Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (2024)

Published: Updated: by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 23 Comments

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Sweet and tangy, this Plum Preserves is definitely a favorite among family and friends. It's fruity and chunky and perfect with creamy clotted cream and homemade sourdough toast. If you prefer the consistency of jam, you can blend it!

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (1)

I've always loved plum preserves. Especially since mom made the BEST plum preserves that I've ever had. Luckily, this plum preserves recipe is a close second! Don't be surprised if this recipe takes you back to your mom or grandmother's plum preserves!

This plum jam recipe makes enough for 7 to 8 half-pints of jam.

Jump to:
  • 🧐 Why This Recipe Works
  • 🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
  • 🔪 Helpful Tools
  • 🫙Canning Process
  • ⛰ Adjust Processing Time For Altitude
  • 🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
  • 👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips
  • 🍓Related Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🧐 Why This Recipe Works

  • If you have plums that don't have much flavor or overly ripe plums, don't toss them! They make excellent plum jam and preserve!
  • This plum jam recipe does not require any pectin because plums are high in natural pectin, yay!
  • Plum preserves makes a wonderful gift idea for family and friends!
  • If you prefer the consistency of jam, you can use an immersion blender to make it smooth!

🛒 What You Need For This Recipe

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (2)

🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Plums: I recommend using flavorful juicy plums for this recipe. Luckily, this recipe is also fantastic with less flavorful plums or overly ripe plums.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar
  • Citrus: I like to use a mixture of lemon and orange zest and juice in this recipe, but you can substitute one for the other if you need to. If you do decide to substitute lemon juice for the orange juice, use ¼ cup instead of ½ cup.
  • Optional: If you'd like to add spices to your plum jam, I recommend a touch of cinnamon.

*A full ingredients list can be found in the recipe card below!

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (3)

🍈 How to Make Plum Preserves & Jam

Note: Before you begin, add clean mason jars to a canner and cover with enough water to submerge the jars by at least a few inches. Do not include lids and collars. Bring water to a boil, then turn the heat down while working on the plum preserves.

Step 1: Wash, then chop plums into quarters or eighths, discard pits. Weigh chopped plums with a kitchen scale to equal 3 ½ pounds.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (4)

Step 2: Add plums to a large pot or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with sugar then add lemon and orange zest and juice.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (5)

Step 3: Heat the plum mixture over low flame until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (6)

Step 4: Bring plum jam to a rolling boil, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until thickened. Mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother, jam-like consistency.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (7)
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (8)

Pro Tip: Your jam can boil over very easily, so don't walk away from the pot. If it begins to boil over, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it recedes.

Step 5: The plum preserves may need to cook a few minutes longer, until plums are no longer opaque. You want them to be translucent!

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (9)
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (10)

Step 5: Skim the foam, as needed, then ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace, wipe the rims with a kitchen towel, add clean lids, and screw collars on hand tight.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (11)
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (12)

Pro Tip: If there's not enough jam to fill the 8th jar, store the jar in the fridge to consume first.

🫙Canning Process

Carefully lower filled jars into hot water. Bring to a boil, then process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes. See chart below to adjust time for altitude.

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (13)
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (14)

Pro Tip: Wait for the pings and make sure all jars seal before labelling and storing them!

⛰ Adjust Processing Time For Altitude

If you live 1000 feet or higher above sea level, you need to adjust the processing time for higher altitude! Follow the times listed below.

AltitudeAdditional Processing Time
1,001 — 3,000
3,001 — 6,000
6,001 — 8,000
8,001 — 10,000
5 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
20 minutes
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (15)

🤷🏻‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Can you use frozen plums to make jam?

Yes, you can use frozen plums to make plum jam or preserves. Rinse off any ice crystals that may have formed on them before using them.

Add the frozen plums into a Dutch oven along with the sugar until they defrost and continue on with the recipe. If you are going to freeze plums, it's best to slice them in quarters and remove the pit before freezing them.

Do you skin plums before making jam?

Although some prefer to remove the skin off of plums before using them in jam, it's really a matter of preference. The skin can add texture and additional fiber to the recipe.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Although some recipes call for peeling the plums, I prefer to leave the skin on. It's actually one of my favorite things about this recipe!
  • If you prefer to make your plum preserves without the skin, just blanch the plums for approximately 45 seconds after slicing an "X" on the bottom of each plum first. This helps when peeling the skin off the plums.
  • Remember that jam always thickens once it's refrigerated so do not overcook it!
  • To make plum jam, you can either use an immersion blender while the preserves is in the pot, or run the preserves through a food processor.
  • Plum jam is amazing over vanilla ice cream!
Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (16)

🍓Related Recipes

  • Favorite Mulberry Muffins Recipe
  • Strawberry Fig Preserves
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (no pectin)

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

Stay in touch with me through social media@ Instagram,Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

📖 Recipe

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (21)

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe

This plum preserves and jam recipe is sweet, tangy, and delicious! It's plum preserves, just like mom used to make!

4.85 from 53 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizers, Snacks

Cuisine: American, Assyrian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 56 servings

Calories: 54kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Equipment

  • 8 ½ pint mason jars

  • 1 canner

  • 1 Dutch oven

  • 1 potato masher (or immersion blender)

Ingredients

  • lbs. plums
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ¼ cup orange juice
  • ¼ cup lemon juice

Instructions

  • Before you begin, add clean mason jars to a canner and cover with enough water to submerge the jars by at least a few inches. Do not include lids and collars. Bring water to a boil, then turn the heat down while working on the plum preserves.

  • Wash, then chop plums into quarters or eighths, discard pits. Weigh chopped plums with akitchen scale to equal 3 ½ pounds.

  • Heat plum mixture over low flame until the sugar begins to dissolve, stirring occasionally.

  • Bring the plum jam to a rolling boil, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until thickened. Mash with a potato masher or use an immersion blender for a smoother, jam-like consistency.

  • The preserves may need to cook a few minutes longer, until plums are no longer opaque. You want them to be translucent!

  • Skim the surface to remove foam, as needed, then ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars. Leave ¼ inch headspace, wipe the rims with a kitchen towel, add clean lids, and screw collars on hand tight.

  • Carefully lower filled jars into hot water. Bring to a boil, then process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes. See chart in post to adjust time for altitude.

Notes

  • Your jam can boil over very easily, so don't walk away from the pot. If it begins to boil over, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it recedes.
  • If there's not enough jam to fill the 8th jar, store the jar in the fridge to consume first.
  • Wait for the pings and make sure all jars are sealed before labelling and storing them!
  • Although some recipes call for peeling the plums, I prefer to leave the skin on. It's actually one of my favorite things about this recipe!
  • If you prefer to make your plum preserves without the skin, just blanch the plums for approximately 45 seconds after slicing an "X" on the bottom of each plum first. This helps when peeling the skin off the plums.
  • Remember that jam always thickens once it's refrigerated so do not overcook it!
  • To make plum jam, you can either use an immersion blender while the preserves is in the pot, or run the preserves through a food processor.
  • Plum jam is amazing over vanilla ice cream!

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 13g

Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Thank you, Loreal! I'm glad you found it too!

      Reply

  1. Mary Chaplin says

    Hello Hilda
    I made plum preserves on Saturday. I followed your recipe. My plum preserves have not thickened to a jell consistency. What can I add to get the preserves to thicken? Or is it too late now that they are sealed in the jars?

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Hi Mary,
      Your preserves probably needed to be cooked longer. It's not too late to thicken it, but be sure it's to the thickness you prefer before you can it again. Just test a small amount in the fridge and see what the consistency is like before you can it!

      Reply

      • Mary says

        Thank you Hilda for responding. I sampled the preserves and it was very good. I put the preserves in the fridge after your response. It is still a little liquidy if that is a word.😊 Can I still thicken it? If so what do I do?
        Mary

      • Hilda Sterner says

        Hi Mary, Liquidy is in fact a word, haha. All you have to do is cook it longer until it's to the thickness you prefer.

      • Mary says

        Hilda do I open all the jars put the preserves back in the pot and stir until it thickens? Do I add more sugar or use pectin?

      • Hilda Sterner says

        Hi Mary, Yes, you would pour the jam back into the pot and cook it until it reduces to the consistency you want. But be careful, if you overcook it it could get ruined. I wouldn't add more sugar or pectin if it's almost to the consistency you want.

  2. Susan says

    Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (23)
    I too love plum jam and can’t wait to try this version. Plums have a lot of pectin and a lot of which is in the seeds too. For that reason, I always tie the seeds into a cheesecloth square and remove the square when the cooking is complete. A previous post mentioned using all ripe plums and wondered if that could have contributed to a set failure. Yes, it’s important to include some less ripe fruit when making jams without commercial pectin. Additionally, performing a cold plate test or using a candy thermometer will help you zone in on the perfect gel stage.

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Hi Susan, all great advice, thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply

  3. Laurel Sutton says

    Making your plum preserves tonight. Sounds yummy. Want to try blackberry jelly next. Do I need to use cheesecloth? Anything else that I could use that I wouldn’t have to buy? suggestions? Those seeds drive me nuts!

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Hi Laurel, It's funny you should ask. I'm not big fan of jelly and usually prefer chunkier jams/preserves. I did however make some chokecherry jelly today. I usually use soup bags, I love them and they're reusable. But if you don't want to spend money you can use a fine strainer or even a cotton napkin. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Laurel Sutton says

        I don’t know what a soup bag is but I’ll go buy some! LOL
        Thanks for your help!

  4. Dean Sockwell says

    I left the pits in and while it was simmering I scooped out the pits easily. There’s so much pulp lost if you pit ripe fruit.

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Great idea, how did it come out?

      Reply

      • Al Warner says

        Hmmm....I followed the recipe exactly but my jam did not jell. The plums were very ripe which I understand is all to the good for pectin but something has gone awry. Tastes great, though!

      • Hilda Sterner says

        Hi Al,
        The consistency will be different than jam and will be slightly looser (in other words preserves instead of jam, which has more of a jelled finish). However, it shouldn't be runny either. It does thicken upon cooling, so that may be an issue. If it's cooled off and not as thick as you'd like, you can continue to cook it a bit longer and cool some of it to see if it's at the right consistency. You just don't want to overcook or burn it. You can also add 1/2 of a pack of liquid pectin and boil it for one minute. That should thicken it right up. I hope that helps. I'm glad you at least like the flavor. You can always use it as a topping for ice cream, waffles, etc.

  5. Lisa Johnson says

    Can you use sugar substitute?
    My Husband is diabetic. Either Stevia orTruvia?

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      I'm sorry, I've only made this jam with sugar. Although there are sugar-free recipes for jam, I can't guarantee the results. You can attempt it if you'd like or just look for a sugar-free jam recipe instead.Good luck!

      Reply

  6. Faith Foust says

    Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (24)
    Just made a 1/2 batch as that's all the plums I had but am going out tomorrow to buy more. This is the easiest recipe and SO delicious. I love it when I don't need to use pectin. Can't wait to have more jars to give as gifts.

    Reply

    • Hilda Sterner says

      Thanks, Faith. I love this recipe too. I used lemon last time because I didn't have oranges. It's a little on the sour side, but still delicious.

      Reply

  7. Sarah says

    What do you do with it after you can it? I just made 13 quarts. Lol.

    Reply

    • HildaSterner says

      Haha,eat it, ship it to family and friends, give it as gifts, stocking stuffers 😉, sell at craft shows, farmer's markets... shall I continue?

      Reply

Plum Preserves & Jam Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken plum preserves? ›

Add pectin.

Whisk a tablespoon of powdered pectin (preferably the no-sugar-needed variety) into the pot of cooking jam. Test for thickness and add another tablespoon if needed. Learn More About Pectin: What's the Deal with Pectin?

What is the ratio of fruit to sugar for preserves? ›

Many classic preserve recipes call for equal amounts of fruit and sugar. However, I prefer a blend of 60 percent fruit and 40 percent sugar, by weight. A 60/40 blend includes enough sugar to preserve the fruit and aid in the jelling process, but allows the flavor of the fruit to come to the fore.

Can plums be too ripe for jam? ›

This jam can be made with plums of any ripeness as long as they are not gone rancid. Very ripe and squishy plums can be used, as can under ripe and harder plums. Under ripe or barely ripe plums do tend to have more pectin in them which helps the jam to set.

Why didn't my plum jam set? ›

The natural pectin in fruits and vegetables thickens jams. If there isn't enough pectin in the fruit itself and you don't add extra pectin, the result is runny jelly or jam. Additionally, if the fruit is overripe, its pectin levels are lower.

Will adding more sugar thicken jam? ›

Since pectin is activated by sugar, it requires using a considerable amount of sugar to activate the pectin and set (i.e. thicken) your jam. If you try to cut back on the sugar, it won't set properly.

Does lemon juice thicken jam? ›

Lemon is crucial to balancing those sweet flavors, but it also helps the pectin to firm up the jam. It can be added at the start of the cooking process or towards the end, but what must be taken into account is that adding liquids to the jam mixture will inevitably require the jam to cook for longer.

What fruit makes the best preserves? ›

1. Fruits that are high in natural pectin and acid.

Some examples of the fruits that are high in natural pectin and acid are apples, oranges, melons, cherries, currants, grapes, raspberries. While the opposites are peaches, strawberries, peach, pineapple, grapefruit, pears, blueberries, papaya.

Does the amount of sugar matter when making jam? ›

Simply lowering the sugar content of your old recipes will usually not produce an acceptable reduced-sugar jellied product. The amount of sugar required for proper gelling is dependent on the concentration of pectin in the natural fruit or in the commercial pectin added to your recipes.

How many cups of sugar per cup of fruit for jam? ›

Tips for the best homemade jam:

Jam makers suggest no more than 1 cup of sugar for each cup of fruit, or you won't be able to taste the fruit. Marisa McClellan's (from Food in Jars) favorite ratio is two parts fruit to one-part sugar.

How do you reduce tartness in plum jam? ›

If it is too tart for your tastes, add up to a ¼ cup more sugar.

Do you have to pit plums when making jam? ›

If you're using a loose-stone variety of plum, you can simply cut them around the equator, twist the halves apart, and discard the pits. But for clingstone varieties, like these elephant heart plums, it's easiest to cut the pit out with a knife.

Why is my plum jam sour? ›

Too much sour fruit.

Traditional jam needs a combination of sweet, ripe fruit along with a small amount of underripe fruit for acidity. Too much underripe fruit will set up or overcook quickly.

How do you know when plum jam is ready? ›

Watch the way the jam drips.

If the jam runs right off the spoon and looks thin and runny, it's not done yet. However, if it forms thick droplets that hang heavily off the bowl of the utensil, but don't immediately fall off, it is either nearing completion or is done.

How do you thicken homemade plum jam? ›

For every 4 cups of jam that needs to be remade, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon powdered pectin. Pour the jam into a low, wide pan and add the sugar and pectin combo. Stir until the sugar and pectin has dissolved.

What is the best plum for jam? ›

European plums, aka prune plums, are mainly grown to be turned into dried plums. Their thick skins, high sugar content, and dense flesh make them ideal for drying, and best for baking and jam-making.

How do you thicken runny plum sauce? ›

Cornstarch or arrowroot

Arrowroot and cornstarch are gluten-free alternatives to thickening with flour. They'll also keep your sauce clear and cloud-free. You'll need about 1 tablespoon for every cup of liquid in the recipe.

Will preserves thicken as they cool? ›

Yes, jam will be quite runny when it's hot, and then will thicken and set as it cools. Sometimes it can take 24-48 hours for the pectin to fully set.

How do you thicken preserves without pectin? ›

If you aren't using pectin as a thickener, the sugar as well as the cornstarch slurry will work to thicken quite well. Feel free to add more for an even thicker jam.

How much cornstarch to thicken preserves? ›

Dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch for every cup of syrup in a small amount of cold water to make a slurry. Reduce heat and drizzle the mixture into the jam pot, stirring constantly. Gently simmer for 30 seconds, remove from heat, bottle and cool. Store in the refrigerator.

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