Ridiculously Easy Apple Jam Recipe
Apple jam
This apple jam was quite a surprise for me as I had never had it before I made it. And the fact that I got a lovely taste of jam right from the first attempt has excited me even more.
It was all because my lovely neighbor shared her harvest produce, and I ended up with loads of green Bramley apples in my kitchen.
I tried making apple cake, cupcakes, apple raspberry crumble, and apple blackberry crumble with those apples, but I couldn’t use them all up.
So when my sister-in-law suggested making apple jam, I tried it.
I’m glad I did it. Because it was so simple and easy. Yet, it resulted in such a delightful conserve that I decided to share the recipe here.
And if you’re unsure if apple jam is worth trying to make yourself, let me reassure you that it is.
Not only does it taste so good and is easy to make, but it is also relatively healthy compared to other shop-bought jams. As you have more control over how much sugar you put in the apple jam.
The recipe I’m sharing with you here is very straightforward. It doesn’t use pectin or any other gelling agent that is usually used for jams, jellies, or conserves.
The thickness of the jam comes naturally from the apples. Therefore, you can taste apples 100%. So no additives at all.
Ways to enjoy apple jam
Needless to say, the number one way to enjoy the jam is to have it on a piece of toast for breakfast.
But many things can go with the apple jam on pancakes, waffles, muffins, croissants, crispbreads, cheese crackers, cheese slices, or cake slices. It also makes a good dipping for your breadsticks.
The choice is almost endless really.
I even use this apple jam to fill my apple cupcakes, and they taste more delicious because of the jam.
Main ingredients for the jam
Apples
I suggest the green Bramley apples or Granny Smith apples for this recipe. And before you start cooking your jam, you would want to try a piece of your apples first. So you’ll know how sour your apple jam will be. Hence, you can always adjust the sugar to get the right sweetness according to your taste.
Sugar
If your apples are quite sour, you will need one cup of granulated sugar, approximately 200 grams/ 7 oz. But of course, you can always reduce or add more. This recipe is very forgiving.
I’d say you put half a cup of sugar first. Then, after the grated apples turn into almost caramelized pulp, you can try and taste it to decide whether you would like more sweetness in it or not.
Spices
Cinnamon has always been the favorite spice for apples. And I can’t argue with that as the cinnamon gives the fruit a delicious fragrance.
However, I also think a little bit of anise seed mixed with cinnamon increases the aroma even more.
I used the powder form of spices for this recipe. So that I will have more control over how strong the aroma of the spice of my apple jam will be, you can add the spices little by little as you mix and stir your apple pulp.
Salt
A little bit of salt can enhance the flavor of your cooking, whatever it is you make.
How to make the apple jam
There is nothing complicated at all about making this apple jam from scratch. All you have to do is put all the ingredients in a large pot and cook it at medium-high heat with the lid on.
But do take care and keep an eye on it. Keep stirring every now and again.
Your grated apple will become a runny pulp and become a caramelized jam.
Once the pulp starts caramelizing, you can turn the heat down. But you may have to keep stirring even more to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
It took about an hour to make this jam. And it can be less if you leave the heat at medium-high all the way through.
The best way to store the jam
Just like any other homemade jam, the life of this homemade apple jam is about 6 months if you store it in a fridge/ refrigerator. It is not as long as the shop-bought jams because it doesn’t have any preservatives at all.
The only form of preservative is the sugar content in the jam, which is not a lot.
Before storing and keeping your jam, you also want to ensure your jam jars are sterilized. There are three ways to sterilize the cans at home:
- Boiling method. Wash your jars with soapy water and rinse. Put your clean jars in a pot and cover it with hot water. Let the water reboil. Leave it to boil for about 10-15 minutes after the water reaches boiling point again and steaming. Take the jars out and dry them with a kitchen towel. Fill the jars with the jam while they and the apple jams are hot.
- Using the oven. Wash and rinse your jars. While wet, arrange them on a baking tray and put the tray in a preheated oven at 160°-180°C for 15 minutes. Fill the jars with the jams or preserves while both jars and jams are hot.
- In the microwave. Wash the jars and rinse them. Pop them in a microwave while wet for 35-45 seconds on high (1000 watts). Pat them dry with a kitchen towel and fill them with jams/ preserves while both jars and jams are hot.
As for the lid and the lid rubber ring, you can sterilize them by boiling them in hot boiling water for about 3-5 minutes.
More Apple Recipes
Thank you for reading this apple jam recipe. I hope you’re now intrigued to try making it. When you do try, please let me know what you think of it in the comments below.
Before you go, don’t forget to check my other recipes that you may like too.
Thank you and all the best.
Apple jam
- Apple corer
- Peeler
- Grater
- Cooking pan
- Wooden spoon
- 2.2 pounds Bramley apples or Granny Smith apples.
- 1 cup granulated sugar.
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder.
- ¼ teaspoon anise seed powder optional.
- Peel, core and grate the apples.
- In a cooking pot, put the grated apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and anise seed powder (if using). Give it a stir and cook it at medium-high heat with a lid on. Take care and keep checking every now and again. You may have to give it a mix every so often, to prevent the apples from getting burned at the bottom of the pan.
- You may want to turn the heat to low once the liquid evaporates and the apple pulp becomes thick. Continue cooking and stirring until you get a dark caramelized apple jam.
- You can use either cooking apples like Bramley or eating apples such as granny smith.
- The longer you cook, the more liquid evaporates. Hence, the thicker your jam will be.
Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.
This reminds me of apple butter. So delicious!!