Peach jam is a delicious way to enjoy summer’s flavor year-round, and this easy, pectin-free recipe makes it simple. With just fresh peaches, lemon juice, and sugar or honey, you’ll have a sweet, vibrant homemade jam.
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT22M
Total time: PT40M
5 stars (1 reviews)
dairy-free, Gluten-free, jam, paleo, peaches, summer, vegan
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Right before it starts boiling, prepare a large bowl filled with ice water.
- Once the water is boiling, carefully add the peaches.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the pot after 30 seconds in the water and immediately transfer them to the ice bath.
- Once the peaches have cooled, take them out of the ice bath. Gently peel away the skins using your hands. They should come off with minimal effort.
- Remove the pit and cut the peaches into fourths or eighths. The exact size isn’t important - mine were about 3/4” chunks.
- Combine the peach chunks, sugar or honey (1/3 cup for a lightly sweetened version or 1/2 cup for a more traditional sweetness) and lemon juice in a medium or large saucepan. The larger the surface area, the sooner your jam will be ready. Mash about half of the peaches with a potato masher.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring frequently. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to the lowest you can to keep it at a full boil.
- Let boil for about 12 minutes, turning the heat down, if needed, towards the end to prevent the peaches from burning, until it reaches a temperature of 220 °F (104 °C) for the sugar version or 227 °F (108 °C) for the honey version. It’ll still be a bit runny but will thicken as it cools and more as it’s chilled. From the time I added the peaches to the pan until they were done, it was 21 minutes total.
- When you think the jam is ready, drop a small spoonful onto the cold plate and let it sit for a minute. Push it with your finger - if it wrinkles and holds its shape, the jam is done.
- Remove the saucepan to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Then refrigerate in an airtight container.
- Yields about 1 1/3 cups (409 grams) of jam. Could be more or less depending on exactly how long you cook the peaches.
- Transfer into clean jars and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Many sources say 2-3 weeks, but I like to play it safe and freeze whatever I haven't eaten after 1 week. It also freezes great and can be frozen for up to 1 year.