Sweet-tart cranberry jam is a spreadable version of cranberry sauce that’s perfect for toast, desserts, holiday gifting, and of course, to serve with the Thanksgiving turkey. Small-batch recipe that does not require pectin.
Every year around the end of October or early November, stores near me begin selling fresh cranberries for the holidays.
It’s become a tradition for me to buy a pound of these fresh cranberries and can my own cranberry jam or sauce.
We crack open the first jar the week of Thanksgiving, save a few to give as gifts at Christmas, and then enjoy the rest throughout winter.
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What Does Cranberry Jam Taste Like?
Cranberry jam is absolutely lovely.
It’s sweet, slightly tangy, and has just a touch of bitterness that balances out all the sweetness.
In comparison to cranberry sauce, cranberry jam is much thicker and more spreadable.
Its texture is much like strawberry jam; but of course, if you make it yourself, you can mash or blend it to be as smooth or chunky as you like.
It’s also a great jam to use for PB and J once Thanksgiving is over!
Canning cranberry jam is a simple process that creates a shelf-stable, delicious jam, and I’m excited to share it with you today!
Cranberry Jam vs. Cranberry Sauce
What’s the difference between cranberry jam and cranberry sauce? And cranberry jelly?
I’ll admit, I had to look this one up, and here’s what I’ve discovered.
The main differences are:
- Cranberry sauce uses whole cranberries, is cooked for the least amount of time as the other two, and therefore is runnier than both jam and jelly.
- Cranberry jam also uses whole cranberries, but are cooked to the gelling point, which is what makes it thick and spreadable.
- Cranberry jelly is also thick and spreadable, but is made with cranberry juice, not whole cranberries. (Although, yes, you would use whole cranberries to get the juice, but you’d discard the solids and keep only the liquids, so that doesn’t count as using the whole berry!)
Don’t get me started on preserves and conserves. We’ll have to cover that in a whole different post!
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What You’ll Need to Make Cranberry Jam
This recipe is adapted from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving.
You’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 pound of cranberries
- 1 1/3 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of water
For canning, you will also need:
- 3 half pint glass jars
- canning lids
- canning rings
- a water bath canner and rack
- jar funnel
- jar lifter
You can also make this jam and store it in the refrigerator without canning. It’ll be ready to eat right away and will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
How to Make Cranberry Jam
Wash the cranberries well and drain in a colander. Give it a quick look over and toss any damaged or yucky cranberries.
Boil water in a large saucepan. Pour sugar in, and stir until dissolved.
Next add the cranberries. Cook cranberries in the boiling syrup until the skins burst and the cranberries are soft.
Mash the cranberries to your desired consistency. I like leaving some larger cranberries in for texture. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the sauce if you want it to be smoother. Skim off any foam that develops.
NOTE: If you stop simmering here, this is basically cranberry sauce!
Bring the jam to a boil and then test to see if the jam has set.
To do this, dip a stainless steel spoon in the jam and flip the spoon so you can see how the liquid moves off the back. If it coats the back of the spoon, then congratulations!
The jam is set and ready to be canned.
Water Bath Canning Cranberry Jam
Fill a water bath canner with water and bring water to a boil on the stove.
It can take a while, so I like to get this started while I’m still making the jam.
Wash your glass canning jars well with warm soapy water and place them in the canner to heat up.
Once your jam is ready, remove the glass jars from the canner and dump the water out.
Fill the hot jars with hot jam, leaving a 1/2″ headspace.
Debubble the jars.
Wipe the rims with a damp cloth and place the lids and rings.
Carefully lower the jars into the water bath canner and bring the water to a boil once more. Remember that the water must cover the jars by 1 inch.
Process the half-pint jars of cranberry jam for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow jars to sit in the hot water for five minutes before removing and placing on a clean kitchen towel.
Listen for jars to pop!
Leave the jars alone for at least 12 hours before removing the rings and checking the seal.
NOTE: Check the seal by tapping the lid. The center should be slightly concave and should not move when pressed. Next, lift each jar by the lid. If the lid supports the weight of the jar and feels secure, store it in a dark cupboard or pantry away from direct sunlight and heat.
Once properly canned and sealed, this cranberry jam will last on the shelf for a year.
If you prefer not to can it, eat right away or store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Ways to Use Cranberry Jam (Outside of Thanksgiving)
- Serve alongside roast chicken and mashed potatoes. (Totally different from Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes.)
- Thin with a drizzle of red wine vinegar and use as a sauce to coat meatballs for an appetizer.
- Use as a topping for ice cream, brownies, cakes, and more.
- Make thumbprint cookies and use the jam for the thumbprint.
- Thin with water and additional sugar until runny and use as a syrup for pancakes and waffles.
- Spread on toast with butter. Also yummy on an English muffin.
- Swirl it into yogurt and make a batch of seasonal yogurt cups for easy breakfasts.
- Serve with cheese boards or charcuterie.
- Use a topping for baked brie cheese.
Think You’ll Try This Recipe?
Download and print this cranberry jam canning recipe to make now or pin and save this post for later!
If you need more side dish recipes for Thanksgiving, try this sourdough bread stuffing with squash and herbs next.
Ready to try more water bath canning? My candied jalapeño relish is always a hit at parties!
FAQs
No. Cranberry sauce is runnier than cranberry jam.
Cranberry jelly is made with cranberry juice and generally looks more clear than cranberry jam.
Yes. If you want the jam to have a thinner consistency, mix a few spoonfuls of hot water with it to thin it out.
It may not have been cooked long enough or it may not have enough pectin. Continue boiling the sauce until it gels or add pectin. You’ll know the sauce has gelled when you dip a spoon in it and the jelly falls off the spoon in a thick sheet rather than a thin dribble.
Yes. Substitute frozen cranberries for fresh by weight.
Cranberry Jam
Equipment
- 3 half pint glass canning jars
- 3 canning lids
- 3 canning rings
- 1 jar funnel
- 1 water bath canner and rack
- 1 jar lifter
Ingredients
- 1 pound of cranberries
- 1 1/3 cups of sugar
- 1 cup of water
Instructions
- Wash the cranberries well and drain in a colander. Discard damaged or spoiled cranberries.
- Boil water in a large saucepan. Pour sugar in, and stir until dissolved.
- Next add the cranberries. Cook cranberries in the boiling syrup until the skins burst and the cranberries are soft.
- Mash or blend the cranberries to your desired consistency. Skim off any foam that develops.
- Bring the jam to a boil and cook until it just reaches the gelling point.
Water Bath Canning Cranberry Jam
- Boil water in a water bath canner fitted with a rack.
- Place clean glass jars in the canner to heat up.
- Once your jam is ready, remove the glass jars from the canner and dump the water out.
- Fill the hot jars with hot jam, leaving a 1/2″ headspace.
- Debubble the jars.
- Wipe the rims with a damp cloth and place the lids and rings.
- Carefully lower the jars into the water bath canner and bring the water to a boil once more. Remember that the water must cover the jars by 1 inch.
- Process the half-pint jars of cranberry jam for 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow jars to sit in the hot water for five minutes before removing and placing on a clean kitchen towel.
- Leave the jars alone for at least 12 hours before removing the rings and checking the seal.