Small Batch Cherry Jam (No Pectin)

A spoonful of jam over a white ramekin with jam.

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Small Batch Cherry Jam (No Pectin)

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.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Macerating Time1

Total Time2 20

Course: Jam

Cuisine: International

Servings: jars

Calories: 740kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

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

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