Small Batch Sour Cherry Jam (No Pectin)
Sour cherry jam is tart, sweet, and delicious! This recipe only uses 3 ingredients – sour cherries (also called tart cherries), sugar, and lemon juice. This jam is great for filling cakes, spreading on toast, adding to yogurt, etc. This small batch jam makes 2 cups and doesn’t add pectin!
Here in the United States, in the Midwest, cherry season runs from June through July. If I can find some at my local farmers markets, then I run to the kitchen to start making jam!
What Are Sour Cherries?
Unlike sweet cherries, sour cherries are seriously sour. If you love a good punch of sour flavor, then you have to try these! You might also hear them referred to as tart cherries.
Sour cherries are great to use for baking because they have less sugar than sweet cherries. When you cook them down, the sugar will concentrate and create a pleasant tart and sweet flavor.
This makes them great for pie filling, cake filling, cupcake filling, jam, on yogurt and so much more! This sour cherry jam recipe is what I use to fill my cakes and cupcakes as well as spread on a slice of toasted sourdough bread. Yum!
Where Can I Find Sour Cherries?
During the summer months I visit local farmers markets where I’ve had the best luck finding sour cherries! You may have luck in grocery stores, or specialty grocery stores during June and July when they’re in season.
Pick cherries that are mostly blemish free and bright in color. They tend to go bad faster than sweet cherries, so once you buy them, use them quickly. I like to pat them dry if there’s any moisture, stick a paper towel someone in the quart or pint container, and keep them in the refrigerator to slightly extend their shelf life.
Making Jam Without Pectin
Pectin is a soluble fiber that is found in fruits which is added to jam as a thickening agent. I find it unnecessary to add to jams and preserves that I plan to use during the season.
Check out these other recipe!
Jars For Sour Cherry Jam
It’s easiest to store jam in glass containers. This recipe makes just over 2 cups of jam, about 20 oz, so I like to use these 24 oz glass jars. You can also divide this jam into 3- 8 oz jars but note that they won’t fill to the very top. These 8 oz mason jars with honey bees are my favorite!
How To Pit Cherries
Pitting cherries can be tedious! But I do think it’s worth that delicious flavor.
My favorite way is using a metal cherry pitter. You can use your hands or a chopstick to remove the pits, but I find the cherry pitter is more efficient. Either way, your hands may get a bit messy (part of the fun).
RECIPE CARD
Small Batch Sour Cherry Jam (No Pectin)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups sour cherries (measured with pits) (about 1 quart or 525g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 1-2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (depending on taste preference)
Instructions
- Wash, pit, then roughly chop sour cherries. (Place a plate in the freezer if using the cold plate test for readiness, see step 5)
- In a heavy bottom sauce pan, add sour cherries and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- When the mixture is bubbling, add the sugar and stir until incorporated. Turn the heat down to low and stir often.
- Once the mixture has thickened after about 20-25 minutes, remove from the heat.
- To test if the jam is done, use an instant-read or candy thermometer and look for 220℉ (105℃). Or use the cold place test. Spoon some jam onto the cold plate and tilt it. If the jam is running down the plate, it's not done. If it slides slowly, it's thickened and ready!
Notes
- This recipe is not intended for canning.
- Helpful tools to make sour cherry jam: cherry pitter | instant-read or candy thermometer | heavy bottom saucepan
- 4 cups of sour cherries (1 quart) makes just over 2 cups of jam. You can always half the recipe or double it!
- Store this jam in a 24 oz jar. Or use 3- 8 oz jars (this recipe makes about 20 oz of jam. If dividing between 8 oz jars, please note they won’t be filled to the very top).
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, and should be used as an approximation.
made half of the recipe because its just for me, and it’s sour and delicious