Description
This homemade cherry jam recipe transforms fresh cherries into a luxurious preserve with only three ingredients. Perfectly balanced in sweetness and bursting with summer flavor, it’s ideal for breakfast, desserts, gifting, and more.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g fresh cherries, pitted (about 3 cups)
- ¾ to 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Optional substitutions: honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, lime juice, frozen cherries
Instructions
- Combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot. Mix and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight to macerate.
- Remove mixture and cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes until softened.
- Mash cherries to desired texture or blend for smooth jam.
- Check consistency by drawing a line in the jam with a spatula—if it holds, you’re close.
- Test on chilled plate: jam should hold shape without running. If thin, cook 5 more minutes and retest.
- Transfer hot jam to clean jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal tightly and invert jars to create vacuum seal.
Notes
Tip: Always use the cold plate test to avoid runny jam. Sterilize jars for long-term storage and adjust sugar to taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: Preserves
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Homemade
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tbsp
- Calories: 55
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg