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–+ servings
A bowl of cranberry orange jam with containers of toast and other ingredients on the side.
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Homemade Cranberry Orange Jam (No Pectin!)

You can easily make Cranberry Orange Jam right at home! With ingredients you can pronounce, and a few minutes on the stove, this batch of homemade preserves is perfect for the holiday season!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Sauces
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 ounce jar
Calories: 37kcal
Author: Shani W.

Equipment

  • Large Bowl (for cleaning the berries)
  • Pot
  • Microplane
  • Citrus Squeezer
  • Silicone Spoon
  • Candy Thermometer
  • Mason Jar (for storage)

Ingredients
  

  • 16 ounces cranberries (fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 count orange (zest and juice)
  • water (optional - may not need)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground ginger

Instructions

  • If using fresh cranberries, soak in a mixture of cold water and a little apple cider vinegar for about 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse again with cold water.
  • Drain once more, and set aside.
  • Add the berries, sugar, and the zest of an orange to a pot.
  • Squeeze the juice of the orange and measure. If needed, add water to get your liquid to reach ½ cup (118 mL).
    Add the orange juice to the pot with cinnamon and ground ginger.
  • Cook on medium heat until it begins to boil, stirring frequently.
  • Continue cooking for about 15 - 20 minutes. While the pot is boiling, smash some of the larger berries against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon.
  • Your jam should reach 220℉ (use a candy thermometer to test).
    See the recipe notes for another test if you don’t have a candy thermometer!
  • Add the hot cranberry preserves to a mason jar or heat-safe container and let it cool completely.
  • Once the preserves are cooled, seal, and store in the fridge.
  • Serve on biscuits, toast, pancakes, or anything else you can think of. Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe yields about 475g of jam, or roughly 16 ounces. 
Tips & Tricks:
A candy thermometer is the easiest way to tell if your preserves are done - you want the temperature to reach 220℉.
If you do not have a candy thermometer:
  1. Set a plate in the freezer for about one minute. 
  2. Drop a quarter-sized amount of the hot preserves onto the plate and put back in the freezer for another minute.
  3. If you can run your finger through and it wrinkles up (aka, the preserves don't quickly fill the path you made with your finger), your preserves are ready!
Storage Instructions:
Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounce | Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg