Time to jam out this summer with small batch Sour Cherry Jam without pectin! Use it as a cake filling, swirl it into Greek yogurt, or simply spread it on toast.
I used to cross stitch and latch hook. I never did pick up knitting, but I bet I could and it would be fun.
Another characteristic that makes me all grandmotherly – making homemade jam. How many people under 35 do you know can can their own jam?
I’ve been jamming since I was 25. If that doesn’t scream wild party animal, I don’t know what will.
And not only did I figure out how to make no pectin jam, I also figured out how to make a small batch, leaving you with only one jar of jam.
Because if there’s one thing this single girl doesn’t have, it’s a pantry big enough for an endless supply of jam to get us through the apocalypse.
Of all the small batch jam recipes I’ve posted, I’m missing one fruit from that list.
If you said cherry, you get a gold sticker for observation skills today (considering the name of this post and all).
I told myself when I picked tart cherries this year, I was going to make small batch Sour Cherry Jam in addition to homemade cherry pie filling. It’s been on my recipe idea list for YEARS.
As the name implies, sour cherries aren’t as sweet as other types of cherries. In fact, they are often referred to as tart cherries.
They are too tart to eat on their own, but with a little bit of sugar and love, they become magically delicious in this sour cherry jam recipe.
What is the difference between preserves and jam?
Jam uses crushed fruit or pulp while preserves use more whole, chunky fruit.
According to that, I technically made sour cherry preserves without pectin. Whatever you call it, it spreads well on toast.
What is pectin?
As you read more and more about how to make jam, you’ll come across an ingredient called pectin. Pectin is a thickening agent often used in jams and jellies so they set up properly after cooling.
You can often buy pectin in the canning section of a store, but it’s mostly only used when making jam.
However, I don’t want to buy an ingredient I’d only use a few times a year. Luckily for us, I found a way to make tart cherry jam without pectin.
How to make jam without pectin
Although a lot of fruits are a natural source for pectin, stone fruits like cherries are not. However, you can still boil the cherries to a thick jam.
Be careful you don’t cook the cherries down too much; otherwise, the jam becomes really sticky and difficult to spread.
How to know when your jam is done
Your jam is done when it has thickened enough. However, you won’t know this until it has finished cooling. At that point, it’s too late to fix it.
That’s why I use the frozen plate technique. Because the plate is frozen, it’ll instantly cool down the jam so you can determine how thick it is.
Before you start, place a small plate in the freezer. When you’re ready to test your jam, take the plate out and add a small spoonful to the plate.
Next, tilt your plate. If the jam slides too fast, it needs more time. If it slides slowly, it’s done. However, if it doesn’t move at all, you may have overcooked it.
If your jam needs to cook longer, be careful not to overcook it. Even a minute too long can be the difference between done and overdone. It’s best to check too often than not enough.
Can you substitute sweet cherries for sour cherries?
Since tart cherries have a short harvesting window and are hard to find, yes you can substitute sweet cherries for sour cherries.
As the name implies, sour cherries are very tart, so I didn’t add any lemon juice to the jam.
However, if you substitute sweet cherries, you want to add about a tablespoon of lemon juice. This helps balance the sweetness in the jam.
You may also want to cut back on how much sugar you use. I recommend starting at 3/4 cup sugar then adjust from there.
What to do with homemade cherry jam
In addition to spreading it on toast for breakfast, you can use tart cherry jam in recipes, such as Small Vanilla Cake, Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars, and Raspberry Crumb Bars (substitute cherry for those last two).
More Small Batch Jam Recipes
Have other summer fruits you want to turn into jam? Check out these other easy small batch jam recipes:
Items You May Need (affiliate links)
Sour Cherry Jam (No Pectin, Small Batch)
Time to jam out this summer with small batch Sour Cherry Jam without pectin! Use it as a cake filling, swirl it into Greek yogurt, or simply spread it on toast.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sour cherries*, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, seeds from 1 vanilla bean, or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place a small dish in the freezer to use for testing the jam.
- In a large deep skillet, add cherries, sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring often. Once boiling, cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
- When it seems thick enough, take your plate out of the freezer. Put a small spoonful of the jam onto the plate and let sit for 30 seconds. Tilt it. If it slides too fast, keep cooking in 1-2 minute increments. If it moves slow, it is done.
- Transfer to a heat-proof container. Cool to room temperature. Use within 2 weeks. Once opened, store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- If using sweet cherries, use 3/4 cup sugar and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out my strawberry jam, blueberry jam, raspberry jalapeno jam, and peach honey jam.
- Got more cherries? Check out my cherry pie filling, cherry cobbler bars, and cherry pie for two.
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Linda says
My favorite flavor! Can’t wait to try a small batch format. You would also love a pear&pineapple jam, a heavenly thing.
Carla says
Ohhh I’ll have to play with that flavor combination!
Jazz says
I’m going to try this out! How long does it keep?
Carla says
Sorry for the delayed response! It’ll keep 2 weeks refrigerated. Since it’s jam, it’s possible it could keep longer up to a month. You’ll have to use your best judgement if it’s still around that long ;)
Sharon says
Hi :) I make jam often, never done cherry before but I got a bunch of tart cherries yesterday and think I’ll try it…but my question is: I usually add a bit of citrus juice when I make jam, but do the tart cherries not need it because they’re so tart? Thanks :) –Sharon
Carla says
Yes, that is correct! I also add lemon juice to my jams, but because tart cherries are super tart on their own (if you eat one raw, you’ll see what I mean!), lemon juice is not needed.
Maddie Fogler says
Is the vanilla paste required? I can’t find any at my local store. Would adding vanilla extract instead make it too runny?
Carla says
You can definitely use vanilla extract! It’ll be the same amount – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Charlie says
Hi – thanks for the recipe – do I need any water in the skillet and if so, how much?
Carla says
No water is needed! If there was, I would’ve put it in the recipe ;) As the cherries cook with the sugar, they will release their juices. That’s why you don’t need any additional water.
Dave says
just tried but with half blueberries
Carla says
How did it turn out?
Alex says
Do I have to add the vanilla? I’m just looking to make plain cherry jam.
Carla says
Vanilla adds a nice layer of flavor, but of course you don’t have to add it if you don’t want the vanilla flavor.
Olivia says
Looking to ship some of my jam…any thoughts on whether this recipe would work well for canning?
Carla says
If you make it with sour cherries as written, no because there is no acid in the recipe to help preserve it for canning. However, if you substitute sweet cherries and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, you should be ok canning it.
C. Tretiak says
As to canning sour cherry jam, there is enough acid in the cherries and sugar in the recipe to make it safe to process in a boiling water bath.
Carla says
Interesting. Can you share a source confirming this?
Emily says
Yummy and super easy. This may be my gateway recipe to canning which I’ve always been a lil wary of but wanted to try.
Carla says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Just a heads up – I don’t recommend canning the sour cherry jam because it lacks lemon juice, which is needed to prevent bacteria growth. I didn’t add lemon juice because the tart cherries are already sour, although if you’re canning I suppose you can add the lemon juice then increase the sugar. However, you can substitute sweet cherries then add lemon juice OR you can check out my strawberry jam, which also includes instructions on how to can: https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/06/05/small-batch-strawberry-jam-for-holidayrecipeclub/
Phyllis Cunninghm says
Have you ever tryed canning this recipe?
Carla says
Not the sour cherry jam. I don’t believe it’s safe for canning because it lacks lemon juice, which is needed to prevent bacteria growth. Because the tart cherries are so sour, I didn’t add lemon juice. I suppose if you added lemon juice, you can increase the sugar to balance that out. However, you can substitute sweet cherries then add lemon juice.
LJay says
The fresh lemon juice acts as a natural pectin.
Also, almond extract brings out the flavor of the cherries and compliments the cherry better than vanilla.
Have you tried it with almond extract??
Carla says
Yes I have actually. You can use either flavor you desire. I chose vanilla because it went with a cherry vanilla cake I was making.
Valerie G says
Cherries and sugar are cooking now – thanks for the simple recipe! I assume the vanilla gets added after the fruit is done cooking and comes off the heat?
Carla says
Oh thanks for catching that! I rewrote the directions and missed adding the vanilla. You will add it along with the cherries and sugar.
Barbarainnc says
Can I use frozen cherries?
Carla says
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not after thawing. Let me know how it goes!
Kathleen Kelly says
can you freeze it?
Carla says
Yes, you can
Caryl Kauffman says
Just made two batches of this and it’s delicious. It’ll be perfect as part of my cheese board tomorrow.
Carla says
Hope the cheeseboard went well! The cherry jam sounds like a wonderful pairing with cheese.
Catherine Olden says
Tart fresh cherries are difficult to get here. Can I use canned & just drain off the juice? Thanks.
Carla says
I’ve only made this recipe with fresh cherries, so I’m not sure. Please let me know how it goes if you make it.
mila says
Thank you! My friend & I collected wild sour cherries and this recipe was perfect. Used the cherry preserves as a filling in between layers in a chocolate cake. So easy – directions & proportions right on track. The only time consuming part was pitting the super small cherries – but totally worth it!
Carla says
Oh wonderful! Love the sound of pairing cherry jam with chocolate cake.
Teri says
Made the strawberry jam just the other day. Absolutely love it, I used 1.2 cup honey instead of sugar and it came out perfect. Not going back to store bought again.
Going to try the sour cherry jam today. Have a sour cherry tree in our yard and cant wait to get cooking.
How do I freeze the jam.
Carla says
Glad the honey worked for you! For freezing, let the jam come to room temperature first. Leave some space at the top because the jam will expand when frozen.
Teri says
revision to my post. I used one half cup honey not 1.2 cups. Sorry for mishap.
Phil says
I picked up some cherries at a local stand yesterday unaware that they were sour cherries. Huge pucker factor with these! lol. So what to do…. after a quick hunt I stumbled on to this recipe and made it verbatim. Wow, simply delicious and it turned out perfectly. Thanks! ( heading out now to buy more cherries! :) )
Carla says
Oh yes sour cherries are hard to eat on their own but perfect for baking! Glad you enjoyed the jam recipe.
Jeanette says
This recipe can be fixed if it is over-cooked and sets too firm. All you have to do is reheat the jam and add a 1-2 Tablespoons of water and boil it for a couple of minutes and then allow to cool again.
Carla says
Great tip!
Alana says
Thanks for sharing! I made a double batch & my family wants more! I love the flavour of vanilla. I didn’t chop the cherries, just mashed them whole they were cooking, my family loved the bigger chunks of cherries in it. So yummy!
Carla says
Mashing works too! Glad everyone enjoyed the jam recipe.
Chuck says
Going to give your recipe a try! Just need to pick a few more cherries off my tree. :-)
Carla says
Let me know how it goes!
Jeri says
I have a cherry tree and just picked about 6 gallons of cherries. (That’s all we can reach, rest for birds and squirrels.) Can this freeze well? I usually just freeze the cherries but wanted to maybe make ahead jam.
Carla says
I haven’t personally tried it, but I would guess yes it’ll be fine. Maybe try freezing a small batch first, test it after a few days, then continue freezing with the rest if it turns out ok.
Nell says
Help! Made a double batch, thought it had set enough so jarred it thinking it would thicken as it cooled. Next day pulled a jar out of fridge, still not the consistency of jam. Can I recook it? Hate to see all those cherries go to waste.
Carla says
Oh no! I haven’t tried recooking it, but I don’t see why not. Make sure you do the frozen plate test so you know how thick it’ll be once it cools.
Julie says
This is amazing and so easy. Used 3/4 cup sugar, my family likes it tart!
Carla says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Chris says
Thank you!
This recipe was just right for this year’s fruiting of our small cherry tree. Really liked the addition of vanilla.
Carla says
Oh good! Glad the recipe turned out well.
Hoa says
Hi Carla,
I just made your recipe and was wondering how do I keep the red cherry color in the jam so it doesn’t look blackish purple?
Also say what heat setting to use when cooking the cherries mixture?
Thank you,
Hoa
Carla says
What kind of cherries did you use? I used bright red sour cherries as shown in the photos, so they stayed red. Since you said blackish purple, I’m guessing you’re using sweet cherries with a darker color? As for the heat setting, I usually use medium on my gas stove because it’s pretty hot, but if you’re using an electric stove then you’ll likely want to use high. The key is making sure it’s boiling then use the frozen plate test for doneness.
Julie says
Just finished making this and it smelled divine! I hope it comes out, this was my first time. I used real vanilla beans and had some brandied vanilla I added as well, so it took longer to cook down, but we got there! It tasted great on the plate, I figure worst case scenario it will be great.on ice cream 😂. Thanks very much!
Carla says
It’ll thicken as it cools (hence the frozen plate trick) so hopefully it turned out ok!
Molly Thompson says
Hi Carla.
I love the simplicity of your jam recipes. I made a batch of sour cherry and a batch of blueberry. Both are delicious!😋
Look forward to making different flavours and combinations.
Thank you!!
Carla says
Happy you loved the jam recipe! Yes very versatile.
Marion says
Oh my Goodness , this Sour (Tart) Cherry Jam is So Very Good ! Our Little Cherry Tree did us proud ! I loved this recipe ! So quick and very easy !
Carla says
Glad you enjoyed the cherry jam!
Diana says
I’m going to put on my big girl pants and try sour plums we picked. Canning scares the hooey out of me.
Carla says
You can do it! Haven’t tried it with plums but I bet it’ll taste good.