This is the easiest cherry jam recipe ever! Just 3 simple ingredients are required and the recipe is commercially produced pectin free. This cherry jam recipe can be adapted to many cherry varieties and has simple instructions.
Pectin-free cherry jam is the perfect recipe for those who are beginner canners.
If you would like to expand your canning recipes be sure to make my easy salsa verde canning recipe and my recipe for peach jam.
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🍒 Ingredients needed:
- cherries, washed, pitted, stems removed
- sugar
- water
- lemon
- Salt, dash, optional
🥣 Instructions:
- Wash cherries, remove pits and slice cherries in half.
- Combine the chopped cherries, sugar, water, lemon rind and salt in a sauce pan.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Boil the jam for 10 minutes stirring every few minutes.
- Remove the lemon rind and any cherry pits that may have slipped in.
💧 Water bath canning instructions:
- Heat canning jars in a large canning pot to a simmer.
- Make jam as instructed.
- Fill jars by ladling hot jam into hot jars.
- Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any jam.
- Place a clean, new lid on the jar.
- Place a canning ring/bad and finger tighten.
- Using a jar lifter, place the jelly jars back into the canning pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, remove the jelly jars and rest them on kitchen towel, wooden cutting board or cooking rack with at least 2 inches of space around them for the air to circulate.
- 12 hours later, check to see that the lids do not flex when pressed.
- Wipe clean and store in a cool, dry, dark place for a year.
❄️ Storage tips
This recipe for cherry jam can easily be frozen. Transfer the jam into freezer-safe containers, allow to cool completely and seal for the freezer. Use within 6 months.
📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Many fruits naturally have pectin in them. With genetically modified produce, often the pectin is less than would naturally occur. Lemon rind, the white part and the yellow outside, have a higher concentration of pectin than the juice. By using the rind of a lemon in jam, it will naturally thicken the jam by the pectin being extracted through boiling. An organic lemon would be a good choice for this project.
Using salt in jam is completely optional. I use just a pinch. Barely a ¼ teaspoon. But salt will help pull the juice from the fruit and will also complement the sugar in the jam.
Pectin Free Cherry Jam
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS
Ingredients
Instructions
- Wash cherries, remove pits and slice cherries in half.
- Combine the chopped cherries, sugar, water, lemon rind and salt in a sauce pan.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Boil the jam for 10 minutes stirring every few minutes.
- Remove the lemon rind and any cherry pits that may have slipped in.
How to water bath can jam
- Heat canning jars in a large canning pot to a simmer.
- Make jam as instructed.
- Fill jars by ladling hot jam into hot jars.
- Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any jam.
- Place a clean, new lid on the jar.
- Place a canning ring/bad and finger tighten.
- Using a jar lifter, place the jelly jars back into the canning pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, remove the jelly jars and rest them on kitchen towel, wooden cutting board or cooking rack with at least 2 inches of space around them for the air to circulate.
- 12 hours later, check to see that the lids do not flex when pressed.
- Wipe clean and store in a cool, dry, dark place for a year.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Sarah
YES!!! Cherry jam is one of my favorite ways of using up fresh cherries. 5 pounds will get you far. Enjoy!
Sarah
Ha ha!! I totally understand and would do the same! (um... have done the same)
Helen
My toddler would eat this by the spoonful. Wait, so would I!
Gorgeous recipe!
Molly Kumar
Wow, the jam looks so fresh and delicious. I just bought 5lbs of cherry and I'm going to try your recipe soon.