How to Make Apple Jam

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: June 16, 2022 References Tested

If you're intimidated by making your own jam, try apple jam first. Apples cook down into jam easily, have a great flavor, and they're easy to prepare. Select your favorite apples and decide if you'd like to make a pure apple jam or if you'd like to add popular seasonings (like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg). Or, try a variation on apple jam where you add ginger, honey, or cranberries. Once you've made your jam, store it in the fridge for immediate use or process it so you can keep it for up to one year.

Ingredients

8 to 10 cups of firm crisp apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
Water, as needed
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon of ground ginger (optional)
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (optional)
1 box (1 3/4 ounces) of powdered pectin
4 cups of granulated sugar
1 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of butter
4 cups of whole cranberries (for the variation)

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cooking the Apple Jam

1
Peel and chop your apples. Wash your apples and peel them. Core the apples to remove their stems. Carefully dice the apples finely so they're no larger than 1/4" cubes. Place all of the apples in a large 4-cup measuring cup. Pour cold water over the apples to fill the measuring cup up to the 4-cup mark. Place the water and apples in a large cooking pot.^{[1]
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- You can use any apples. Try Cortlands, Pink Ladies, Pippins, or Jonagolds. These will all cook down well. Using more than one type of apple will also give more depth of flavor to your jam.
2
Stir in the other ingredients. To the apples, stir in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional), 1 teaspoon of ground ginger (optional), 1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg (optional) and 1 box (1 3/4 ounces) of powdered pectin. Make sure these are stirred completely into the apples.^{[2]
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- The spices will add an apple pie flavor to your jam. If you want to taste just apple, leave the spices out.
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3
Boil the jam and add the sugars. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring the apple mixture to a full rolling boil. Add 4 cups of granulated sugar and 1 cup of packed brown sugar. Stir the sugar in completely and bring the jam back to a boil. Let the jam boil for one full minute while you stir constantly.^{[3]
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- A rolling boil will constantly bubble even if you stir it.
4
Add the butter and skim off the foam. Turn off the heat and carefully move your pot of jam to a cold burner. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of butter. This will cut back on the foam and add a slightly creamy flavor. Use a large shallow spoon and skim off foam that you see on the top of the jam. When your jam has cooled a little, taste it to adjust seasonings as needed.^{[4]
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- Leaving foam on your jam will make your jam cloudy and can make it rubbery.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Trying a Variation

1
Make a lemon-honey apple jam. To make a citrus flavored apple jam, cook your prepared apples with lemon juice until the apples soften and break down. Stir in pure honey and sugar. Bring the jam to a boil over medium-low heat and add liquid pectin. Boil the jam for 2 more minutes and add lemon zest. You can them process the jam in 7 pint jars. To make this variation, you'll need:^{[5]
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- 12 cups of chopped peeled, cored, and diced apples
- 2 cups of lemons juice
- 2 cups of honey
- 3 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 envelope of liquid pectin
- Lemon zest from 3 lemons
2
Try apple jam with ginger. For a soothing flavor, create a ginger liquid by pureeing 12 ounces of chopped fresh ginger with 8 ounces of water. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth to get 2 cups of ginger liquid. To make the jam, place all of the liquid into a large pot with 8 cups of peeled, cored and diced or grated apples and 5 cups of granulated sugar. Bring the jam to a boil and let it boil for 25 to 30 minutes. You can then process the jam, which will make about 6 pints.^{[6]
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- If you're using a candy thermometer to check if the jam is set, the temperature should reach between 215 and 220 degrees F.
3
Create an apple cranberry jam. Mix together prepared apples, whole fresh cranberries, sugar and water in a large cook pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice. Keep lightly boiling the jam until it thickens. You can process it in about 4 to 5 pint jars. You'll need:^{[7]
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- 8 cups of apples
- 6 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of water
- The juice and zest of 2 lemons
4
Consider making apple butter. If you like the taste of apple jam, but don't want to use as much sugar, make apple butter in a slow cooker. Place 5 pounds of quartered apples in a slow cooker along with 1 cup of apple cider and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Once the apples are soft (after cooking 3 or 4 hours), mash and strain them to remove the peels and seeds. Add 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Cook a few more hours until the apple butter is thick and you can process it in 3 pint jars.^{[8]
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- You should never just cut back on the sugar in a jam recipe. Sugar is important for preserving the jam, so if you just reduce the sugar, your jam may not hold up as well over time. Instead, choose an apple butter recipe, which naturally uses less sugar.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Processing the Apple Jam

1
Sterilize your jars and lids. Place your clean jam jars, lids, and bands in your large canning pot filled with water. Bring the water to a simmer so the jars heat up. Be sure to use fresh lids so the seals are intact. You can use lids that have been used before though.^{[9]
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- Your jars must be hot when you fill them with the hot jam. If the jars are cold, the hot jam may cause the jars to shatter.
2
Fill your jars with jam. It may help to place a wide funnel over your jam jar. Carefully pour or ladle the jam into your jar. Leave about 1/4" of headspace at the top of the jar. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean cloth to make sure there's no jam stuck to the outside or top of the jar.^{[10]
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National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
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- Avoid leaving too much headspace. If you leave more than half-an-inch of headspace, there will be too much oxygen at the top of the jar and processing won't be able to sterilize the space so your jam will spoil faster.
3
Cover the jars and process them. Place warm lids and rings over the jam jars. Twist them on to just fingertip tight. Use a canning tool to gently lower them into your pot filled with hot water. The water should cover the jars by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot and boil the jars for 10 minutes.^{[11]
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Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
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- Resist the urge to twist the bands on tightly. Fingertip tight will let air escape from the jar while it's processing.
4
Remove the jam jars. Turn off the heat and carefully use a canning tool to lift each jar out of the water. Set them on a clean towel on your counter. Make sure it's in a draft-free spot so the temperature remains constant. Let the jars sit 12 hours and then you can check the seals.^{[12]
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National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
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- To check the seals, press down on the lid. You shouldn't feel any give and the lid shouldn't spring back when you remove your finger. It should remain flat if it was processed correctly.
5
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I use frozen apples to make jam?

Community Answer

Yes, as long as the apples are thawed thoroughly. Put them in the microwave for 30 seconds to thaw them.