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Nectarine syrup concentrates the sweet, aromatic flavor of summer nectarines into a golden, pourable syrup that’s perfect for drizzling over pancakes, stirring into cocktails, or spooning over ice cream.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
If you love nectarines but don’t always have time to can them as halves or slices, syrup is a faster way to capture that flavor for year-round use.
The process starts with extracting juice the same way you would for nectarine jelly, then mixing it with an equal amount of sugar. No pectin, no precise timing, no worrying about whether it will set. Just fruit, sugar, and heat. The 1:1 ratio of juice to sugar creates a medium-bodied syrup with genuine nectarine flavor, not just sweetness.
This recipe uses the juice extraction method from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, which includes a nectarine variation of the peach jelly recipe, with the canning instructions following National Center for Home Food Preservation guidance. Keep in mind that white nectarines aren’t acidic enough for safe water bath canning, so use yellow-fleshed varieties for this syrup.
Nectarines, at least the yellow-fleshed varieties, have enough natural acidity for safe water bath canning without added lemon juice. That said, a splash of lemon brightens the flavor and helps preserve the color, so I include it as an optional addition. Use it or skip it based on your preference.
Notes from My Kitchen
Nectarine syrup started as a happy accident in my kitchen. I was extracting juice for jelly, realized I didn’t have enough pectin, and decided to just make syrup instead. It turned out so well that now I make it intentionally. The flavor is more intense than you might expect, almost like liquid nectarine candy but without being overly sweet.
This is one of those recipes that makes good use of imperfect fruit. Nectarines that are slightly bruised, a little too soft, or just not pretty enough for canning as halves work perfectly for juice extraction. The cooking and straining process means cosmetic flaws don’t matter at all.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Nectarine Syrup
- Recipe Type: Fruit Syrup
- Canning Method: Water Bath Canning
- Prep Time: About 20 minutes (plus juice extraction time)
- Cook Time: About 10 minutes
- Canning Time: 10 minutes for pints or half pints
- Yield: About 3 pints or 6 half pints
- Jar Sizes: Pints or half pints
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Nectarine juice and sugar
- Safe Canning Recipe Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation (fruit syrup method)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Similar Recipes: Making nectarine syrup works the same way as other fruit syrups, like Peach Syrup and Pear Syrup. If you have more nectarines to put up, try Nectarine Jelly too.
Ingredients
This recipe uses a simple 1:1 ratio of nectarine juice to sugar. You’ll need to extract the juice first using the jelly-making method. Plan on about 3 medium nectarines (roughly 1 pound) per cup of juice, or about 12 nectarines (4 pounds) for the 4 cups of juice in this recipe.
- Nectarines: About 4 pounds (roughly 12 medium nectarines) to yield 4 cups of juice. Use ripe, yellow-fleshed nectarines for the fullest flavor. Don’t use white-fleshed nectarines, which aren’t acidic enough for safe water bath canning.
- Water: About ½ cup per pound of nectarines for juice extraction.
- Granulated Sugar: 4 cups. The 1:1 ratio creates a medium-sweet syrup with good nectarine flavor. You can reduce to 3 cups for a thinner, less sweet syrup if preferred.
- Lemon Juice: Optional, for flavor. Yellow nectarines are acidic enough for safe canning without it, but a splash brightens the flavor and helps preserve the color. Use about 1/4 cup per batch, or 1 tablespoon per cup of juice, fresh or bottled.
This recipe scales easily. For every cup of nectarine juice, use 1 cup of sugar.
Step by Step Instructions
Straining the juice is a good bit of hands off time, but once that’s done, prepare a waterbath canner because the recipe comes together quickly once you have juice on hand.
There are only a few steps from here: cook the nectarines down, strain out the juice, sweeten it, and can. None of it is fussy, and most of the time is just the juice dripping on its own.
Prepare the Nectarines
Wash the nectarines well. Pit and quarter them; there’s no need to peel. Place the quartered nectarines in a large stainless steel saucepan.
Freestone nectarines pull away from the pit cleanly, but clingstone work just as well, since everything gets cooked and strained either way. The skins cook down and strain out with the pulp, adding a little color along the way.
Extract the Juice
Add about ½ cup of water per pound of nectarines. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover loosely, and boil gently, stirring and crushing the nectarines occasionally, just until they are softened, about 20 minutes.
Do not overcook, as this can muddy the flavor and color. The fruit is ready as soon as it has collapsed into a soft, juicy mash.
Strain the Juice
Transfer the nectarine mixture to a dampened jelly bag or a strainer lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours or overnight to collect the juice. Do not squeeze the bag if you want clear syrup, though a little cloudiness won’t affect flavor.
You should collect about 4 cups of juice. The leftover pulp still has plenty of flavor, so push it through a food mill for nectarine butter or spread it on a tray for fruit leather instead of throwing it out.
Make the Syrup
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine the nectarine juice and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice if using.
It will seem thin while it’s hot and thicken a little as it cools, so resist the urge to cook it down further. Skim off any foam from the surface for a clearer finished syrup.
Fill Jars
Ladle the hot syrup into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, center lids on jars, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
A canning funnel makes filling easier and keeps the rims clean, which helps the jars seal. Either pint or half pint jars work, so choose whichever suits how you’ll use the syrup.
Canning Nectarine Syrup
Without canning, nectarine syrup will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months. For shelf-stable storage, process the filled jars in a boiling water bath.
Prepare your water bath canner while you’re making the syrup. Lower the filled jars into the canner, making sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process for 10 minutes for pints or half pints, adjusting for altitude as noted below.
After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Let jars cool undisturbed on a towel-lined counter for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals before storing, and refrigerate any jars that didn’t seal for immediate use. Properly sealed jars keep at room temperature for 12 to 18 months.
Altitude Adjustments
For water bath canning, processing times increase at higher elevations:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
Yield Notes
This recipe yields about 6 cups of syrup, which fills 3 pints or 6 half pints. You’ll need roughly 12 medium nectarines (about 4 pounds) to yield the 4 cups of juice required.
Juice yield can vary depending on the ripeness of your fruit. Riper nectarines yield more juice but may produce cloudier syrup. Slightly firm nectarines yield less juice but with better clarity.
Serving Ideas
Nectarine syrup is wonderful at breakfast: drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or yogurt. It’s also delicious spooned over vanilla ice cream or pound cake, where the stone fruit flavor really shines against simple, creamy backgrounds.
For drinks, stir nectarine syrup into iced tea or lemonade, or use it as a cocktail sweetener. A splash in sparkling water makes an easy homemade nectarine soda.
In savory applications, use nectarine syrup as a glaze for grilled pork chops or chicken, or brush it on during the last few minutes of roasting. The natural sweetness caramelizes beautifully and pairs well with a little heat from chili flakes or black pepper.
Nectarine Syrup FAQs
No, you don’t need to peel them. The skins are strained out with the pulp after cooking. Leaving the skins on actually adds color and flavor to the juice.
The process is identical, and the syrups are very similar. Nectarines tend to have a slightly more intense, tangy flavor compared to peaches, which are mellower and more floral. Use whichever you have available or prefer.
Yes! The strained pulp makes excellent fruit leather or can be stirred into oatmeal or yogurt. You can also push it through a food mill to remove the skins and use it as a nectarine sauce or butter base.
If your nectarine haul is bigger than you can eat fresh, there are other good ways to put the rest up for the pantry.
Nectarine Canning Recipes
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Nectarine Syrup
Equipment
- Canning Jars, Lids and Bands
- Large Stainless Steel Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Juice:
- 4 lbs nectarines
- 2 cups water, for juice extraction
For the Syrup:
- 4 cups nectarine juice, extracted from nectarines
- 4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice, optional, fresh or bottled, for flavor
Instructions
- Wash nectarines well. Pit and quarter them; no need to peel. Place in a large stainless steel saucepan.
- Add about 1/2 cup water per pound of nectarines. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover loosely, and boil gently, stirring and crushing occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Do not overcook.
- Transfer to a dampened jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a deep bowl. Let drip undisturbed for at least 2 hours or overnight. Do not squeeze.
- In a large saucepan, combine nectarine juice and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice if using.
- Ladle hot syrup into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints or half pints, adjusting for altitude. Let stand in canner 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Once you’ve made one fruit syrup, the same juice-and-sugar method opens up a whole shelf of others worth trying.
Fruit Syrup Canning Recipes
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Nectarines are so delicious, and this simple syrup captures their flavor perfectly.