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    Pink Owl Kitchen » Fall Recipes » Spiced Apple Jam

    Spiced Apple Jam

    Published: Sep 22, 2021 · Modified: Jul 17, 2022 by Ashley Boyd · This post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This simple and delicious homemade jam features fresh chopped apples cooked with sugar and lots of warm, cozy spices. Use this jam as a spread, topping, dip, or however your heart desires all fall and winter long!

    close up side angle shot of spiced apple jam in a yogurt jar with orange linen underneath and cinnamon sticks in the perimeter of the shot.

    I'm a sucker for fruit spreads and jams of all kinds, and my favorite way to have them is slathered on a warm buttermilk biscuit. Not many people realize how easy it is to make your own fruit jam at home but don't worry, this post has you covered! The great thing about homemade jams is they are preservative-free and you can control the amount of added sugar.

    Jump to:
    • What You Need to Make This Apple Jam
    • How To Make This Recipe
    • Why Does This Jam Recipe Not Call for Added Pectin?
    • Variations of This Recipe
    • Storing This Jam
    • What to Serve With Apple Jam
    • Recommended Tools for This Recipe
    • Check Out These Other Irresistible Fall Recipes Before You Go!
    • 📖 Recipe
    side angle shot of spiced apple jam in a glass jar with a orange linen underneath. cinnamon sticks and star anise in perimeter of shot.

    What You Need to Make This Apple Jam

    This is a smaller batch recipe and makes about one quart of jam. Feel free to double or even triple the recipe to make larger batches!

    Three apples. For this recipe, I used two Honeycrisp and one Granny Smith apple. Peel, core, and chop the apples into large chunks.

    1 cup of granulated sugar. Feel free to adjust this amount according to your sweetness preference. I find this amount of sugar yields a sweet but slightly tart flavor.

    Juice of one lemon. Fresh lemon juice works best for this recipe. One medium-sized lemon is enough.

    Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground cardamom. These are the spices we use to flavor the jam. These spices provide warm, spicy, nutty, and citrusy notes to the jam.

    How To Make This Recipe

    Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped apples, sugar, lemon juice, and spices to the pot and stir everything with a wooden spoon to combine.

    overhead shot of apples, sugar, an spices in pan for jam
    overhead shot of apples, sugar, an spices in pan for jam

    Bring the apple mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 15-25 minutes until the jam has thickened.

    About halfway through the cooking time take your wooden spoon and mash some of the apples against the side of the pot and leave some apple chunks intact. Then give everything a good stir. This step is optional, but I prefer the texture of a slightly chunky apple jam.

    The natural pectins in the apples and the sugar will cause the jam to go from a thin consistency to a thick, jammy consistency without the addition of extra pectin. Once the jam transitions to a slow boil with smaller bubbles stir constantly as the jam continues to cook to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

    overhead shot of apple jam boiling in saucepan.

    Once the jam has thickened, remove the pan from the heat and allow the jam to cool slightly. Spoon the jam into clean jars and seal tighlty. Allow the jam to cool completely before transferring it to the refrigerator.

    • overhead shot of apple jam almost ready for storing
    • close up shot of thickens apple jam on a spoon.

    Why Does This Jam Recipe Not Call for Added Pectin?

    Many fruits, including apples, contain a good amount of pectin naturally. This helps the jam thicken without the use of added pectin.

    However, if you would like added pectin to thicken your jam up a bit more, this brand is my suggestion.

    Variations of This Recipe

    The great thing about this jam recipe is that you can use it as a base for a number of different fruit jams. Many fruits naturally contain a good amount of pectin, which is what helps the jam thicken. You can also add additional pectin to your jam during the cooking process to help it thicken even more.

    Try out these fruits in this jam recipe as well:

    • Strawberries
    • Blueberries
    • Blackberries
    • Peaches
    • Cranberries
    • Grapes
    • Sour cherries
    side angle shot of spiced apple jam in a glass jar with a orange linen underneath. cinnamon sticks and star anise in perimeter of shot.

    Storing This Jam

    Cool filled jars of jam to room temperature then refrigerate jam for up to three weeks.

    You can also tightly seal cooled jam jars and freeze them for up to one year.

    What to Serve With Apple Jam

    My favorite way to serve homemade jam is slathered on a warm buttermilk biscuit but there are countless other options as well! A few serving suggestions are:

    • Serve jam as a spread on sliced cheese with crackers
    • Use jam as a stuffing for French toast
    • Use jam to make a delicous mocktail or cocktail
    • Make a sauce for your favorite meat using jam
    • Use jam as a topping on grilled cheese sandwiches
    • Mix homemade jam with yogurt to create your own fruit blended yogurt
    overhead shot of buttermilk biscuit sliced on a plate with spiced apple jam spread on biscuit. Plate is on a wooden surface with an orange linen underneath.

    Recommended Tools for This Recipe

    Medium saucepan

    Wooden spoon

    Canning jars

    Check Out These Other Irresistible Fall Recipes Before You Go!

    • Cajun Jambalaya Pasta
    • Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits
    • Hot Honey Chicken Thighs
    • Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Creole Sauce

    📖 Recipe

    side angle shot of spiced apple jam in a glass jar with a orange linen underneath. cinnamon sticks and star anise in perimeter of shot.

    Spiced Apple Jam

    Ashley
    This simple, delicious homemade jam is made with a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples and is flavored with lots of warm, cozy spices!
    4.38 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Condiment
    Cuisine American, Fall
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Servings 1 pint
    Calories 69 kcal

    Equipment

    • Canning jars

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 Honeycrisp apples rinsed, peeled, cored, and chopped into large chunks
    • 1 Granny Smith apple rinsed, peeled, cored, a chopped into large chunks
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • Juice of one lemon
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped apples, sugar, lemon juice, and spices to the pot and stir everything with a wooden spoon to combine.
    • Bring the apple mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 15-25 minutes until the jam has thickened.
    • About halfway through the cooking time take your wooden spoon and mash some of the apples against the side of the pot and leave some apple chunks in tact, then give everythig a good stir. This step is optional, but will result in a slightly chunky jam.
    • Once the jam has thickened, and the jam reaches a slow boil with small, tight bubbles, remove the pan from the heat and allow the jam to cool slightly. Spoon the jam into clean jars and seal tighlty. Allow the jam to cool completely before transferring it to the refrigerator.

    Notes

    • You can also use a potato masher to mash your apples halfway through the cooking time if you prefer a less chunky jam.
    • Test your jam to see if it's done by placing a small amount of jam onto a metal spoon that has been placed in the freezer for 10 minutes. Swipe your finger through the jam on the frozen spoon. If there is a clear line through the jam that does not fill in, it is ready to be cooled and stored.
    • This recipe may make slightly more or less jam depending on the size of your fruit.
    Please see blog post for other important tips and suggestions.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 18.3gProtein: 0.1gFat: 0.1gSodium: 1mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 16.7gCalcium: 3mg
    Keyword apple jam, fruit jam, fruit spread, homemade jam
    Tried this recipe?Tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram! And don't forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review!

    More Fall Recipes

    • Red Velvet Brownies
    • Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins
    • Chai Cookies (Soft and Chewy)
    • Red Velvet Cinnamon Rolls

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marianne

      August 23, 2022 at 7:05 pm

      5 stars
      This tasted delicious! I wanted to know if you could boiling waterbath it for 10 minutes for long term storage? Instead of refrigerated only? I processed mine but not sure if I should store it in the pantry. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley Boyd

        August 30, 2022 at 2:08 am

        Thank you Marianne and I'm happy you enjoyed the jam! I have not tried processing the jam for long-term storage but please let me know how it works out for you.

        Reply
    2. Coby

      December 02, 2022 at 11:20 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, this is really delicious, and SO easy! I just set some aside to cool, and took a little taste. I love it! I’m going to put it on homemade sourdough English muffins for breakfast. And I saw that you suggested trying this with fresh cranberries- I think I will, as I have some that I need to use up. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Ashley Boyd

        December 07, 2022 at 12:59 am

        I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the jam, Coby! Putting it on homemade sourdough English muffins sounds phenomenal! Please let me know how the cranberries turn out. Thank you!

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm Ashley.

    I am a new mom, wife, and creator of all you see here at Pink Owl Kitchen. All of our recipes are influenced by my southern upbringing and are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients to encourage families to come together around the dinner table more!

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