Peach Jam – A Beautiful Mess

Peaches have got to be one of those undervalued fruits and I feel that also sums up this peach jam recipe. It’s super easy to make in under 30 minutes with only four ingredients but it’s SO GOOD! This is an easy peach jam recipe without pectin. If you’ve never made peach jam before, you must.

The best time of year to buy peaches where I live in the middle of the United States is the end of June until the end of August. They are ripe, juicy and super flavorful when they are in season. Plus, ripe peaches are easier to work with when making peach jam as they are easier to peel and you’ll get the most fruit from each.

Related: Next up, learn to make strawberry jam, apple butter, or pumpkin butter.

Ingredients

• Peaches
• Granulated white sugar
• Lemon
• Cinnamon stick

Directions

First, prep the peaches by peeling off the skins and removing the flesh from the pits. If your peaches are difficult to peel, the easiest way I’ve found is to cut a small X in the bottom skin of the peach and then blanch them in boiling water for 30-45 minutes. Drain, and once cool enough to handle peel off the skins.

In a medium to large pot, add the prepped peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then use an immersion blender to puree the mixture to your liking. You can puree smooth, or leave some rustic texture—up to you.

Add in the cinnamon stick and continue to cook over medium/high heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir the jam periodically so it doesn’t burn the bottom of your pot. The jam will deepen in color and if you are using a thermometer the mixture should reach between 210-220°F.

Remove from heat and scoop out the cinnamon stick. Allow to cool and your jam is ready to use!

Tips for Making

• Can I use canned peaches for this recipe? Yes, but it’s not ideal. However, there are times of the year I just can’t buy fresh peaches, so I have made this recipe with canned peaches before. If you go this route you will want to drain, rinse, and pat dry the canned peaches to remove as much liquid as you can before starting. And keep in mind the jam will not be quite as thick or flavorful as when you use fresh, ripe peaches. But it’s still worth making IMO if canned is all you have.
• If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the peaches, sugar and lemon juice to a blender and puree before putting back in the pot to continue the recipe.
• Once your peach jam has cooled, store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. Enjoy on toast, in sandwiches or on biscuits.

More Peach Recipes