My Easy Christmas Jam Recipe is fruity and delicious and makes a wonderful homemade gift. It’s a cranberry and apple jam, infused with orange and mixed spice for a fabulous festive flavour.
This jam is perfect for teatime or serving alongside your Christmas turkey instead of cranberry sauce.
Table of contents
How this Easy Christmas Jam Recipe evolved!
Before developing my Easy Christmas Jam recipe, I wasn’t a fan of this festive preserve as I’d only tried shop-bought versions.
I found them too heavily spiced and heavygoing due to the alcohol content.
So, after buying a punnet (carton) of cranberries, I decided it was time to make a Christmas Jam with a lighter flavour.
I’d only made cranberries into Cranberry Curd before, which tastes incredible.
This spiced cranberry and apple jam doesn’t disappoint either!
Apple brings a freshness to the cranberry flavour, orange a subtle citrus zing, and mixed spice harmonises these festive flavours.
With its jewel-like colour, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Why You Will Love This Christmas Jam Recipe
- It has a wonderful natural fruity texture, as no food processor is used.
- Makes a unique gift for the holiday season.
- No pectin is needed, so it’s budget-friendly.
- Hassle-free, as there’s no need for a muslin bag to hold spices, unlike some recipes.
- Quick to make, just 28 minutes!
- Homemade jam tastes fresher and better than anything you can buy in a shop!
- Versatile, use it as a jam or in place of cranberry sauce.
How to Make This Easy Christmas Jam Recipe
Full instructions are at the bottom of this post.
Equipment
- Paring knife
- Chopping Board
- Fine grater (Microplane)
- preserving pan
- Long wooden spoon
- 2 Saucers/small plates
- Ladle
- Jam funnel
- 4 x 220 ml Glass jars with lids
Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries: you could use frozen.
- Cooking apples: I use Bramley apples.
- Orange zest & juice: wash and scrub to remove the wax coating before zesting.
- Mixed spice: a blend of ground cinnamon, coriander, caraway, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
- Sugar: ordinary granulated sugar, not sugar substitutes or preserving sugar (gives stiff jam in my opinion).
Christmas Jam Instructions
- Begin by rinsing cranberries and juicing/zesting 1 to 2 oranges (see recipe below for exact instructions)
- Peel, core, and finely slice the apple. (Weigh as you go along to get the correct weight).
- Add the cranberries, apple slices, mixed spice, orange juice, and zest to a preserving pan (or similar) with a tight-fitting lid.
- On low heat (with lid on), simmer the fruit mixture gently for 10 minutes or until the apple has softened and all the cranberries have popped.
- Lower the heat, stir in the sugar, and break down the apple slices with the back of a spoon. (Do not simmer)!
- Stir the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Bring to a rolling boil (full boil) and time for 5 minutes (or until 104°C or 219°F is reached on a digital thermometer), then remove from heat.
- To test for set, place a few drops of jam on a chilled saucer and return to the fridge for 30 seconds.
- Push your finger through the jam which shouldn’t be watery anymore but gel-like and form a crinkle.
- If the jam hasn’t reached the setting point, bring it back to a rolling boil for another minute and repeat the test until ready.
- Pot up the hot jam into hot jars (a jam funnel is handy) and clip or screw on the lids.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tartness of the cranberries and cooking apples means they are naturally rich in pectin. Therefore, there is no need for powdered/liquid pectin or lemon juice to help with the gel formation.
Yes. However, I don’t see the logic as freezer jams are not economical (energy costs) and this jam is shelf stable as written.
This recipe makes a small batch of jam ie 4 x 220 ml (7.4 oz), jars of jam.
Yes, but you’ll need a digital or jam thermometer as the time to reach the setting point will be much longer. Do the chilled plate test when the jam reaches 104°C (219°F).
Yes. Store Christmas Jam in a cool, dark, dry place and consume within 12 months for the best colour and flavour. It will be safe to eat for many years.
Once a jar is opened, store it in the fridge where it will keep for months.
Yes. Water bathing jam isn’t widely used for jam-making in the UK. Should you prefer to water bath follow your jar manufacturer’s instructions or this step-by-step guide to water bathing.
Yes, it’s completely optional.
Serving Suggestions
This Easy Christmas Jam recipe has so many culinary uses:
- Sweet Treat: spread it on croissants, Scotch pancakes, English muffins, Christmas Soda Bread, or scones for afternoon tea.
- Savoury Snack: pair it with a thick slice of buttered sourdough and melted Camembert or Brie.
- Desserts: stir a spoonful into rice pudding, semolina, Greek yogurt, etc.
- Sweet Bakes: add it to cakes, eg Victoria Sandwich, and cookies, eg Thumbprint Cookies, etc.
- Savoury Bakes: use in Brie & Cranberry Tear & Share Wreath, and Turkey & Cranberry Filo Tarts, etc.
- Festive Cheeseboard or Charcuterie Board: served with crackers like my Chia & Sesame Seed Crackers.
- Condiment: serve in place of cranberry sauce or jelly with Roast Turkey, Stuffed Turkey Breast Steaks, Turkey Meatloaf, Nut Roast, etc.
More Seasonal Preserves
This spiced cranberry and apple jam is the perfect gift. Here are some more curd, jelly, and jam recipes that would also make great holiday gifts.
- Cranberry Curd
- Snowball (Eggnog) Curd
- Granny’s Quick Lemon Curd
- Blood Orange Curd with Power Blender Option
- Orange Marmalade (shredless or with shreds)
- Easy Crab Apple Jelly
- Rosehip & Apple Jelly
- Cherry Jam
- Sloe & Apple Jam
- Blueberry Jam
- Easy Grape Jam
I know you’ll love my Easy Christmas Jam recipe as it’s versatile, fruity, and delicious.
Why not make an extra batch for gifting this Christmas? Otherwise, you may find yourself not wanting to part with any jars!
Pin this Easy Christmas Jam for later!
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Easy Christmas Jam
Equipment
- Paring knife
- Chopping Board
- Fine grater (Microplane)
- preserving pan
- long wooden spoon
- 2 saucers/small plates
- ladle
- jam funnel
- 4 x 220 ml glass jars with lids (or other combination)
Ingredients
- 300 g cranberries
- 300 g cooking apples Bramley apples, weight when peeled, cored & quartered
- 150 ml freshly squeezed orange juice from 1 – 2 oranges
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest from 1 – 2 oranges
- ¼ teaspoon mixed spice optional
- 600 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Thinly slice the apple quarters (from top to bottom).
- Place in a preserving pan (or similar) with cranberries, orange juice, orange zest and mixed spice.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and gently simmer for about 10 minutes or until apple is softened and cranberries have all popped.
- Lower the heat, add the sugar and stir until dissolved, whilst breaking up the apple with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Bring the pan to a rolling boil on a high heat, stirring continuously and set a timer for 5 minutes (or boil until 104°C or 219°F is reached on a digital or jam thermometer). Then remove from the heat.
- Test for set by pouring a few drops of jam onto a chilled saucer, then put in fridge for 30 seconds.
- Push a finger through the jam which should no longer be watery and form a gel like crinkle. (Harder to see in this jam as it’s so fruity but you’ll know if it’s standing upright on the plate).
- Pot up immediately into hot jars (using a ladle and jam funnel if you have one) and screw or clip on lids whilst jam is still hot.
- Jam is ready to serve once cool.
- Store in a cool, dry, dark place and once open in the fridge (use within a few months). For best quality and colour eat within 12 months but will be safe to eat for years.
Notes
Sterilise 4 x 220 ml jars by washing them in hot soapy water (or take them straight from the dishwasher), fill with boiling water, empty, and then place in the oven for 20 minutes at 140°C (185°F) where you leave them until the jam is ready. Washed lids should be sterilised with boiling water and left to drain (if still wet place in the oven once you’ve turned the heat off and run with just the fan for a few minutes).
Originally posted 15/12/2021 updated 07/11/2024.
Jan Rutledge
Made this jam yesterday but made it slightly wrong. I make jam a lot but cooking two things at the same time while listening to the Archers omnibus is not a good idea. Having said that it turned out really good and tastes great, orange zest makes it kind of marmaladey. I found it quite addictive on toast.
Camilla
Oh I’ve been there, got the t-shirt:-) Glad it turned out well in the end – enjoy your jam:-)
Sarah
Hi how long can you store this for?
Camilla
Hi Sarah, I go into detail about that in the actual recipe, point 10.
Anne Sundqvist
I made this today as soon as I saw it!
Camilla
That’s awesome Anne, hope you enjoy it:-)
Victoria
I made this today and it is deeeeelicious already! I also made your blueberry jam and that is amazing too. Both very easy for a total jam novice and really satisfying. Thank you, I am absolutely trying more of your jams (and other recipes) soon 🙂
Camilla
Aaw, thank you so much Victoria, that’s so lovely to hear. Glad to have set you off on your jam making:-)
Dee
Would it be possible for you to give us the US equivalents? I seem to be having trouble getting it right when researching online.
Camilla
Hi Dee, I’m afraid there is not comparison as you can’t convert a weight to a volume. I once tried weighing cups of different sized blueberries and depending of whether they were all small or or large the weight was out by a long chalk especially when you scaled up the cups so the margin of error was great. Hence I refuse to give cup measurements as I would being doing a disservice to my readers by giving out inaccurate recipes. The only way to make accurate recipes is to buy a cheap pair of digital scales I’m afraid. I think they’re around $6.
Diane Pounsberry
If you invest in a digital scale, you can weigh in grams, and ounces! I bought one for a diet I was on and use it almost more than any other kitchen gadget I have!! Like when buying things in bulk and want to add 4 oz from an 8 oz container of something not easily cut in half… using the “tare” on the scale makes it simple after all other ingredients added…it’s a GREAT investment, and fairly cheap! I have the OZERI and it’s battery powered and really accurate…since there are so many varieties out there. ALSO economical 🙂
Karen
Could this be made with frozen cranberries?
Camilla
Yes, you can use frozen fruit for any jam recipe, no need to thaw.
Andrea
what is mixed spice?
Camilla
Hi Andrea, I’ve listed the ingredients in another comment and it’s also listed in the body of the text where I talk about the ingredients.
Ashley
What are the ratios of the spices? I can’t see any other comment where this was discussed.
Camilla
Hi Ashley, I’m assuming you live somewhere where you can’t buy “Mixed Spice” which is readily available in all supermarkets in the UK. So I searched the internet and the AI answer was “A typical ratio of spices for mixed spice is 1 tablespoon each of ground allspice and cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of ground mace, 1 teaspoon each of ground cloves and coriander, and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.” Hope that helps.
Liz
This jam looks delicious! I have just about all ingredients on hand, so will be giving this recipe a try!
Camilla
Excellent Liz, do let me know what you think:-)
Linda
What a beautiful jam! And apple does make this jam more flavorful
Camilla
Thank you Linda:-)
Mikayla
This holiday jam is right up at the top of the wonderful flavors I most enjoy! Try it you will not be sorry.
Allyssa
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing christmas jam recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Camilla
Wow, that was quick Allyssa, so glad you like it:-)