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!
Today I’m sharing my utterly delicious 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. So 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 up with the sugar to slowly thaw. Fresh cherries will give the best result but using pitted cherries from the freezer if 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! Don’t forget to tag @fabfood4all on social media if you do!
More summer jam recipes you might like:
- Quick & Easy Raspberry Jam
- 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
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Cherry Jam
Ingredients
- 750 g cherries
- 500 g granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon mine rendered 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. If using wax discs and cellophane, lay on the wax discs, wait until cool and then top with cellophane and rubber bands.
- Makes 1.5 standard jars (600 mls).
Recipe Notes
Put 2 saucers in the freezer before you start.
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.
Nina
It’s great that you’re replying to people’s comments. I haven’t tried the recipe yet because I had to do as my mom in law told me that I should pit the cherries ad the sugar let them set for the next day and then bring them to a boil. I used jam sugar and they’re lying in the fridge.
Kelly
Thanks for your recipe. Doubled the measurements. Mine was too liquid as well at the start even after 30minutes of boiling. I tried adding lemon zest as I read that it contains more pectin. Boiled it for another 10min. And voila…got the jelly texture I want.
Camilla
Great Kelly, yes the more fruit you have the longer it will take to boil off the moisture as you only have the same surface area as for the smaller amount.
Sue Simpson
Followed your directions but have ended up with a very liquid result. I have put it in jars to see what happens but interested in your statement on ‘re boiling. I did boil for an age so can you advise on how much lemon juice or rind or both I might need to add. I have doubled up the recipe and used 6tbs of lemon juice, fresh, so far. Many Thanks
Camilla
Hi Sue, the more fruit you have the more moisture you have to boil out of the jam and the longer it will take. So I’m not sure how long you have boiled for but it takes as long as it takes until the mixture reaches setting point. Another time I would suggest putting that much fruit into 2 separate pans and then the boiling time would be just the 17 minutes. Also this jam is a soft set jam so don’t expect it to be something you stand a spoon up in, it’s more Bonne Maman style. If you’re going to re-boil tomorrow I would add another tablespoon of lemon juice and you could even add the lemon skin too as there is pectin in the pith etc (then remove on potting up). Good luck.
Char
What kind of cherries were used in this recipe. Here we have Bing cherries (a sweet cherry) and my tree in the back yard is a sour cherry. (Much smaller too than the bing cherry but very tart)
Camilla
Hi Char, these were sweet cherries as that’s the only type sold fresh here in the UK. I have bought sour cherries frozen though but have never tried making this jam with them, only cherry sauce. If using sour cherries I’d do a 1:1 ratio with fruit to sugar.
Danni
Found some cherries on sale so am going to give this a try!! I was reading through some other recipes online and lots call for boiling the jars of jam after as you would in canning usually. Yours does not state those steps, are they not needed? Or was it an assumed step? Sorry first time jam maker!!
Camilla
Hi Danni, this is a UK recipe and here and in the whole of Europe (can’t speak for other places) it isn’t necessary to “can” jam like they do in the United States as we don’t have a Botulism problem here. But I believe some people in the US don’t can their jams either. So the recipe is as stated but if you’re from across the pond and feel the need to water bath then that’s up to you.
Danni
Oh very interesting. I never knew that it was not something done over there.
Camilla
Yes, there just isn’t the need here.
Brian Read
Boiled in two batches of 1.5 kilo cherries with 1kilo of sugar and 6 TBS of lemon juice boiled for at least 15minutes and ended up with a cherry liquid not jam ,any advice please?
Camilla
Hi Brian, you carry on boiling until setting point is reached and this will vary as not all cherries are the same etc. So you carry on boiling until the jam passes the chilled plate test, the time given is a guide not a precise time. Never too late to re-boil jam, I’ve had to do it the next day once as I pushed the boundary of a soft set a tad too far with my Greengage Jam. https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/greengage-jam-and-what-to-do-when-your-jam-is-too-runny/
Alison Kenny
Hi,
Just made my jam – turned out lovely..!!
It’s in a pilsner jar, how long will it last..??
Thanks
Ali
Camilla
Hi Alison, what is a pilsner jar? I’ve just Googled and only know the term relating to beer? In a normal screw top jar this jam will last for years but at it’s best in the first year. It should be stored in a cool dark place and once opened, in the fridge and eaten within about 3 months.
Brian Read
Does that mean for every 750grm of cherries I must use 1 lemon,even if I have 5kilo of fruit and would need to use 7lemons.
Thank you in anticipation.
Brian
Camilla
Hi Brian, it would be pro rata 3 tbsp of lemon juice per 750g of cherries but you wouldn’t cook 5 kilo of cherries in one pan. That amount of fruit would boil over the sides of the pan and even if you had a gigantic pan the jam wouldn’t set. I’d only recommend doubling this recipe and making up separate pans if you want to make more. Plus the setting point will most likely take longer to reach.
Lou | Crumbs & Corkscrews
I’ve never had much luck when making jam, I just can’t seem to find the right balanace, and end up with a liquid or something that’s too firm. I’ll definitely give your three ingredient recipe a try, it looks fantastic!
Camilla
It is practice and a runny jam can always be reboiled until you get that crinkle on a chilled saucer:-)
Betj
I did a trial of this jam but it was a bit to sweet for me, so when I made up my next batch I put in less sugar and used some pectin to help it set
And it was Perfect so so good!!
Love it 🙂
Camilla
Fabulous:-)
kathy kroon
hi you said you used less sugar so how much did you use? How much pectin did you use? Thank you
Camilla
The recipe is what I made. I never use pectin in any of my recipes.