This cherry jam needs no pectin: 4 cups of pitted cherries, 2 cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, lightly mashed and boiled for 20 to 25 minutes until a spoonful sets on a cold plate. It takes about 45 minutes and fills about 2 pint jars, with whole cherries suspended in a thick, soft-set syrup.
Cherry season never lasts as long as we think it will. A few jars stretch it into the colder months, and I keep one tucked behind the flour bin next to the vanilla.
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- Cherries: 4 cups pitted, sweet, tart or a mix (about 2 pounds whole cherries)
- Sugar: 2 cups granulated, plus about 1 tablespoon more for tart cherries
- Lemon: 2 tablespoons fresh juice and 1 teaspoon zest (zest optional)
- Almond extract: 1/2 teaspoon, optional, stirred in off the heat
- Time: 20 minutes prep, 20 to 25 minutes cooking
- Yield: about 2 pint jars, or 4 cups
Sweet, Sour or Both: Picking the Cherries
Sweet cherries such as Bing or black cherries make a thicker, darker jam that leans toward cherry cola: round and almost candy-like. Sour cherries such as Montmorency or Morello taste sharper and more floral, closer to old-fashioned European sour cherry jam. They cook a little faster and want about 1 extra tablespoon of sugar.
I have made this recipe with only sweet cherries and with only tart ones, and my favorite is a mix. Sweet cherries give body. Tart cherries keep the flavor from going flat. Going with sharp cheese or yogurt? Lean tart. For warm biscuits or a swirl through whipped cream, lean sweet.
Pitting, Mashing and Resting the Fruit
Wash and pit the cherries. A cherry pitter is fastest; a sturdy straw or chopstick pushed through the stem end works too. Do the pitting before cooking, because fishing hot pits out of boiling sugar is slow and you will miss some. Frozen pitted cherries work as well: thaw them, keep every drop of juice and expect a few extra minutes of boiling.
Halve the cherries for a smoother spread, or leave them whole like I usually do. Whole fruit gives the jam a rustic texture and weight on the spoon, which I like under clotted cream or on warm toast.
Put the cherries in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and mash them gently with a potato masher. You only want to release juice, not flatten every cherry. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and zest, then let the pan sit for 10 minutes before you turn on the heat. The sugar starts dissolving and pulls juice out of the fruit, so the syrup is already deep red when it hits the stove.
How Cherry Jam Sets Without Pectin
Cherries are low in natural pectin, so this jam does not set the way apple or blackberry jam does. The set comes from three things: the high ratio of 2 cups sugar to 4 cups fruit, the acid in the lemon juice, and boiling off enough water that the syrup thickens on its own. That is why the clock is only a guide and the cold plate is the real test.
Bring the pan to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Then turn it down to medium and keep it bubbling for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring regularly. Sugar-heavy jam scorches fast, especially near the end when it thickens.
Reading the Pot: Bubbles, Foam and the Cold Plate
Early on the bubbles are fast and foamy. Near the end they turn slow, glossy and large, the jam spits when you stir, and the spoon leaves a trail across the bottom. A thermometer reads about 220°F at that point. Skim off the pink foam so the jars stay clear.
Put a small plate in the freezer before you start. Drop a little jam on it, wait 1 minute and push your finger through the middle. A clean line that does not flood back means it is set. Still runny? Cook 5 minutes more and test again. It thickens further as it cools, so a soft set in the pan is right.
Almond Extract, Off the Heat
Once it passes the test, take the pan off the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. It is optional, but I always add it. Cherry and almond are an old pair, and the extract gives a soft marzipan finish. In my notes, almond added too soon loses its flavor, so it always goes in last. For a stronger almond and liqueur version, try my cherry amaretto jam.
Cherry Jam or Cherry Preserves?
Jam is fruit mashed or chopped fine so it spreads evenly. Preserves keep whole or halved fruit in a thick syrup. This recipe sits on the preserves side when you leave the cherries whole and mash lightly, and turns into a smooth cherry jam if you halve the fruit and mash more. Same ingredients, same set test, same timing.
For a thicker, spoonable filling for pies rather than toast, cornstarch does the job instead of a long boil: see my cherry pie filling.
Jarring, Water Bath Canning and Fridge Storage
Ladle the hot jam into sterilized jars through a wide-mouth funnel, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth and put on the lids.
- Shelf-stable: process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Above 1,000 feet, add time according to a tested altitude chart from your local extension service.
- Fridge only: skip the water bath, cool the jars and refrigerate. Use within 3 to 4 weeks.
- Opened jars: keep in the fridge and use within 3 to 4 weeks.
Runny, Stiff or Scorched Jam
- Runny after a day: it was pulled before the set point. Pour it back into the pan, boil 5 minutes and redo the cold plate test.
- Stiff and gummy: it cooked past 220°F. Warm it gently with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water until it loosens.
- Burnt taste: sugar caught on the bottom. Pour the jam into a clean pan without scraping the dark layer, and keep the heat at medium from now on.
- Too sweet with sweet cherries: stir in another squeeze of lemon juice at the end.
Where a Jar of Cherries Ends Up
I use it in layered cakes, especially almond sponge such as this almond amaretto cake. It holds between layers without bleeding into the crumb. It also fills linzer cookies and thumbprint cookies, and it goes on sour cream scones with clotted cream or tucked into puff pastry turnovers.
For breakfast, stir it into yogurt with a spoonful of toasted oats. For dessert, warm a few tablespoons and pour them over vanilla ice cream with chopped pistachios.
Same method, different fruit: blackberry jam, blueberry jam and strawberry jam all set without pectin too.
Cherry Jam Questions From the Stove
Can you make cherry jam without pitting the cherries?
Not well. The pits are hard to find once the fruit is mashed in hot syrup, so pit the cherries before cooking.
Can I use frozen cherries?
Yes. Thaw 4 cups of frozen pitted cherries, use them with their juice and boil a few minutes longer before the cold plate test.
Can I use less sugar?
Only a little. In a no-pectin jam the sugar is part of what makes it set, so cutting it a lot gives a runny jam that keeps for less time in the fridge.
Cherry Jam Recipe
This cherry jam recipe without pectin is a small batch preserve made with fresh cherries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and a little almond extract. It takes about 45 minutes and makes about 2 pint jars, or 4 cups, of soft-set jam with whole cherries in a thick, glossy syrup. Cherries are low in pectin, so the 2 to 1 fruit to sugar ratio, the lemon and a 20 to 25 minute boil do the setting, checked with a cold plate test. Spread it on toast and scones, fill linzer and thumbprint cookies, layer it in almond cakes or spoon it over ice cream and yogurt. Use sweet, tart or mixed cherries for cherry jam or cherry preserves, water bath the jars 10 minutes, or refrigerate up to 4 weeks.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh cherries, pitted (sweet or tart, or a mix)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional, but adds brightness)
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, pairs beautifully with cherries)
Instructions
- PREP THE CHERRIES: Wash and pit the cherries. You can cut them in half or leave them whole depending on the texture you prefer in your jam. Leaving some whole adds a rustic appearance and a satisfying bite.
- MASH LIGHTLY: Place the cherries in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and mash gently using a potato masher. Break them down slightly while keeping some texture.
- ADD SUGAR AND LEMON: Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest if using. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to allow the cherries to release their juices and begin dissolving the sugar.
- COOK THE JAM: Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring regularly.
- CHECK FOR DONENESS: To test if the jam is ready, drop a small amount onto a cold plate and let it sit for 1 minute. Run your finger through it—if it leaves a clean line, the jam is set. If it’s still runny, continue cooking and test again every 5 minutes.
- ADD ALMOND EXTRACT: Once the jam has thickened to your liking, remove the pan from heat and stir in the almond extract if using.
- JAR AND STORE: Spoon the hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for long-term storage. Alternatively, let the jars cool and store in the refrigerator if you plan to use the jam within 3 to 4 weeks.
Notes
Cherries are low in natural pectin, so the jam sets by boiling off water: trust the cold plate test (a clean line after 1 minute) or about 220°F, not the clock. If it is still runny, cook 5 minutes more and test again. Near the end the bubbles turn slow and glossy; stir along the bottom and lower the heat slightly so the sugar does not scorch. Skim the foam before jarring. If using tart cherries, add about 1 extra tablespoon of sugar. Frozen pitted cherries work; thaw them and use the juice. Add the almond extract off the heat. Leave 1/4 inch headspace and process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath, or refrigerate and use within 3 to 4 weeks.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 964Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 6mgCarbohydrates 248gFiber 6gSugar 237gProtein 3g
