Peach jam is the perfect way to preserve the fresh taste of sweet, ripe peaches in the summertime. This is a small-batch peach jam recipe, but I’ve also included full-batch instructions if you happen to have a bumper crop of peaches on hand.
Vermont’s not exactly known for its peaches, but believe it or not, there are a number of cold hardy zone 4 peaches that thrive in our northern climate. Some years, we’re blessed with an abundance of homegrown peaches, but other years, the weather just doesn’t cooperate.
In off years, we pick up peaches by the crate full at our local food coop.
One way or another, peach jam always makes its way into our cupboard each summer.
Sometimes, the batches are huge, as I put up jar after jar of this rich summer nectar, but sometimes I have to be content with small batch, and those jars are all the more precious for it.
I came across this small batch peach jam recipe in Ball Canning Back to Basics, which is one of their new canning books that takes you through manageable recipes for classic jams, jellies, and pickles. They’re using Ball Flex Batch Pectin, which comes in a canister that you measure out (rather than a box packed like most pectin).
The idea is that you can adjust the size of a recipe based on your needs…but the problem is, most people don’t know how to do that, and there are very few flex batch recipes on the internet.
The secret, though, is that a “full box” of pectin is simply 6 Tablespoons of pectin. So this “flex batch” recipe is just a half batch, using a half batch of pectin (or 3 Tablespoons measured out).
You can use Sure Jel Pectin and either measure out half a box by scooping out 3 tablespoons or just double the Ball Recipe and make a full batch.
I’ll write the recipe card out below for both options, so you can use any pectin you’d like, and make a tiny batch, or full batch, based on your needs.
Ingredients for Peach Jam
To make peach jam, you’ll need just four ingredients: Peaches, pectin, sugar, and lemon juice. Technically, the lemon juice is optional, as peaches are acidic enough for canning on their own. The lemon juice is added for flavor since most peaches are very sweet and don’t have enough tartness to balance their flavor.
Don’t use white peaches in this recipe, as they’re much less acidic than regular yellow peaches, and they’re not safe for canning.
Small Batch Recipe
A small batch or half-batch recipe makes six half-pint jars (or three pint jars). That’s still a pretty good-sized batch, but you’ll only need about 4 large peaches to get it done.
- 3 cups chopped peaches (fully ripe, and peeled before chopping)
- 3 Tbsp. Ball Flex Batch Pectin (or 1/2 box Sure-Jell)
- 3 1/2 cups Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
This is considered a half batch simply because it’s just the right amount of fruit to use a half-standard box of pectin.
Full Batch Recipe
For a full batch, using a whole standard box of pectin, you’ll need about 8 large peaches of 10-12 medium peaches. This will make about a dozen half-pint jars, or 6 pint jars of peach jam.
- 6 cups chopped peaches (fully ripe, and peeled before chopping)
- 6 Tbsp. Ball Flex Batch Pectin (or a full box of Sure-Jell)
- 7 cups Sugar
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
This is considered a “full batch” because it uses a standard 1.75 oz box of pectin.
Low Sugar Peach Jam
Generally, a “classic” peach jam has quite a bit of sugar, and if you’ve had homemade peach jam (or even store-bought, if you can find it), you know that it’s quite sweet.
You can make peach jam as a low-sugar jam using a low-sugar pectin (such as Sure Jel Low Sugar in the pink box), and in that case, your yield will just be a bit less. Use the same amount of fruit to pectin (so that’d be 6 cups chopped peaches to 1 full box of low sugar pectin, or 6 Tbsp. Ball flex batch low sugar pectin).
From there, you can decrease the sugar to as little as 1/2 cup, or you can substitute honey or maple as the sweetener.
How to Make Peach Jam
To make peach jam, start by peeling and chopping your peaches. Oftentimes, when canning peaches as slices or halves, you dip them into boiling water for a minute or so and then slip their peels. This makes sense for a bit batch of canned peaches, but it’s overkill when you’re just making peach jam and all you have is a few peaches to peel.
For this quantity, it’s a lot easier to simply peel the peaches with a sharp paring knife. You can save peach peels for making peach jelly, which is delicious in its own right.
Once the peaches are finely chopped, prepare a water bath canner if canning. Canning is optional, of course, and you could make this as a refrigerator or freezer jam. Given that a “small batch” still makes six half-pint jars, canning always makes sense to me, but it’s up to you.
Next, place the chopped peaches into a jam pot with the lemon juice, but don’t add the sugar yet.
Bring the peaches and lemon juice to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring to help the peaches release a bit of juice. You can mash them a bit at this point if you’d like a smoother jam, or leave them big for a chunky jam.
Stir in the pectin. Be sure it’s completely dissolved, and then boil hard for 1 minute.
Next, add the sugar, and stir to dissolve.
Boil the mixture for 1 additional minute, and then remove from the heat and ladle into prepared jam jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace if canning, or 1-inch headspace if freezing.
If you’re making a freezer jam, be sure to use freezer-safe jars with straight sides. Allow the jam to cool completely before storing in the freezer for up to 6 months. If canning, process in a water bath canner as discussed below.
Canning Peach Jam
I love enjoying the fresh flavor of peach jam year-round, so canning peach jam is always my choice (rather than a refrigerator preserve, which will last a few weeks to a month, or a freezer preserve, which is good for about 6 months.)
To can peach jam, be sure you’ve prepared a water bath canner and heated the water to simmering (about 180 degrees F) before you start cooking the jam.
Once the jam is in jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, cap with 2 part canning lids.
Use a jar lifter to load the jars into the canner and bring the canner to a full rolling boil. Process the jars for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). Remove the jars to cool on a towel on the counter, checking seals after 12-24 hours.
Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Properly canned and sealed jars of peach jam will maintain peak quality for about 12 months after canning, and be safe to eat so long as they’re sealed. Refrigerate after opening.
Ways to Preserve Peaches
Looking for more ways to preserve peaches?
- Canning Peaches
- Peach Butter (coming soon)
- Peach Wine
Peach Jam
Homemade peach jam is a real treat, and this recipe has you covered for both a small batch and a full batch recipe.
Ingredients
Small Batch Recipe
- 3 cups chopped peaches (fully ripe, and peeled before chopping)
- 3 Tbsp. Ball Flex Batch Pectin (or 1/2 box Sure-Jell)
- 3 1/2 cups Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Full Batch Recipe
- 6 cups chopped peaches (fully ripe, and peeled before chopping)
- 6 Tbsp. Ball Flex Batch Pectin (or a full box of Sure-Jell)
- 7 cups Sugar
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Start by peeling and pitting the peaches, and then chopping them into small chunks about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size.
- If canning, prepare a water bath canner, jars, lids and rings before you start cooking the jam.
- Place the chopped fruit and lemon juice in a deep-sized jam pot. Be
sure that it doesn't come up past halfway full before you start
cooking, as the jam will foam up, and you need that extra space. - Turn the heat on the stove to medium-high and cook the peaches for a few minutes so they start to release their juices, mashing the peaches for a smoother jam or leaving them whole for a chunky jam.
- Stir in the pectin (but don't add the sugar yet).
- Ensure the pectin is fully dissolved, and boil the jam for 1 minute.
- After a 1 minute boil, add the sugar, and stir to dissolve.
- Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil 1 minute.
- Remove the peach jam from the heat and ladle into prepared jars.
- For a freezer jam, use straight sided freezer jars and leave 1 inch headspace. If canning, use canning jars and lids, and leave 1/4 inch headspace.
- If canning, process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). Once the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit for another 5 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a towel on the counter.
- After 12-24 hours, check seals and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for use within the next few weeks.
- Properly canned and sealed jars of peach jam will maintain peak quality on the pantry shelf for 12-18 months, but be safe to eat so long as they're sealed. Refrigerate after opening.
Notes
The total amount of peaches needed for this recipe depends a bit on how efficient your are in peeling them, and whether they're clingstone or freezestone. In general, you'll need about 4 good sized peaches for a half batch (1 1/2 to 2 pounds as purchased), or 8 for a full batch (3 to 4 pounds as purchased). If your peaches are smaller, you may need 10-12 to get the batch.
Low Sugar Peach Jam
Generally, a "classic" peach jam has quite a bit of sugar, and if you've had homemade peach jam (or even store-bought, if you can find it), you know that it's quite sweet.
This recipe uses either Ball Flex Batch Pectin measured by the tablespoon, or regular Sure-Jell pectin measured by the half or full box.
You can make peach jam as a low-sugar jam using a low-sugar pectin (such as Sure Jel Low Sugar in the pink box), and in that case, your yield will just be a bit less. Use the same amount of fruit to pectin (so that'd be 6 cups chopped peaches to 1 full box of low sugar pectin, or 6 Tbsp. Ball flex batch low sugar pectin).
From there, you can decrease the sugar to as little as 1/2 cup, or you can substitute honey or maple as the sweetener.
If using Pomona's Universal Pectin, the instructions are different, and you'll need to follow the directions on the box. It has more parts, including calcium water to activate the pectin, and the pectin is mixed with the sugar before it's added (rather than the pectin first, then the sugar).
Liquid Pectin
I generally don't recommend using liquid pectin because it doesn't set as well, and it contains other preservatives that I just don't want in my jam. It also requires astronomical amounts of sugar to activate. That said, some people prefer it and that's all they have on hand. In that case, you'll need 4 cups chopped peaches to 7 cups sugar, and 1 pouch liquid pectin.
With liquid pectin, the pectin is at the end. Add the sugar, peaches, and lemon juice to the pot and bring it to a boil, and then add the pectin to finish the jam.
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Patricia
Thank You for sharing this peach jam recipe and helpful instructions!!
Ashley Adamant
Glad you enjoyed it!