You can easily make your own homemade cherry jam in less than one hour. Start to finish! Once you make your own, it will be hard to go back to store bought! Fair warning!
When cherry season comes around, it seems that I can never get enough! The sweet ones, the tart ones…. I will take whatever I can find.
Cherry jam is one of those things that you just have to make yourself. Buying it from the store is totally NOT the same experience.
If you plan on pitting a lot of cherries, though, you will really want to invest in a cherry pitter.
They are super cheap online and well worth the investment, since they are small and fit in a drawer.
What you need
- cherries with juice
- water (not pictured)
- lemon juice
- sugar
- low sugar pectin
How to make it
- Measure pectin and sugar.
- Mix some of the sugar with the pectin and stir until there are no lumps.
- Sterilize jars and lids. Pit cherries. Chop. Add cherries, water and lemon juice to large pot. Heat over high heat.
- Add pectin/sugar mixture slowly to juice in pot. Stir until full boil is achieved.
- Once the mixture has boiled, add remaining sugar all at once. Stir until full boil is achieved. Boil for one full minute.
- Fill hot jars with hot jam. A canning tool set is very handy for this.
- Wipe rims of jars with damp paper towel.
- Add lids to jars.
- Place bands on and tighten finger-tip tight.
Add jars back to canning pot. Bring to boil. Process over a low boil for 10 minutes. Allow jars to sit in hot water for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from canning pot. Place on counter. Allow to sit and cool for 24 hours. Check lids for seal. (Press down center of lid, if it flexes up and down, it has not sealed properly and should be refrigerated.
Store jars in a cool space for at least one year.
Pro tips for success every time
- Make sure that your pectin measurement is accurate! Adding a bit more is better than not having enough.
- Wash & sterilize jars and lids well.
- Pour hot jam into hot jars.
- Do not under process jars. A little extra time is better than too little time.
- Adjust time for elevation. Here’s a great guide by BHG.com
- Do not exceed 10 half pint jars per batch.
Some other delicious jam recipes
More recipes with fresh cherries
Tools I Use
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Cherry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ c prepared fruit (about 1 pint fresh raspberries)
- ⅓ c water
- 1 ½ tbsp Bottled Lemon Juice
- 1 ½ Tbsp Low Sugar Pectin
- ½ c up to 1/2 c. sugar You can use 0 to 1/2 cup, of added sugar.
Instructions
- Prepare jars. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Place directly in water bath canning pot. Cover clean jars with water about 2 inches above jars. Boil jars for 10 – 15 minutes to sterilize. Let jars sit in hot water until ready to fill.
- Place washed lids in a small saucepan and cover with boiling water. Let sit until ready to use. I also add my ladle and funnel to this pot to sterilize them. Add to 8 qt. sauce pan. Add water.
- Measure sugar and pectin. Add a few tablespoons of sugar to pectin.
- Bring cherries and lemon juice to a boil and add pectin/ sugar mixture. Again bring to full boil (one that can’t be stirred down).
- Add the rest of sugar all at once. Bring to a full boil and boil for 1 full minute.
- Fill jars with hot jam.
- Wipe rim of jars with clean with a wet paper towel and place lid on. Add band and tighten to fingertip tight.
- Place filled jars into canning pot and bring to boil. Low boil for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat and allow to sit in water for 5 minutes.
- Eave undisturbed on counter for 24 hours,
- Check lids by pushing down in center. If lids flex up and down, the jar is not sealed and should be refrigerated.
- Jars that have sealed should be stored in a cool place for a year. (If it lasts that long!)
- This recipe makes 2 half pint jars jam.
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Mahy
I can’t believe how easy it is to make this amazing cherry jam. Out of all jams, apricot and cherry are my favorite, so I am really excited to try this recipe – it definitely ticks all the boxes for me!
Beth Neels
Great Mahy! Let me know how you like it! Cherry and apricot are favorites of mine too!
kim
Loved this recipe! It was so easy and tasty! Will definitely be making again!
Beth Neels
Thanks Kim! I’m so glad you liked it!
Haley D. Williams
Yum! What a great use for tons of cherries! I’d love to open a jar of this in the middle of winter and have a taste of summer.
Beth Neels
IT’s like eating a ray of sunshine in the winter! Thanks Haley!
Angela
I’m with you Beth! I can’t get enough cherries either. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Beth Neels
I know, right? One of my favorites! Thanks Angela!
Biana
So perfect for summer! Am looking forward to making this cherry jam.
Beth Neels
It’s super tasty! Thanks Biana!