Commercial juice is an easy and convenient option, but...

Yes, you can certainly make jelly from commercially prepared juice (either bottled or frozen). It’s faster and easier than extracting your own juice from fresh fruit.  There are a couple of things to keep in mind, however. 

• The juice should be sugar free; check the label to make sure you have 100% pure juice with no added sugar.
• Commercial fruit juices are made from fully ripe fruit and are lower in natural pectins. For this reason, adding commercial pectin is recommended when making jelly in order to achieve a good gel set. 

For further information on canning, visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or contact your local Cooperative Extension office. 

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Last updated July 2025