Peach Preserves

4.31 from 26 votes

This super simple, three ingredient, homemade peach preserves (aka peach jam) recipe is one of the tastiest ways to enjoy peaches all year round. No pectin needed.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Additional Time12

Total Time12 45

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: old fashioned peach jam, peach jam, peach preserves

Servings: half pints

Author: Lisa Bass

Equipment

1 water bath canner or a large pot

Ingredients

8 pounds peaches
3 cups sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Cinnamon optional

Instructions

In a large pot, fill with water and place over high heat.
Wash peaches.
Using a knife, add a cross to the bottom of them.
Once it has come to a boil, add in peaches and boil for about 30 seconds.
Move peaches to an ice water bath, then peel.
Slice peaches at least in half to remove the pits, then place back into a pot over low-medium heat.
Smash with a spoon, potato masher, or use an immersion blender.
Add sugar and lemon juice and stir well.
Simmer until the desired thickness is achieved.
Stir in cinnamon to taste, if desired.

Canning Peach Jam

Wash and clean jars, lids, and rings with hot soapy water. Set aside. Place jars in warm water until ready to fill.
Fill jars using a funnel, leaving 1/4″ head space.
Wipe the rims clean using a damp, clean rag.
Center lid onto the jar and secure the ring to finger tip tightness.
Gently place the jars into the water bath canner and turn heat on high, covered.
Once the canner has come to a full, rolling boil, start the timer to 10 minutes, cover with lid, and allow the canner to work its magic.
When the timer is up, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Using the jar lifter, lift jars out carefully and place on a towel on the counter. Leave for 12-24 hours without touching. You may hear the jars start popping as they seal. It is okay if you do not hear any popping either.
Once the 12-24 hours are up, check the seals. If they are sealed, clean the outside of the jars and label.

Notes

If you want a smooth jam, use an immersion blender. You can also use a regular blender, but an immersion blender is much easier.
For old-fashioned peach preserves, you can just mash the peaches with a potato masher, which will leave it a little chunky and rustic.
You can make instant pot peach jam after blanching and peeling the peaches by placing the ingredients in the instant pot. Set to high pressure for one minute. Allow it to release naturally for about 10 minutes. Then remove the lid and turn on the sauté function, allowing it to simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally.
Did you know that all jam can be freezer jam? Make peach freezer jam by just placing the jam in the freezer after making it, rather than canning it.
I like to add a little cinnamon to this recipe as it really complements the peaches. It also makes the jam a lot darker in color, which is why you will notice the difference in the photos of the batches. Some had cinnamon and others did not.

Canning Safety Tips

Consult an elevation chart and increase the processing time for elevations above 1,000 feet.
Make sure all of your jars, lids, and bands have been washed thoroughly with hot soapy water.
For water bath canning recipes that process 10 minutes or longer, you do not need to sterilize the jars ahead of time.
To ensure your jars don’t break, you want to make sure the water in the canner and the jars are around the same temperature when adding the filled jars to the water bath. So if you are adding hot jam to the jars, you want your jars to be warm before filling. Place them in the water bath to warm up the water before filling.
Make sure not to start the timer until the water has come to a full boil.

Nutrition