Persimmon jam is an easy jam to make at home and captures the warm fresh flavor of persimmons for year-round eating. Persimmons contain pectin naturally, so this jam comes together easily with just three ingredients.
A while back I was invited to a birthday party for a friend of a friend. This person is my polar opposite, and would rather buy just about anything than make it homemade. What did I choose for a gift? My homemade persimmon jam.
I got a skeptical look, but with some urging, he opened up the jar and slathered it on a scone. He looked up, an expression of shock on his face, “This is really good! It’s really really good. You made this!?!?!” I call that one small victory for the home jam maker.
Persimmon jam isn’t one of those varieties that’s readily available at the store, and its unique flavor is bold enough to convince skeptics. Case and point.
Choosing Fruit for Persimmon Jam
Persimmons generally come in two types, Fuyu and Hachiya.
Fuyu persimmons are the ones pictured in this recipe, and they have a firm texture and lobed UFO shape. They’re fully ripe when they have just a slight bit of give in the skin, like a pear.
Hachiya persimmons, on the other hand, are acorn-shaped and they’re not fully ripe until they reach a soft, pudding-like consistency inside the skin. Either way, underripe persimmons can be quite astringent, especially underripe Hachiya fruits.
While they say Fuyu persimmons can be harder to find, they’re the ones I generally see at the grocery store. In the late fall/early winter stores will often sell them by the case for as little as 50 cents each.
Other times higher-end markets have them for as much as $3 each.
I was lucky this season and found cases of them ripe and ready for jam at Costco for a steal, but even at $3 apiece they still make a pretty epic persimmon jam that’s worth every penny.
My recipe for persimmon jam makes 5 half-pint jars and starts with 4 pounds of fresh Fuyu persimmons. That’s roughly 9-10 large persimmons, or 12 cups sliced. (Finely diced, they pack a bit tighter and it’s more like 10-11 cups.)
Adding Acidity to Persimmon Jam
Not all fruits are acidic enough to can without adding lemon juice, and persimmons are right on the borderline. Fruits must be below a pH of 4.6 to can in a water bath canner, and persimmons range between 4.4 and 4.7. Persimmon jam needs just a small amount of added lemon juice or citric acid for safe water bath canning.
Personally, I think the flavor of lime juice compliments persimmons beautifully, and why add just acid when you can add both acid and flavor? Feel free of course to keep it simple and just add lemon juice (or citric acid).
If you’re using citric acid as an acid source, use 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid granules in place of each tablespoon of lemon juice (or lime juice) in a recipe. For every pound of fresh persimmon (2-3 large persimmons/3 cups sliced/2-ish cups diced), add at least 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid). (Source)
I think the finished persimmon jam actually tastes better with more acidity to balance out the flavors, so I add 2 tablespoons of citrus juice for every pound of fruit. I started with 4 pounds of persimmons, so I added a 1/2 cup of juice. (As little as 1/4 cup would work for a milder finished jam.)
Lime juice is ever so slightly more acidic than lemon juice, but not enough to change the measurement. Use the same amount of lime juice as with lemon juice.
If you’re making a persimmon freezer jam, then there’s no need to worry about acidity. Adding a bit of acidity will improve the flavor of fridge and freezer jams, and I’d still recommend it, but it’s only strictly required if you’re canning persimmon jam.
(Citrus juice is also a natural source of pectin, and helps the jam gel nicely too.)
How to Make Persimmon Jam
Place the chopped persimmons into a jam pot along with lemon or lime juice. (If you’re using citric acid, dissolve it in about 1/2 cup of water first.) The juice helps the persimmons start to cook without burning, at least until they release their own juices and fall apart.
Turn the heat onto medium, and cook, stirring frequently. Mash the fruit as it cooks, either with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. After about 15 minutes, the persimmons should have mostly fallen apart but the mixture will be quite thin.
Add sugar (adjusting to taste). I prefer lower sugar jams, so I add 1 cup of sugar to 4 pounds of fruit. Most recipes suggest more and add 2 cups for 4 pounds fruit.
Cook until the jam thickens, about another 30 minutes over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Persimmons have a good bit of natural pectin and should come together into a firm jam on their own. Citrus juice also adds a good bit of pectin, and if you’ve added citric acid instead of citrus juice you should expect the finished jam to be a tiny bit thinner.
Either way, you can adjust the finished texture by cooking the persimmon jam for more or less time.
My homemade version with lime juice thickens up nicely after about 45 minutes total cook time, but the total time will depend on your fruit and your particular stove.
Canning Persimmon Jam
It’s totally fine to make this persimmon jam recipe as a refrigerator or freezer recipe. The jars should keep a few weeks in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
I really enjoy this particular homemade jam year-round, and it makes great gifts, so I choose to can it and make it a shelf-stable preserve.
Once the persimmon jam has thickened to your liking, ladle it into prepared canning jars. Be sure you’ve added your choice of acid (lemon, lime, or citric acid granules) to move lower the pH enough for canning.
Fill the jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
I’ve been experimenting with canning in these Lock Eat canning jars, made in Italy by Luigi Bormioli. They’re safe for water bath canning, and there’s no “disposable” one-time-use canning lid.
The lid itself is glass, as is every part that touches the food. Thus far I’ve been very happy with them, and they’re beautiful.
Persimmon Jam
Easy persimmon jam comes together quickly with just 3 ingredients. Can it in a water bath canner or store it in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs persimmons
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice or lime juice
- 1 to 2 cups sugar, adjust to your tastes
Instructions
- Slice persimmons into small chunks and remove stems and seeds.
- Add persimmons and lemon juice to a small saucepan and cook on low for a few minutes until persimmons begin to release their juices. Use a potato masher to help speed the process along.
- Once they've fallen apart, add sugar and cook over medium-low heat until the jam thickens. Test for consistency on a plate in the freezer.
- When the consistency is right, pour into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, and then turn off heat and leave the jars in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars to the counter and allow them to cool.
- Check seals, and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.
Notes
Acidity ~ If you're canning this persimmon jam recipe, you MUST use at least 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice. Persimmons are not quite acidic enough for safe canning without added acidity. The citrus also really brings out their flavor, so I choose to use 1/2 cup for a brighter finished flavor.
Sugar ~ I prefer low sugar persimmon jam, and for this reason, I only use 1 cup of sugar to 4 pounds of fruit. For a standard sweet jam, feel free to add the full 2 cups, or anywhere in between.
The recipe makes 4-5 half-pint jars (8oz) of jam.
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More Canning Recipes for Autumn & Winter
Want to keep that canner going? I have hundreds of canning recipes, but here are a few to get you started…
Lulu
Do you peel the persimmons first, or leave the skins? I’ve seen recipes that have you add the peel-
thank you!
Ashley Adamant
I didn’t peel them, just chopped them up.
sharon bates
hi there, how long will the jam keep? thanks
Ashley Adamant
Ball canning says their seals on their canning jars are good for 18 months. I actually just found a jar of this persimmon jam that got pushed to the back of the pantry and it was 5 years old. Opened it, and it was good as the day it was canned. The canning jar manufacturers say that they don’t guarantee anything past 18 months, so at the very least it should be good that long if not longer. If the jars are sealed properly with very little headspace then this should keep for a long time.
Charlene Rollins
How many cups in 4lbs in order to break it down to a smaller batch.
Administrator
If you are wanting to make a smaller batch, you could easily use 2 pounds of fruit and cut the other ingredients in half.
lindawilburn
Im totally confused about how much lemon juice to add to my persimmon jam. All recipes goes by the pound of persimmons. All canning recipes i go by its _ cups of fruit _ cups of sugar and _ of lemon juice. Cant the amt of kemon juice be more clearer like a Tablespoon for every __ quart of cooked fruit????
Administrator
This recipe tells you how to make the jam and can it. You just need 4 lbs of persimmon, 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and your sugar. No need to worry about how much you need for a quart of cooked fruit. You will put your lemon juice and persimmon chunks in the pan together to cook.
diane
Hi
What does 4 lbs of persimmons equal in cups?
Thanks.
Ashley Adamant
It takes about 9-10 large persimmons, or 12 cups sliced. Finely diced, it’s more like 10-11 cups.
Shawn Louise Jackson
How long do you cook the jam before it reaches the desired consistency?
Madeline Brattesani
For the persimmon jam, do you add any fruit pectin? If so, when in the cooking process and how much?
Ashley Adamant
This recipe for persimmon jam doesn’t have added commercial pectin. Just fruit and sugar.
Jools
Sorry but did you read the post and the recipe?
Sharon
How would using wild persimmons work in this? We have an abundance of these. They are very sweet too!
Ashley Adamant
Yes, wild persimmons work fine provided they’re sweet. For those though, I believe you need to put them through a food mill to remove the seeds.
Joanne
I am looking for an “old-fashioned” recipe for Sweet Dill Strip Pickles, do you have one? I’d sure appreciate it if you do. My Momma used to buy them in the grocery store when I was a kid, some 65 years ago. Thank you very much!
Admin
I have this that’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Liz
Can I used dried persimmons to make jam,:I was given a bag, so I haven’t seen recipes to do this,
Thank you
Ashley Adamant
I bet you could, though I’ve never tried. (I do love dried persimmons, and we make them in our dehydrator every year.) You’d need to rehydrate them first, by pouring boiling water over them to just cover and leaving them to absorb it for at least an hour before starting.
Rachel Myers
Will this keep if I don’t add sugar at all? I find persimmons you be incredibly sweet already and prefer the natural flavor of the fruit. I wasn’t sure if the sugar added to the preservation process.
Administrator
You could go with the lower measurement of 1 cup if you don’t want it to be incredibly sweet. Remember that you will have some lemon juice or another acid as well which will cut through some of the sweetness. If you wish to omit the sugar completely, I would recommend finding a recipe that has been tested.
Janice C Sigmon
HELP! HAVE 5 CUPS WILD PERSIMMON PULP ALREADY PROCESSED. PLS TELL ME IOWBTO MAKE JAM OUTTA THIS 5 CUPS PULP
Administrator
This recipe is for 4 pounds which is roughly 10 to 11 cups diced so I think you would be safe to try and cut this recipe in half to get the appropriate measurements for 5 cups of pulp.
Anne L
I had to pick my Hachiya persimmons really early because of Squirrels – they were all green with orange creeping up at the bottoms. They’ve been inside ripening since October 9th and while they’re really soft, some of them still have some green around their shoulders. Is it possible that they’re fully ripe or do I need to keep waiting for them to finish turning orange/reddish? I worry that they’re going to go bad just sitting on my counter before I can even try out the recipe.
Also, does this recipe work for Hachiyas? And do I use the skins in this recipe for Hachiya persimmons too?
Administrator
You can definitely use hachiyas in this recipe but you do want to be sure that they are completely ripe. I did not remove the skins for this recipe.
jools
As they ripen fully – fully, just toss into a ziploc and freeze. When you have more than enough go forth and create.
I freeze about 20# of puree in 1.5# portions for recipes all year.
Phyllis smith
Thank you for your clear detailed instructions. I’m so happy to find your recipe! I’ve never done canning before. Could you please advice me on how to. Thank you
Admin
Thanks, Phyllis. The canning instructions are in the recipe. They are stated as followed: “When the consistency is right, pour into prepared canning jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, and then turn off the heat and leave the jars in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars to the counter and allow them to cool.”
Tina
Can I by any chance food process persimmons for use in bread or cookies. And also can I freeze the chopped persimmons for later use. One other question, can I just can them like peaches.
Ashley Adamant
That’s a good question…and I’m not completely sure about the answer. They’re not acidic enough to can on their own, so you’d need to add acid, but whether or not it’d penetrate big pieces of fruit if canning like peaches is an open question.
Patricia M Langer
I tried this recipe and my persimmons never got soft, although I simmered it for at least 30 minutes. They are crunchy in the jam. Is this normal?
Ashley Adamant
I think your persimmons are probably underripe, that’s my best guess.
Bea
Hi Ashley! I’ve got 5..1 lbs diced persimmons, should I can these all at once..or would you can them in 2 batches? Since one batch is 4lbs I’m hoping to add the extra lb but I won’t if you think it’s to much. I can adjust the ants sugar etc. Thanks
Administrator
I don’t see why you couldn’t add an extra pound to the batch.
Sandy Martinez
hello and happy holidays!
I have a question about adding ginger and maple syrup instead of sugar. Does the amount of lemon juice have to be increased? Also, thanks for the lime juice suggestion!
Sincerely, Sandy
Administrator
If you plan to swap out the sugar for maple syrup, I would recommend finding a tested recipe.
Rachel
I want to try your recipe but I have hachiya persimmons. Have you tried it? Should I do anything differently? Thanks!
Administrator
You can definitely use hachiya persimmons. You just want to make sure that they are completely ripe for the best flavor.
Elisabeth
I would like to make persimmon jam from totally ripe hachiyas. Can I do it without adding sugar?
Administrator
There are some recipes out there for no sugar persimmon jams. I would just do a quick internet search and give one of them a try.
Beverley Clark
Great recipe and lots of good tips. One additional tip is that my jam was chunky enough that I should have run a knife or skewer around the jars to eliminate bubbles. I didn’t realize it was that chunky until they came out of the canner, so when I give them to folks I will advise refrigeration, notwithstanding that they have good seals!
So yummy!
Administrator
Thanks for the great tip. Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Lisa
Do u peel the persimmons for jam?
Administrator
No need to peel them. You can just chop them up.
Madeleine Robins
10-11 cups of chopped persimmons was too much for my small saucepans; I put them in 4 quart stockpot and even that was snug. Might want to adjust your recommendations.
Otherwise, a lovely recipe.
Administrator
Thank you. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Anne-Maree
Hi there I tried this recipe using Hachiya persimmons from my dads tree they were very ripe and sweet I followed procedure and after cooking into jam the flavour of the jam was very astringent . It tasted like an unripe persimmon but I assure you the fruit was all ripe. Have you experienced this how can it be rectified?
Thanks
Administrator
This recipe was made with Fuyu persimmons and a lower amount of sugar. You may want to try adding a bit more sugar to the jam and see if that helps.
Lisa
I had exactly the same experience- it was really astringent and horrible. I had to throw it out. Adding more sugar just made it taste weird.
Stacy
Hello!
Have you ever made this recipe with frozen
Defrosted persimmons? I froze mine because they all ripened at different times! Just tried to make this recipe, they are the Hachiya! 25 minutes into the cooking, I added the one cup of sugar, tasted good! Then the whole batch curdled!? Any suggestions?
Thank you!
Administrator
You probably shouldn’t have waited so long to add the sugar. The instructions say to cook for just a few minutes until the persimmons have fallen apart.
Kenna
Mine almost immediately curdled. Could it have been the lime?
Administrator
The recipe calls for either lemon or lime juice so I don’t think it would have been the lime.
Michelle
Persimmons come in far more than 2 types, to include the wild persimmons native to North America.
Kenna
I made recipe as directed and I ended up with a mess that looked like yellow scrambled eggs. Lime and the persimmons. Threw it away before even getting to the add sugar part. I obviously did something wrong, but not sure what. I make freezer jam of all sorts a lot. . Any clue what my issue might have been
Administrator
I’m not sure what the problem could have been but I think I would have continued on with the recipe to see if it came together.
Lynda Vogt
My mixture separated like custardy broken eggs. I used really ripe persimmons, maybe that was the reason.
Administrator
Can you share what type of persimmons you used?
Catherine
I have a large number of hachiyas ripening on my counter. This is my first experience with persimmons. I would like to make your jam recipe but have read that a ripe hachiya is similar to a jelly filled water balloon. Would I just weigh them and put them in a pot rather than dice? Or scoop out the pulp? I’m excited to give your recipe a try!
Administrator
I would just scoop out the pulp. I have also seen where some people use a combination of the two varieties. Let me know how it works out for you.
Catherine
I made the jam but it had a very gritty and ‘off’ flavor. Having the right variety of persimmon must make a big difference to the finished product
Administrator
I think there is a big difference between the American varieties that are found growing wild and the Asian varieties found in the supermarkets. I’m so sorry that the jam didn’t work out for you.
Pauline Kahney
Can I add small amounts of herbs to add interest to the taste, like rosemary if thyme?
Administrator
You sure can.
Sandra
What is the nutritional value of this recipe?
Administrator
I’m sorry but I don’t have the nutritional information for this recipe. You could probably look up the individual ingredients online and get a general idea.
Carla
I have two hachiya persimmon trees. I tried your recipe for persimmon jam, and here are my notes of what happened while in the process of cooking. I washed and peeled the ripe persimmons. They were very ripe like pudding consistency. I placed the persimmons in the pot with lemon juice and sugar. Brought to a boil and reduced the flame. The heat produced a lot of white foam, the fruit curdled and then the fruit floated to the top separating from the juice. I stirred it again and quickly poured into the sterelized jars. The flavor was very good but it was so astringent, that it pucker my mouth.
What did I do wrong?
Administrator
You may not have done anything wrong. There is a big difference in the texture of the fuyu persimmons and the hachiya. I have not been able to find a good jam recipe that is made for the pudding-like consistency of the hachiya. Many people even suggest that the hachiya should not be cooked into a jam at all.
Owen
I second this. I had exactly the same experience. I know that I am more sensitive to the tannins in persimmons than some people (my wife, for example). But I found it strange that ripe, or even unripe, this particular bunch of hachiya persimmons were okay for me. But as the jam thickened, I tested and instantly felt like I had a mouthful of cotton wool. I’ll still give it a try on some toast once it has cooled. But I have a feeling this batch is going to go to waste. Lesson learned, I guess.
May R. Vail Lee
12-15-2021
Hi Ashley,
My brother sent me 5 boxes of Fuyu Persimmons. Some we gave to friends, some we ate and some I place in the frig to can later. We also had boxes of apples and out of all the fruits, too many things to remember and can.
Well today, I had to do something to the very soft Fuyu, I just took out the skin and right now I have very soft persimmons in a very large pot.
Question, is the 4lbs crunchy (cut) persimmon the same weight as the soft or ripe persimmons? It seemed heavier. To be able to cook the ripe persimmons, should I just measure it like it is like the crunchy or sliced Fuyu?
Thanks!
May
Administrator
I would just measure it as if it was the cut persimmons. It’s possible that it could take on more water as it ripens but it shouldn’t be a considerable difference.
Joanne Huffman
Can y oh pressure cook them to keep them longer
Ashley Adamant
No, pressure canning won’t help them keep longer. They’ll keep a without spoiling as long as they’re sealed, the thing is, the jam starts to degrade after 12-18 months. It’s still fine to eat, it just loses some flavor/texture and isn’t as good. Pressure canning wouldn’t help that at all, and actually might make it not great from the beginning since it’s overcooking it.
Jennifer Henry
Yeah I have a persimmon tree that yields hundreds of them, I always ate fresh and fed to chickens, gonna try this, they should ripen soon
Izzy
Hi, thank you for this. I just want to make sure I understand correctly – you add in the lemon/lime juice once while on the stove top, right? Not a second time when you go to can it? Thank you.
Administrator
Yes, that’s correct.
Rowena Tebaldi
2 questions please. *
*Have you tried using monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar?
* If I’m using foodsaver jar sealer, do I still need to do a water bath canning procedure? Thank you.
Administrator
From what I have read, there isn’t yet any testing available on the use of monk fruit sweetener in home canning so I would not personally recommend it. A foodsaver jar sealer will not make a food shelf stable. Jams and jellies need to be processed in a water bath canner.
A Jenkins
I have a Hachiya persimmon tree. They are so good! I usually freeze the pulp. How much pump would I use in this recipe? Four pounds of this kinda of persimmon, will be different. Any suggestions is appreciated.
Administrator
I’m honestly not sure. Maybe around 3 or 4 cups?
Lynn
Hi Ashley. This is the only canning recipe I’ve found for persimmon jam and I’m looking forward to trying it. Would you mind sharing the source for this?
Also, how long do you have to cook the mixture before it gets to a gel stage? Since the recipe doesn’t call for pectin, is it a longer cook time like a marmalade would be?
Administrator
The time will really depend on your fruit and your stove but it usually takes around 45 minutes for us. There is quite a bit of pectin already in the fruit and the citrus adds a bit more.
Bob
I have a variety called Great Wall and tried the recipe. The fruits were sweet and benign when raw. After cooking they were horribly astringent. Seems cooking reversed the ripening process. Wish I knew the chemistry of tannins.
Ashley Adamant
That’s crazy, I’ve never tried a persimmon like that. Goes to show you they’re all unique, and likewise, I too wish I understood the chemistry of tannins.
Rosalie Long
I tried this recipe using wild persimmon pulp. The end result is a very thick and grainy jam. It’s not very sweet. Should I add more sugar?
Administrator
I think the wild persimmons are a little bit different in the consistency. I have heard some say that they just use the pulp as a jam rather than trying to make it into an actual jam.
Kelly McAlister
Curious… if I add cinnamon to this will it change the chemistry at all.
Administrator
You do want to be careful adding non-acidic ingredients in a water bath recipe. It depends on how much you add and you could always add a bit more acid to be on the safe side.