Easy Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe (with fresh apricots)

Take your breakfast, dinner or dessert to the next level with our  homemade apricot jam recipe. With easy-to-follow steps, handy tips and versatile serving suggestions, you’ll relish the chance to create your very own fresh fruit preserve.  

Fresh fruit caramelized with a heaping of white sugar and a light vanilla flavor to finish, what’s not to love? Homemade jam is the perfect topping on toast, a bowl of oats or  yogurt at breakfast. It’s unbeatable with desserts like a slice of soft sponge or a scoop of ice cream. And, although it’s naughty, you can’t deny that jam tastes sublime straight off a metal spoon. However you prefer to enjoy your delicious jam, now you can make it at home with our simple apricot jam recipe.  

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love Our Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe
• Sterilizing Your Jam Jars
• Ingredients
• Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe
• How to Store Your Homemade Jam  
• Serving Suggestions for our Apricot Jam Recipe
• Other Apricot Jam Flavor Combos
• Easy Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe (with fresh apricots)

Why You’ll Love Our Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe

• Simple Ingredients - Our apricot jam recipe needs just four ingredients that you can find  at your local store. The hardest part will be getting your hands on four pounds of fruit.  
• Fundamental Techniques - Once you know how to make this homemade apricot jam  recipe, you can use the same method for any and all kinds of fresh fruit.  
• Long Shelf Life - When stored in a cool, dry place, apricot jam has a surprisingly long  shelf life. If kept correctly, it’ll even last you into next year.  
• High Yield - With our apricot jam recipe, you’ll have four jars of the stuff. If you don’t  think you’ll get through it all yourself, why not give a jar of apricot jam to your family,  friends or neighbors?

Sterilizing Your Jam Jars

To ensure your delicious jam lasts for as long as possible, we recommend that you sterilize your jars. Clean jars prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mold. Thankfully, it is an easy process to sterilize your jam jars while you follow our apricot jam recipe. Here are a few methods to choose from:  

• Oven Method - Wash jars in hot soapy water and rinse well. Place your empty jars on a baking tray with their lids placed next to them. Make sure your oven is cold when you put the jars in. Turn the  heat up to 110C/225F. Leave them to bake for 30 minutes before allowing them to cool slightly before you fill them with apricot jam. 
• Boiling Water Bath Method - Take a large pot and place jars right-side-up  inside the pot. Pour in warm water until the top of the jars are completely submerged. Then, pop the pot onto the heat and bring the water to the boil. Boil the jars for 10 minutes, before removing with tongs and setting to drain upside-down on a clean rag. Once they’re empty, turn them over and leave them to air-dry for a few minutes. Don’t forget to pop your lids into the boiling water for 20 seconds afterwards! 
• Microwave Method - This method is suitable for jars that hold up to 450p/1Ib of jam. All  you need to do is fill the jars halfway with water and microwave on full power for 1 minute. Make sure the water has boiled before you take them out and use oven gloves as they will be hot! Then, swirl the hot water around the jar, pour it out and drain the jars top down on a clean rag. Once they’re empty, you can turn them right-side-up to dry.  
• Dishwasher Method - Finally, the easiest way to sterilize your jars, just pop them and  their lids (separately) into the dishwasher. Then, run it so it washes your jars with your  preferred detergent. Make sure your dishwasher has a drying setting to dry the jars out  afterwards.  
• Make sure to time your chosen method with the apricot jam recipe as best you can, or, repeat your sterilizing method once your jam is almost ready. 

Ingredients

• Ripe apricots 
• Sugar 
• Vanilla paste
• Lemon juice

See the recipe card for quantities.

Homemade Apricot Jam Recipe

Day 1

Prepare the apricots

• Wash and dry apricots. 
• Cut apricots in half, remove and discard stones. 
• In a large bowl, combine the halved apricots, sugar and vanilla paste.
• Cover the bowl with a lid or cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Day 2

The next day, the apricots will have exuded some of their juices and dissolved most of the sugar. 

• Put apricot and sugar mixture into a large stainless steel pot or Dutch oven (enamel coated cast iron pot) and bring to  a boil over medium-high heat.  
• When the apricot mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 - 30  minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the apricot jam doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

Chef’s Note: While the apricot jam is simmering, you may notice froth/scum accumulating on the surface. Use a large slotted spoon to skim the surface now and  again to remove as much of this scum as possible. Be careful not to remove too much of  the sugar syrup the fruit is cooking in.

• While the jam is simmering, prepare and sterilize your jars.  
• After simmering for 25 - 30 minutes, check the jam. If the apricots are cooked down,  but some pieces are still retaining their shape and the sugar syrup is thick and glossy, test  the jam to see if it’s ready. (If not, keep simmering on low for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point the jam can stick to the bottom and burn very quickly,  so keep a firm eye on it.)

There are a few methods to check the setting point (gel stage) of a jam:

• Sugar thermometer. Stir the apricot jam, dip the thermometer in boiling water,  then place in the jam. Move the thermometer around in the jam without it touching the  base of the pot. Jam reaches the setting point at 105°C (220°F).  

If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, you can also test for setting point using one of the following methods: 

• Wrinkle test: Place a saucer in the freezer for a couple of minutes. Remove the jam  from the heat and spoon a little on the chilled saucer. Leave to cool for a minute, then  push the jam with your fingertip; the top should be set and wrinkled. If it wrinkles only  slightly, return the jam to the heat and cook for another 2 minutes, then test again.  

• Flake test: Coat a metal spoon in the jam, allow it to cool for a few seconds, then hold  the spoon horizontally. Give the spoon a shake, the jam is ready if it runs off the side of  the spoon in one flat flake.  

• When the apricot jam has reached the setting point, stir in the lemon juice and turn off the heat.  Leave to cool in the pot for 5 - 10 minutes.  
• Stir the jam and spoon it into warm sterilized jars. Leave about 0.5cm (1⁄4-inch) of  headspace at the top. Wipe rims of jars with a clean damp cloth. Use a knife or a skewer  to remove any air bubbles in the jam. Seal the jam with tight-fitting screw top lids and  allow it to cool completely before labeling.  

How to Store Your Homemade Jam  

To make sure your apricot jam stays delicious for as long as possible, it’s important to  store it correctly.  

• After you’ve filled your jars with hot jam and screwed their lids on, pop them into a  cool dry, dark place. Apricot jam can last from 6-12 months unopened.  
• Once you’ve opened your jam, store in refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Serving Suggestions for our Apricot Jam Recipe

The beauty of this classic recipe is that it pairs well with both sweet and savory options.  For example, a dollop of jam on top of a buttery scone makes for a comforting afternoon tea snack, (with a cup of tea of course). If you’re feeling extra indulgent, add a spoonful of whipped cream too.  

Or, why not try adding your apricot jam to a savory sauce and serving over top of duck  breast or roast chicken? Paired with seasonal herbs or tangy mustard, apricot jam’s sticky sweetness really gets to shine. 

Other Apricot Jam Flavor Combos

While vanilla extract will give your fresh apricot jam a touch of sophisticated sweetness,  here are some of our other favorite flavor combos you can try out.  

• Culinary grade dried Lavender - A light and vernal addition to any fruit preserve, lavender  pairs particularly well with seasonal apricots. Its delicate floral notes still allow the fruity flavors  to take center stage.  
• Almond extract - Simultaneously nutty yet sweet, aromatic yet comforting, almond  extract enhances the flavor of apricot jam, giving the finished product a well-balanced  depth and complexity. 

Alcohol Pairings for Apricot Jam

If you’re enjoying your homemade apricot jam as part of a cheese board or on top of  dessert, you’ll need some complementary alcohol to take the evening to the next level.  Here are our favorites:

• Amaretto - If you haven’t got almond extract as a substitution for the apricot jam recipe, you can still add some fragrant flavor to your jam by pairing it with amaretto.  
• Bourbon - The caramel sweetness of bourbon is the perfect complement to the natural sweetness of homemade apricot jam.  
• Brandy - A glass of brandy will enhance the fruity flavor of apricot jam, while adding its own mature and complex taste.  
• Orange Liqueur - Double-down on your apricot jam’s citrusy tang with some warming orange liqueur.  

And there you have it - now you know how to make a delicious fruit preserve with our  easy apricot jam recipe. Don’t forget to let us know how it goes or pop your questions in  the comments below!

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The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.