Easy and delicious Homemade Cranberry Jam. This simple cranberry jam is made with only 4 ingredients and makes a perfect addition to many breakfast dishes.
Cranberry Jam
Cranberries are such a wonderful fruit with many health benefits. I love the tart and sweet flavor of cranberries when they’re baked in desserts and baked goods.
There is always a bag of cranberries in my fridge in the winter and when I make sure to freeze some for the off-season. During the winter months, I like to make some simple cranberry jam for breakfast. This is a delicious and easy seasonal jam.
Cranberries are not only delicious, they are also very healthy and considered superfood. Cranberries are full of vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin K. Cranberries outrank almost every fruit and vegetable when it comes to antioxidants.
So for breakfast, substitute store-bought strawberry jam for this vitamin packed cranberry jam!
What else can be added to the cranberry jam:
To change up the flavor a little, try using a pear instead of apple.
During holiday time, I like to spice up this cranberry jam with cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. The aroma and flavor is just perfect to put everyone in Christmas mood.
Add some orange zest and squeeze a little orange juice for additional flavor.
How to serve cranberry jam:
Serve this cranberry jam on toast, bagels, muffins, fresh baked sweet bread.
Add some to oatmeal.
Cranberry jam can also be added to fudge, cookies, cheesecake, and sweet creamy dips.
Some more cranberry ideas:
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Homemade Cranberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh cranberries
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 large apple peeled, cored, diced
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan, mix, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and gently simmer, stirring frequently, for 45-60 minutes. Keep covered while simmering, leaving only a little crack for the steam to escape. Make sure it simmers gently. Stir from time to time.
- Transfer into a blender and puree until smooth.
- Let cool completely and transfer to a medium jar. Once completely cooled, close with a lid tight and refrigerate.
- Without canning process, this jam will last about 6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Margaret says
We make this all the time. Except we add orange juice or frozen orange concentrate instead of the apple and lemon juice. We use this as a topping for pancakes or (my favorite) to teas.
I’ll give you variation a try next time we make it. 🙂
Margaret @ Live Like No One Else
Amanda says
Hello! I am anxious to try your recipe this Fall. I am new to jam making and am wondering how this should be stored. (Pantry? Fridge?) And how long of a shelf life does it have? Thank you.
lyuba says
Hi Amanda. I would recommend storing it in the fridge. Since we are not canning it and sealing it, it will have air coming it and should be refrigerated. I don’t know the exact shelf life but I would estimate 4-5 weeks based on personal experience. (That’s how fast it was gone not when it went bad.)
L.J.R. says
Recipes says in fridge for about 6 weeks. Other recipes with orange say only 2 weeks.
Pat says
Try this wonderful condiment on much more than toast! It may sound strange but try some peanut butter and this jam on your next bacon cheeseburger–a small bite of heaven.
lyuba says
That is very interesting, Pat! I think I will have my husband try this one 🙂
Thank you!
Trish Butler says
I don’t think it is the Holiday season until you hear your first cranberry pop. Thank you for your wonderful jam recipe and I will use it with your white fudge recipe.
lyuba says
Thank you so much, Trish!
Jennifer J. says
WOW!! I followed the recipe exactly. I did throw the end result in the Magic Bullet…Amazingly different from the over sweet berry jams. This is sweet and tart, balanced just right. I had the jam with multigrain bagels this morning… Yummmmm!!! Thanks for the great (and painless) recipe, will do it again!! 🙂
Michal says
Just made it,, How do you overcome bitterness?
lyuba says
It might be a personal preference. When I made the jam, it wasn’t very bitter at all. There was some tartness but the sweetness was much stronger.
Jill says
Oh my goodness ….. I am in love with cranberries and can’t wait to make this … I am assuming that you could seal like other jams and jellies ?? Thanks for sharing….. I came via Trendy Tree House a share party ?
Happy Holidays…..into the New Year…
lyuba says
Hi Jill, welcome! You can definitely can it if you know how 🙂 It’s been so many years since last time I canned anything (I used to with my grandmother) so I can’t quite remember how.
Happy New Year to you as well!
Carey says
Great recipes 🙂
lyuba says
Thank you, Carrie!
LAUREN DILLON says
I AM SO DELIGHTED TO SEE A RECIPE FOR CRANBERRY JAM . I HAVENT FOUND THAT RECIPE ANYWHERES !! I AM NOT SO SURE I CAN MAKE IT , BUT WISH ME LUCK !! BY THE WAY GREAT RECIPES AND A REALLY NICE FOOD BLOG ! YOU ARE SUCH A GREAT COOK !!
Meah says
I finally found the recipe using fresh cranberries on your website!!
Thank you very much for the wonderful recipe 🙂
I have a question, can I use lime juice instead?
lyuba says
Hi Meah! Yes, you can use lime juice, it will give it the same bit of acidity. I’m glad you found what you were looking for 🙂
Thank you!
Meah says
I see! I might try with lime juice 🙂
Thank you for the reply, Lyuba!
lyuba says
Of course! Let me know how you like it, Meah 🙂
Libby says
Hi, I’m from Australia and we don’t get fresh cranberries here. Would I be able to use craisins (dried cranberries)?
lyuba says
Oh no, Libby, I’m sorry you don’t get fresh cranberries. I’m also sorry to tell you that it won’t work with craisins. You’d need juice and “meat” from the berries for the jam. I’m sorry 🙁 I hope that may be you’d be able to find some fresh cranberries sometime!
Daniel Mielke says
Why couldn’t she used dried cranberries? All she would have to do is rehydrate them, I believe that 3/4 cup of dried cranberries is equivalent to 1 cup of fresh cranberries. Craisens are dried cranberries where the juice was extracted for juice. then sweetened. So if she were to use 3/4 cup of craisens and a 1/4 cup of cranberry juice she would be ok. She might have to adjust the sugar a bit as I believe they do add some sugar to craisens
.
Cenny says
Looks yummy. Do you add any water to boil the cranberries? I am planning on making and canning this.
Leny says
Do you not add any liquid other that that little bit of lemon juice? I would think the betries would scorch if they were dry in the pan and needing to reach a boil.
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RogerCat says
Hello,
This seems to be exactly what I am looking for to put in holiday gift baskets for my family this year. What is the largest batch you have made? I need about 12 8oz jars. I was thinking to just times the recipes by 6. I am so excited to have found this! thank you for posting.
RogerCat says
And do you seed the cranberries are does the blender (I plan on using immersion stick type, just smooth it out?
LyubaB says
What a good Idea to make this for gift baskets! And yes I think you can just make this recipe x6 and I didn’t seed the cranberries but you can if you want a smoother jam or you can put it through a strainer.
Rebekah says
Can I add bourbon to this recipe?
Rebekah says
Also what is the ph of the final product?
LyubaB says
I am sorry, that is not something I able to test so I am not sure.
LyubaB says
Hi Rebekah,
Yes, You can add up to 1/4 cup but I wouldn’t use anymore or it will be too watery. You will probably have to cook it a little longer to reduce but remember jam gets thicker as it cools so don’t reduce it too much or it will be to thick. Let me know how you like it!
Rebekah says
Thank you! I am going to make this tonight I finally got the cranberries today
LyubaB says
Your very welcome, Rebekah! I hope you liked it!
Dee says
Delicious and easy recipe… try on crackers with goat cheese!
LyubaB says
Hi Dee,
So glad you liked it! I love the idea to eat it with goat cheese!
Mary Lou says
An hour? It is almost tar after less than 20 minutes. I will add some water before canning.
LyubaB says
Hi Mary Lou,
I am sorry that it didn’t turn out right for you. Make sure you keep the temperature on medium-low and keep it covered open to stir and cover again so the moisture doesn’t escape or cook out. And it’s about a hour it might take a little less to be the right consistency.
L.J.R. says
Recipes says in fridge for about 6 weeks. Other recipes with orange say only 2 weeks.
I blame my “electric” stove for cooking too fast.
Patty says
When you use the cinnamon, allspice and cloves how much do you add? Do you use whole or ground? Thanks and ha ppy thanksgiving