Cherry Jam

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This cherry jam recipe makes about 6 half-pints. It is VERY tempting to double the recipe. However, it is difficult to make double batches. If you want to make more at a time (I don’t blame you), simply have two batches going at the same time in different pots.

An open jar of cherry jam with more jars of jam and fresh cherries beside it.

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

We found a great source for pick your own cherries. We pick a lot! Really a lot. This sweet cherry jam recipe is one of the results. It turned out fantastic. Let’s learn how to make cherry jam!

The Cherry Pitter that passed the family review.

Pitting was the hardest part. But I got my crew of boys going, and they got them pitted for me.

They were getting juice EVERYWHERE in the process. But the cherries were pitted and ready for this sweet cherry jam recipe.

This cherry pitter you see in the image below was NOT family approved. After trying diligently to make it work, my son gave up, grabbed a piece of tubing, and pitted the cherries that way.

Pitting cherries with a more traditional cherry pitter.
This pitter was the pits!

A few years later and by golly I think we’ve found it!

This is the pitter that has passed the family pitters approval. Check it out here. Video review with the pitter in action at my kitchen counter.

Are cherries high in pectin? How do you thicken cherry jam?

I use powdered pectin because cherries don’t have a lot of natural pectin. If it didn’t set up, it would probably make great cherry syrup though!

Can you make cherry jam without pectin?

Cherries don’t naturally contain much pectin, so that’s why using powdered pectin is suggested. I suppose that with enough sugar, it might set up properly…but I’ve never actually tried it, and it’s so easy to add pectin and make sure that it works! 🙂

This can be processed safely in a Water Bath Canner.

What Kind of Cherries Should You Use?

I used bing cherries for this recipe, but you could use either sweet or sour cherries. There is so much sugar, I’m pretty sure even pie cherries would work (though the flavor might be a bit different).

How to Make Cherry Jam Recipe and full instructions.

Gather Your Canning Supplies:

Ingredients:

  • cherries – enough to chop and make 1 quart
  • 4 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 envelope powdered pectin

Start by preparing jars and getting water in your canner heating. You want the water to be hot but not boiling when your jars are ready to process. (See Water Bath Canning for full directions.)

Making cherry jam.

First wash and pit the cherries.

When the cherries are pitted, you’ll need to chop them up pretty fine. I use my food chopper, but you can just use a knife. You want your cherries chopped/smashed. Measure out 1 Quart.

Add lemon juice and pectin to chopped cherries and bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.

Add sugar and return to a full boil. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Canning Cherry Jam

Remove from heat. If you have developed foam (which is likely), skim off as much as you can. Then fill hot jars with hot jam, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Measuring headspace on a jar of cherry jam.
Wiping rim of jar filled with cherry jam.
Placing flat lid on a jar of cherry jam.
Tightening the screw band of a jar of cherry jam.

Processing Time for Canning Cherry Jam

For 1/2 pints or pints:

  • Process for 10 minutes if you are below 6000 ft elevation.
  • Process for 15 minutes if you are above 6000 ft elevation.

Pinnable Recipe Card

Sweet Cherry Jam

This sweet cherry jam recipe makes about 6 half-pints. It is VERY tempting to double the recipe. However, it is difficult to make double batches. If you want to make more at a time (I don’t blame you), simply have two batches going at the same time in different pots.
Print Recipe
An open jar of cherry jam with more jars of jam and fresh cherries beside it.
Prep Time:1 hour
Processing Pints (adjust for altitude):10 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 quart Cherries chopped
  • 4 ½ cups Sugar
  • ¼ cup Lemon Juice 
  • 1 envelope Powdered Pectin
  • ¼ teaspoon Butter optional

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, pit, and chop cherries.
  • Combine cherries with lemon juice and pectin in a large pot.
  • Bring to full boil, stirring constantly.
  • Add sugar and return to full boil.
  • If jam is getting foamy, add 1/4 tsp. butter.
  • Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat, skimming foam if needed.
  • Fill hot jar with hot jam, leaving 1/4” headspace.
  • Remove air bubbles, wipe rim clean, and place on 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: 6 half pint jars

More Things to Do with Cherries

Canning cherries
Cherry pie filling
Bright red cherries on a freezer paper lined tray.

Recipe Source: Usually, I put my source for the recipe here…but, I forgot to make a note of where I got it! Most likely it was off the package of pectin. Remember different pectins may have slightly different instructions. The basics will be the same. I recommend going with the instructions on whatever pectin you choose to use.

Pin this to find later!

Cherry Jam

Page last updated: 7/9/2021

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grannya.sg@gmail.com
1 year ago

5 stars
Sharon, I know you don’t do diabetic canning
but would see a problem me using my splenda
sugar!!

Lisa
Lisa
3 years ago

Lisa- I am at about 260’ above see level and the National Center for home food preservation says to water bath cherry jam for five minutes where you say below 6000’ to process for 10 , via the nchfp- which is correct? Just trying to understand-

Rachel Abernathy
Admin
Rachel Abernathy
3 years ago
Reply to  Lisa

Sharon generally processes her jams/jellies for at least 10 minutes. This is because any jars processed over 10 minutes don’t need to be sterilized, and that is why her # is different. 🙂 Hope this makes sense!

-Rachel (Sharon’s assistant)

FSethman
FSethman
3 years ago

I want to make cherry jam with no sugar pectin and use honey as a sweetener. I also have 10lb cherries to use for 7pt jars approximately. How do I make this version, lemon juice?