Homemade Cranberry Jam in Ten Minutes

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It is so easy to make cranberry jam – it’s done in ten minutes! Plus, this homemade jam is sweet and tart and wonderful on bread, as a filling for sandwich cookies, and in cakes and cupcakes.

A jar of homemade cranberry jam served with pita
People tend to think that making jam is a huge ordeal. You’ll be shocked to see just how simple it is.

Homemade Jam Making Myths – Debunked

  1. You need fresh fruit to make jam. Just about everyone I know who makes jam has a garden. They make jam to squirrel away the summer’s bounty in jars for enjoyment all year long. I made this cranberry jam because I like jam. I used frozen cranberries and intend to consume it all right away.
  2. Jam making is an all-day event. I made this cranberry jam in ten minutes. That’s just ten minutes, people!
  3. You need special equipment and sterilized jars to make jam. Sure, if you plan to eat your jam next year, you’d better be careful about how you prepare and package it. I don’t want to hear about anyone dying from botulism because they stuck this jam in their basement in an unsterilized glass jar for two years. But, if you plan to eat your jam within two weeks, you can store it in your refrigerator with no sterilization needed.

What Are the Key Ingredients in Cranberry Jam

Cranberries

This recipe works with fresh or frozen cranberries. There is no need to defrost the frozen cranberries first. You can use them straight from the freezer.

Liquid Fruit Pectin

Fruit pectin [paid link] is the key ingredient in all jams, whether you add it or it comes from cooking down the fruit that you’re using. Pectin is sold in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. When it is heated together with sugar, it causes the jam to thicken.

Be sure to to use liquid fruit pectin for this recipe. If you only have powdered fruit pectin, you’ll need to make changes to the recipe in order for it to work. Read the pectin guide on Getty Stewart for details.

a container of liquid fruit pectin

How to Make Cranberry Jam

Crush the cranberries in a food processor until you have cranberry mush (if they are frozen, it will be more like cranberry powder).

Bring them to a boil with sugar and butter.

Quickly stir in the liquid fruit pectin and boil for one more minute.

Remove from the heat.

You can store the jam in a bowl, Tupperware, glass jar, or whatever you’d like in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Variations

I like to flavor the jam with a little orange zest. It would also be great with fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

You can also use this same jam-making technique with other berries like cherries or blueberries.

Great Ways to Use this Jam

Thumbprint Cookies

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5 from 2 votes

Cranberry Jam

It is so easy to make cranberry jam - it's done in ten minutes! Plus, this homemade jam is sweet and tart and wonderful on bread, as a filling for sandwich cookies, and in cakes and cupcakes.

Course Condiments
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 95kcal
Author Stefani

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen or fresh cranberries
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar if you prefer a sweeter jam, you can add more sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest optional
  • 3 tablespoons liquid fruit pectin be sure to use the liquid kind and not the powdered kind

Instructions

  • Crush the cranberries in a food processor until you have cranberry mush (if they are frozen, it will be more like cranberry powder).
  • Bring the cranberries, sugar, and butter to a full rolling boil in a medium-sized heavy-bottom saucepan on high heat, stirring periodically.
  • Quickly stir in the liquid fruit pectin.
  • Boil for one more minute.
  • Remove from heat, store in a bowl, Tupperware, glass jar, or whatever you'd like in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Notes

Adapted from the Berry Bash Jam in The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes [paid link] via Kelly's Konfections.
Be sure to to use liquid fruit pectin. If you only have powdered fruit pectin, you'll need to make changes to the recipe in order for it to work. Read the pectin guide on Getty Stewart for details.

Nutrition

Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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Recipe Rating




19 comments:

  1. Janice Degansays:

    5 stars
    Just made this with a bag of cranberries I needed to use. So so easy and just delicious. Thanks a bunch!

  2. Olivia C Dugassays:

    5 stars
    This sounds so simple! I can’t wait to make some. I love watching the fun that you have with your cute little boy!

  3. samtundsahnesays:

    5 stars
    hi there,

    i just made this yummy jam…

    thank you very much for the recipe!
    it´s very yummy…

    i will bake a gingerbreadroll with cinnamon cream and cranberry jam today… tomorrow you can see the result on my blog… you are very welcome to stop by…

    samtundsahne.blogspot.de

    yours from germany
    nancy

  4. Russell at Chasing Delicioussays:

    5 stars
    I love how easy this is! I could easily spoon feed myself this cranberry jam. Yum!

  5. VintageGingersays:

    My mom has been making freezer jam for more than 20 years. She makes huge batches and then hides them away in our freezer. I’m pretty sure the mason jars or the pectin container has a recipe for freezer jam in it.
    It’s really handy for people who worry about the jam going bad. We’re working on a jar from a year ago and no one has EVER gotten sick from our freezer jam. It’s a great place to start for canning newbies!

  6. Cupcake Chromatographysays:

    Very use full information! Funny you used cranberries, that jam will make an awesome cupcake filling!

  7. suesays:

    5 stars
    you know I have always been so afraid of jams and jellys and you just busted every myth I believed. I may be brave enough to try it now. Thanks.

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  9. Stefsays:

    Nisha – Not that I know of.

    Jessica – I’m not sure. The recipe that I based this one off of said only to use the liquid stuff.

    Katie – It made about 2 cups of jam.

    Anon – Typically, I would agree with you. But, cranberries are so tart that most people wouldn’t like them without the sugar.

    Anon2 – The liquid pectin that I used actually said on the package that it wouldn’t work with sugar substitutes. Sorry.

  10. Anonymoussays:

    This may be a silly question, but seeing as I have never made jam I am going to ask it; for those who news to use a sugar substitute, such as splenda or truvia, can the sugar be substituted for one of these other options? Diabetes runs in my family and I would love to make this.

    Thanks, I love this blog by the way I check it daily!

  11. Anonymoussays:

    #7 You do know that cranberries are very tart, right?

  12. Anonymoussays:

    4. You don’t need nearly as much sugar as recipes call for. I make most of my cooked jams with very little sugar – fruit is already full of it! Why hide the natural flavor? Yes, often it turns out runny – so I call it “compote” and everyone thinks I’m amazing! :)

  13. Katie Johnstonsays:

    If you do choose to can it, a la Christmas presents, how much does this make? It sound delicious! Thank you for sharing. :)

  14. Tanyasays:

    5 stars
    Yummy! I love, love cranberries and this is going on my must make soon list! Thanks for sharing.

  15. Priyasays:

    Omg, am loving it.

  16. Jessica Osays:

    What if the only pectin you have is powdered? How much would you use?

  17. Nisha S.says:

    No, I did not know jams can be made in 10 minutes! I have a (silly?) question: any substitute for pectin….?

  18. Kitchen Riffssays:

    5 stars
    Great job debunking some common myths. And a pretty good recipe, too. Not to mention pretty pictures. Good post all around, I’d say. Thanks.

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