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Strawberry Marmalade is a perfect little partnership in a jar: strawberries bring the sweet, mellow flavor, and lemons bring the pectin boost that helps everything set up into a proper, spoonable marmalade.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Strawberry Marmalade is the preserve I make when I want strawberry jam with a little attitude. You get bright berry flavor up front and those tender, candied lemon ribbons in every bite.
This recipe is a small-batch, old-school style marmalade that uses whole lemons (peel included) and a simple overnight soak to mellow bitterness before cooking. The strawberries soften and sweeten the citrus, so the finished jars taste balanced and fresh, not sharp or harsh.
Strawberries are delicious, but they’re not naturally high in pectin, which is why strawberry jam often relies on added pectin to thicken, or long cooking as with old fashioned strawberry jam.
In this recipe, the lemons step in as the helper. The peel and juice contribute natural pectin and plenty of acidity, giving the marmalade structure and that classic glossy gel without a long, flavor-dulling boil.
At the same time, lemons can taste intense on their own, even after soaking. The strawberries round everything out with a soft, fruity sweetness that takes the bite out of the peel and makes the whole jar taste balanced. The end result is bright and citrusy, but still unmistakably strawberry.
Why you’ll love this Strawberry Marmalade recipe!
It has that classic marmalade bite from the peel, but the strawberries soften the edges so it tastes balanced instead of aggressively bitter. If you like citrusy jams but don’t always love straight lemon marmalade, this is a really happy middle ground.
It’s also a great way to stretch a small amount of strawberries into something that feels special. The lemon peel adds structure and intensity, so you don’t need a huge pile of berries to end up with a jar that tastes like a treat.
I started making this style of marmalade because I wanted something brighter than strawberry jam, but not as heavy as a full-on citrus marmalade. The overnight soak is the quiet little trick that makes the whole thing work, because it takes the harsh edge off the peel without stripping the flavor.
And once you’ve made it this way, it’s hard not to fall in love with those thin ribbons of lemon in every spoonful. It’s the kind of preserve that makes plain yogurt, toast, or a simple buttered biscuit feel like a real dessert.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Strawberry Marmalade
- Recipe Type: Marmalade (fruit preserve with citrus peel)
- Canning Method: Waterbath Canning
- Prep/Cook Time: About 30 minutes active time (plus overnight soaking)
- Canning Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 3 to 4 half-pint jars
- Jar Sizes: Half pint or pint
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Lemons, strawberries, water, sugar
- Safe Canning Recipe Source: Follows NCHFP Guidance
- Difficulty: Easy, but you do need thin slicing and a thermometer for best results
- Similar Recipes: If you like this, you’ll also love other citrus-and-fruit marmalades, try Cranberry Orange Marmalade or Apple Marmalade. If you’re looking for more creative strawberry canning recipes, try Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate, low sugar strawberry jam or pickled strawberries.
Ingredients for Strawberry Marmalade
This marmalade is built from just four ingredients, but each one matters. The lemons bring the peel (and that true marmalade character), the strawberries round out the tartness, and the water-and-sugar combo controls texture and set.
- Lemons (preferably Meyer lemons): Provide peel for classic marmalade texture, plus acidity and natural pectin. You can use regular lemons, but meyer lemons make it extra special (and have softer peel and less bitterness).
- Strawberries: Add berry sweetness, color, and a softer fruit base that balances the citrus
- Water: Used for soaking (to mellow peel) and simmering (to tenderize the rind before sugaring)
- Sugar: Sweetens, preserves, and creates the gel set when cooked to temperature
If you only have regular lemons, they work well, but the marmalade will be more sharply tart and slightly more bitter than with Meyer lemons. You can soften that by being extra diligent about the overnight soak, slicing the peel very thin, and making sure the peel is truly tender before you add the strawberries and sugar.
If you want a gentler citrus note, swap a portion of the lemons for an orange (or use half lemons and half Meyer lemons when available). You can also add a small pinch of salt at the end to make the strawberry flavor pop, or stir in a little vanilla off-heat for a rounder, dessert like flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Marmalade
This is a quick-cooking marmalade, so the key is getting the lemon peel tender first, then finishing the set fast once the sugar goes in.
Prepare and slice the lemons
Trim off the lemon ends. Slice the lemons into quarters lengthwise (halve them, then halve each half again), then slice those quarters very thin so you end up with delicate ribbons.
Thin slicing is what keeps the peel pleasant in the finished marmalade.
Soak the lemon slices overnight
Place the sliced lemons in a bowl and cover with water. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain and discard the soaking water.
This step helps mellow bitterness while keeping all that fragrant citrus character.
Slice Strawberries and Drain Lemons
The next morning, top and slice the strawberries. Measure out 2 cups sliced fruit.
Drain the lemons, discarding the soaking water.
Simmer the peel until tender
Add two cups of fresh water to a pot and bring it to a boil, then add the drained lemon slices. Cook over medium-high heat until the peel is fully tender and the water has mostly cooked away.
I test tenderness by pressing a strip against the side of the pot with a spatula. If it cuts easily, you’re ready. If the water cooks off before the peel is tender, add a splash more water and keep going.
Add strawberries, then sugar
Once the peel is tender and the pot is nearly dry, add the strawberries. Cook just a minute or two until they release their juices, then add the sugar and stir well.
Cook to set
Continue cooking until the marmalade reaches gel stage, about five to six minutes in a lively boil, aiming for about 220 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level.
Stir frequently and watch closely, because once the sugar is in, it can go from perfect to scorched fast in a small batch.
Canning Strawberry Marmalade
Canning is optional and you can also refrigerate it right away and use it within a few weeks, or freeze it for longer storage. But I always prefer canning, since it allows me to store my preserves on my pantry shelf.
To water bath can, start by washing jars and keeping them hot. Prepare a boiling water canner and warm lids according to the manufacturer’s guidance.
When the marmalade is finished, ladle it into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, remove bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, then wipe the rims. Apply lids and rings to fingertip tight, then process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation.
When processing is complete, turn off the heat, let the jars rest in the canner for about five minutes, then remove them to cool undisturbed for twelve to twenty-four hours.
Serving Ideas
This marmalade is incredible on toast and biscuits, but it really shines anywhere you want sweet-tart brightness. I love it swirled into plain yogurt, spooned over cheesecake, layered into thumbprint cookies, or slathered onto scones.
It’s also surprisingly good paired with soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese on a cracker board.
Strawberry Marmalade FAQs
Regular lemons work just fine, but the marmalade will less tart and bitter if you choose meyer lemons. Either way, slice the peel very thin, keep the overnight soak, and make sure the peel is completely tender before adding the strawberries and sugar.
The soak helps mellow harsh bitterness in the peel while keeping the bright lemon flavor. It’s the easiest way to make sure the citrus ribbons taste pleasant in the finished marmalade.
A thermometer is the easiest guide. Gel stage temperature is 200 F at sea level, and drops by 1 degree every 500 feet in elevation. (For example, it’s 218 F at 1,000 feet in elevation.) It should sheet off a spoon instead of dripping in a thin stream. You can also do a quick plate test by chilling a small plate, adding a dab of marmalade, and seeing if it wrinkles when pushed.
You can, but small-batch preserves set more reliably than large batches. Doubling increases cook time and can dull the fresh strawberry flavor or risk overcooking. If you need more, I get the best texture by making two separate batches back-to-back. Don’t try to increase it more than double, as that won’t cook evenly and won’t set.
Strawberry Canning Recipes
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Strawberry Marmalade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb lemons, about 4 medium, preferably Meyer lemons
- 1 lb strawberries, see note
- 2 cups water, for cooking lemons, plus more for soaking
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Trim lemon ends. Halve lemons lengthwise, then halve again lengthwise into quarters. Slice quarters very thin.
- Place lemon slices in a bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, drain and discard soaking water.
- Add fresh water to a pot (2 cups per pound lemons) and bring to a boil. Add drained lemon slices. Cook over medium-high heat until peels are very tender and most of the water has cooked away. Add a splash more water if needed to fully tenderize the peel. (About 10 to 15 minutes.)
- Add strawberries and cook 1 to 2 minutes until they release their juices. Stir in sugar.
- Cook at a lively boil, stirring frequently, until set, about 5 to 6 minutes, aiming for about 220°F at sea level (adjust for elevation as needed).
- For canning, ladle into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace, apply lids, and water-bath process following the times in the altitude adjustment section.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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