How to Make Marmalade (With Any Citrus)

Making marmalade from scratch preserves a bumper crop of citrus and allows you to enjoy homemade marmalade all year long. With a little patience and the right technique, you’ll have homemade marmalade that can be savored on everything from toast to desserts.

Homemade marmalade is a traditional technique that transforms fresh citrus fruit into a sweet and tangy spread, with plenty of bite from the citrus peel and just enough bitterness to add interest.

Whether you’re using Seville oranges or experimenting with other citrus varieties, the process is surprisingly simple with a little patience. 

What is Marmalade?

Marmalade is a fruit preserve usually made from citrus, typically oranges, and is known for its characteristic blend of sweetness and tang. Unlike other jams or jellies, marmalade includes the peel, which adds a distinct texture and flavor. The tanginess of the citrus is balanced by the sweetness from sugar, making it a versatile addition to your breakfast table or a great gift for friends and family.

Traditional British marmalades are known for their extremely chunky texture and bitter flavors, but more modern marmalades have bright flavors, and a much finer texture.

Historically, marmalade was made from other fruits, not just citrus, and some of the first marmalades were made in ancient Greece and Rome from fragrant quince and honey.  These days, however, when people say marmalade, they mean a preserve with shreds of citrus rind, suspended in a smooth jelly.  It’s this combination of jelly and fruit that sets it apart from chunky fruit jams or perfectly smooth jellies.

The Best Citrus for Marmalade

While traditional marmalade is made with Seville oranges, you can also make it with a variety of citrus fruits. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right one for your batch:

• Seville Oranges: The classic choice for marmalade, these oranges are tangy, bitter, and perfect for creating the bold flavor profile that marmalade is known for. They’re in season in the winter months, typically from December to February.
• Naval Oranges: These are sweeter than Seville oranges and make a milder, less bitter marmalade. They’re available year-round.
• Blood Oranges: With an almost berry-like flavor, blood oranges make for an incredible marmalade that’s as beautiful as it is tasty.
• Grapefruit, Lemons, and Limes: You can experiment with other citrus fruits for unique flavor combinations. Grapefruit adds a slightly bitter edge, while lemons and limes bring an extra zing to the marmalade.
• Citrons: You can also use specialty citrons like Bergamots or Buddha’s Hand Citron for a more exotic flavor. With those citrus, there’s not a lot of juice, so you’ll need to use the juice from lemons or other citrus to bring the marmalade together.

Ways to Make Marmalade

Marmalade can be made using a quick one day method, or a more traditional three day method.  The one-day method really only works for mild, soft fruits.  Good choices include meyer lemons with thin skins (but not regular lemons), and sweet mild thin skinned oranges (like clementines).

One-Day Method

This is the faster, more modern approach to marmalade making. In this technique, the citrus fruit is simmered until softened, then sliced, and combined with sugar. The fruit pieces may retain some of their original shapes, but the process doesn’t allow for the full extraction of flavor, resulting in a marmalade with a more pronounced bitterness and sometimes uneven texture. While this method is quicker, it doesn’t provide the full depth of flavor that a longer method can achieve, and it doesn’t work well with thick-skinned or bitter citrus.

If you’d like to learn about the quick process, my recipe for low-sugar orange marmalade is a good example, and you can use the same recipe and process with any sweet, thin-skinned citrus.

Three-Day Method (Traditional)

The traditional approach to making marmalade takes longer but results in a smoother and more balanced preserve. Over three days, the fruit is sliced and soaked in water to allow the flavors to meld.

On the second day, the mixture is cooked slowly to reduce the volume and soften the fruit, and then it’s left overnight to soften further, developing pectin and extracting more flavor before sugar is added (which sets the texture). 

On the final day, the addition of sugar and lemon juice plus a final cook complete the marmalade. This process ensures that the marmalade’s flavor is more concentrated and the texture is more refined.

Ingredients You’ll Need

To make a 4 to 6 jar batch of homemade marmalade using the traditional three-day method, you’ll need the following:

• Citrus: Around 2 pounds of citrus (such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, or any citrus variety of your choice). If using very sweet fruit like navel oranges, replace about 1/4 to 1/2 of the fruit with lemon slices to balance the flavor.
• Sugar: About 2 pounds of white cane sugar (or an equal weight of sugar to fruit).
• Water: For boiling the fruit.
• Fresh Lemon Juice: For added tartness and helping with the set.  Usually, about 2 to 6 ounces (¼ to ¾ cup).

Day 1

On day one, you’re preparing the fruit and soaking it to soften the peel (and remove bitterness).

Prep the Fruit

On day one, you’re going to be working with just half the citrus, so that’d be 1 lb in this recipe. If you’re using part lemons in the recipe, you’d use the lemons now and save the other citrus for the slices in the finished recipe.

Slice the citrus into eighths, leaving in the seeds. 

Soak the Fruit

In a non-reactive saucepan, place the sliced citrus with enough cold water to cover the fruit. The water should reach about 1 inch above the fruit. Cover the pot tightly and let the fruit rest overnight at room temperature.

This softens the peel and helps begin to release pectin into the soaking water.

Day 2

On day two, the fruit is cooked with water to further soften the peel, and help the fruit release flavor and pectin. It’s important not to rush this, and the second overnight soak really helps develop the pectin that will set the finished jam.

Cook the Fruit

The next day, bring the pan with the citrus to a boil over high heat. 

Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is very tender. Occasionally, check to ensure the water level remains high enough to keep the fruit submerged. Add more water as needed.

Draining Citrus

After the fruit has softened and the cooking liquid looks syrupy, remove the pan from the heat.  

Strain the citrus chunks, reserving the liquid.  Leave the citrus chunks to drain overnight and move on to preparing the sliced fruit that will end up in your finished marmalade.

Prepare the Sliced Fruit

Next, we’re going to prepare the rest of the citrus, slicing it thinly and removing the seeds, as these pieces will end up in our finished maramlade.

First, slice the citrus in half across the middle (with the stem and blossom ends at the side) and pick out any seeds.  Then slice each half into quarters, giving you a total of 8 pieces from each fruit. 

Carefully slice each piece into very thin slices, keeping the peel attached to the fruit, but removing any seeds as you come across them.

Add enough water to cover, and bring the mixture to a boil on the stove. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. With bitter citrus, discard the cooking water, add new water, and repeat (skip that second boil with sweet citrus).  

Allow the citrus slices to cool in the cooking liquid and leave them to soak overnight.  This will soften them and draw out more pectin.

Day 3

On day three, you’ll add sugar and finish cooking the preserve.

Prepare to Finish and Jar the Preserve

Place a saucer with three to five metal teaspoons in your freezer for testing the marmalade’s set later.  If canning, prepare a waterbath canner and jars.

Add Sugar

Your citrus slices have been resting at room temperature in their cooking pot, and it’s time to add sugar and finish the marmalade.  Be sure that you have a large enough pot that the juice, citrus slices and sugar only come up about half way up the sides.  The marmalade will foam as it cooks, and you need ample headspace.

Add the sugar and gently stir it to dissolve, being careful not to break up the citrus pieces.  If necessary, transfer the mixture to a large preserving pan or a wide non-reactive kettle with plenty of headspace. Bring it to a boil over high heat.

Cook the Marmalade

Cook the mixture at a rapid boil until the setting point is reached. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to longer, depending on your stove and pan. The mixture will bubble gently at first and then begin foaming as it thickens. Once the foam starts, stir gently every few minutes with a heatproof spatula. When it nears the setting point, stir more frequently and lower the heat slightly to prevent burning.

Test the Set

There are a number of ways to test the set of your marmalade:

Instant Read Thermometer: If you have an instant read thermometer, you can test for set by temperature.  Marmalade usually sets at around 220 F at sea level, or at 8 degrees above the boiling point of water.  The boiling point of water decreases at higher altitudes, and it drops by 1 degree for every 500 feet of elevation.  For example, at 1,000 feet the set point is 218 F. 

Cold Plate Test: The cold plate method for testing the marmalade set involves placing a few metal saucers or small plates in the freezer ahead of time. To test the marmalade, drop a small spoonful onto the cold plate and let it sit for a few seconds to flash cool. Run your finger through the marmalade; if it wrinkles and doesn’t run back together, it’s ready. If not, continue boiling and retest every few minutes.

Cold Spoon Test: To test for doneness, remove a small spoonful of marmalade and place it on one of the frozen teaspoons. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Check the underside of the spoon — it should be neither warm nor cold. Tilt the spoon; if the marmalade doesn’t run and has thickened to a jelly consistency, it’s done. If it still runs, cook for a few more minutes and test again.

Jar the Marmalade

Once the marmalade has reached the correct consistency, turn off the heat.  Ladle the finished marmalade into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace.  Cap and either allow to cool for refrigerator storage, or process in a waterbath canner.

Canning Marmalade

If canning, process the jars in a prepared waterbath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation).  Remove the jars to cool to room temperature on a towel on the counter.  

Storing Marmalade

Check seals, and store sealed jars in the pantry where they’ll maintain peak quality for about 12 to 18 months.  Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.  Refrigerate after opening.

Tips for Perfect Marmalade

• Testing the Set: Always test the marmalade for doneness before jarring. This ensures the right consistency without overcooking. Marmalade can go from perfect to overly thick if cooked for too long. 
• Don’t Stir Initially: Allow the marmalade to bubble gently before stirring to avoid breaking the fruit down too early.  Once it’s cooked with the sugar for a bit, the fruit firms up and can be stirred without breaking apart.
• Experiment with Different Citrus: You can mix and match citrus types (lemons, grapefruits, navel oranges, etc.) to create your perfect marmalade. Sweet citrus-like navel oranges will benefit from adding some tart fruit like lemon to balance the flavor.
• Try Variations: Enhance the marmalade with added flavors like vanilla, ginger, or a dash of rum. Orange marmalade is particularly good with a little vanilla extract or vanilla vodka added, giving it an orange creamsicle flavor. 

Troubleshooting Homemade Marmalade

Even experienced canners can encounter issues when making marmalade.  The most common issues are around texture, with the preserve ending up either too thin or too thick.

Fixing Runny Marmalade

If your marmalade is too runny, wait a week after canning, as it can take this long for pectin to fully set. If still runny after waiting a week, you can reboil the marmalade by opening all jars, pouring contents into a large pot, bringing to a boil, then cooking to 220°F (105°C) or until it passes the plate test. Re-can in sterilized jars. 

When reboiling, you can add commercial pectin to help achieve set.  Liquid pectin works best for re-making marmalade, as it’s added after the sugar and doesn’t need to dissolve in water.  

Fixing Overcooked Marmalade

For overcooked or too thick marmalade, prevention is key. Use an accurate thermometer and remove from heat at 220°F (105°C), performing set tests frequently near the end of cooking. 

To salvage thick marmalade, pour the mixture into a saucepan and slowly heat it with added water.  Bring it back to the setting point and re-can.  (Or, alternately, thin a bit at a time with warm water as you use it.)