Homemade Cherry Jam with Fresh or Frozen Cherries

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Homemade Cherry Jam with Fresh or Frozen Cherries

This cherry jam recipe turns ripe sweet cherries into rich, ruby-red homemade cherry jam with plenty of real fruit flavor. Bottled lemon juice and Pomona’s Pectin create beautifully thick preserves with less sugar than traditional jam, making this a lovely way to preserve fresh cherries at the height of cherry season.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Condiments and Seasonings

Cuisine: American

Servings: Half Pint Jars

Calories: 423kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

Canning Funnel
Bubble remover or clean spoon
Jar Lifter
Water Bath Canner
4 Half Pint Mason Jars

Ingredients

For the Cherry Preserves

2½ pounds sweet cherries
½ cup water
¼ cup bottled lemon juice
3 teaspoons calcium water
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin

For the Calcium Water

½ teaspoon calcium powder from the Pomona’s Pectin package
½ cup water

Instructions

Prepare the calcium water – Add ½ teaspoon calcium powder from the Pomona’s Pectin package and ½ cup water to a small jar with a lid. Shake well to combine. Measure 3 teaspoons for the cherry jam and refrigerate the remaining calcium water for another use.
Set up the water bath canner – Place a canning rack in the bottom of a water bath canner. Fill the canner about two-thirds full with water, making sure there will be enough water to cover the filled jars by 1 to 2 inches once they are added. Place the canner on the stove and begin heating the water.
Prepare the jars – Wash the jars, lids, and bands. Place the clean jars upright on the rack in the canner and bring the water to a rolling boil. Sterilize the jars for 10 minutes, adding 1 additional minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level. Keep the jars warm in the hot water until the jam is ready to be filled.
Prepare the cherries – If using fresh sweet cherries, rinse them, remove the stems, slice them in half, and remove the pits. If using frozen sweet cherries, use them in place of the fresh cherries.
Cook the cherries – Place 2½ pounds sweet cherries and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat.
Measure the cooked cherries – Measure 4 cups of the cooked cherry mixture and return it to the saucepan. Set aside any extra cooked fruit for another use.
Add the lemon juice and calcium water – Stir ¼ cup bottled lemon juice and 3 teaspoons prepared calcium water into the 4 cups of cooked cherries. Mix well.
Combine the sugar and pectin – In a separate bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups sugar and 2½ teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin until thoroughly combined. Mixing them together before they go into the fruit helps distribute the pectin evenly.
Cook the jam – Bring the cherry mixture to a full boil over high heat. Gradually stir in the sugar and pectin mixture, stirring constantly. Continue stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin. When the cherry jam returns to a full boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Remove and fill the hot jars – Carefully lift the hot jars from the canner and empty any water inside them back into the canner. Place the jars on a towel or heat-safe surface. Ladle the hot cherry jam into the hot jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top.
Remove air bubbles and add the lids – Run a bubble remover or clean utensil around the inside of each jar to release trapped air. Check the headspace again and adjust if necessary. Wipe the jar rims clean, center the lids on the jars, and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
Return the jars to the canner – Place the filled jars upright on the canning rack and lower them into the hot water. Make sure the jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Add more hot water if needed.
Process the cherry jam – Cover the canner and bring the water to a full rolling boil. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, begin the processing time. Process the jars for 10 minutes, adding 1 additional minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level.
Let the jars rest in the canner – When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat. Leave the jars in the hot water for 5 minutes before removing them.
Cool the jars – Lift each jar straight out of the canner and place it on a towel. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours while they cool and the seals form.
Check the seals – Once the jars are completely cool, check that each lid has sealed before moving the jam into pantry storage. Any jar that has not sealed should be refrigerated rather than stored at room temperature.

Notes

Cherry Texture – Halving the cherries rather than completely puréeing them leaves beautiful pieces of fruit throughout the finished preserves. This gives each spoonful that old-fashioned, fruit-filled texture while still making it easy to spread.

Storage – Properly processed and sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal and use them within a few weeks.

Canning Tip – Keep the jars warm until you are ready to fill them, leave ¼ inch of headspace, and adjust the processing time by 1 additional minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level.

Serving Suggestion – Spread these cherry preserves over warm toast, spoon them over vanilla ice cream, or swirl them into yogurt. During cherry season, they would pair beautifully with Sourdough Cherry Hand Pies with Freshly Milled Flour or a cup of Homemade Cherry Tea.

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