This is an ever growing roundup of Quick Easy Jams, so be sure to come back for more.
For the next few months there will be an abundance of fresh fruit and it would be a shame to let the season pass without making a few jars of jam. So to celebrate the bounty of fruit now available, let’s do a little jammin.
The only ingredients you need for a jar of quick easy jam are 1 – 2 pounds of fruit, some sugar or honey, and a little lemon juice or other source of natural pectin. No need to go to the store and buy a bunch of jars, boxes of pectin, and special tools. If you have a sauce pan, something to stir with, and a pint container or two, you can have a jar of jam in no time at all.
Below are some of my favorite quick easy jam recipes that can be made in an hour or less, yield one to two jars of jam, use a relatively small amount of fruit, require no sealing lids, water baths, and no store bought pectin. I’m sure you’ll find at least one jam you’ll want to make soon. I made a jar of the apricot jam this morning and can’t wait for toast and jam in morning!
Be sure to check out the Kitchen Notes for tips on how to make quick easy jams.
Quick & Easy Cherry Jam
Apricot Jam
This marmalade takes longer than an hour, but it is such a unique marmalade with beautiful ingredients that I couldn’t resist including it.
Rose Hip and Orange Marmalade
@East of Eden Cooking
Mixed Berry Jam
Strawberry Jam
Red Chile Strawberry Jam
Raspberry Mole Jam
Spicy Red Pepper Jam
@The Wimpy Vegetarian
Tomato Red Chile Jam
Mock Strawberry Fig Jam
Here are some more quick easy jams (with no pectin) that you need to check out.
Easy Citrus Jam @The Creekside Cook
Strawberry Balsamic Jam @Family Spice
Homemade Mango Jam @Masala Herb
Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jam @Chocolate Moosey
Green Tomato Jam @Kitchen Riffs
Roasted Tomato Jam @CulturEats
Plum Jam @Masala Herb
Homemade Peach Jam @Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
Grape Jam for 2 @Spicie Foodie
Small Batch Fig Honey Jams @Flavor the Moments
Rhubarb Jam @Masala Herb
Honey Sweetened Rhubarb Fig Jam @Heartbeet Kitchen
Coco Jam @Ang Sarap (Bet you’ve never seen this one before)
Kitchen Notes for Quick Easy Jams
Storing the jam – The jams from MJ’s Kitchen are basically refrigerator jams and not intended to be stored in a pantry, but rather in the refrigerator. Most recipes make 1 pint or a little more or less. These jams will keep in the refrigerator for at least a year.
To store the jam use a sterilized jar. You can either place the jar in a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes and let set in the water until ready to use OR wash and rinse the jar, add about 1 inch of water to the jar and place in the microwave for 1.5 to 2 minutes (until the water comes to a steaming boil). Let the jar sit in the microwave for a few minutes. Using jar grips, pour out the hot water and place jar on a clean towel until ready to pour. (Warning – If you don’t add water to the jar, the jar may explode in the microwave.)
Pectin – If you’ve never made jam without pectin here are some kitchen notes to help you help. It’s quite easy, but there are a few tricks that make it even easier.
- All fruit has some natural pectin; however, some fruit have more pectin than others.
- High pectin fruit includes apples, citrus, citrus rinds, crab apples, cranberries, plums and grapes.
- Low pectin fruit includes apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries.
- The amount of a fruit’s pectin decreases as it ripens; therefore, in most cases, use the least ripened fruits for jams when you can. In most cases, when I make jam, I use a little underripe fruit as well as overripe fruit. I’ve even used fruit that wasn’t very good to eat fresh. Jam is a great way to use such fruit because it yields something that is better than the fresh fruit itself.
- Increase the pectin of low pectin fruit jams by adding a little high pectin fruit (e.g., lemon/orange zest, apple juice, or an apple core (remove from jam before pouring))
Cooking times / methods
- Rolling boil – Always bring jam to a rolling boil – one that can’t be stirred down. You want a full, rolling boil that is well under control with a gentle stir. If you feel like you’re whipping egg whites to keep it under control, then the heat is way too high. Be sure to stir constantly or very frequently once the jam comes to a rolling boil. Infrequent stirring can cause the jam to burn and create a messy stovetop due to splattering or even a boil over.
- A foam normally forms on the top of the jam as it starts cooking. A lot of processes say to skim off the foam, but I never do until the very end. In most cases there isn’t any foam left. From what I’ve read, it’s mostly air being released from the fruit, so the jam cooks and you continue to stir, the air bubbles of the foam pop and the foam goes away naturally.
- The standard maximum cooking temperature for jams is a temperature of 220° F (104° C) at sea level; however, as you go up in elevation, this temperature lowers. The rule of thumb is to subtract 1ºF for every 500 ft. increase in elevation. Since I live a mile high (5280 ft), my jams are ready when they reach about 210ºF. At 205ºF you get a stall in the temperature, so be patience. Once it comes out of the stall, the temperature climbs quickly. If you like a softer jam or plan to use it for a marinade, then stop cooking 5 to 10ºF before the recommended final temperature.
- If the temperature gets too high or too much liquid evaporates, you’ll get a “stiff” or “stringy” jam that will be hard to spread. If this ever happens, don’t throw the jam out. Add it a quick bread or knead it into a yeast bread.
- After the jam sits overnight, if it is too soft, transfer it into a wide skillet, bring to a boil and stir for 1 minute. This should boil off enough of the liquid to stiffen it up a bit.
- For a smaller or a little larger batch of jam, just keep the weight ratio of fruit to sugar as 2 to 1 and the water and lemon amounts about the same. Don’t make too big of a batch. The larger the batch, the longer it takes to cook (since you’re not using pectin).
Substituting the fruit
Most of the jams listed are versatile enough to use different fruit than what is called for. Here are some substitutions you can make.
- Use peaches or nectarines for the apricot jam.
- Change the berries up to what’s available in the Mixed Berry Jam
- Instead of Cherry Jam, use the same recipe to make blueberry jam
So are you ready to make a quick easy jam? Have you made one already? If so, please share your recipe or a link to your recipe in the comment section.
Beautiful collection and exactly what we need: small batches for two of us! Thank you so much and I wish you enjoy your summer! 🙂
I’d like to make a bigger batch of your peach green Chile preserves. Could I use your recipe and can it in the usual way- hot water bath? Thanks.
Julianne, Good question. I wouldn’t do more than triple the recipe, otherwise you will be stirring forever to get the temperature required for it to set. this would yield about 3 pints that you could then can and water bath. If you want to make several jars, I would suggest using pectin and follow the directions for that. It will greatly shorten your cooking time. Hope this helps. Cheers, MJ
Thank you for this small batch article – just what I needed! Will see which fruit looks best at the market today.
You are most welcome! Small batch is the only jam I make any more. Make it as you need it.
You took the intimidation out of homemade jam! I substituted peaches for apricots as you suggested and it was better than the apricot jam. I didn’ think that was possible. Next I am trying the Tomato Red Chile. The kabobs sound amazing. Thanks, as always, for the inspiration.
Thank YOU Su Anne! As Bobby would say “It’s hard to believe anything is better than the apricot jam”, but I think peach would do it. Once we finish off the apricot jam, I’ll pull some peaches from the freezer and give them a try. YAY!
Greetings from Texas MJ.
We have hatch peppers in our grocery stores right now. It’s wonderful. Making omelettes with peppers and cheddar jack cheeses. Yummy!
I was wondering if I could make green chili peach preserves using my peaches with lemon juice, sugar and blueberries that I froze last year for a cobbler recipe after thawed? Any variations that I should adjust doing this? Thank you.
Greetings to you Kaye! Thanks for your comment and question. The main this here to to keep the proportion of fruit to sugar at 2:1. Some people use a 3:2 ratio, but I find that too sweet. Since both peaches and blueberries are relatively low pectin fruits, this ratio, along with the citrus juice helps to ensure it sets. Lemon juice works just fine and is great with blueberries. You can even use the juice from a whole lemon if you chose. I’ve never had chile with blueberries so that will be interesting. Please let me know how it turns out. Thanks again!
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MJ – I’ve had so much fun with all your chili pepper recipes, but now the homemade jams have my attention. I made 6 pints of cherry jam, then switched to mango when in season and now I’m working on the peach jam as peaches have hit the shelves. They have all been delicious. It won’t be long until the chili peppers are in and I can make the spice red pepper jam. This has really been a lot of fun, easy to make and oh, so good. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much Jan!!! There are so many possibilities with these small batch jams that I’m making them all of the time. No need to store a bunch in the pantry when you can just whip it up on demoand. I’m so glad that you are having fun with them! This is why I blog…to turn people on to some of the great things I’ve learn to do with food. Your feedback is SO VERY appreciated!!!! Thanks!
I love this super-straightforward approach to jam-making, MJ… simple, fast, and more delicious than other methods, because the purity of the fruit is maintained. Beautiful!
Thanks so much Viviane! It’s certainly is a great way to enjoy summer fruit in the colder months. 🙂
I love how jam can be made from so many different fruits and berries. You have a lot of tempting options here. I would like to try the mango jam but rhubarb is in season here now so that might be an easier option xx
I made a strawberry rhubarb jam using the strawberry recipe and it was awesome! Hope you give one of these a try Charlie. Thanks!
A friend made me the most delicious plum jam on the weekend, I vowed right there and then I needed to make more jam, its like you read my mind. I absolutely adore your round up, especially the marmalade. YUM!
I am able to read minds at times, but not sure it I can read one across the ocean. However, you never know. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the roundup. Thanks for stopping by!!
What a nice roundup of home made jams! definitely I would love to make some of those
Thanks Raymund! Hey, pick out your favorite fruit and gie a jar of jam a try. It’s easy!
Greeks are very fond of jams and every household has a recipe of its own! I love your jams especially those ones with a touch of Tex Mex! Pinned!
Thanks so much Katerina! It’s interesting to know that jams are so popular with Greeks. Didn’t know that.
Great round up, MJ.
Thanks Debra!
While there are many good jams out there…..there is nothing better than a home made jam. So great not to fuss with all that canning equipment. Such a great variety here….but I think I love the mixed berry jam the best. On a nice thick slice of toast with a warm cup of tea. What time should I be over??? 🙂
Come on over anytime Anne!!! I have the jam ready, and plenty of tea to choose from. Take your pick. 🙂 Thanks Darlin!
Stunning collection of jams.
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much for including my red pepper jam in your lovely roundup! And now I see several others I need to try! Thanks!
Thanks so much Susan! Once red bells drop in price, I’ll be making your jam. Also, I think it would be great made with spicy roasted, New Mexico red. 🙂
Wonderful idea to post this fantastic list of preserves (beware! I might steal it one day). Thank you for reminding me the preserving season is so close! I must admit I’m particularly attracted to your savoury jars’s content… Though they are different from my preserves, the recurrent chile’s presence is our common point of course! I feel like testing all of them! Anyway, I have to check my jars’ and lids’s stock!
Thanks so much Sissi! Please help yourself to whichever one you want to “steal”. 🙂 I love addition chile to fruit jams. If Bobby didn’t use it so much on PB&J’s I’d add it more often. Let me suggest the Tomato red chile jam. It’s one of my favorite to use as a marinade, especially for pork.
Thank you! I’ll remember that (have never thought of using jams in marinades…. what a fantastic idea!).
What a luscious reminder to savor the season of abundance! I was just gifted plums and will get my jamming going this weekend. Thank you for including me in this round up! Happy summer MJ!
Thanks so much Deb and so happy to include your scrumptious marmalade!!!
I love quick jams! Just not up to heavy duty canning — too much bother. And you’re right — such a great way to preserve (enhance, IMO) the fresh flavor of fruit. Great assortment. And thanks for including my green tomato jam! Oh, and Happy Birthday to Bobby on Sunday!
Totally with you on the heavy duty canning. Did it for so many years and I’m done. 🙂 I’m going to be making your green tomato jam once I start getting excess tomatoes. It looks excellent! Bobby is having a great Bday, thank you. 🙂
That’s a great roundup of homemade jams, MJ.
Thanks Angie!