This Fresh Cranberry Jam is the perfect condiment to make and enjoy during all of the fall months and winter holidays.
Fresh Cranberry Jam
This is a super easy method for making homemade Fresh Cranberry Jam. The recipe makes two cups, so you can make it and enjoy it with relatives and friends for a week or so when stored in the fridge, or you can go through the canning process to store it in jars to enjoy over a couple of months.
🛒 Ingredients Needed:
- lemon juice and zest
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- superfine sugar
- Granny Smith apple
✏️ How to make Fresh Cranberry Jam:
*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.
- Grate the zest of the lemon and set aside. Juice the lemon into a small bowl. Rinse the cranberries. Drain well and put them in a non-metallic bowl with the sugar. Add the lemon juice and toss. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave on the counter overnight, turning once or twice.
- Coarsely grate the apple and put it into a heavy based saucepan with the grated lemon zest. Strain in all the juice from the berries- scrape out all of the sugary stuff and add it to the pan. Add two big spoonfuls of berries, leaving the rest of the berries in the bowl for now. Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the apple is very soft and the mixture has thickened. Add the rest of the berries and heat through for 10 minutes.
➡️ Recipe Tips:
- Purchase several bags of fresh cranberries and store them in your freezer. Then you can make recipes using fresh cranberries all year long. They last a long time in the freezer!
- If you don’t have superfine sugar in your pantry, swirl some regular granulated sugar in your food processor for about a minute to create superfine sugar
- Granny Smith apples are nice and tart, and they’re a wonderful apple to use for this recipe. Other tart apples you can use are McIntosh and Pink Lady.
✔️ What to do with Fresh Cranberry Jam:
- Spread it on toast or English Muffins.
- Stir a spoonful of it into your oatmeal.
- Add it to a grilled cheese sandwich.
- Use it as the filling in homemade pop tarts.
- Use it as a filling for sweet rolls.
- Stir it into yogurt.
- It’s delicious displayed on a fall charcuterie board to serve with crackers and cheese.
Pour into sterilized jars. Seal tightly and turn upside down. Cover with a cloth and leave to cool completely before turning upright and storing in a cool place. The jam will keep for a couple of months, but once open it should be kept in the fridge and used up fairly quickly.
❤️ What I Love About This Recipe
- This is a lovely homemade hostess gift for fall parties and holidays.
- It’s weight watching friendly!
- Because this recipe can be canned, you get to enjoy fresh cranberry jam long after the holidays are over!
If you’re looking for more fall breakfast treats, you might also enjoy my very popular Pumpkin Bread recipe, Buttermilk Pear Breakfast Cake and these Apple Cider Waffles.
Fresh Cranberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 medium lemon (finely grated zest and juice)
- 18 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
Instructions
- Grate the zest of the lemon and set aside. Juice the lemon into a small bowl. Rinse the cranberries. Drain well and put them in a non-metallic bowl with the sugar. Add the lemon juice and toss. Cover with plastic wrap, and leave on the counter overnight, turning once or twice.
- Coarsely grate the apple and put it into a heavy based saucepan with the grated lemon zest. Strain in all the juice from the berries- scrape out all of the sugary stuff and add it to the pan. Add two big spoonfuls of berries, leaving the rest of the berries in the bowl for now. Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until the apple is very soft and the mixture has thickened. Add the rest of the berries and heat through for 10 minutes.
- Pour into sterilized jars. Seal tightly and turn upside down. Cover with a cloth and leave to cool completely before turning upright and storing in a cool place. The jam will keep for a couple of months, but once open it should be kept in the fridge and used up fairly quickly.
Notes
- If you don’t have superfine sugar in your pantry, swirl some regular granulated sugar in your food processor for about a minute to create superfine sugar).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this for a valentine’s breakfast this year. My mom has since passed away but on this forthcoming day of love, it reminded me of all she taught me in the kitchen and how to can and make jams/jellies. Thanks for a fullproof recipe!