Easy Homemade Peach Jam Recipe (No Pectin)

Peaches can be difficult to peel! The best way to peel fresh peaches is to blanch them first. To blanch: Add the peaches to a pot of boiling water for 45 seconds. 

Quickly remove the peaches and place them in a cold water ice bath for about 1 minute.  Use a knife to cut an X at the bottom of the peach. Use a paring knife and remove the skin. (Using ripe, but not overripe peaches, will make this process easier.) It is ok if some of the skin remains.

The simplest way is to use a thermometer to check the temperature. You will want the jam to reach 220°F. 220°F is the heat point at which the sugar bonds with the pectin and forms a gel.

Remember that jam can take 24-48 hours to set up fully. So if your jam is still on the thinner side, don’t worry. Know that it can set up more as it sits in the fridge. (More info below on what to do if your jam never sets up.)

Another method to test if the jam is ready is the “plate in the freezer” method. (Remove jam from heat while conducting the test.)

Place a small plate in the freezer when you begin cooking your peach jam. When you’re ready to test to see if the jam will set, remove the plate from the freezer and place a quarter size amount of the jam in the center of the plate.

Place the plate back in the freezer for one minute. After a minute, run your finger through the jam on the plate. If it wrinkles and is gel-like, the jam is ready. If the jam “fills in” the line you made with your finger, you should cook the jam for another few minutes.

Yes, you can! The even better news is that you can freeze it right in the storage jar. Make sure the jam has fully cooled and leave some space at the top of the jar, as it will expand a tiny bit when freezing.

If you would like to preserve your peach jam for pantry storage, you can process it using the water-bath-canning instructions below. This water-bath canning kit includes the canner and tools needed to get started.

How to Water-Bath Can Peach Jam:

Because this is a small-batch recipe, I usually store the finished jam in the refrigerator or freezer. However, you can also process it in a boiling-water canner for pantry storage.

If you plan to water-bath can this jam, use the full 2½ cups of sugar and 3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice has a standardized acidity, making it more reliable for canning than fresh lemon juice. Do not reduce the sugar or use the sugar-free variation when canning this recipe.

1. Prepare the jars: Use half-pint or pint canning jars. Wash and sterilize the empty jars before filling, since the processing time is only five minutes at lower elevations. Wash the lids and bands in warm, soapy water and prepare the lids according to the manufacturer’s directions.
2. Fill the jars: Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Slide a plastic canning spatula or bubble remover around the inside of each jar to release any trapped air.
3. Add the lids: Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp cloth. Center a lid on each jar and screw on the band until fingertip-tight. Do not overtighten the bands, or air may not be able to escape during processing.
4. Prepare the canner: Place the filled jars on the rack in a boiling-water canner. The water must cover the tops of the jars by at least 1 inch. Cover the canner and bring the water to a full rolling boil.
5. Process the jars: Begin timing once the water reaches a full rolling boil. Process half-pint or pint jars according to your elevation:
   • 0–1,000 feet: 5 minutes
   • 1,001–6,000 feet: 10 minutes
   • Above 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
   Processing times must be adjusted at higher elevations because water boils at a lower temperature. You can learn more about selecting the correct canning time for your elevation from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
6. Let the jars rest: Turn off the heat and remove the canner lid. Let the jars remain in the water for 5 minutes.
7. Cool the jars: Carefully remove the jars without tilting them and place them upright on a towel or cooling rack. Do not retighten the bands. Let the jars cool undisturbed at room temperature for 12–24 hours.
8. Check the seals: Remove the screw bands and press the center of each lid. A properly sealed lid should be slightly concave and should not flex, click, or spring back when pressed. If a jar did not seal, refrigerate it and use the jam within a few weeks or transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it.
9. Store the jam: Label the sealed jars with the date and store them without the screw bands in a cool, dark, dry place. For the best quality, use the jam within one year. Refrigerate it after opening.

Before opening a stored jar, check it for signs of spoilage, including a loose or bulging lid, leaking, rising bubbles, an unusual color, spurting liquid, mold, or an off odor. Never taste jam that appears spoiled or comes from a jar with a broken seal. See the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s instructions for identifying and handling spoiled canned food.

For best results, use the opened jar of jam within three weeks. In the freezer, it should last about a year.

Yes, you will most likely need to increase the cooking time as frozen fruit tends to be more watery. You can also use a thermometer to help determine when your jam is done. (When the jam reaches 220 F, it should be ready.)

• On toast
• As an ice cream or yogurt topping
• In a sandwich. Peanut butter or with whipped cream cheese
• On pancakes or waffles
• Thumbprint cookies
• A filler for homemade muffins or cupcakes
• DIY Christmas or hostess gift. /9i love giving jam out in tiny half-pint jars.
• Drizzle over pork tenderloin or pork chops.