This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Perfectly sweetened and wonderfully spiced jam with just a hint of cinnamon, Homemade Peach Jam has been a staple in our home for about 15 years.
Every year, I wait until we can order peaches by the case. Then I roll up my sleeves and set to work making and canning a year’s worth of delicious jam.
Several years ago, about the time I started this website, the summer’s peaches were very late getting to our area. They finally arrived the day before I was headed out of town. I was looking forward to making jam just as soon as they were at the perfect stage of ripeness.
I glanced around at all my wonderful peaches and panicked because I knew they were going to be way past perfect by the time I returned home. I was on my way to being disappointed; when Sean very casually told me that he’d take care of it.
Now, I admit that jam making is not difficult. It is actually quite easy. However, it can also be time-consuming (especially, when you are not familiar with it all) and it is not a simple thing to accomplish with three small children running through the house all weekend.
I assured him that he shouldn’t worry about it, but if he really wanted to do it, I would set out the recipe and the jars for him.
Well, I came home a couple of days later to 24 jars of peach jam. Perfectly sweetened and wonderfully spiced jam with just a hint of cinnamon.
Did Sean really want to spend his time making jam this past weekend? That’s doubtful. But he did it to make my life easier and that makes every bite of this delicious jam taste even more delicious.
When I first posted this recipe on the site in 2011, it was just the photo of those jam jars. I’ve since updated the post with a video, and plenty of step-by-step photos. I hope it’s helpful to you in your jam-making endeavors.
Peach Jam
Store-bought jams and preserves just can’t compare with the taste of the homemade stuff and this peach jam is no exception.
Nothing says “summer” like biting into a fresh, sweet, juicy peach at the perfect stage of ripeness. This jam manages to capture all that spectacular warm weather flavor in a jar for eating any time of the year.
Peach Jam jam is phenomenal on all kinds of breads, muffins, and scones.
Toast a slice of Tender High Rising Gluten Free Sandwich Bread or English Muffin Bread and spread with a thick layer of peach jam for a sweet way to start the day. Blueberry Bran Muffins and Peach Jam are another great breakfast pairing to enjoy with your morning cup of coffee or tea.
Did you know you can also put peach jam in homemade ice cream? I found this out after a happy accident with a jar of peach jam lead to a surprising frozen treat in the form of Strawberry Peach Jam Ice Cream.
How to Make Peach Jam
There are so many peach jam recipes out there but this one is my go-to for a daily spread. Like many recipes, it starts with plenty of fresh peaches, sugar, and pectin. Lemon juice adds both a tart flavor and acidity that helps with the “preserving” part of homemade preserves.
I add just a touch of cinnamon or allspice to the recipe for the perfect amount of spice. It’s enough to give this jam a hint of something special without totally overwhelming that incredible peach flavor.
When you serve this jam, don’t be surprised if you’re peppered with questions about what that secret ingredient is that makes it so darn good.
Canning Peach Jam
This is a fairly standard and easy recipe for canning jam but, as I mentioned before, it is time-consuming. Set aside a good chunk of time for getting the jam prepared and processed and make sure all your equipment is clean and ready to go before you get started.
For this recipe, I use the hot water bath method of processing jars. You don’t need any fancy canning equipment!
Don’t be intimidated if you’ve never canned your own preserves before. It’s easy to learn and a fantastic skill to have in your toolbox. My friend Rebecca has a good Canning Basics guide here with more tips!
Once you get started making your own homemade jam, there’s a whole world of recipes out there for you to explore.
Peach Jam Recipe
- Sort and wash fully ripe peaches. Remove stems, skins, bruises, and pits. Chop peaches and add to a large pot.
- Crush or smash the peaches. Add lemon juice and pectin; stir well. Place on high heat and, while stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil with bubbles over the entire surface.
- Add the sugar and spices all at once and heat again to a full bubbling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute (set a timer), stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat; skim the foam off the top. (We keep the foam in the refrigerator and enjoy it on toast for the next couple of days. I love it warm straight off the stove as well!)
- Pour immediately into sterile canning jars. Fill the jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Seal them and process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Habanero Peach Jam is a spicy hot pepper jam spin on this recipe that’s delicious on toast, crackers, and any which way you eat it. Cranberry Pepper Jam is another sweet and spicy variety that’s perfect to give as a gift and enjoy yourself.
Not all jams have to be sweet! Tomato Jam is a savory preserve (with just a touch of sweetness from fresh ripe tomatoes) that I especially love to eat spread on fluffy biscuits and cornbread.
But if you only make one jam recipe in your life, this Peach Jam is an excellent choice. Full of fruity, peachy goodness and simple and straightforward to make, this is one recipe you’ll want to make every peach season for years to come.
Homemade Peach Jam
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh peaches – 4 cups crushed this was about 7 medium size peaches
- 1 package powdered pectin (approximately 1.75 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 5 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or allspice
Instructions
- Sort and wash fully ripe peaches. Remove stems, skins, bruises and pits. Crush peaches.
- Measure crushed peaches into a large pot. Add lemon juice and pectin; stir well. Place on high heat and, while stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil with bubbles over the entire surface. Add the sugar and spices all at once and heat again to a full bubbling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute (set a timer), stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat; skim foam off the top. (We keep the foam in the refrigerator and enjoy it on toast for the next couple of days. I love it warm straight off the stove as well!)
- Pour immediately into sterile canning jars. Fill the jars to 1/4 inch from the top. Seal them and process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/26/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/31/23}
I agree with another poster – this jam was so sweet i couldn’t taste my wonderful fresh peaches. I have made jam before, but it has never just tasted like sugar.
This is OMG good. When it was done setting, I took a spoonful to taste it out & agreed it was way too sweet. However, seconds later it occurred to me that jam is not meant to be eaten with a spoon. I put a little dollop on a slice of sharp cheddar with a cracker & it was heaven! It is perfectly sweet & delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’m thrilled the jam is a hit for you, Mabel.
This was delicious. We did not add the cinnamon but I plan to do this next time. Thank you for sharing.
I’m glad it was a win!
You can simply chop fresh ripe peaches, skin on, crush while cooking and whirl with a stick blender leaving some chunks. You can skip the pectin this way and you don’t notice the skin, and it also adds some pink color. Otherwise I followed this recipe and it turned out beautifully. Try it 🙂
Great tip, Dana. I’m glad you’re loving the peach jam.
I made this recipe with one exception ~ I used the low sugar Sure Jell and only 3 cups sugar. It turned out amazing. I had my 15 year old granddaughter taste it (she had never had peach jam). Her comment was “that ‘s really good ~ tastes just like peach pie”. Definitely going to make another batch or two. I used cinnamon (rather than allspice) and 1/4 top gives just the right hint of spice.
Glad everything turned out well, Lynette. Happy cooking!
I am just wondering if you can cook them with the peeling on it and still use it in pies with the peeling and my other question is does the fruit have to be cooled down before we put them in the hot jars
Sure, you can leave the peels if that’s your preference. And you do not need to cool the jam first. Ladle the very hot jam into the jars and top with lids.
Was the 3 Lbs of prepared peaches or whole peaches? I made the recipe with 3 lbs of prepared peaches (cut and skinned) and followed the directions.
The result was soupy and liquid.
Hi, Brandon. I peel and crush the peaches for this recipe.
It is the BEST! Colorado Palisade peaches make it even more incredible.
I’m thrilled that you love the jam, Katie!
This is the best jam I have ever tasted! I can’t stop eating it off the spoon hot. Look forward to having it on crumpets, toast, pancakes and so many other things. My husband says it would be amazing in a pie as well, and of course ice cream. I used cinnamon and allspice together..so good!
I’m thrilled to hear this, Rene!
I love this recipe and have made it several years in a row. Can I freeze my peaches and make this at a later date?
That should work fine, Nikki. I usually thaw them before using them, just to avoid too much additional liquid in the recipe.
Can the sugar be replaced with Splenda?
I’ve never tried that, Davina. There are sugar free jam recipes though, so that might be a better place to start.
I doubled the recipe because we had an abundance of peaches from our tree and I wanted some for gifts as well for myself. However, when I printed the doubled recipe, it did NOT double the number of cups of peaches. Thank goodness I realized 4 cups didn’t sound logical! I used the allspice and a little extra cinnamon. The jam looks and tastes great.
I’m so very happy to hear the jam is a hit!
I made this again with the cinnamon. Wow, it was delicious and everyone’s favorite. Thank you for sharing this. I plan on making again, with the cinnamon!
I’m thriled that you like it!
Wouldn’t I need to add Fruit Fresh so the color will remain vibrant?
That’s up to you, Kathy. I’ve never used Fruit Fresh.
I made this but my jam is not thickening how I would like. I followed this to a T
Please help I’m so disheartened
Without being in your kitchen with you, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong, Brandy. It should set up as it cools though.
I followed your recipe and added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. I love the flavor and consistency.
Thank you for sharing.
Sincerely,
Bill Martinez
I’m so glad you like the jam, Billy. I bet it’s great with the added vanilla.
I’m relatively new to this, but I have done marmalade and blueberry jam with success. However, in the case of this receipt I don’t know what is meant by “process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath?” With other “jams” I’ve poured the jam into sterile jars and let them set, though being sure to wipe off any spills that might interfere with the seal.
If processing the jam to store it at room temp, I do a water bath to seal the jar. You can also use a pressure canner. OR skip that and just pop the jars in the fridge.
Absolutely delicious! I am so glad that I read the comments first; I learned that I could increase the ingredients and thereby the yield of the jam. I never knew in all of these years using online recipes that some of them have this capability. So, I made enough for 8- 1/2 pint jars and ended up with 9. I only used 1/4 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of fresh ground allspice berries. Using this small amount of spices was the perfect amount and did not overpower the peaches in any way. It came out so tasty and with such a great color. I always keep the skins on, as the color from them is just incredible. This recipe was just wonderful and it is my new peach jam recipe from now on!
I’m thrilled that you love it!
I just made your peach preserves and they are incredible and super easy to make . I made 16 cups of fruit but I did cut the sugar down by five cups. And it came out incredible
I’m thrilled that you are enjoying the jam, Kim.
I once again just use this recipe but instead of peaches I used bing cherries & sour pie cherries I did use the full amount of sugar this time because they’re cherries. And it turned out fabulous thanks again for sharing.
Mmmmm I bet that was delicious!