This simple, soft set Cherry Jam is made with just 3 ingredients and no added pectin. It tastes out of this world good, no wonder it’s so popular!
The Evolution of this Simple Cherry Jam Recipe
Ever since I made my first jar of jam a few years ago I became hooked on jam making and have gone on to win a couple of 1st prizes at our local parish show.
Hence, every summer I look forward to gluts of fruit that seem to come my way. Sometimes it’s from family and other times it’s a bargain find in the supermarket!
So the other day I came across trays of cherries for £4 whilst out shopping which I’ve never seen before. They’re usually £2 for a tiny punnet full. I snapped up a tray and knew that they were destined to be Cherry Jam (oh and we had a few for dessert)!
I’ve only ever had one attempt at cherry jam before which ended in disaster! I mixed cherries with apple and due to the high pectin level of the apple, the jam was ready a lot sooner than I’d allowed for so I ended up with concrete jam.
It was meant to be my entry into the local Parish Show as I thought something a bit different would stand more of a chance of winning. So I ended up entering a spare jar of my One Punnet Strawberry Jam which went on to win 1st prize so it all ended well!
Well back to the Cherry Jam, I don’t believe in using jam sugar as I find it’s too easy to end up with a really stiff jam and I do like a soft set so I always use lemon juice (plus the rind sometimes) when extra pectin is needed.
I’m pleased to say my Cherry Jam turned out perfectly, not too stiff and not too runny, just a really good soft set with lots of delicious chunks of cherry.
My family all agreed and hubby was very pleased as Cherry Jam is his absolute favourite.
I think I’ll have to see if there are any more trays of these cheap cherries as I can see this batch won’t last long!
Can you use frozen cherries?
As with any jam recipe you could make this cherry conserve with frozen cherries. Just heat them with the sugar to slowly thaw. Fresh cherries will give the best result but using pitted cherries from the freezer is often more practical.
I do hope you give this quick and easy Cherry Jam a go if you find yourself with a glut of cherries!
Why are there no cup measurements in this recipe?
You cannot accurately convert a weight to a volume, especially for things like fruit that come in differing sizes.
Hence I won’t give out inaccurate information that could lead to failure. The best option is to buy an inexpensive set of digital scales which were around $6 on Amazon when I last looked.
Can you can (water bath) this Cherry Jam?
It’s not something we do to jam in the UK as botulism is not an issue here. You can by all means can (water bath) this jam but you would need to refer to your jar manufacturer’s instructions as it’s an area I know nothing about.
How long will this jam keep for?
This cherry jam is at its best in the first 12 months but will keep safely for many years as the sugar acts as a preservative. Just store it in a cool, dark, dry place.
I keep mine in a cupboard in my garage.
More Summer Jam Recipes
Once you’ve made my Cherry Jam you should also try these summer jam recipes!
- Quick & Easy Raspberry Jam
- Easy Seedless Blackberry Jam
- Watermelon Jam – 2 ways
- Simple Blueberry Jam
- Rhubarb & Strawberry Jam
- Rhubarb & Gin Jam
- One Punnet Strawberry Jam
- Easy Grape Jam
- Peach & Apricot Jam
- Summer Fruits Jam
- Spiced Blackberry Jam
- Morello Cherry & Raspberry Jam
I’m sure you’ll love my Cherry Jam so do leave a comment and rating when you make it. I love reading your comments.
You can also share a snap by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram!
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Cherry Jam
Equipment
- 1 Digital scale
- 1 preserving pan or similar deep sided pan
- 1 cherry pitter
- 1 Lemon squeezer
- 1 jam funnel
- 1 ladle
- 2 jam jars
Ingredients
- 750 g cherries
- 500 g granulated sugar
- juice of 1 lemon mine produced a little over 3 tbsp
Instructions
- Wash and pit all the cherries and cut three quarters of them in half, leaving the other quarter whole.
- Put in a preserving pan (or large deep pan) along with the lemon juice and set over a low heat.
- Use a potato masher to lightly crush the cherries and simmer gently until cooked (about 7 minutes).
- Add the sugar and heat through on very low until all the sugar has dissolved (running a wooden spoon around the pan will help you know as the sugar will scratch if still solid).
- Bring to a rolling boil and time for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and drizzle a few drops of jam onto a chilled saucer.
- Place saucer into fridge for a minute and then run your finger through the jam, it's ready if it forms a crinkle and is tacky.
- If not quite ready boil for another couple of minutes at a time and re-test.
- Once ready ladle into hot jars and place lids on immediately.
- Allow to cool, then store in a cool dark place (will keep for years but best eaten in first year). Store in fridge once open.
- Makes 1.5 standard jars (600 mls).
Notes
Sterilise 1 x 500 ml and 1 x 250 ml jars or 3 x 250 ml jar by washing in hot soapy water or take straight from dishwasher, filling with boiling water, emptying and then placing in oven for 20 minutes at 140°C then leave in oven until jam is ready. Washed lids should be sterilised with boiling water and then left to drain.
Marcus
Hey Camilla – first time jam maker + person using a mason jars.
If you follow the steps above to “sterilize” the jars (in the oven, boiled lids, added jam as soon as done, then sealed), the jam will “keep”?
I grew up in a house where my folks canned things in a pot of boiling water, and I don’t have a pot deep enough to submerge my jar. Not sure if it’s required or not – If I follow your steps exactly it will remain sealed and taste good down the road?
Camilla
Hi Marcus, great to see you here! All my jams are “shelf stable” and will last years but at their best within the first 12 months. This is how we make jam in the UK but some people live in areas of the world where botulism is a concern so they can or water bath their jams. So it’s not something I know about as it’s not a concern here. I’m in many jam facebook groups and some Americans will only use “safe canning methods” and others are happy to make jam like Europeans do.
Steph
I’ve never really made jam before, but had a box of free cherries and wouldn’t be able to eat them all so tried this recipe. I added a few frozen raspberries that I had in the freezer to make up the weights so I could follow the recipe exactly and it turned out absolutely perfect! I did have to running boil it for about 20 mins, but the result was the perfect consistency for me – and the perfect amount of sweetness! Thank you for sharing! I will deffo be making more!
Camilla
So glad you liked the recipe. The addition of raspberries would have most likely added to the liquid content or you cherries may have been juicier. All fruits vary in their water content so timings are just a rough guide to build on.
Karen
Thank you for sharing your recipe Camilla. Have just made the jam and it tastes gorgeous. We have an abundance of cherries on our tree this year … it’s even too many for the birds…so your recipe came in handy. All I need now is a scone recipe!
Camilla
Wow, that is lucky, I don’t think I’ve had one cherry from our tree this year and it produces yellowy/pink cherries that are not good in jam as I had a little experiment with a few one year. So glad you like the recipe:-)
Alison D
Just had a go at this cherry jam using some locally foraged sweet cherries. I needed to return to the boil twice before it crinkled on the saucer but I tasted that bit and it was delicious. I got 1 full 600ml kilner jar from the recipe. Can’t wait to try on toast when it cools!
Camilla
Excellent Alison, so glad you like the recipe:-)
Margaret
Made fantastic jam ,my cherries are sweet so I reduced sugar .Thank you for this recipe.
Camilla
Awesome, so glad you like the recipe Margaret:-)
Cat
Used this recipe with some locally foraged Mazzards.. Delicious!
Camilla
Awesome Cat, thank you:-)
Elise
Can I just put the jam in my fridge without all the canning crap?
Camilla
Hi Elise, I don’t can my jams that’s an entirely different process. If you mean sterilising the jars, then yes this is something you need to do unless you’re fine with the jam going moldy and wasting both your ingredients and time. It really doesn’t take long to pull your jars out of the dishwasher, fill with boiling water, empty and pop into a warm oven while you make the jam.
Sarah
It was way too sweet for my taste. Even using sour cherries. I will definitely cut down on the sugar next time. Too bad.
Camilla
Hi Sarah, that is unusual as I’ve already cut down the sugar as the usual ration is 1:1. But having been a trained as a taste tester for tasting ice cream at Wall’s Ice Cream I’m very aware that we all taste things differently.
Dave
We foraged some wild cherries last night and made 3 jars with your ‘pectin free’ jam recipe. I kept the rolling boil going for about 30 minutes and made it thick set… maybe a bit too think but still spreadable and tasty.
Camilla
Hi Dave, that does sound like a very long boil. Enjoy your jam:-)
Jo
Hi Camilla,
Tried your recipe today and it came out simply fab. I have 3 jars of gorgeous cherry jam. Thanks to you. Cheers 🙂
Unable to add a picture here:(
Camilla
Hi Jo, so glad you like my Cherry Jam. If you’re on Instagram you can share a picture there by tagging @FabFood4All or on Twitter or Facebook:-)
Margaret
I also found the jam very sweet. As cherries are naturally sweet I don’t think they need that much sugar. Also although I put in more lemon and boiled the jam for longer it did not set
Camilla
Hi Margaret, we all taste sweetness differently which I found out when I worked at Birds Eye Wall’s and was tested to become an ice cream taster. The usual ratio of sugar to is 1:1 but I don’t like overly sweet jam so I always reduce the sugar ratio. Plus each variety of cherry has its own level of sweetness. My instructions say to carry on boiling and testing until you get a set, perhaps you didn’t have a rolling boil (ie filling the pan with tiny bubbles), also adding more lemon juice would increase the cooking time as more liquid to evaporate from the jam. This is one of my most popular jams so I know there is no issue with this recipe and have made it many times.