Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (2024)

01. May 2017

Our backyard was overflowing with violets, so I thought I would try this awesomeViolet Jelly recipefromBakers Brigade.Of course I'd heard of Dandelion Jelly, but I hadn't seen a recipe for Violet Jelly before.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (1)

I was really interested in the "magical color change" this food blogger spoke about. After collecting violets in a jar, you pour boiling water onto them.Then let the jar sit overnightto infuse andcreate a lovely sapphire blue "tea". When you strain out theflowersand add lemon juice, the dark blue tea turnspurple. WOW! Just take a look at Bakers Brigade's coolcolor changingvideoor our time-lapse video.

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Violet Jelly (makes approximately 4-half pint jars)

  • 1pintviolet flowers (approx. 2 cups)
  • 2tablespoonslemon juice
  • 4cupssugar (*see low sugar recipe note below)
  • 3oz.liquid pectin
  1. Collect a mason jar pint full of violet flowers. Pour boiling water into the jar of flowers. Gently press the violets to release any air bubbles. Cover the jar and keep out of the sun for 24 hours. By the next day, the violet “tea” will be sapphire blue.

  2. The next day, strain your violets through a colander lined with a coffee filter or paper towel. I also squeeze the flowers to release all the juices. You will need 2 cups of liquid, so you may need to add a little more water to the violet tea.

  3. Mix the tea and lemon juice in a large pot. At this point, you will see the dark blue tea turn purple. Oooooh aaahhhh. Magic! Bring the liquid to a boil and continue to boil for one minute. Add sugar and pectin, then bring to a hard boil one more minute. Turn the heat off and skim the top of the jelly if needed.

  4. Pour into sterilized mason jars. Makes approximately 4 half pints of jelly. Let cool and store in the fridge.
 


Note: You could process the jars in a water bath to make them shelf stable, however, you would need to collect an awful lot of violets to make processing them worth it in my opinion. I’ve always just gotten enough violets for a few half pint jars at a time.

Low-Sugar Recipe:Pomona's Pectinhas a low-sugar Violet Jelly recipe. I recently tried this recipe and it tastes great! Pomona's pectin is a 2-part pectin that uses calcium water that allows you to drastically reduce the amount of sugar in jam and jelly recipes. Some Pomona's Pectin recipes reduce the sugar by 50% over a traditional recipe. So if you want to reduce sugar inpectin recipes, this is a good option.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (2)

OurCottage Chic Flower oval jar labelsfit quilted canning jars, perfect for flower jelly!

The resulting jelly is very sweet with a subtle floral taste. And the color is simply amazing! Who knew flowers could taste so good? If you have an abundance of these beautiful purple flowers in your yard, go pick them now!Violets are unlike dandelions, they won't last all season in your yard. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9).

Shop for Floral Canning Labels to decorate your jam & jelly jars.

Ifyou don't want to make jelly, you'll be happy to know there are plenty of other violet recipes to try.

Violet Recipes:

Violet Lemonade Recipe

The process is pretty simple for violet lemonade. Spend hours collecting tiny violets in a mason jar, steep with hot water, strain out flowers, then add lemon juice. While it's back breaking collecting so many teeny-weeny flowers, it's worth it to witness the "magical" color change.After soaking the flowers overnight, the resulting liquid is a lovely sapphire blue. But once you add lemon juice to the strained solution, it turns purple. Ooooo aaaahhhh. Magic.

Itested two batches of violet lemonade. For the first batch, I filled apint mason jar HALF full of flowers. The second batch had a mason jarpacked FULL of violets which resulted in a much darker navy blue color. I used one large fresh squeezed lemon and added several tablespoons of raw sugar.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (6)

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (7)

But wait,the color change is NOT magic. It's SCIENCE! You all know I like science. So WHY does the liquid change from blue to purple? It’s a basic acid/base chemical reaction. The anthocyanins (color pigments) in the violets (the base) are reacting to the lower pH from the lemon juice (the acid). oooooo SCIENCE!

Violets have always been seen to have medicinal and even mystical properties. In the 10th century tome “Macer’s Herbal”, violets are noted to be powerful to combat “wykked sperytis”. 👻 Part of the mysticism surrounding them comes from their extract turning from dark purple to magenta when combined with lemon juice.Witness the magical & scientific color changing video below. Mwahahaha.

Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes Recipe:

When life gives you violet lemonade, you should make violet lemonade ice cubes! These tri-colored ice cubes are like a beautiful watercolor painting. It just takes a little patience to make the cubes because you have to freeze them in steps. You’ll need equal parts of blue violet water tincture and violet lemonade.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (8)

To Make the Violet Lemonade:

  1. Add boiling water to a mason jar full of violet flowers. For the darkest blue water, steep overnight in refrigerator.
  2. Strain flowers from the blue violet water.
  3. Divide the blue violet water into two separate mason jars.
  4. Add lemon juice to ONE of the blue mason jars. The blue water will magically turn purple. Watch our color changing video. Oooooh Ahhhhh.
  5. Optional: Add a little sugar to the lemonade mix.


To Make the Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes:

  1. Freeze violet flowers in ice cube trays with a small amount of water, about 1/4 inch. Make sure they are completely frozen before moving on to step 2.
  2. Remove ice cube tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of violet lemonade. Put in freezer until completely frozen again.
  3. Remove tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of blue violet water. Put in freezer until completely frozen again.
  4. Once the cubes are fully frozen, add them to violet lemonade, water, or other beverages.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (9)

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (10)

VioletInfused Vinegar Recipes

I tested three different violet infused vinegars. For each, I filled a mason jar half full of violets. Then I filledeach jar with a different vinegar. I used plain white vinegar, white rice vinegar, and a white wine vinegar.I added a piece of parchment paper under my metal rings so the vinegar didn't react with the metal. I then stored the jars in a cool dark place for a week.After a week or two, strain the violets from the vinegar. Each vinegar turned a lovely pinkish color from the violets.I'll make salad dressings with these colorful vinegars later this spring.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (11)

Wild VioletLemon Cookie Recipe

OurWild Violet Flower Lemon cookies are a real head turner! They are also a fun project for kids to help make. If you have an abundance of wild violetflowers in your yard, give this fun and healthy recipe a try. It will wow your friends and keep your kids busy in the yard. Read our blog post to get the Wild Violet Lemon Cookie recipe.

VioletSalad

You don't need a "fancy" recipe to eat violets. Besides eating them in jelly, cookies, or vinegar, you can eat the fresh in salads.Fix up any basic salad by topping it off with a sprinkle of fresh violets and a sweet vinaigrette.

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (13)

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (14)

Nutritional Benefits of Wild Violets:

So why eat violets? Well,they have fantastic health benefits much like dandelions.According to The Herbal Academy, violets have beenused to treat:

  • coughing and bronchitis
  • colds and sore throats
  • cystitis
  • rheumatic complaints, reduce inflammation
  • eczema
  • psoriasis
  • acne
  • cradle cap for babies
  • and even cancer!

Violets have ample Vitamin C and A as well as other vitamins and minerals. Violet leaves are also sold as asupplement.

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Harvesting Wild Violets:

There are 40-50 violet species in the US according to The Herbal Academy. Here's another handy website to help identify violet species. The medicinal properties of most wild violetspecies are interchangeable. They are NOT to be confused with the African Violet houseplant which will make you sick if eaten. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9). Much like foraging for other edibles, be sure to harvest in areas free of pesticides.Avoid flowers in yards where pets may go to the bathroom as well. Harvest flowers and use fresh soon after picking or dry for later use.

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Our Cottage Chic Flower canning labels look great on any flower jam or jelly jars!

Want to know more about eating flowers!

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (18)

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Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (19)

Have you ever made Violet Jelly or other flower recipes? If so, we'd love to hear about your foraging & cooking experiences in the comments blow.

Canning Foraging Garden Recipe

Comments (13)

Patricia on May 16, 2017

Do you know if you can use the white violets? I have tons of them all over my lawn. I would also imagine you could use the juice as a dye.

CanningCrafts on May 17, 2017

Patricia, lighter colored violets would probably work, but I’m not sure what the jelly would look or taste like.

Robin on May 10, 2018

I made this 2 days ago and love the flavor. The color is beautiful. I’ve seen this post before and thought that I need to give it a go and was thrilled with the results.

CanningCrafts on May 11, 2018

I’m so glad you liked the violet recipe Robin! The jelly has the prettiest color I’ve ever seen.

Shirley on April 06, 2021

On the jelly recipe, how is it that you start with 2 cups of tea, add 4 cups of sugar and end up with only enough jelly for one jar? Just trying to clarify before I get started!! Thx!

CanningCrafts on April 06, 2021

Shirley,
I clarified our recipe. You collect and steep violets in a pint mason jar. But the final recipe should make around 4 half pint jars.
Thanks!
Alison
CanningCrafts

Carol on April 14, 2022

Thank you Lexie , this looks wonderful I’m going to try this

Janet on April 27, 2022

How long does the violet tea keep in the refrigerator? I steeped the violets for 24 hours, strained it and put it in the fridge 4 days ago. Is it still good?
I planned on making jelly right after making the tea but that didn’t happen.

CanningCrafts on April 27, 2022

Janet,
The tea you made should still be good to use even after 4 days.
Alison
CanningCrafts

Marian Bush on May 10, 2022

Where does one find calcium water?

CanningCrafts on May 10, 2022

Marian,
Pomona’s Pectin is a special pectin that COMES with calcium water. It is available at many grocery stores or can be purchased online. This special pectin is unsweetened, preservative-free, and jells reliably with very low amounts of any sweetener.
When using Pomona’s, you will find two small packets of powders in the box: a pouch of pectin and a separate pouch of calcium to make the required calcium water. So if you want to try making a low sugar jam or jelly, look into this special pectin.

https://pomonapectin.com/

Alison
CanningCrafts

Lisa on May 19, 2022

24 hours ago I started infusing white wine vinegar. In a week or so I will add olive oil, salt, pepper and a bit of sugar to make a vinaigrette.
Also started brewing a violet hibiscus wine. Using a mesh bag, add 2-3 cups of violet petals, 4 ounces of dried hibiscus, 1 orange sliced and muddled, 1 lemon sliced and muddled, 2 ounces of golden raisins chopped, 5 cups of sugar and 1 gallon of hot water. Let that sit for 24 hours. Then add yeast, yeast nutrient. Put the lid on the brewing bucket with a water lock for 1 week. After 1 week, remove the mesh bag and transfer the wine must to a sanitized carboy with a water lock. Rack and re-rack as needed. When the fermentation stops and there are no more bubbles in the water lock, bottle the wine.
Currently, I’m at the step of adding yeast. The wine must smells amazing already and so is the color, kinda deep purple.

Ellen on June 07, 2022

Can I use powdered pectin?

Wild Violet Recipes: Foraged Edible Flowers Taste Great! (2024)

FAQs

What do wild violet flowers taste like? ›

What Do Violets Taste Like? The taste of violets is often described as sweet and floral. Highly fragrant violets tend to work best in beverages and desserts. Meanwhile, the flavor of violet leaves resembles lettuce and sweet peas, making them an ideal salad green.

Are wild violets good for you? ›

Violet is rich in Vitamin A and C and can be added to a nutritive tea, along with other nutrient dense herbs such as Nettles and Alfalfa. Its demulcent properties are soothing to the digestive tract. The leaves and flowers are edible.

What is the best edible violet? ›

The “confederate violet” is an escaped cultivar (cultivated variety) of Viola sororia—it has white flowers with blue streaks and is an inhabitant of lawns in the southeastern United States. The sweet violet (Viola odorata, Violaceae) is the principal medicinal and culinary species used in Europe.

Can you eat violet flowers raw? ›

So, can you eat violets? Indeed, you can! Violets, both the leaves and flowers, contain high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A. The edible violet plant can be used to make syrups, brew teas, and in baked desserts.

What is the benefit of violet tincture? ›

The violet tincture, particularly, is valued for its applications in holistic medicine. Violet tincture uses range from soothing skin irritations to serving as a lymphatic stimulant, illustrating the plant's broad therapeutic potential.

How to prepare violets for eating? ›

Cooking with Violet. There are many ways to use your violets in the kitchen, and while many of them are sweet or sugar-based, there are plenty of savory options as well. Try sprinkling violets whole (or just the petals) on salads, over vegetables, or on baked goods.

How to make wild violet tincture? ›

To prepare, fill a Mason jar to the top with violets. Once filled, pour vodka over the flowers until they are submerged. Put a lid on the jar and shake daily for several days, up to one week. Strain and store in amber glass dropper bottle in a dark place.

Are wild violets poisonous to humans? ›

Wild Violets are safe to eat! Do make sure you correctly identify any and all plants that you forage before eating them. Violets are often used as a garnish on wedding cakes or other desserts. Flowers can be crystallized with sugar or used on their own.

What look alikes are wild violets poisonous? ›

While the flower is unique and easy to identify, violet leaves can appear similarly to the toxic plant lesser celandine.

What part of violets do you eat? ›

The use of violets have been documented as food and medicine for hundreds of years, and have probably been used since the beginning of time. The flowers, leaves and stems can all be eaten and used as medicine, the rhizomes (roots) have also been used, but very cautiously and only in small amounts.

What are the spiritual uses of violets? ›

Despite its legends connecting it to rather violent and jealous gods, today the violet is associated with tranquility and peace. The leaf offers protection from evil, and can be sewn into a pillow or sachet for a new baby. Carry the petals with you to bring about luck and enhance nighttime magic.

Can you smoke violet flowers? ›

Violet. Like the dainty sweet, floral flavor it lends to desserts, violet makes for a subtle yet visually splashy ingredient in a smoking blend.

Which violets are not edible? ›

Many foragers and herbalists avoid eating or using yellow violets, because they may contain a higher amounts of natural plant compounds (saponins) that makes them taste bitter, and which can upset your stomach.

Are wild purple flowers edible? ›

Wild violet flowers are quite mild in flavor and fragrance, and can be tossed into salads, pressed into cookies and cakes, turned into tea, infused into vinegar, or dried for later use.

Are there any poisonous violet look alikes? ›

While they are effective at spreading as ground cover, violets can also outcompete other plants. Wild violet is foraged as both an edible and medicinal plant. While the flower is unique and easy to identify, violet leaves can appear similarly to the toxic plant lesser celandine.

Are wild yellow violets edible? ›

Other botanists say Yellow Violets are cathartic and are inedible. Only the species with blue or white flowers should be considered safe to consume. Yellow Violets have some medicinal uses. A leaf poultice was used for treating headaches.

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