An easy recipe for breakfast or a snack: the Cherry jam ! Very simple to prepare, with ripe cherries and little sugar. With or without pieces, this jam is perfect on toast, pancakes or even a savory version with cheese...
What you will like with this cherry jam
- flavors : the good taste of cherry, with a little touch of vanilla...
- texture : two possible options, with or without pieces, if you choose to blend the jam at the end of cooking. Also note that the longer the cooking time, the thicker the texture of your jam will be.
- difficulty level : very simple to make, you will need a large saucepan and jam jars. Plan on using an immersion blender if you want to mix your cherry jam.
Details of the recipe ingredients
- cherries : take the very ripe ones for a tasty jam! Mine are "burlat", but you can make jam with other varieties of cherries. Be aware that the more water your cherries contain, the longer the cooking will be.
- granulated sugar : it is essential for the jam to set (otherwise it is a compote!). I try not to put too much, it is up to you to adjust of course to your personal taste.
- lemon juice : it keeps the beautiful color of the cherries during cooking. It also enhances the flavor of the cherry.
- vanilla : This is totally optional, but I love adding a little touch of vanilla to cherry jam to make it even more delicious. Liquid natural extract or vanilla pod, whichever you prefer.
How to make cherry jam?
- Wash and pit the cherries
- We cut them in half
- In a saucepan, heat the cherries, sugar and lemon juice
- We stir, we stir
- Just before the end of cooking, add a touch of vanilla
- Pour hot cherry jam into sterilized jars
- We turn the pots over to create a vacuum.
- We put them back in place until they have cooled completely.
NB: the quantities of ingredients and the detailed recipe are given at the bottom of the page.
My tips for a successful jam
- do not reduce the amount of sugar too much in this recipe: it allows the cherry jam to "set" properly. If you reduce the sugar, you will then have to extend the cooking time.
- take the plate test! It's foolproof for all your jams. Just pour a drop of your preparation on a plate taken out of the freezer and then place it upright. If the drop flows and then solidifies, your jam is ready, you can stop cooking.
- to have fewer pieces in the final jam, just give it a quick blast with a hand blender off the heat. Personally, I like to keep the cherry pieces, but each to their own of course.
How to easily sterilize your jam jars?
It's very simple, and you don't need any special equipment! You just need a large saucepan. Bring the water to the boil and then carefully place the open jars and then the lids. You need leave them for 10 minutes for the sterilization to be effective.
Then, remove them with tongs, so as not to burn yourself, then place them on a clean cloth to drain. All that's left is to fill them!
Other recipes to try
If you like fruit-based recipes, I advise you to take a look at these other recipes from the blog:
- Very moist cherry cake
- No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
- Pavlova with red fruits
- Mascarpone strawberry tiramisu
- Easy peach melba
- Blueberry pie
If you make this cherry jam, please rate the recipe below and tag @liliebakery on Instagram so I can see your beautiful jam jars!
- 1,2 kg whole fresh cherries i.e. 1kg pitted
- 400 g granulated sugar
- 2 cs lemon juice
- 1 cc natural vanilla extract optional
- Wash and pit the cherries (with a sturdy straw press the top of the cherry so that the pit comes out from the bottom).
- Cut the cherries in half.
- In a large saucepan, add the halved cherries, powdered sugar and lemon juice.
- Heat over low-medium heat for about 35-45 minutes (depending on the water content of the fruit) stirring regularly, there should be a slight boil. Skim the surface from time to time with a slotted spoon. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the vanilla extract.
- Tip: to know if the jam is set, pour a drop of the preparation on a plate taken out of the freezer. Then put the plate vertically: if the drop runs slightly then freezes, it's cooked enough! Otherwise continue cooking a bit.
- Remove from the heat, if necessary, you can pass a little blender to have fewer pieces in the final jam.
- Pour the mixture into sterilized jam jars. Close the jars and invert them for 10 minutes. Turn over until the jam has completely cooled.
Well done dear Madam, your cherry recipe looks delicious. Keep up the good work. I'm going to try it. I'll give you 20/20.
Thank you very much! Glad you like it :)
Hello, do we need to put the jam jars in hot water to sterilize them before filling them with the cherry jam? They are jars with iron lids and I have some with rubber lids. Thank you for your reply.
Hi Ingrid, it's best if you want to store them for a very long time. For this, you need glass jars with metal lids. See you soon :)
Thanks for sharing! I made it and I liked the proportions of sugar and fruit, just to my taste. On the other hand, there is no need to skim; this foam contains the pectin from the fruit, it's a shame to deprive yourself of it, especially since at very low boils, stirring from time to time, it disappears on its own.
Great way to extend the cherry season! Thank you.
Thank you Leira! Glad you like this jam! See you soon :)
Delicious. Recipe to keep.
Thank you
Mina
Glad you like this cherry jam! See you soon :)