Skip the store-bought jar and make your own homemade grape jam! This easy grape jam recipe uses just 3 simple ingredients, no pectin, and delivers fresh grape flavor that’s perfect for toast, yogurt, charcuterie boards, PB&Js, and even spoonfuls straight from the jar.
Reader’s Reviews
“Just used this recipe! Had I bag of grapes no one was eating so needed to do something with them, great way to not have them go to waste! We use jam on almost everything, this will be perfect with some gourmet grill cheese.” — Leah
My kids know that we always have jam in the house. I got my love of jams and jam making from my mother’s side of the family. It’s in my blood. After 20 years of jam making, I realized how ridiculously easy it is to make ANY kind of jam, whether it is plum jam or strawberry jam.
When we lived in our old house, we had two grapevines that produced more grapes than we could ever eat. I don’t know what variety of grapes we have, but every August they were crazy sweet.
Making homemade grape jam became one of my favorite ways to preserve the harvest. You usually see grape jelly at the store more so than grape jam. Jelly is made with just the juice of the fruit, which needs pectin for it to set, like my pomegranate jelly.
This grape jam uses the whole grape, skin and you don’t need to add extra pectin.
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Laura says :
Why this recipe works
- Super Simple: This homemade grape jam is easy to make, no fancy tools or pectin needed. Use one variety of grapes or combine different kinds for a unique jam.
- No Added Pectin Needed: Since the grape skins are naturally rich in pectin, this jam recipe makes a thick, spreadable grape jam at home without any commercial pectin or additives.
- Flexible Storage Options: Whether you prefer water bath canning, freezing, or storing in the fridge, this grape jam is made to last. Stock your pantry or enjoy a small batch right away.
- Seasonal and Versatile: This easy jam recipe works with more than just grapes—try it with plums, peaches, figs, berries, or any fresh seasonal fruit you love.
- Small Batch Friendly: Make as much or as little as you like. This small-batch grape preserve recipe is perfect if you have a bag of table grapes or a huge backyard harvest.
Ingredients you need
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- Grapes: This homemade grape jam works with many varieties of sweet grapes. I originally developed this recipe using grapes from the vines in my backyard, but you can also use red, black, or even Concord grapes. It will be much easier to use seedless grapes. If your grapes have seeds, then you do need to go through the trouble of removing seeds.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar to sweeten the jam. I also use the minimum amount of sugar, as I do not like an overly sugar jam. You can also use honey or brown sugar to sweeten jam.
- Lemon: The citric acid in lemon juice not only keeps the fruit from oxidizing, but it also adds natural pectin. No additional pectin is needed. For additional flavor, you can add grated lemon zest. You can also use orange juice/zest instead.
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How to make grape jam
- Clean grapes. Remove grapes from stem, wash clean and drain of excess water. Place in a pot.
- Bring to boil. Add sugar and lemon juice and bring to boil. Stir frequently and skim off the foam. Break down the fruit with a potato masher while it cooks.
- Cook until thickened. Continue cooking until jam is thick. I’ve been making homemade jam for over 20 years, and no two batches cook exactly the same. Don’t watch the clock—watch the jam. Some batches are ready in 25 minutes, while especially juicy grapes may need closer to 45 minutes.
- Jar the jam. If you are canning the jam, you will need to sanitize the canning jars. This can be done by hand washing with hot water and soap or by running the jars through the dishwasher. I have full directions on how to can using hot water here.
How do I know when the jam is done?
Rather than relying only on the clock, look for visual cues. The bubbles will become slower and thicker, and the jam will coat the back of a spoon. If you drag your finger across the spoon, the line should stay in place instead of immediately filling back in.
Recipe tips and FAQs
You can make jam all year long because there is a fruit for every season.
- Microwave your sanitized jars right before ladling the hot jam in. This keeps the jars from breaking from extreme swings in temperature.
- If you are canning, fight the urge to overfill the jars! Fill only to ½-inch from the top of the jar or else the jars will burst.
- Sweet fruit will need less sugar. I always err on the side of less sugar when making jam. If your fruit is not very sweet, taste the jam while it simmers and add more if you need it.
- If you want a smoother jam, use an immersion blender and blend everything in the pot.
And if you still have a ton of grapes you need to use up, make some homemade grape juice!
The most common reason homemade grape jam doesn’t set is that it simply needs to cook a little longer. As the jam simmers, excess water evaporates and the natural sugars become more concentrated, allowing the jam to thicken.
Remember that jam will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t expect it to have its final consistency while it’s still bubbling in the pot. If your jam seems thin after cooling completely, you can always return it to the pot and simmer it a bit longer.
Yes! Since the grape skins are naturally rich in pectin, this grape jam recipe thickens beautifully without any boxed pectin. A little lemon juice adds acid and natural pectin to adjust the ph for preserving and pectin to help it set.
Absolutely! Be sure to use the right container for freezing. Glass can shatter, so be careful. There are plastic freezer jars available that you can use. Again, do not overfill as jam will expand while it freezes.
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Easy Grape Jam – No Pectin
Ingredients
- 2 lb seedless grapes any variety
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove grapes from stem, wash clean and drain of excess water. Place in a large heavy bottom pot.
- Add sugar and lemon juice and bring to boil over moderate heat. Stir frequently and skim off the foam. Break down the fruit with a potato masher while it cooks.
- Simmer for 25-45 minutes, or until the jam has noticeably thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Cooking time can vary depending on the variety of grapes, how juicy they are, and the width of your pot.
- To test jam, add a teaspoonful on a chilled plate and place in the refrigerator. Jam is done when it sets after a minute or two. If you want a smoother jam, use a hand blender and blend everything in the pot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I love using all of the fruit, so it’s nice to see a grape jam recipe, rather than jelly. I used three pounds of red grapes off their stems (some still greenish), adding 1/2c sweetener per pound (1/2c white sugar, 1/2c sucanat, and 1/2c xylitol), 2T lemon juice, and a dash of salt. I periodically skimmed the foam, stirred and used my stick blender. It took the full cooking time, perhaps because I used less sugar than your recipe states. It’s so good and grape-y.
Hi Karla-
I’m definitely team jam versus jelly. I prefer less sugar, too, but for canning, you need it. I have also used xylitol, but usually just for a jar or two.
Laura
Just used this recipe! Had I bag of grapes no one was eating so needed to do something with them, great way to not have them go to waste! We use jam on almost everything, this will be perfect with some gourmet grill cheese
Leah-
Welcome fellow jam lover, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! I love saving fruit from going bad and making it into jam. Thank you for sharing your kind words.
Laura
Great recipe. Have loads of grapes this year, although the 2025 season here in New Zealand is very late. Most of the grapes are ripe, but still a few rogue green ones, but will cook them all up. What with some home grown raspberries , strawberries and rhubarb and apple,
, hope to keep the family in jam for the winter.Thanks for the recipe.
How long does it take you to mash the grapes with the potato masher? And do you find that they only get soft enough to mash after about 20 min of boiling? Ive been trying to mash mine for awhile now and maybe there’s too much liquid but I’m barely making progress.