Low Sugar Jam with Pomona’s Pectin (Basic Recipe)

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Low Sugar Jam with Pomona’s Pectin (Basic Recipe)

This simple recipe is perfect for anyone who wants a lightly sweetened jam that still sets beautifully. Use sugar, honey, or your favorite sweetener—and adjust the amount to taste.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Canning time10

Total Time25

Course: Jam

Cuisine: American

Keyword: low sugar jam

Servings: servings, or about four to five 8 oz jars

Ingredients

4 cups mashed fruit about 6 to 8 cups whole fruit
2 tsp calcium water prepared using Pomona’s instructions
¼ to 1 cup sugar honey, or maple syrup (to taste)
2 tsp Pomona’s Pectin powder

Instructions

Prepare calcium water: Mix ½ teaspoon calcium powder with ½ cup water in a small jar. Shake well. You’ll only need 2 teaspoons for this batch; store the rest in the fridge for future use.
Prep jars and canner: Wash jars, lids, and bands. Set up your water bath canner and keep jars warm until ready to fill.
Prepare fruit: Wash, hull, and mash your fruit. Measure exactly 4 cups and place in a saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons prepared calcium water and stir to combine.
Mix sweetener and pectin: In a separate bowl, mix 2 teaspoons Pomona’s pectin powder with your chosen sweetener (¼ to 1 cup). Stir well to distribute evenly.
Cook the fruit: Bring the fruit and calcium water mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add pectin-sweetener mixture: Stir in the pectin-sweetener mixture and return to a full boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat.
Fill and close jars: Ladle hot jam into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, apply lids and rings, and tighten fingertip-tight.
Water bath process: Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet elevation). Let rest 5 minutes in the canner, then remove and cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
Store: Check seals and label jars. Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 18 months. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within a few weeks.

Notes

Be aware that Pomona's Pectin does not contain citric acid as most other brands do, so you may need to add 2 Tbsp of lemon juice when converting recipes from standard pectin.

This recipe is a flexible base for making low-sugar jam using Pomona’s Universal Pectin. It works with nearly any fruit—just start with 4 cups of mashed or finely chopped fruit.

The calcium water is essential for activating the pectin; Pomona’s won’t set without it, so don’t skip that step.

You can adjust the sweetness to your preference: use as little as ¼ cup sugar (or honey/maple syrup), or increase up to 1 cup for a sweeter preserve. Always mix the pectin powder into the sweetener before adding it to the fruit—this helps it dissolve smoothly without clumping.

Once the fruit has come to a boil with the calcium water, stir in the sweetener-pectin mixture and bring it back to a full boil for 1–2 minutes to activate the set. This jam is shelf stable when processed in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet).

Nutrition