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Apple Jam

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Apple Jam is an old fashioned way to preserve apples, and it’ll add amazing flavor to your morning toast.

Apple Jam

Just about everyone’s heard of applesauce, and if you have an apple tree in your backyard chances are you’ve cooked up a batch or two.  The problem is, it’s not all that popular with the over 5-year-old crowd.

Why not try a different apple preserve this year?  Namely, this tasty apple jam that’s just bursting with fresh apple flavor.

I make mine with just three simple ingredients, diced apples, sugar, and a splash of lemon juice.  Apples are full of natural fruit pectin, so this jam gels beautifully into a chunky preserve with a bright golden color.     

How to Make Apple Jam

The trick to making apple jam, without having it turn into apple sauce, is macerating the apples in sugar overnight.  The sugar draws out liquid from the apples and firms up their texture, meaning the apple chunks won’t just dissolve into sauce as soon as they hit the heat.

Start by peeling and coring your favorite firm-fleshed apple variety.  Apple varieties used for pie tend to work well here because they’re generally the type that hold their shape well.  Granny Smith, Empire, Honeycrisp, or really any other good firm apple with a crunch. 

Tart, acidic apples will give the best flavor to the finished apple jam, and if you use apples that are quite sweet, I’d suggest adding a bit more lemon juice to enhance the flavor.

You want the apple chunks to be relatively small, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubed.  They’re really not going to break down much smaller as you cook them, so cut them just a smidge bigger than you’d want them to end up in the finished apple jam.

Chopped Apples for Making Apple Jam

Splash the diced apple with lemon juice and toss the pieces to coat.  I use about 2 tablespoons per pound (4 cups chopped), which is more than enough to keep the apples from browning and adds a delightful tart contrast to what would otherwise be a very sweet apple jam. 

Next, weigh your chopped apples.  For every pound of chopped apple pieces, add 1/2 pound of granular sugar.

Don’t have a scale?  You can actually do it by volume pretty well too.  It takes about 4 cups of diced apples to make a pound. 

A pound of sugar is about 2 cups.  That means (roughly) 1 cup of sugar to every 4 cups diced apples.

In simple terms, here’s the ratio for making Apple Jam:

  • 1 lb Chopped Apples (4 cups)
  • 1/2 lb Granular sugar (1 cup)
  • 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

(That’s the ratio, but the mixture cooks down quite a bit, and I’m starting with 4 times this amount (16 cups apples) to yield roughly 4-5 half-pint (8 oz) jars.)

At this point, you have apples tossed in lemon juice and sugar, and it’s time to let them rest overnight in the fridge.  If you don’t have that much time, at least 4 hours is often enough to get the job done in a pinch.

Once the fruit has macerated in the sugar, strain the liquid into a jam pot and set the apple chunks to the side.

Bring the juice/sugar mixture to a hard boil on the stove, then add the apple chunks to the boiling sugar syrup.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, for 20-30 minutes.  The jam should thicken visibly during this time, and it will thicken further when it cools.

To test for gelling, place a plate in the freezer before you start cooking the jam, and pour a bit of the jam onto the plate when you think it’s done.  It’ll cool rapidly, and show you the finished texture.

Once the texture is to your liking, it’s time to jar up your apple jam!

Apple Jam Variations

I kept this apple jam recipe pretty simple, and all you’ll really taste is the fresh apple flavor.  You can always add spices or other fruit to change things up. 

Here are a few options that work really well:

  • Add 1 vanilla bean toward the end of cooking
  • Add 3-4 cardamom pods or 1 cinnamon stick added at the start of cooking
  • A splash of rum or brandy added during cooking

Canning Apple Jam

You can make a quick refrigerator or freezer jam with this apple jam recipe, and it’ll last in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or freezer for up to 6 months.  That said, I’m a big fan of shelf-stable home-canned preserves. 

Canning apple jam means you can enjoy it year-round as a proper water bath canned preserve should maintain peak quality for 12-18 months after canning (and be fine to eat for longer).

To can apple jam, prepare a water bath canner before you start cooking your jam, and wash canning jars ahead of time.

Once the jam has finished cooking, ladle it into canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Be sure to use a spatula to de-bubble the jars, removing any air and adjusting headspace as necessary.  This is a thick jam, so I found it particularly tricky to de-bubble.  Do your best, and try for as little air trapped in the jam as possible.

Seal with 2 part canning lids and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.  Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the canner for an additional 5 minutes before removing them to a towel on the counter. 

(This extra time allows them to cool slightly and will help prevent siphoning as they’re removed from the canner.  I didn’t do this when I was canning apple pie filling and it made a big mess.  The texture of this jam isn’t too different, so it definitely needs that 5 minutes extra in the canner with the heat off.)

Once cooled, check the seals and place any unsealed jars in the refrigerator to use within the next few weeks.  Properly sealed jars should keep at least 12-18 months without losing quality. 

Ways to Preserve Apples

Looking for more ways to preserve apples?

Apple Jam
Yield: 4 to 5 half pint (8 oz) jars

Apple Jam

Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Canning Time (Optional) : 10 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Apple jam is the perfect fall preserve, and the intense flavor of apples will warm your heart as it dresses up your morning toast. It comes together quickly, with just a few ingredients and no added pectin.

Ingredients

  • 16 cups apple pieces, peeled, cored & diced (4 lbs prepared, from about 6 lbs whole apples)
  • 4 cups sugar (2 lbs)
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)

Instructions

1. Peel, core, and dice the apples. (Be sure to chop the fruit into small chunks, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes, as they'll remain close to that size in the finished jam.)

2. Toss the chopped apples in lemon juice and sugar, cover, and refrigerate for overnight (12 to 24 hours). This step is important, and at an absolute minimum, they need 4 hours, preferably more. Macerating the fruit in sugar helps it retain a chunky texture, rather than turn into applesauce.

3. Prepare a water bath canner (if canning, skip for a freezer jam).

4.Place the apple mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. The mixture will foam, so be sure your pan is big enough to handle foaming to avoid overflows.

5. Stir apple/sugar mixture occasionally, watching for overflows, and cook for about 20-30 minutes.
If apple pieces are too large, crush slightly with a potato masher (optional).

6. Cook until the apple jam reaches gel stage, using an instant-read thermometer or testing a small amount on a plate placed in the freezer. (Gel stage is 220 degrees F at sea level and a bit below that at higher elevations.  The finished temperature drops by 1 degree for every 500 feet above sea level.  I'm at 1000 feet, so my jams finish at 218 F.)

7. Once the jam reaches gel stage, immediately remove it from the heat and pack it into jars leaving
1/4 inch headspace, and seal with 2 part canning lids

8. Store the apple jam in the refrigerator for immediate use, or process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Turn off the canner and allow the jars to sit an additional 5 minutes before removing them to a towel on the counter. Check for seals after a few hours, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator.

Notes

Canned apple jam should last 18 months or more at room temperature if properly sealed (refrigerate after opening) Refrigerated jam should last at least 2-3 weeks.

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© Ashley Adamant

Fall Canning Recipes

Putting up more than just apples this fall?

Homemade Apple Jam is quick and easy, with just a few ingredients and no added pectin. Learn how to preserve apples in old fashioned apple jam.

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Comments

  3. Aryll

    So I made the jam, but I think I boiled it for too long cuz All the liquid evaborated, so I really hope it turns out okay.

    Reply

  4. Patty

    Hi, my name is Patty and I just found you and so glad I did. I just read how to can apple jam and can’t wait to try it. Canning is the one thing I am wanting to learn. I truly love how you give your directions, very easy to understand. Can’t wait to see more. Thank you

    Reply

  5. TS

    My husband and I loved this! It never became soft and spreadable…but more like a preserve. Had it with some ginger flavours bread…sooo good. Thank you!!!

    Reply

    • Ashley Adamant

      Probably? I haven’t used this method with quince, but I have made quince jelly, butter, and preserves. In my experience, quince takes a lot longer to cook and become tender. I imagine this would work, but you might need to cook it longer, and as a result, might need to add water/juice to keep it from burning/scorching while the quince cooks to tender. Good luck!

      Reply

  7. Joni

    I have always canned apple butter and applesauce with my apples – boy am I glad I came across this recipe! It is fantastic!! My new go to for canning apples.

    Reply

  8. Dixie Adcock

    I JUST finished this jam. It smells wonderful and jarred up beautifully. I left the apples a little on the large size so it came out like a preserve. I will definitely be using this one again and again.

    Reply

  9. Linda Washington

    I ended up simmering this on low for about 45 minutes and adding about 1.5 cups of additional liquid (part Apple juice, part water); cooked it for about 45 minutes before it became a spreadable jam. Love it!

    Reply

  10. KW

    Just made this wonderful apple jam, mine came out a bit chunky too as I cut pieces larger but wanted it to have that texture. It smelled so good we already tried it on warm buttered toast. Soo delicious! And the house smells like it did when my mother was canning many moons ago. Thank you!

    Reply

  12. Lynda

    I was given loads of eating apple of all different varieties so I thought I would have a go at some apple jam as it’s not something you can get here however there doesn’t appear to be many apple jam recipes as there are chutney here in the UK. I read through many recipes and found yours. I have just finished making the apple jam and putting into jars. My husband thinks it’s really tasty and” a little something different” I don’t have cups so I used your conversion of Ibs and it worked very well.

    Reply

  13. K.M.

    I’m planning to try this recipe for the first time–so excited! I didn’t see whether to add a few minutes of boiling time in the water bath canning to adjust for elevation. Is it safe to assume an extra 5 minutes boiling time for 1,000-3,000 ft, 10 for 3,001-6,000 ft, etc.?

    Reply

  14. Patrica

    I made the apple jam but I didn’t really stupid thing I put cinnamon not cinnamon stick in there and I think it’s starting to stick but it taste delicious regardless

    Reply

  15. Chris in VA

    Delicious, jammy, and beautiful in the jars! I added a couple of teaspoons of ground cardamom and cut my apples relatively finely. Somewhere I went off the rails, though, because I ended up with 10 half pints in the canner and another several tablespoons for a jar in the fridge! Definitely not complaining; this stuff is great. Bookmarking the recipe to come back to this one.

    Reply

    • Wanda Hoefle

      I had this problem too, I messed up and did 16 cups of the diced apples, which was about double, so the next day I added brown sugar and more lemon juice. Decided to add cinnamon and pie spice and tbsp. vanilla at end.

      Reply

    • Administrator

      Macerating the apples in the sugar is an important step to making this apple jam without it turning into applesauce. Using honey is not going to have the same affect.

      Reply

      • Elaina

        Yeah, I found that out when I tried it shortly after I wrote that comment 🤣
        Still tastes amazing though! My husband really likes apple butter, and that’s basically what it turned into, so as it was a gift for his birthday, it worked out alright in the end haha. Plus I had a new bucket of honey that I really wanted to try in a recipe, so it was just one big experiment I guess haha.

        Reply

    • Administrator

      How long has it been since you made it? Sometimes it will set after it sits for a bit. You can also sometimes put it in the fridge and it will set up a bit.

      Reply

  19. Jennifer Novak

    Hello! I just found your blog and am excited to try many of your recipes. I read in a previous post that honey didn’t work well in this recipe, so I’m assuming maple syrup wouldn’t either. My daugter and I both struggle with autoimmune issues and try to avoid cane sugar and syrups such as corn, rice, etc. Could you please tell me if you think the maceration process would work well with coconut or maple sugars since they are both types of granular sugar?

    Reply

  20. Anne

    I’ve done several batches of this apple jam, and it’s great! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
    I wonder though, would it work with less sugar? [The typical jam question, haha 🙂 ] Say, if I used 20% less sugar? With 2:1 chopped apples:sugar by weight ratio it turns out a tad too sweet (coming from a sweets loving person); also some of the sugar doesn’t even dissolve fully in the syrup while sitting in the fridge.
    I’m using some average summer and early fall apples for this, not overly sweet but not the sourest kind either. I do add lemon juice.

    Reply

    • Administrator

      It’s possible that it may work fine but you might end up needing to add some pectin if it doesn’t set well for you.

      Reply

  21. Sheila

    This stuff is wonderful. I’m not an apple jam fan. I made it for hand pies but,…it’s so good I just keep thinking of things I can use it on. This has to be the best apple thing I’ve made. 10/10

    Reply

  22. Dorinda

    Ashley! We want to let you know that you are a STAR in our homestead and canning kitchen! You are truly amazing for the amount of experience you have– with tried and true recipes– PLUS your instructions are stellar! Your communication skills online are prefect. Your recipes have been winners in our kitchen and to our taste buds. Your site is my “go to” because I know that everything will turn out right when I follow your directions. Thank you for investing so much time to teach us and duplicate your skills! Its like having our G’ma and Mom here to help us! (Those generations now live in heaven and we are the “seniors” now” ) We send you a BIG WARM HUG of gratitude for all you have shared and continue to share with us!! Your signature is definitely on our homestead!! Thank you SOOO MUCH for everything!! <3

    Reply

    • Administrator

      Wow! Thank you so much for your sweet words. You are very kind and we are so glad that you are enjoying the blog so much.

      Reply

  23. Terry

    Wow! Stumbled on your site when looking for recipes to use excess pears. Saved that recipe and happily clicked on the link that brought me here.
    I do have a couple of questions, though.
    (1) If making the fridge/freezer option, how long should I cool it before putting it in the fridge?
    (2) IN the same vein – should I let the jam come completely to room temp before putting it in plastic containers, i.e. s there a suggested temperature for this type of thing?

    My only experience was making grape jelly using bottled juice,40+ years ago. Having heard the horror stories about spoilage, I wasn’t about to let all my hard (?) work go to waste, so I short filled my jars and poured an inch of paraffin in. The good news was – the jelly stayed pristine. The bad news was – the smoke detectors in my apartment going off from all the blue smoke, generated by my VERY un-ladylike vocabulary, when trying to pry all that wax out. 🤗

    Reply

    • Administrator

      I personally would allow it to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge. It’s not strictly necessary but this will prevent it from raising the temperature in your fridge. As far as the plastic containers, I don’t know that it’s necessary to wait for it to cool to room temperature but I wouldn’t necessarily put it in there piping hot either.

      Reply

  25. Roxanne

    I am slightly confused on the ratios. So 16 cups of diced apples cook down to only 5 cups of apples as it says it makes only 4-5 half pints?

    Reply

    • Administrator

      Yes, that’s correct. Four cups ends up being about a pound once they are peeled and diced. You will start with about 6 pounds of whole apples which ends up being about 4 pounds prepared.

      Reply

  26. Heidi Braunschweig

    I’m confused, do you strain out apples before you cook maceration liquid or pour all into cooking pot? Can’t wait to make this jam, but wanted to make sure. Thanks

    Reply

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