world where serving lemon with coffee is pretty standard!)
- Don’t get weirded out by the presence of lemon juice in the recipe. For starters, it’s absolutely necessary to make this a safe item to can. The acidity is what prevents microbial growth in the jar, so it’s not optional to omit it.
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- Don’t be tempted to diminish the amount of sugar in the recipe. Dutch Jel is designed to work with a specific range of sugar and this recipe was tested using exactly 5 1/2 cups of the sweet stuff.
In order to make it lower sugar, you have to use a low-sugar pectin, and my experiments with that (specifically Pomona’s) were abject failures. Think of this as a sweet treat.
- Don’t be tempted to diminish the amount of sugar in the recipe. Dutch Jel is designed to work with a specific range of sugar and this recipe was tested using exactly 5 1/2 cups of the sweet stuff.
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- Are you wondering what to do with a batch of Coffee Jelly? Do you have coffee lovers in your life? Give them a jar for the holidays! Coffee Jelly is a great Christmas stocking stuffer!
You can spread it on toast or do like my husband loves: spoon onto Simple French Toast then top with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder!
- Are you wondering what to do with a batch of Coffee Jelly? Do you have coffee lovers in your life? Give them a jar for the holidays! Coffee Jelly is a great Christmas stocking stuffer!
- This jelly is a great beginning canning project. If you need help with canning basics, SEE THIS PAGE.
Coffee Jelly
Rate RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups VERY strongly brewed coffee preferably a darker roast
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/3 cups Dutch gel pectin
Also needed:
- 5 to 6 jelly jars with new two-piece lids. 8 ounce
Instructions
- Stir the coffee and lemon juice together in a 4 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and Dutch Gel Pectin. Add the sugar to the boiling coffee mixture all at once, and whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, or until the pectin and sugar are fully dissolved into the solution. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, and boil for exactly 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, ladle into clean 8 ounce jars, wipe the rims with a damp paper towel, and screw on new, two-piece lids until fingertip tight.
- Use the Boiling Water Bath method to process the jars for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a cooling rack or a tea towel on the counter and let cool, undisturbed, overnight. After the jars are cooled, remove the rings, wipe clean, and label. The jelly should be stored in a dark place -preferably a cool one- free of temperature fluctuations. It is best used within the year.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
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This post originally published November 2014, updated with video and improved cook’s notes in October 2018.
Reader's Thoughts...
Che'ree Fitzgerald says
What no one has mentioned in the possible reasons the jelly isn’t ‘jelling’ could be the type or even strength of the coffee.We all know the really strong coffee is denser and actually ‘feels’ thicker when you drink it. Perhaps brand of coffee or blend has something to do with the problems. Or even the type of pan it is cooked in…coffee is very acidic and may not be reacting well with the type of metal pot it is cooked in…
Just a few thoughts about why it might not be jelling.
I just found this recipe and haven’t tried it yet but will.
jc says
Hmm that’s odd. I just made a batch of coffee jelly with Pomona’s and it set just fine. I wonder why it didn’t turn out for you.
Rebecca says
I’m beginning to think coffee jelly is just exceedingly temperamental. 😀
Leana says
Hello all you crazy jelly makers! I happen to love making ‘off-the-wall’ goodies too!
I LOVE Mexican Coffee!
Brew a pot of coffee with a dash of cinnamon, 1/3 – 1/4 c. dark brown sugar and 1tsp. vanilla (just put in the pot and brew coffee into it), stir when done. To drink, add chocolate and cream. Wowza it’s good. (Found it in an old Southern Living mag, but they used cinnamon sticks)
But, this is where I go crazy………
I would LOVE to turn this Mexican Coffee goodness into a jelly!
I know to omit the cream.
What about canning with chocolate?
Maybe a chocolate flavor instead of syrup?
And the sugar…. This will be the tricky part I think.
Do I use the regular amount of sugar and add 2Tbsp. molasses or just swap out some of the white sugar and use the dark brown?
Am I too crazy?
Rebecca says
Well? I don’t think you’re nuts… I think you’re kindred for playing with food. I’d advise forgetting the sugar as the sugar content should be taken care of by the jelly making process. Trust me. It’ll be sweet. Chocolate might be okay, and I can’t see an issue with the cinnamon. Obviously we’ll ignore the dairy, because that’s not suitable for home canning. PLEASE play with it and let me know what you end up with! Sounds delicious.
Leana says
Hello again! Made both recipes and here are the results…
Your recipe, as directed, made my taste buds very happy, fell in love with the deep coffee flavor, but no set. I used regular coffee, with no alterations.
My Mexican Coffee recipe:
brewed as stated above with 1/4 c dark brown sugar using 10 c water and enough DECAF coffee to make a full pot. (Leaves me some to drink!) Stir well after brewing, measure the 4 c per your recipe and add 2tsp unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir well. Add to the pot with lemon juice and boil. Now, here’s where I strayed off your recipe. I added the SureJell now, by itself, per the SureJell directions for Cooked Jams& Jellies. Brought that to a full rolling boil and then dumped all sugar at once. Then another full rolling boil for exactly one minute. Hot water bathed.
Set as jelly should, once cooled!
And the taste…..
Oh my heavens, Rebecca!
This stuff is ‘Kiss Your Momma’ good! Once the unexpectedly enjoyable jaw tingling passes, the flavors start to come through. Chocolate, then vanilla and cinnamon, all while the coffee is making your taste buds jump for joy!!! I hope you make some for your Hubster! If he loves coffee with flavors, this could become a new fave. It passed the test here! I loved the look on my Hubster’s face when he tasted it. Made my heart go pitty-pat 🙂
Thank you for inspiring me to ‘risk that precious pot of coffee’!
Michelle says
When u brewed ur coffee did u put coffee AND brown sugar in the coffee filter? And you said you followed Sure-Jell back of box instructions did you only add one box of Sure-Jell instead of one and a half cups like she stated?
Margaret says
Is it jelly consistency coming out of the water bath or does it have to sit? Mine is pretty runny. Thanks for your help.
Jen says
It’s definitely still runny when you take it out of the water bath, it’s just come out of a boiling water bath. You have to let any jar coming out of hot water baths cool before you get anything to set. I really don’t even bother to mess with the jars until the next day to test for setting once sealed. Like I said I check for my own gelling consistency before I even start filling jars.
Rebecca says
Thanks for weighing in with these awesome tips, Jen! Sometimes it takes me a while to get back to help problem solve a recipe and you got this one for me!
Jen says
🙂 by the way, took the coffee jelly to work today to have some people taste test it beyond what I thought, all agreed it was great!! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Jen says
I made this jelly yesterday after reading thru all of the instructions and responses by others in respect to it not setting correctly. A few alterations on my end: 4.5 cups of sugar in total as that is what a pink low/no sugar box of Sure Jell on my end calls for. I brought the coffee/lemon juice mixture to a boil then added 1cup of sugar mixed with entire packet of Sure Jell, brought this back to a boil, then added the rest of the sugar (4.5 cups in total) and brought this to a boil. Stir mixture together really well in after each sugar addition. I split the pectin/sugar additions because when I work with other jellies and preserves this is how it suggests it to be done.
This is not my first time canning and one thing I do normally check for after the second addition of sugar is to be sure the mixture is starting to gel as I expect it to: stir the mixture with a spoon and then pull the spoon out and hold above pan exposing to air to see if it will start to gel on your spoon.
Using the hot final product I filled my jars appropriately and processed in a water bath for 10 minutes. Pulled the jars out and let them sit on the counter to cool, they eventually set nicely after a few hours of cooling.
Hope that helps!
ginger says
Thanks Jen!
Connie Zuhde says
Mine has not set. I am going to try your method. It is pretty sweet. BUT…I drizzled some of the warm syrup over vanilla ice cream. I AM IN LOVE!!!
Sharise says
Hello everyone I’m late posting this but I made this coffee jelly as gifts for Christmas 2016, following the instructions from Jen. I must say I’m glad I did after reading all the disappointing comments of not getting this jelly to set, I was a little skeptical on trying this to give as gifts but I was curious as I know this would make the perfect gift for those I had in mind. I suggest to others to follow Jen’s method, as my jelly turned out perfect & being enjoyed by those it was given to. Thanks a million Jen.
Rebecca says
Thank you for giving us that feedback, Sharise!
Lauran says
I had the same issue with it not setting up. I am new to canning though. Does the jelly need to be relatively thick before ladling it into the jars? Can this be achieved by either reducing the amount of liquid (coffee) or letting it boil longer? Just trying to figure out what I need to do to troubleshoot this myself but since I’m new to this I didn’t know if you had any pointers. Thank you!
Kate says
So, my first try at this I kind of mucked up the recipe (I know, how could anyone do that?) by adding the lemon juice already mixed into the sugar… half of the sugar. The recipe didn’t set up right. (I do make very strong pourover coffee, so this may also be part of it). Anyway, I’m giving it another go today, but I’m curious to know if anyone is experimenting using espresso in lieu of brewed coffee, or adding in extras–like scraping a vanilla bean to throw in there for vanilla coffee jelly!!! The “extra flavors” seem limitless, but I don’t know what adding flavors or additional syrups would do to processing time! Suggestions? Attempts? No-nos?
Deidre says
I tried this yesterday, following your instructions precisely. Thin syrup, even after sitting for 24 hours. I opened all the jars, poured the contents back into the pot, and brought the whole mess to a boil again. I added ANOTHER package of sure jell (I had made two batches, so this would have been like adding an additional half box to each original batch) and boiled it for a full three minutes. To my dismay, after processing it is STILL syrup! I give up, my friends are getting syrup for Christmas. sigh….
Rebecca says
It seems the coffee jelly is a finicky thing. I’m sorry you’re having trouble with it. When you made your first batch, was it a double batch or did you make two individual batches? I know that sounds like a weird question, but Sure Jell actually is known to fail when made as a double batch. It has something to do with the amount of time it takes to return to a boil. On the plus side, speaking from failed-batch experience, I know the syrup is tasty!
Lorraine says
I tried making this jelly tonight, following the recipe to the letter – no luck, no gel, just thin syrup. Kinda disappointed. It sounded like a really good idea.
Rebecca says
As you can see from my post, I ran into a lot of trouble before finally getting a gel to set. I’m wondering if coffee jelly is just problematic. I’ll make another batch to see what happens this time. (Even though it worked consistently with three batches for me!)
debbie travis says
I don’t know much about canning but do you think you could can it like jam? The old way. When I make jam I use half and half- berries and sugar, dump in some fresh lemon juice, cook down until thick then jar it
Marsha says
I also tried your recipe with the regular SureJell, and I have 6+ half-pints of thin syrup. I put the partial/unsealed jar in the frig to see if it would set up, but…. no. I’ll continue to watch comments to see if anyone has a ‘fix’ for transforming syrup into jelly.
Shari says
I am so excited about this recipe. It’s the perfect addition to our kids homemade Christmas boxes. BUT, I have attempted two batches of this, one last night and one tonight. I used french press coffee, bottled lemon juice, sugar and the sure jell pectin. Followed the recipe to the letter on the first batch and got a batch that didn’t really thicken at all. On the second batch I extended the cook time (after adding the sugar and pectin mixture and returning to a rolling boil) to 5 minutes. I got a thick syrup on the second batch. Any idea what I’m doing wrong. Should I be using the low sugar sure jell?
Rebecca says
Did you can the ones that didn’t appear to be thickening? Let’s watch those jars for a few days. Sometimes SureJell takes a couple of days to set up. If it still doesn’t appear to be setting after those two to three days, let’s reassess and I’ll see if we can troubleshoot it together!
Shari says
I did can them and I’ll keep an eye on them. I’ll let you know what happens. Just finished making your Candied Jalapeños. Those little suckers are awesome!
Rebecca says
Hooray!!! I’m glad you like the Candied jalapenos. They’re a staple at our house! I’ll look forward to hearing how your coffee jelly fares. Another thing you can do is stick one jar in the refrigerator and see if it sets up any faster!
Shari says
One jar in the refrigerator for the past 36 hours. The rest on the kitchen counter. Three days since I canned the jelly. No change in the consistency of any of the jars. I’m going to try another batch this weekend. Any ideas?
Crystal K says
I’m having the same issue with it not thickening up. Was trying to see if there was some trouble shooting that had happened. I’m going to can this batch and then try the pick your own “how to fix a non gelled jelly” bit tomorrow if it doesn’t set.
Shari says
I never got a reply from my last post so no trouble shooting happened. I tried to fix the non gelled jelly. It still did not gel and the flavor was altered dramatically. I tried a third batch and got the same results. I sent the kids Christmas boxes off today. Sadly, without the coffee jelly.
Amie says
When making jelly you have to use cane sugar. Most table sugar is beet sugar, unless it says otherwise. The pectin works best w cane sugar. I’ve accidentally used regular beet sugar and it never completely jells. Use as a syrup or flavor. Would probably go great on icecream. 🙂
Deanna says
Do you think this would work with tea, specifically chai, as well? I think this would make a great Christmas gift, but some of my friends are constitutionally opposed to coffee. I think a trio of coffee, chai, and idk earl grey? jellies might be a cute set to give out. 🙂
Rebecca says
I haven’t tested it, but it sounds like it would taste lovely! Of course, you’d have to leave the milk out of the chai as the dairy doesn’t can well!
Deanna says
I think I’ll try it, after I order some new jars and some pectin, because, of course I would be interested in canning within a year of giving away most of my moms old canning stuff lol. Ah, well, I couldn’t have anticipated how my interests changed after my mom passed.
Anyhow I look forward to trying this out!
Kari @ Cooking with Toddlers says
This is the answer to my coffee prayers! Nothing better than having a nice cup of coffee with some coffee jelly toast in the morning. Can’t wait to make this!
sara says
i think i’m going to make this for Christmas gift baskets! i’ve never heard of it, but it’s gotta be AMAZING! i’d love a few more ideas of what to do with it, though…
Rachel Cooks says
I am intrigued by this! I drink a lot of coffee these days (weird, I know) so any way to get more caffeine into my body is a good thing. 😉
Rebecca says
Heehee! I’m telling you. As parents, we need to diversify our caffeine delivery systems 😀
Crystal | Apples & Sparkle says
Coffee Jelly! I’ve never heard of such a thing! But I am definitely game to try it! This would be a good unique gift to hand out for the holidays. : )
Deitan says
Hahaha! Couldn’t help but laugh aloud at picturing your hubby getting his coffee fix with a jar of coffee jelly ;0) It just proves how much he loves you! Does sound delicious though.
Rebecca says
That is so the truth. He has the patience of Job!
sue/the view from great island says
I live and breathe coffee too, and this looks fabulous to me…your photo really captures its essence!
Rossella says
Hello. Curious if you’ve tried this recipe with espresso instead, thanks.
Daina says
I have plenty of Ball pectin at my house – do you think it could be used in place of the Sure-jell?
Rebecca says
I haven’t tested it with the Ball pectin. If I were you I’d try it, I just can’t guarantee the results.
Daina says
I’ll give it a shot. I have several coffee fiends I know that would love this stuff. You have the most interesting recipes!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh my goodness!! This is so fantastic sounding. Great idea!
Winnie says
This sounds delightful! Can you please tell me who makes the bowl with the Dr. Seuss saying? It’s great.
Rebecca says
Thank you! I’ll look up the plate manufacturer when I’m at home. I believe, if I’m not mistaken, that it’s an out-of-production line, but can still be purchased on eBay and similar places.
Karen warner says
Hello, I followed your recipe to the T and I have nothing but syrup. How can I make this into jelly? I don’t want to waste the ingredients.
Karen
Rebecca says
Hi Karen! I would take some of the cooled syrup and whisk in some clearjel, then bring the rest to a boil and whisk that in. That way you’ll get a spread!
Rebecca says
Thank you!!
Linda says
What coffee does your husband order?
Rebecca says
He likes Cafe Altura French Roast. 🙂
Rebecca says
Thanks so much!