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.
Chef Jennifer Draper
Botulism is present everywhere and you must water bath all canning. Yes sugar acts as a preservative but it is the Ph level that dictates safety (hence the addition of lemon juice) and you mush boil in a waterbath. Please refer to any safe canning website or a safe canning book. Any website for mason style jars will tell you this and warn you and they make the jars! You won’t always get Botulism in jars, but if you do, it can kill and it is odourless. Don’t take risks please. Your method must be stored in a fridge.
Camilla
Hi Jennifer, I never dictate what other people should do in their kitchens and respect others educated choices. Here in the UK I can assure you that there has never been a case of botulism poisoning from a jar of jam or any fruit related jar. This is how we preserve jam and it is safe and shelf stable. Here is an article which has a table showing the various food products which range from pate to pork where botulism has occurred: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/28/4/337/1622732
Frank
Can less sugar be used? I’m type II diabete but would like to try your recipe.
Thanks Frank
Camilla
Hi Frank, the usual ratio for jam and fruit is 1/1 so I’ve already reduced it but you could perhaps take off another 50g. I’m not diabetic that I know of but have given up processed sugar for the most part as was disturbing my sleep etc. I now follow The Glucose Godess’ advice and before anything sugary/carby I drink a glass of water with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in it which lovers the glucose spike and exercising eg walking afterwards also helps. There’s info on Diabetes website about this too.
Frank
Thanks for the quick reply. Made 2 batches this weekend. One per your original recipe , and the 2nd with 50gm less refined white sugar. They both came out delicious.
Next I’m going to drop 100gm. Also will quarter half the batch and half the remaining.
Note I cooked the 2nd batch until three drops fell off a horizontal spoon at the same time. (Grandma trick) about 15 mins.
Thanks again, going to try your recipe with apricots next. cheers
Camilla
Great Frank, sounds like a plan. Oh yes the drip test, I sometimes mention it and filmed it for TikTok recently when making my Rhubarb & Ginger Jam. I say it’s ready when the last drip just hangs on to the spoon:-)
Anne
I’ve made 8 batches of this jam in the last two days! It has worked every time for me. I think it’s best to do a single batch at a time because the batch I doubled took much more time to boil down. I live in the US and had to do a water bath afterwards which I did for 10 minutes and that sealed my jars perfectly. Love how amazing it turns o it every time.
Camilla
That’s so wonderful to hear Anne and thank you so much for sharing your canning information as that’s something I can never give as just not something we do to jam in the UK but totally understand that others prefer to water bath:-)
Chelsea Powrie
How long for a water bath after putting the lids on, in order to seal for shelf-stability?
Camilla
Hi Chelsea, we don’t water bath jam in the UK so I’m afraid you’d have to follow the instructions from the manufacturer of your jars if that’s your preferred way of preserving. In the UK this is all we do and the jars are shelf stable.
Gary P
Camilla – I feel blessed to have stumbled across your blog. As you know, tons of jam making resources out there, but so many falter because they don’t check their recipes / instructions. The gem that you served up was cooking this jam at a low heat….that solved so many of my previous “Jam chemistry” challenges….Patience :). As I adore cherries, it had to be this Camilla’s Cherry Jam. I followed your instructions and the useful comments feedback and the cherry jam turned out perfectly….first crunch of sunflower seed toast (this morning) with lashings of melting hot salted butter this morning…overlooking my Live Oak Valley and dried river bed (below my pool) here in the heart of Texas…..bliss. You energized me further, so much so that I made my 2nd batch of Camilla’s Cherry Jam today (25/6/23). The only modification I made on round #2 was to take the rolling boil to 14 mins….a full 4 more mins., on your 10 minute directions. Proof will be in the cherry jam tomorrow morning. As you offer so many other great jams, my next one can only be your prize winning combo using Texas Peaches and Californian Apricots. Thanks again, I am in love with how incredibly straight forward your instructions are. Keep at it…..In Cherry Jam Heaven
Camilla
Wow Gary, high praise indeed, thank you so much. So glad that you appreciate my thorough instructions and good luck with the Peach & Apricot Jam:-) You’ll have to let me know how you get on with that one too!
Francis McDowell
I’m sorry you leave unsterilized jars of jam in your garage for 12 months because “botulism isn’t an issue here”?
Camilla
All my jars are sterilised so I’m a tad confused by your comment. Perhaps re-read the recipe as I tell readers to sterilise jars in each and every jam recipe and when a reader asks if they can skip this step I tell them no. Plus I keep my jams in my garage for a few years sometimes, I find this more agreeable with the dark fruits as red fruit jams tend to fade in colour despite being in the dark.
Jet Chan
Made mine soaked in triple sec like the previous comment suggested (couldnt find amaretto) and it was awesome. The boiling takes the alcohol away but leave the orangey note.
This recipe is really easy to clean up too.
Camilla
Sounds amazing Jet, so glad you made the recipe your own:-)
Jeannie Muller
Love the sound of this easy jam recipe, is the weight of cherries before or after pitting. Thanks
Camilla
Hi Jeannie, it’s the whole cherry weight, the first step talks about pitting the cherries:-)
Becky W
I just made this recipe, with frozen pitted cherries, and I weighed 750g not realizing I maybe should’ve added a few more to compensate for the pits?
It turned out amazing!!
Camilla
That’s fine Becky, if anything you would have needed a few less cherries as it was 750 grams of cherries that you then pit, but as you saw it made no difference to the recipe. So glad you like the recipe:-)
Pam
Help, I made the recepie, doubled it, accurately measured. It wouldn’t really go very tacky or crack. I boiled it an extra 5 minutes and tested each time 3 more times, then gave up and bottled. Fingers crossed it will be okay. What do you suggest I can do to help? Perhaps add the lemons after I squeeze just for the first part of cooking the cherries?
Camilla
Hi Pam if you’re doubling the recipe then you’re most likely going to need to double the boiling time as you need to boil off excess moisture to get to setting stage. If going off piste with any of my jam recipes then it’s best to get the help of a digital thermometer which should reach a temperature of 104 – 105.5 C. You can tip your jam back into a pan and boil it until it reaches setting point. Sounds like another 5 mins at least was needed but could be more.
Tanya
Made this jam with cherries soaked in amaretto for 24 hrs. The results were amazing cant wait to make more. Thanks for the recipe.
Camilla
That sounds like an amazing combination, so glad you like the recipe:-)