Easy Peach Freezer Jam (with or without vanilla beans)

Name: Easy Peach Freezer Jam (with or without vanilla beans)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients: 3 cups peeled and diced; 1½ cups granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla bean paste; ½ cup water; 2 boxes

User Reviews

5.0

6 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
7 cups
Calories
30 kcal
Course
Condiments
Cuisine
American

Easy Peach Freezer Jam (with or without vanilla beans)

Iris Warren

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This quick & easy, no-fail Peach Freezer Jam recipe is stuffed with fresh, juicy peaches. Add vanilla beans if desired for an extra special treat!

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Ingredients

Servings

3 cups peeled and diced ¼" or smaller fresh, ripe peaches (from 4 to 5 medium to large peaches)
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon good quality vanilla bean paste or the seeds from half of a large plump vanilla bean
½ cup water
2 boxes 1.75 ounces each SURE-JELL "original" fruit pectin

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Instructions

Wash 7 half-pint (1 cup) jars and lids with hot water and dish soap. Rinse and dry thoroughly, and then set aside.
Add exactly 3 cups of diced peaches to a large microwave-safe bowl. Remove 1 cup of the diced peaches to a smaller bowl and use a potato masher to crush the peaches into smaller bits. Add crushed peaches back to the large bowl of peaches.
Add sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste to bowl of peaches and stir continuously for 1 minute.
Place the bowl in the microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and stir continuously for 1 minute. Repeat by microwaving for 2 minutes and stirring for 1 minute. Each time you do this, the sugar will dissolve more and more. Taste test to see if the sugar has dissolved. If it is only slightly grainy, you're ready for the next step. If it's still pretty grainy, microwave for another 2 minutes and stir for 1 minute. This process will not cook the peaches, only help to dissolve the sugar. You'll notice the mixture change in appearance from cloudy (from the sugar granules) to translucent once the sugar dissolves.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, stir together water and pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 full minute, adjusting the heat if necessary so it doesn't boil over. Then immediately add all or part of the pectin mixture to the peach mixture - be sure to read the Pectin Quantity note below! Stir continuously for 3 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. If a few sugar crystals remain, barely detectable, that's ok.
Fill jars to within 1/2'' of their tops. With a damp paper towel, wipe off the top edges of each jar and cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Because this jam does not go through the full canning process, it must be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes

Pectin Quantity: If your peaches are the juiciest peaches ever, add all or most of the hot pectin mixture to the peach mixture. If you like a firm set, use all of the pectin. If you like a bit looser jam, hold out some of the pectin. For the jam in my photos, the peaches were about an "8.5" out of "10" on the juicy peach scale - and I removed and discarded about 1/3 cup of the pectin mixture, and added the rest of the pectin mixture to the peaches. This gave me a loose yet slightly firm set, just how I like my jam. If your peaches aren't quite as juicy and you like a looser set, definitely do not use all of the pectin!
Storage: Refrigerator for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw frozen jars of jam in the refrigerator before using.
See more tips for peach freezer jam in the post.