Canning your own Apricot jam makes for a taste of summer all year long!

Apricot Jam Recipe with Water bath Canning directions This Apricot Jam recipe yields about 5 pints. If you want to do more at a time make two single batches in two pots. Jam recipes don’t double easily.

Apricot jam can be processed safely in a Water Bath Canner.

Delicious apricot jam smothered over an English muffin.

Label your jars with pretty printable Canning Labels! Check them out.

This page includes:

How can Apricot Jam – Full step by step instruction with tips.
How to peel Apricots
Jelling Point
Pinnable Recipe
Low Sugar Apricot Jam
Members Extra

How to Can Apricot Jam

First, gather your canning supplies.

water bath canner
canning jars
canning lids and rings
jar lifter and canning funnel
large pot
bowls
large spoons
sharp knife
towels and dish cloths
ladle

Ingredients

2 quarts crushed, peeled apricots
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Procedure

Place a spoon in the freezer. (yes you will need a cold spoon later.)

Wash your apricots.

How to peel an apricot.

The next step is actually optional. Some folks leave peels on when making apricot jam… some take it off. It all depends on your preferred texture when the jam is done. I used to remove the skins but I don’t anymore. Now I leave it. But I do try to chop it up so there are not big chunks of peel.

If you want to remove the skins it is just like peeling peaches. Blanch your apricots to remove the skins. Dip apricots into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. I use a blancher. Then remove the apricots to a sink or bowl with cold water or ice water. This stops the cooking. Slip the skins off. If your apricots are nice and ripe the skins will easily side off. If they are still a little green you may need to use a knife to help them along.

Now slice the apricots in half and remove the pit. When you have 2 quarts of apricots peeled and pitted, combine it with lemon juice and sugar in a large pot.

It sure looks like a lot of sugar…. uhm that’s because it IS a lot of sugar! Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pouring lots of white sugar into a pot of sliced apricots.

Dissolving sugar into the apricot mixture.

Turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Stirring often to prevent scorching. Cook rapidly to the gelling point. I’ll use a potato masher to help mash up the fruit.

Jelling Point

You can tell when the jam has reached the gelling point by taking your cold spoon and scooping up a bit of jam. The jam will cool quickly. Let it cool and tilt the spoon so the jam drips off. If it is still runny simply cook a bit longer. The jam should be thickened.

Apricot jam cooking in a pot with a thermometer.

Another (probably easier) way to tell if you’re jam is ready is by temperature. First you’ll need to figure out the gelling point for your elevation.

Determine the boiling point temperature by holding a candy thermometer in boiling water. Add 8 degrees. This is your gelling point. This means it is the point where the jam will set up nicely! When your jam has reached this temperature it is ready. Remove it from the heat.

Pour hot jam into hot jars. Leave a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean from any stickiness. If any jam is on the rims it may interfere with the lid sealing to the jar.

Place the lids on adding your screw bands and process.

Process

Process the jars according to your elevation. This is for half-pints and pints. Quarts are not recommended.

0-6000 feet process 10 minutes

above 6000 feet process 15 minutes

Printable Recipe – Don’t forget to take a look at the canning tips on this page!

Prep Time:1

Processing Pints (adjust for altitude):10

Total Time:1 10

Equipment

Ingredients

2 quarts Apricots peeled and crushed
6 cups Sugar
¼ cup Lemon Juice

Instructions

Start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating. You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed.
See full water bath canning instructions here.

For a Hot Pack

Wash apricots.
Blanch to remove skins (optional I rarely do this).
Slice apricots in half, removing pits.
Crush apricots and measure out 2 quarts.
Combine crushed fruit with lemon juice and sugar.
Stir and turn on the heat to dissolve sugar.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, cooking rapidly to gelling point.
Pour hot jam into hot jar, leaving 1/4” headspace.
Remove air bubbles, wipe rim clean, and place seal and ring. Place jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to the chart below.

Notes

Processing with a Water Bath Canner

Place the jar in the warm canner. Proceed to fill all jars placing them in the canner.

When all the jars are filled, bring the water in the canner to a boil. When a boil is reached that is when you’ll start your timing. Process for the length of time on the chart below. Adjust for your altitude.

After your time is over, turn the heat off remove the lid and allow the canner to rest for about 5 minutes. Then bring your jars up out of the water. Allow them to rest for another 5 minutes. Then remove the jars and place them a few inches apart on a thick towel to cool completely. Leave them alone for about 12 hours.

When they are cooled remove the metal bands, check the seals, label the jars and store them away!

Processing Times for Water Bath Canner (Hot Pack)

Altitude – Half Pints and Pints are Processed the Same

0 – 6,000 ft – 10 minutes

Above 6,000 ft – 15 minutes

Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation

Servings: pints

Author: Sharon Peterson

Canning tips and Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do a low or no sugar apricot jam?

If you are interested in doing a no-sugar apricot jam you’ll need to use a commercial pectin. The sugar helps the jam to jel up. Check out Pomona’s Pectin. This will allow you to get a jam texture… with no added sugar.

Make Apricot jam with the skins or without?

Apricot jam can be made with the skins. It is a texture difference you’ll notice. When someone says “old-fashioned” apricot jam… I’m picturing with the skins. Because older recipes were simple and straightforward. If you’ve got a tree full of apricots you need to get taken care of, you’ll leave the skins. If you want smooth and silky, peel the apricots just like peaches. and make jam out of the pulp only.

When you are boiling your jam you can see the skins floating around. You can pull them out with a fork and leave them out. Or you can chop them up, and add them back to your pot. This way you’ll get some skin texture without the big chunks. (My guys don’t like the big chunks.)