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June 26, 2017

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.


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.
Sometimes I can be a grandma at heart – home by 10 on a Friday night, love for all things cats, being annoyed by conversations outside of my apartment, playing bingo.

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 with vanilla bean. 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.


Picking Sour Cherries For Cherry Jam

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.


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.

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.


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.

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 6 Inch Cherry Vanilla Layer 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:

  • Small Batch Peach Honey Jam
  • Small Batch Raspberry Rhubarb Jalapeno Jam
  • Small Batch Strawberry Jam
  • Small Batch Blueberry Jam

Items You May Need (affiliate links)

Sour Cherry Jam (No Pectin, Small Batch)

Sour Cherry Jam (No Pectin, Small Batch)

Yield: Roughly 1 cup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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

  1. Place a small dish in the freezer to use for testing the jam.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Recommended Products

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  • Cherry Pitter
    Cherry Pitter
  • Mason Jar
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Did you make this recipe?

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© Carla Cardello
Cuisine: American / Category: Jams, Curds, Etc.

Filed Under: Jams, Curds, Etc. Tagged With: cherry, small batch, summer, vanilla bean, vegan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda says

    June 29, 2017 at 3:48 PM

    My favorite flavor! Can’t wait to try a small batch format. You would also love a pear&pineapple jam, a heavenly thing.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      June 29, 2017 at 5:12 PM

      Ohhh I’ll have to play with that flavor combination!

      Reply
  2. Jazz says

    July 10, 2017 at 10:34 PM

    I’m going to try this out! How long does it keep?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 18, 2017 at 9:53 AM

      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 ;)

      Reply
  3. Sharon says

    September 3, 2017 at 12:46 PM

    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

    Reply
    • Carla says

      September 4, 2017 at 9:36 AM

      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.

      Reply
  4. Maddie Fogler says

    June 14, 2018 at 9:12 AM

    Is the vanilla paste required? I can’t find any at my local store. Would adding vanilla extract instead make it too runny?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      June 14, 2018 at 5:39 PM

      You can definitely use vanilla extract! It’ll be the same amount – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

      Reply
  5. Charlie says

    June 19, 2018 at 3:55 PM

    Hi – thanks for the recipe – do I need any water in the skillet and if so, how much?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      June 19, 2018 at 4:32 PM

      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.

      Reply
  6. Dave says

    July 5, 2018 at 11:28 PM

    just tried but with half blueberries

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 9, 2018 at 9:57 AM

      How did it turn out?

      Reply
  7. Alex says

    July 9, 2018 at 10:30 AM

    Do I have to add the vanilla? I’m just looking to make plain cherry jam.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 10, 2018 at 12:18 PM

      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.

      Reply
  8. Olivia says

    September 16, 2018 at 5:40 PM

    Looking to ship some of my jam…any thoughts on whether this recipe would work well for canning?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      September 17, 2018 at 1:09 PM

      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.

      Reply
    • C. Tretiak says

      August 26, 2019 at 2:20 PM

      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.

      Reply
      • Carla says

        August 26, 2019 at 4:37 PM

        Interesting. Can you share a source confirming this?

        Reply
  9. Emily says

    July 6, 2019 at 6:20 PM

    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.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 7, 2019 at 5:25 PM

      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/

      Reply
  10. Phyllis Cunninghm says

    July 7, 2019 at 4:59 PM

    Have you ever tryed canning this recipe?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 7, 2019 at 5:21 PM

      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.

      Reply
  11. LJay says

    July 10, 2019 at 9:21 AM

    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??

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 10, 2019 at 9:26 AM

      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.

      Reply
  12. Valerie G says

    July 27, 2019 at 9:56 AM

    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?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 27, 2019 at 10:00 AM

      Oh thanks for catching that! I rewrote the directions and missed adding the vanilla. You will add it along with the cherries and sugar.

      Reply
  13. Barbarainnc says

    August 13, 2019 at 9:46 AM

    Can I use frozen cherries?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      August 13, 2019 at 10:44 AM

      I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not after thawing. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  14. Kathleen Kelly says

    August 13, 2019 at 4:06 PM

    can you freeze it?

    Reply
    • Carla says

      August 14, 2019 at 12:51 PM

      Yes, you can

      Reply
  15. Caryl Kauffman says

    December 12, 2019 at 2:34 PM

    Just made two batches of this and it’s delicious. It’ll be perfect as part of my cheese board tomorrow.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      December 19, 2019 at 9:48 AM

      Hope the cheeseboard went well! The cherry jam sounds like a wonderful pairing with cheese.

      Reply
  16. Catherine Olden says

    April 28, 2020 at 2:37 PM

    Tart fresh cherries are difficult to get here. Can I use canned & just drain off the juice? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      April 28, 2020 at 5:49 PM

      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.

      Reply
  17. mila says

    June 24, 2020 at 10:23 PM

    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!

    Reply
    • Carla says

      June 25, 2020 at 4:22 PM

      Oh wonderful! Love the sound of pairing cherry jam with chocolate cake.

      Reply
  18. Teri says

    July 4, 2020 at 10:07 AM

    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.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      July 4, 2020 at 6:52 PM

      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.

      Reply
  19. Teri says

    July 4, 2020 at 10:10 AM

    revision to my post. I used one half cup honey not 1.2 cups. Sorry for mishap.

    Reply
  20. Phil says

    August 7, 2020 at 11:21 AM

    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! :) )

    Reply
    • Carla says

      August 10, 2020 at 10:51 AM

      Oh yes sour cherries are hard to eat on their own but perfect for baking! Glad you enjoyed the jam recipe.

      Reply
  21. Jeanette says

    August 21, 2020 at 7:19 PM

    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.

    Reply
    • Carla says

      August 23, 2020 at 2:19 PM

      Great tip!

      Reply
  22. Alana says

    September 3, 2020 at 12:16 PM

    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!

    Reply
    • Carla says

      September 3, 2020 at 2:22 PM

      Mashing works too! Glad everyone enjoyed the jam recipe.

      Reply

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I’m Carla, a 30-some childfree woman from Pittsburgh, PA learning how to adult alone. I'm sharing recipes for two and small batch recipes made from scratch because not everybody cooks for a crowd.

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