This classic peach jam is everything you want from a summer preserve. It’s sweet, spreadable, and tastes intensely of fresh, ripe peaches.
Peaches have become one of those fruits that is nearly always available, but they are only transcendent during during peak summer (here in Philadelphia, that means August and September). The ones you buy in January that have been shipped in from another hemisphere can’t possible compare.
Every summer, I make a point to buy between 25 and 50 pounds of peaches. I slice and freeze a bunch, can halves in light syrup and make sauce (like apple, only peachy), butter and jam. Glorious peach jam!
This blog post includes my basic peach jam recipe, spiked with a little cinnamon and nutmeg. However, you can easily strip those flavor boosters out and replace them with the scrapings from a vanilla bean, a splash of bourbon, ginger, lavender, rosemary or thyme.
This was the first peach jam recipe I ever posted on this site, but in the decades since this one first went live, I’ve added a baker’s dozen more sweet peach preserve recipes. Here they are.
Peach cardamom jam
Spicy peach preserves
Low sugar spiced peach jam
Peach vanilla drizzle
Slow cooker peach vanilla butter
Sweet cherry and yellow peach preserves
Brown sugar peach jam with salt and bourbon
Honey sweetened peach jam
Honey sweetened gingery peach butter
Honey sweetened peach vanilla jam
Date sweetened peach drizzle
Peach Jam
Ingredients
- 5 pounds peaches, peeled and chopped (about 10 cups)
- 6 cups sugar
- 4 tablespoons powdered pectin
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 lemons zested and juiced
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath canner and enough jars to hold 6 pints of jam.
- Pour the peaches into a large, non-reactive pot.
- Whisk the pectin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the sugar to combine and add that to the fruit.
- Stir so that the peaches begin to release their juice and the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring regularly for 15-20 minutes. If the fruit hasn’t broken down much after that time is up, use a potato masher (taking care not to burn yourself with hot jam) to break down the chunks.
- Add the lemon juice and zest and continue cooking until the volume in the pot has reduced by approximately half and the jam passes your set test of choice (temperature, freezer, sheeting).
- Remove the pot from the heat and funnel the jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
- When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
You make me want to dash off to the nearest farmers market or you pick farms for fruits and veggies to cook, bake, heck – almost learn how to, can! Someday I will and it will be this blog as my inspiration. Thanks so much!
I would love to win a jar of dilly beans– but I’d be happy to win a jar of peach jam. 😉
Just discovered the local grocery store sells mason jars– maybe this will be the year I try to can?
i have not canned or jammed the past couple of years and i miss it! i have frozen–do you think i could make jam from frozen in the winter? a few years ago i made a jam or jelly(cant remember which) using peach peeling and scraps. it was from recipezaar…called blushing peach something by dibs. it was awesome!
Yummmm…opening up a jar of peach jam in the winter is like opening a jar of sunshine!
I LOVE peaches and I LOVE peach jam. I’m planning to can some peaches in at least 1 or 2 forms this summer, hopefully jam, but I might do slices or pie filling. Can’t decide! Since peaches aren’t *quite* in season up here in Ottawa yet (maybe 2 weeks to go?), I’d love to try some of yours in the mean time!!!
My oldest was just asking why we haven’t made peach jam yet (because the boys eat them as fast as I bring them home!), so now we have a recipe and plans for next week!
Here’s to hoping!
I am so glad I found your blog! My sister and I are going to try making jam (with our mother)for the first time later this month. This sounds delicious! I have added a link to my blog.
oh delicious – peaches sound so good right now!
I liked the picture of the peaches because it reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom used to freeze peach slices in the summer. Yummy times!
This sounds delicious. I would love to win the jar.
I usually wait until the end of peach season and then pick up a bushel of half price peach seconds and cut them up and sugar them and then leave them to ferment. (skim and discard the top layer every time you stir – couple months apart) 6-8 months in, the fizzy, sweet peaches are good with yogurt. And then 8-10 months in, the peach cordial is awesome!
bourbon. definitely bourbon.
making a batch tomorrow night!
You are so right about summer peaches. They are the best. I can some every year, but have not yet tried peach jam. I may just have to after reading about yours.
I think peach jam is my favorite jam although I like some other flavors too. I remember helping my mom make peach preserves.
This sounds divine! I love the additions of cinnamon and nutmeg. Yum!
I’m thinking of canning some honey spiced peaches…just got a book o recipes. But I would love to have some jam!
2 bushels? 3 bushels?
Oddly, a bank dropped off baskets of peaches as a thank-you gift at my job yesterday. I do live in Georgia and all, but it was an unusual (although not unappreciated) thank you. Maybe I’ll try my hand at some peach jam with my unexpected windfall!
I loooooove peaches
Fondly remember making peach jam with my Mother in the summer. We used SC peaches, and this was at a time when canners poured paraffin wax to seal underneath the lids and rims, so when ever I think of peach jam I always think of pulling out that wax disk…and, of course, my Mom. Would love a jar!
My husband prefers canned peaches to fresh, for some bizarre reason, so canning peaches is definitely in my future!
peach jam sounds amazing right now! I plan on canning and freezing some too as soon as I get around to buying some from the farmers market.
p.s. I just found your blog a few days ago, and I’m really loving it! I’m wondering if you’ve ever seen a recipe for sweet and sour sauce that cooks up like a fruit jam and get’s canned? If not, no big deal… I’ll keep looking 🙂
Hmm, I haven’t seen any recipes like that recently, but I’ll keep my eyes out and let you know if I do. -Marisa
I would love the win your jam! The recipe looks good and I will be trying it!
Got a great peach brandy recipe on the blogs the other day. Might be neat to create a nice thick peach brandy preserve – hmmm. I like the shot of the peaches in water, it captures one of the less glam moments in preserving. I really like this blog, so glad I found it!
How do you can your peaches in sauce? I’d love to do that for my kiddos to eat on all year.
Corinne, I make peach sauce just the way I do applesauce and then can it according to instructions for canning applesauce (such a helpful reply, I know). I’m going to be making a batch tonight, so I will try and get a post up about it over the weekend. -Marisa
So excited to start canning! Maybe this will be the first one I try!
Your peach jam would be something fabulous to have on my waffles in the morning. Pick me!
Perfect timing. Peaches just started hitting our market and they are wonderful.
Thanks for sharing the recipe and a jar! I just discovered your blog a couple of weeks ago and it has inspired to do a lot of canning this summer. Can’t wait for peaches to be really in season here!
I’d love to just dive into that pot of luscious peaches and swim around!
i’ve never tried peach jam so i’m very interested. if i’ve never tried it should i make it? hmmm
you are a wealth of info on canning. I will be putting a link on my blog to you……
Gill in Canada
Goodness, thanks Gill! -Marisa
I’d love jam, and I’ve really been enjoying your blog since I found it via a link at smittenkitchen.
I’m a beginning canner and I love reading your blog. You make it sounds so simple! Do you have any recommended canning books? I’ve come across a couple but don’t feel like I’ve found the right one yet…
Sounds delicious! Peach season is my favorite time of year. I’ll be canning peachy creations next weekend. Most excited to try a “blushing peach” jam.
I will try the recipe when I get my peaches next month. Thanks!
Oh … Peach jam … it has been ages since I have had that!
sounds wonderful! my peach tree didnt do well this year, so i didnt get a chance for peach jam!
I keep thinking about other kinds of jam I might enjoy–love strawberry, but I don’t do a lot else because I hate the seeds. Peach sounds delicious though!
I bought peaches for jam yesterday, and was almost about to start tracking down a recipe. What timing!
I’ll be making and canning peaches for the first time next week–can’t wait! But I’d love to try your jam… Sounds delicious!
I’ve got a date for picking peaches next weekend for my own jamming needs, but I’d love a chance to win a jar of your creation.
I am totally with you – off season peaches are not worth it at ALL. They’re just starting to show up in markets here in Boston, I can’t wait to stock up and freeze some for those dark January days 🙂
I’ve been waiting for this one!
We are just to the end of our half bushel of peaches. We’ve got peach jam, peach/cherry jam (with a little vanilla) and nearly ready ginger-spiked peach butter. It has made the house smell wonderful!
That sounds great! We buy just as many peaches, but my little brothers eat them up so quickly, I’ve only “made” one thing with my produce. Definitely want to try this.
Sounds delish! I’m looking forward to the tomato canning class tomorrow.
I love how the peaches fuzzy skin looks underwater. It’s a beautiful photo!
I would never have thought of all those great falvoring idea either. thank you!
Peach jam! Woo-hoo. Please let this week be my lucky jam week!
Ooohh…cannot WAIT to make this! Also, I really, really like that you made peach jam after having cocktails. That is so something I would do. Thanks for the recipe!