This holiday cranberry jam recipe is the perfect quick and easy recipe! It tastes equally delicious spread on toast or with your Thanksgiving turkey.
Cranberry Jam
This cranberry jam is simple to make and completely delicious. It’s made with fresh cranberries and honeycrisp apples. I love that it’s not overly sweetened with sugar, so you get a lovely sweet tart flavor from the cranberries that’s balanced so well with the flavor of the apple.
I decided to season it with ground cinnamon, which adds a delicious warming flavor. Even after it rests in the fridge it still has that classic spiced cranberry holiday flavor.
Cranberry jelly is the perfect quick homemade holiday food gift because it’s the easiest jam recipe ever. You can definitely double or triple this recipe to make a big batch, then divide it into individual jars and share it with all of your family and friends.
Ingredients
Cranberries: Cranberries are the perfect fruit to try making homemade jam with because it’s so incredibly easy! They naturally have so much pectin that they basically do all the work for you.
Apple: Honeycrisp apples add the perfect amount of natural sweetness to this jam. They also make the consistency really lovely – it’s somewhere between the consistency of cranberry sauce and apple butter.
Sugar: Cranberries are very tart, so they need a sweetener to balance them out. Regular white granulated sugar is the perfect addition to get the sweet tart flavor profile.
Water: You need to add a liquid to make the jam thin enough to be spreadable. I prefer water, but orange juice is also amazing. You could either swap all the water for orange juice (in this case I’d skip the ground cinnamon), or do a combination of orange juice and water. If you really love the orange flavor, you could also add a bit of orange zest.
Cinnamon: I love the warming flavor of ground cinnamon in this jam. It’s an aromatic spice that really adds a lovely holiday taste. You could also simmer a cinnamon stick with the jam instead of adding the ground cinnamon – either way will taste delicious.
How To Make Cranberry Jam
Start by adding all of the ingredients to a saucepan, then mix everything together. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Bring the ingredients to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and place the lid on the saucepan at an angle (to let some heat escape). Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all of the cranberries have burst and the apples are tender.
Use an immersion blender to blend the jam to your preferred consistency. Transfer the jam to a lidded container or jar and let it cool completely before storing it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
What’s The Difference Between Cranberry Sauce And Cranberry Jam?
They’re very similar and can likely be used interchangeably in most recipes. The main differences are that cranberry jam might include additional fruits (like apple, pear, pineapple, strawberry, or blueberry), and that cranberry jam is normally cooked longer and blended.
What Do You Eat Cranberry Jam With?
I love to have this holiday cranberry jam recipe spread over buttered toasted bread. It’s also delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches, with your Thanksgiving turkey, or as a ham glaze. If you love sweet tart flavors, it’s also great on top of vanilla ice cream!
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I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Cranberry Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our cranberry recipes! Some reader favorites are:
Holiday Recipes
Be sure to check out all of our wonderful Christmas recipes and Thanksgiving recipes while you’re here! Some of my favorites are:
- Chocolate Pie
- Fantasy Fudge
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Turkey Gravy without Drippings
- Boneless Turkey Breast Roast
- Turkey Tenderloin
- Copycat Honey Baked Ham
BEST Cranberry Jam Recipe
This holiday cranberry jam is the perfect quick and easy recipe! It tastes equally delicious spread on toast or with your Thanksgiving turkey
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 large honeycrisp apple (peel, cored, and diced; about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- To a medium lidded saucepan, add all of the ingredients. Mix the ingredients together, then turn the heat to medium and bring it to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low (setting 2). Cover the saucepan with a lid, but keep the lid at an angle to let some of the heat escape. Simmer, while stirring occasionally, until all the cranberries have burst and the jam has started to thicken (about 40 minutes).
- Once all the cranberries have burst and the apples are soft, use an immersion blender to blend the jam until your desired consistency is reached (you can either blend the jam until it’s totally smooth or leave some chunks of fruit, depending on your preference). Transfer the jam to a lidded jar or container and let it cool completely. Once cooled, cover it and place it in the refrigerator.
- Store in the fridge and enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/16Amount Per Serving: Calories: 35Carbohydrates: 8.9gFiber: 0.6gSugar: 7.6gProtein: 0.1g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Spiced cranberry jam is packed full of holiday flavor! It’s the perfect easy jam to make in the winter months.
1 thought on “Cranberry Jam Recipe”
I made this and LOVE IT!! Next time I’ll double it! Great on an herb bagel with cream cheese!