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Kumquat canning recipes are a creative way to bottle up a little winter sunshine, especially when everything else in the pantry starts feeling a bit too brown and hearty.
These tiny citrus fruits are bright and tart like an orange turned up to eleven, but unlike with orange canning recipes, the peel is the sweet part. The edible peel makes them perfect for marmalades, syrups, and rich orange preserves to brighten up your pantry.
Kumquats are one of those winter fruits that almost make all the snow and cold worth enduring. They show up when everything else is brown and dormant, and suddenly you’ve got these tiny, glossy citrus gems that taste like a whole orange packed into one bite.
Don’t get me wrong, I love baked bean canning recipes and complete meal in a jar canning recipes, but those hearty meals don’t glow on the pantry shelves the same way as citrus canning recipes.
What makes kumquats especially fun for preserving is that they flip the usual citrus rules. The peel is the sweet part and the inside is tart, so recipes that keep the peel in the mix tend to taste the most “kumquat-y.”
They’re also small enough that you can preserve them whole, which makes for the kind of old-fashioned pantry jar that feels fancy even if you’re just spooning it over yogurt on a Tuesday.
Kumquat Marmalade
Marmalade is the natural home for kumquats because it’s built around peel, and kumquat peel is the best part. You get that classic citrus bite, but without the harsh bitterness that can sneak into orange marmalade or grapefruit marmalade.
If you’re new to marmalade, it’s worth starting with a general method first (so you understand the flow), and then jumping into kumquats once you’re ready for the tiny-slice rhythm.
Kumquat Jam
If you like the idea of marmalade but want something that eats more like a classic jam, kumquat jam is a great option. You still keep the peel (because that’s where the sweetness lives), but the finished spread feels a little more “everyday toast” than “proper marmalade moment.”
This is also a really nice choice if you want a preserve that leans bright and tangy without needing anything fancy to make it set up well.
Whole Kumquats in Syrup
If you want the prettiest possible kumquat preserve, go whole. These jars are incredible for quick desserts (ice cream, pound cake, crepes), and they’re one of those things that looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
The Cinnamon Kumquats recipe is a true canning-style preserve (processed for shelf stability) and is sourced from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving in the UC Master Food Preserver materials. Food in Jars also has a recipe for them preserved in a honey syrup without spices, which is just as good.
Kumquat Chutney
Kumquats might be best known for marmalade, but they’re surprisingly good in chutney too. Because the peel is naturally sweet and the fruit itself is tart, kumquats bring a built-in sweet-and-sour balance that works beautifully with warm spices. The finished chutney is bright, aromatic, and just complex enough to feel special without being fussy.
Kumquat chutney is the kind of jar that earns its place in the pantry. Serve it with roasted pork or chicken, spoon it next to a curry, or add it to a cheese board in place of jam. It’s also a great way to use up a small pile of kumquats when you don’t have enough for a full marmalade batch.
Pickled Kumquats
Pickled kumquats are a great way to lean into what makes this fruit different. You keep the peel (the sweetest part) and preserve the tart citrus bite in a tangy brine. The finished pickles are bright, aromatic, and perfect with cheese boards, roasted meats, salads, and anything rich that needs a little lift.
If you want something more boldly spiced, a citrus achar is another natural fit for kumquats. Traditional achar recipes are built around citrus peel and punchy spices, and kumquats work especially well here because their thin peel isn’t overwhelmingly bitter. You can use the same method intended for limes and simply swap in kumquats (slice/seed as needed), then adjust only for size so everything cures evenly.
- Pickled Kumquats
- Pickled Kumquats with Pink Peppercorns
- Citrus Achar (substituting kumquats for limes)
Other Kumquat Preserves
I’ve found a few more kumquat preserves, but they don’t include canning instructions. That’s a shame, because they can easily be canned. All of them will use the same canning instructions as for cranberry sauce once the preserves have been cooked.
- Simple Cranberry Kumquat Sauce
- Cranberry Kumquat Compote with ginger and vanilla bean
- Cranberry Kumquat Sauce with Coriander
Kumquats might be small, but they’re absolutely worth preserving. A couple batches of marmalade or a few jars of whole fruit in syrup will make winter breakfasts and desserts feel a lot less plain, right when you need it most.
Citrus Canning Recipe Lists
If you’re building out a winter citrus pantry (beyond just kumquats), these canning recipe lists make it easy to hop to the exact type of project you’re in the mood for:
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