Small Batch Cherry Jam, a delicious 3-ingredient recipe that is really easy to make using fresh cherries and no pectin added. Perfect for spreading on toast, spooning over yogurt or using as a filling for cakes and pastries, this easy homemade preserve captures the essence of Summer in every spoonful.
Ready-made jam can be a budget-friendly option, and the price often reflects the quality of the jam. But if you do have some free time and fresh or frozen fruit, making your own jam is so much better, and incredibly easy to!
I have a whole category of homemade preserves with 14 jam recipes already, and definitely counting. Most of my homemade jam recipes are small-batch, as I usually like to experiment with different flavours.
If you have any fruit trees and plenty of seasonal produce, or you want to use up fresh fruit that would otherwise go to waste, making jam is a fun activity that will make you so proud of yourself.
It's like making bread, yes, you can buy from a shop, but making your own is so much better and definitely tastier too! Plus, with your own jam you can control the amount of sugar that goes in it.
I have always found that the rule one part fruit to one part sugar makes no sense, that's way too much sugar, and you will hardly taste the aroma of the fruit, just sugar. With more recipes I only use half of the amount of sugar, depending on how sweet the fruits are, and that's more than enough!
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- cherries - I used fresh black sweet cherries, but you can use frozen cherries too. Different varieties of cherries might give you slightly different texture and cooking time
- sugar - I used caster sugar, but granulated sugar also works
- lemon juice - helps set the jam and adds a lovely citrussy touch
Step-by-step photos and intructions
- pit and chop the cherries in half or quarter, depending on the size of the cherries, the ones I used were pretty big, so some had to be quartered
- add them to a pan together with the sugar and lemon juice
- mix well and set aside for 1 hour
- after one hour, cook the jam on a medium heat until the jam has thickened, but some liquid is still visible
- carefully spoon the jam in a sterilised jar and seal well with a lid
- allow it to cool down completely before storing
Expert tips
Macerating the cherries ( leaving the fruit and sugar to rest before cooking) softens the fruit and allows the sugar to dissolve. This speeds up the cooking process and gives a more concentrated cherry flavour.
The jam thickens more as it cools down, that is why it's very important to still have some liquid left in pan rather than boiling it down completely. No enough liquid left will result is a very stiff, sticky jam.
If that does happen, bring the jam back to the pan, add half a cup to one cup of boiled water, and allow it to cook again to the desired texture.
Sterilising the jars is a crucial step if you are not planning to use the jam soon, but you want to store it in a cupboard for a longer period of time. While the jam is cooking, place the jars and lids in a hot oven or air fryer for 8-10 minutes, then carefully spooning the hot jam, sealing with the lids and allowing them to cool down completely.
Please do take extra care when dealing with hot jam and jars, you must use oven gloves to prevent any burning! Any leftover jam that does not fit in the jar can be added to a ramekin and stored in the fridge.
Other jams made with summer fruit
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Small Batch Cherry Jam (No Pectin)
Ingredients
- 650 g fresh black sweet cherries, pitted and chopped (1 ½ lb)
- 300 g caster sugar (super fine sugar, 1 ½ cups)
- juice from half a lemon
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Instructions
- Pit and chop the cherries in half or quarter, depending on their size.
- Add them to a pan together with the sugar and lemon juice, and mix well.
- Leave them to macerate for at least 1 hour, so that the cherries will release their juice and the sugar dissolves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat, and cook it until the cherries have soften and the jam has thickened, but there is till some liquid left in the pan.
- Place 2 small jars in a hot oven or air fryer and sterilise for 8-10 minutes.
- Very carefully and using oven gloves, spoon the hot jam into the sterilised jars, then seal well with a lid.
- Allow the jam to cool down completely before storing away in a cupboard.
Video
Notes
- The jam thickens more as it cools down, that is why it's very important to still have some liquid left in pan rather than boiling it down completely. No enough liquid left will result is a very stiff, sticky jam.
- If that does happen, bring the jam back to the pan, add half a cup to one cup of boiled water, and allow it to cook again to the desired texture.
- Please do take extra care when dealing with hot jam and jars, you must use oven gloves to prevent any burning! Any leftover jam that does not fit in a jar can be added to a ramekin and stored in the fridge.
Nutrition
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