This easy peach jam recipe is a simple way to make the most of sweet, juicy flat peaches when they are in season. Made with just three ingredients, it creates a delicious homemade jam packed with tender pieces of peach, without the use of pectin.
Flat peaches, also known as doughnut peaches or Saturn peaches, are naturally sweet and fragrant, making them ideal for jam making.
They are at their best in July and August. I love snacking on them in the height of summer!
This easy jam recipe has no complicated techniques, making it perfect for beginners as well as experienced home preservers.
Whether you spread it on toast, spoon it over yoghurt or use it in your favourite bakes, this easy peach jam is a wonderful way to enjoy the taste of summer throughout the year.
If you have plenty of peaches, do try my peach curd recipe as well.
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Ingredients
Here are the three ingredients you will need to make this jam.
- flat peaches – ideally, use a mixture of mainly ripe and some slightly under-ripe flat peaches to make jam. Under-ripe peaches contain more pectin so help the jam to set. The fully ripe peaches will bring the delicious peach flavour and break down into a spreadable consistency. This is why a mixture is best where possible. Peaches are naturally juicy so you don’t need to add water when making peach jam. I started with 680 g flat peaches, after removing the stones they weighed 570 g, meaning I needed 456 g sugar (see below).
- caster sugar – this type of sugar (as used in baking) has finer crystals so it dissolves more easily in the peach juice. You can swap and use granulated sugar instead but just be aware that granulated sugar has larger crystals so it needs a little more stirring over low heat to dissolve before bringing the pan to a boil. Other than that granulated will work fine. Use a 80% sugar to fruit ratio when making jam, so weigh the peaches once you have removed the stones, calculate 80% of that weight and use that weight of sugar. For example for 1000 g peaches you would use 800 g sugar and so on.
- lemon – lemon juice is vital when making peach jam because peaches are a low pectin fruit and a low acid fruit. The mixture needs to be made more acidic so the pectin will bond. Lemon juice makes the environment more acidic so helps the jam to set.
Instructions
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this easy peach jam recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step 1. Wash your flat peaches, then cut them into pieces, cutting out the stones. Leave the skin on.
Step 2. Put the peach pieces into a large saucepan with caster sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
Step 3. Once the solution is clear with no undissolved sugar in the bottom of the pan, and smooth without any crystals you can move onto the next step.
Step 4. Turn the heat up and bring the pan to a rolling boil. See the photo to see what this looks like. Keep it at a rolling boil for 5-10 minutes then use a food thermometer to check if the jam has reached 105°C (jam setting point).
Step 5. Once your jam has reached 105°C / 221°F and you have done a wrinkle test (take the jam off the heat, drop a teaspoon of jam onto a pre-frozen small plate, leave for 2 minutes to cool and check that when you push it with a finger it wrinkles) you can be sure it has reached a high enough temperature to properly set. If it does not reach the temperature and/or fails the wrinkle test, put the pan back on the heat and retest after a few minutes.
Step 6. Pour the hot jam from the pan into hot sterilised jars. It is useful to use a jam funnel to stop it spilling. Seal with the jam jar lids. The jam will set as it cools. As the jam cools it will contract and create a natural vacuum seal. Store the jars in a cool dark place.
Removing Scum
If scum forms on your jam as it boils, you can remove it by adding a small amount (half a teaspoon) of butter to the jam at the end, while it is still hot. The scum is just trapped air bubbles. The butter release surface tension so the bubbles disappear.
If you prefer not to use butter then vegetable oil can used instead or you can skim the foam off with a cold metal slotted spoon.
Jarring Up
This jam recipe makes three jars of peach jam. The jar size I use is 280 ml.
Before starting the jam preparation, make sure you have washed your jars in very hot soapy water or passed them through your dishwasher.
Once washed (by hand or in the dishwasher), rinse the jars and lids well then put them on a baking tray in a low oven (approx. 140°C) until dry.
The resulting steam sterilises your jars and lids and make sure they are ready for filling with jam.
Pouring the hot jam into jars can be tricky if your saucepan is really heavy and you need to use your other hand to keep your jars still.
I like to use a jam funnel which stops the jam making a mess everywhere as you pour it, a wide funnel is easy to pour into from the saucepan and funnels the jam into your jars, reducing the clean-up needed afterwards.
Once your hot jam is in the jars, put on the lids tightly and leave to cool.
Troubleshooting
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, jam either doesn’t set or it sets too firm. Here are my tips to fix that.
My jam did not set
This could mean you undercooked the jam (it didn’t reach the setting point) or you did the wrinkle test when the jam was still too warm, or there was too much liquid, too little pectin or acid.
Sometimes jam takes a while to set in the jar so make sure you are not testing too soon too. Leave it for 2 days.
If your jam is still not set, put it in a pan with a little extra lemon juice (one to two tablespoons) and bring it to a rapid boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the jam from the heat. Retest a spoonful on a frozen plate with the wrinkle test, make sure the jam on the plate is completely cool before testing it. Pour the hot jam into clean, re-sterilised jars.
My jam is set too hard
This might happen if you overcook it or use too much pectin (if you were making a jam with added pectin, unlike this recipe).
To correct this, put the jam back in a pan, add a little water (start with 50 ml) and heat it gently to melt or dissolve the jam. Don’t reboil. Repeat the wrinkle test (make sure the jam is completely cool on the plate). Put the hot jam in freshly sterilised jars.
A Note on the Traditional UK Method
This recipe uses a traditional UK “hot fill” method rather than US water-bath canning. Because peach jam is highly acidic and this recipe features a high sugar-to-fruit ratio, the sugar acts as a natural preservative by binding moisture and preventing bacterial growth.
Pouring the boiling hot jam directly into hot sterilised jars creates a natural vacuum seal as it cools. This eliminates the risk of spoilage and botulism, making water boiling after jarring, which is often done in the USA, completely unnecessary for safety.
In the UK, to be called jam, a product must contain at least 60% sugar. If not it cannot legally be called jam but must be called a preserve or fruit spread. You’ll see that this recipe contains 80% sugar so meets the requirement and represents a traditional jam recipe.
Storage
Store unopened jar in a cool dark place. it will keep for 1-2 years.
Once opened, keep the jam in the fridge, use a clean spoon to serve it and use within 2-3 months for best flavour and quality.
Related
Try these fruit curd and jam recipes next.
Recipe
Easy Peach Jam
Ingredients
- 680 g flat peaches
- 456 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh
Instructions
- Wash your flat peaches, then cut them into pieces, cutting out the stones. Leave the skin on.680 g flat peaches
- Put the peach pieces into a large saucepan with caster sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.456 g caster sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Once the solution is clear with no undissolved sugar in the bottom of the pan, and smooth without any crystals you can move onto the next step.
- Turn the heat up and bring the pan to a rolling boil. See the photo to see what this looks like. Keep it at a rolling boil for 5-10 minutes then use a food thermometer to check if the jam has reached 105°C (jam setting point).
- Once your jam has reached 105°C / 221°F and you have done a wrinkle test (take the jam off the heat, drop a teaspoon of jam onto a pre-frozen small plate, leave for 2 minutes to cool and check that when you push it with a finger it wrinkles) you can be sure it has reached a high enough temperature to properly set. If it does not reach the temperature and/or fails the wrinkle test, put the pan back on the heat and retest after a few minutes.
- Pour the hot jam from the pan into hot sterilised jars. It is useful to use a jam funnel to stop it spilling. Seal with the jam jar lids. The jam will set as it cools. As the jam cools it will contract and create a natural vacuum seal. Store the jars in a cool dark place.
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