17. November 2022
Our friend and guest blogger Chez LaRaeworked up thisfestive jam canningrecipe. You can follow LaRae’s amazing food adventures onInstagramand herwebsite. LaRaeis a self-taught baker, cooking and baking instructor, & recipe developer.See LaRae's otherrecipe guest blog posts.
Holiday Jam is like Christmas in a jar with its gorgeous ruby red color and rich, warm spices. This jam makes festive hostess gifts or cute stocking stuffers. Serve with waffles, pancakes, cheese platters or alongside savory, holiday dinners.
Decorate your jars with Custom Apothecary Santa labels or Custom Apothecary Christmas canning labels which come in red and green options. Shop all of our Custom Holiday Canning Labels.
Note:This recipe cannot be doubled. Make one batch at a time or make two batches in two separate pots side-by-side.
Christmas Jam
Recipe modified from America’s Test Kitchen’s “Foolproof Preserving”
Special equipment: Instant-read thermometer
Preservation method: Water bath canning
Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
YIELD: Makes 4 half-pint jars
- 16 oz fresh cranberries
- 1 lb (about 2) granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp freshly grated orange zest + ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Place a small plate in the freezer for a jam “frozen plate test” (See details below).
Place the canning rack in the bottom of a boiling water canner, then place empty jars on the rack. Add water to the jars and the canner until the jars are about two-thirds full. Cover the canner and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.
In a Dutch oven, bring cranberries, apples, water, orange zest, and juice to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally until cranberries burst, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg and continue to boil until sugar has dissolved.
Remove Dutch oven from heat. Crush fruit with a potato masher until desired consistency is achieved. Return mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is thickened and registers 217 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring continuously. Remove pot from heat.
Frozen plate test: To test jam’s consistency, remove the frozen plate from the freezer. Place one teaspoon of jam on the plate. Drag your finger or a wooden spoon through the jam. The jam has the correct consistency when your finger or spoon leaves a distinct trail that doesn’t run back together. If runny, return the pot to the heat and simmer one minute longer before retesting.
Ladle jam immediately into prepared jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads with a moistened towel. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands to finger-tip tight.
Place jars onto a rack in the canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover, and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, process the jam for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After the jars cool, check seals by pressing the centers of lids with your finger. If the lid springs back, the lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.
Let prepared jars stand at room temperature 24 hours. After 24 hours, layer CanningCrafts’jam jar fabriconto jars and screw on lids. Tieribbonsaround the top, affix CanningCrafts’custom holiday labels, and write dates on jars. Store unopened jam in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.
Decorate your jars withCustom Apothecary Santa labelsorCustom Apothecary Christmas canning labelswhich come in red and green options. Shop all of ourCustom Holiday Canning Labels.
Shop for Custom Christmas Canning Labels
Want more Christmas Jam recipes? See our Black Forest Macaroon Jam Canning Recipe.
See our DIY Christmas Mason Jar Gift Ideas blog post for other recipes & holiday decor.
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Canning Chez LaRae Christmas Holiday Jam Recipe
Comments (3)
Diane on November 06, 2023
Delicious Jam
Thank You for the recipe
Ali on December 17, 2023
Do you leave the water in the jars when you put the jam in it?
CanningCrafts on December 17, 2023
Ali,
You’ll want to dump the water out of the jars before putting the jam in. But whatever tiny amount of water that is left in the jar after dumping it out will usually evaporate. Any tiny drops of water left are fine.
Alison
CanningCrafts
FAQs
Acid: The proper level of acid is critical to gel formation. If there is too little acid, the gel will never set; if there is too much acid, the gel will lose liquid (weep). For fruits low in acid, add lemon juice or other acid ingredients as directed.
Can you use less sugar when canning jam? ›
Less sugar may allow for greater bacterial growth. As a result, process times may be longer for these low-sugar or no-sugar jams and jellies. Some pectin products include preservatives to reduce bacterial growth, as well as to preserve color.
How do you preserve homemade jam? ›
Put the jam into containers and freeze: Pour the jam into clean freezer containers or canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. (Plastic freezer containers with tight-fitting lids work well for storing freezer jams and jellies.) Cover the containers and let stand for 24 hours, or until the jam has set and become firm.
Can you can jam without pectin? ›
Many fruit jams are made with the addition of pectin for thickening, but fruit jam can be made with just fresh fruit, lemon juice, and sugar.
How much lemon juice do you add to jam? ›
I generally add one ounce of lemon juice for every two pounds of fruit when jamming higher-acid fruit (like tart plums, cherries, or raspberries), and about two ounces for lower-acid fruit (like sweet strawberries).
Can you use orange juice instead of lemon juice in jam? ›
Orange juice is a good one-to-one substitute for lemon juice in most recipes. It's less acidic, sweeter, and less tart than lemon juice. Plus, it has a different flavor profile. In recipes in which a large amount of lemon juice is needed, substituting for it with orange juice may significantly impact the flavor ( 4 ).
What happens if you add sugar too early when making jam? ›
It's important to add the jam sugar at the right time. If you add it in too early, the sugar can cause the fruit to break down and become mushy. If added too late, the jam may not set properly.
What happens if you put too much sugar in jam? ›
Jam recipes mostly comprise equal weights of fruit and sugar. You can play with this 1:1 ratio as much as you want, but too much fruit and you may lose the preserving effects of the sugar; too much sugar and it may crystallise during storage.
What is the minimum amount of sugar in jam? ›
to legally be called jam the product must contain a minimum of 60% sugars (that includes natural fruit sugar and added sugar).
What is the best preservative for jam? ›
The salt form of Benzoic acid i.e. Sodium benzoate is one of the most common chemical food preservatives. Sodium benzoate is a common preservative used in acidified food such as fruit juices, jams, pickles, preserves, fruit co*cktails, etc.
Pick up a spoonful of jam and turn the spoon so it is horizontal. If the jam is so thick that is nearly won't come off the spoon (there should be a pregnant pause here, a drop so thick and viscous it won't drop off the spoon), you're then ready to jar it.
How many years does homemade jam last? ›
A: For best quality, it is recommended that all home-canned foods be used within a year. Most homemade jams and jellies that use a tested recipe, and have been processed in a canner for the recommended time, should retain best quality and flavor for up to that one year recommended time.
Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›
With a simple lemon juice trick, your homemade jam will achieve your desired thick texture. Preparing jam is about capturing the sweet essence of the fruit while simultaneously cooking it down to the perfect syrupy consistency.
What happens if you add too much pectin to jam? ›
You will need approximately half the amount of pectin that is indicated by your recipe. Please be careful when adding pectin as too much will leave you with a set that is too solid and it is not possible to rectify this so always add less than you think is necessary and test the set and then add more if required.
Can I use lemon juice instead of pectin in jam? ›
Although we are not adding powdered pectin, we will add citric acid or lemon juice to the jam. This gives an additional pop of pectin but also some acidity that balances the sweetness of the jam. Citric acid provides very consistent results, which is why I like to use it.
What happens if you forget lemon juice in jelly? ›
If your recipe called for lemon juice and you forgot to put it in, your mixture will not be acid enough for safe canning. You have to open the jars and put the mixture into a sauce pan. (If you made the jam or jelly recently and you carefully remove the lids without damaging them, you can re-use the same lids.)
What does lemon juice do in jelly? ›
Adding acid in the form of fresh lemon or lime juice is important for two reasons: First, it makes for a more well-balanced jam, returning some of the acidity lost with the addition of sugar. Second, pectin needs acid to properly activate, or firm up.
What can I use instead of lemon juice in canning? ›
Canning: Lime juice is also the best substitute for lemon juice when preparing fruits for canning. It has a very similar pH level to lemon juice that will help your canned goods to stay safe for long-term storage.
Does lemon juice thicken jelly? ›
Lack of acidity: Acids like lemon juice help lower the jam mixture's pH, which reacts with the natural or added pectin to help thicken the jam. If a jam recipe doesn't call for lemon juice or lime juice, it could rely on another ingredient, like added pectin, to set the jam.
