This easy homemade peach jam recipe is bursting with sweet summer flavor—no pectin required! Made with just fresh peaches, lemon juice, and sugar, it’s the perfect way to preserve peak-season fruit in a jar.
Ever since I was a kid, my breakfast would consist of bread (of any form), cheese (feta or cream cheese) and jam. As a bona fide jam lover, I love all forms of fruit jam. From strawberry rhubarb jam to pomegranate jelly, I love them all.
I especially love homemade jam. Store bought jam is fine, but it usually has way more sugar than I prefer. I want to taste the fruit no the sugar. My latest obsession is peach jam.
If you have sweet summer peaches, then you’ll swoon over this homemade peach jam – never going back to the tooth cracking sweet stuff they sell at the stores.
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Recipe highlights
- Super Simple: No fancy tools or additional pectin required. This homemade peach jam is as easy as it gets!
- Naturally Pectin-Free: My Aunt Agnes taught me the secret: macerate chopped strawberries with sugar to boost their natural pectin . No need for the boxed stuff. Just pure fruit flavor with minimal sugar.
- Flexible Storage: Can it, chill it, or freeze it! Whether you’re stocking your pantry or just making a fridge batch, this jam is made to last.
- Seasonal: Homemade jams and preserves can use any kind of fruit and not just peaches. Try it with strawberries, blueberries, figs or any other favorite fruits.
Ingredients you need
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- Peaches: Be sure to use sweet ripe peaches. The quality of the fruit you use will affect the quality and flavor of your jam. You can use frozen peaches, but I prefer fresh. You can use yellow or white peaches.
- Granulated Sugar: I typically use regular granulated sugar for jam making, but you can use brown sugar or honey.
- Lemon: Citrus fruits are naturally high in pectin, so I add a little lemon juice and zest to my peach jam. It also keeps the peaches from browning, or oxidizing once peeled and cut.
Step-by-step directions
- Macerate the fruit. Peel, pit and coarsely chop the peaches. Combine chopped peaches, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Let peach mixture sit for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. After sitting overnight, the peaches will be swimming in their juices
- Bring to boil. Bring peach mixture to boil slowly, stirring often to prevent sticking. Reduce temperature if peach mixture is about to boil out of your pot. Use a spoon to remove any foam.
- Simmer jam. Cook until thickened, approximately 1 hour.
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- Mash fruit. Use a potato masher to break down the bigger chunks of peaches. If you want a smoother jam, use a hand blender and blend everything in the pot.
- Store. If you are going to store in the refrigerator, cool until room temperature first then transfer to an airtight container. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for directions on click here for directions on how to can using boiling water.
Recipe tips and FAQs
You can store your jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator or transfer it into sterilized jars and can using my hot water canning method.
As I mentioned before, what makes this recipe so great is that you control the ingredients and the sugar quantity. By letting the fruit sit overnight with the sugar and lemon, the fruit’s natural pectin gets released.
This method can be done to make almost any fruit jam.
Peaches are seriously one of my favorite fruits so check out some of my beloved peach recipes like my peach crisp, peach blueberry pie or sip a sparkling peach sangria during these months.
Storing Instructions
CANNED: Jams that have been canned using hot water canning, can last in a cool dark pantry for up to a year. As long as the seal is intact and mold is not present, the jam is safe to eat past a year.
REFRIGERATE: You can also store jam in the refrigerator. The USDA says that it will last for 10 days, but I have found that it lasts longer than that. Use your best judgement.
FREEZE: There are freezer safe jam containers that can be used to store your jam in the freezer. Again, the USDA says it will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months but I have found that it does last longer. Again, use your best judgement.
Fruit is frozen at peak freshness, so yes, you can make jam using frozen fruit. Just thaw completely and then add it in the pot with the sugar and lemon juice.
Whether you are making peach jam or strawberry jam, mix your chopped fruit start with sugar and let it sit and macerate to release its natural juices. This maceration process strengthens the fruit’s natural pectin, making a delicious jam using the minimum amount of sugar and not needing to add additional pectin.
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Homemade No Pectin Peach Jam
Ingredients
- 5 large fresh peaches
- 2 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon juice and zest
Instructions
- Peel, pit and chop the peaches. You need about 6 cups of chopped fruit.
- In a large 4-quart pot combine chopped peaches, sugar and lemon juice and zest.
- Let peach mixture sit for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Over medium heat, bring peach mixture to boil slowly, stirring often to prevent sticking. Reduce temperature to medium-low if peach mixture is about to boil out of your pot.
- Cook until thickened, approximately 1 hour.
- Use a potato masher to break down the bigger chunks of peaches. If you want a smoother jam, use a hand blender and blend everything in the pot.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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!
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Looks great!!
Jams are such a great way of reliving fruit flavors.. Glad you mascerated the peaches before jamming.. It indeed is a healthier way to make it!