Can I Use Stevia Instead of Sugar for Canning?

Substitute stevia for sugar in your recipe. Generally, you replace 1 cup of sugar with 1 tsp. liquid stevia, 1/2 tsp. powdered stevia or about 20 stevia packets. Check the stevia box for more precise substitutions of your brand.

Add a universal pectin. Universal, or no sugar added, pectins are designed for canning recipes that have little or no sugar in them. If your recipe calls for pectin simply switch to a universal pectin. Many recipes call to mix pectin directly with the fruit. Instead, mix the pectin with approximately 1/4 the amount of stevia the recipe calls for. Add the stevia/pectin mixture to the fruit to prevent lumping.

Add about 1/4 cup of lemon or lime juice to your recipe. Stevia does not bring out the flavor of your fruits and vegetables as well as sugar does. The lemon or lime juice will help enhance the flavor. This should be added when you add the pectin.

Follow the directions on your canning recipe. The rest of your canning recipe should be fine, switching stevia for sugar in proper amounts.