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This Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade tastes like a delicious explosion of sunshine and takes less than 45 minutes to make!
The skies are gray here in western North Carolina today and there's a cold, gusty wind swaying the barren trees covering the mountainsides. It's the time of year here when vistas are visible in 360-degree panoramas, unshielded by the vibrant foliage of other seasons. There's a unique, simple beauty, but it can seem stark and monochrome-ish at times. So for me, it's the perfect time to stir up a bit of my own cheery sunshine by making a batch of this delicious (and easy) Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade.
What are Meyer lemons?
Meyer lemons are a cross between lemon (or citron) and mandarin oranges and are native to China. They have the same shape as regular lemons, but their skin is smoother, thinner and has more shine. Because of the thinner skins, Meyer lemons are more perishable than regular lemons. Their color is also a little different too, being more gold in hue than the classic lemon yellow.
Meyer lemons are a sweet lemon variety and can actually be enjoyed on their own in contrast to the sour lemon flavor that most of us are used to. Meyer lemons and regular lemons can be used pretty much interchangeably in desserts, but in most savory dishes, the sourness of a classic lemon is more desirable.
It used to be difficult to find Meyer lemons but they've become more and more popular (and available) over the past 5-10 years. Most larger grocery stores carry Meyer lemons and I've seen them this year at Walmart, Trader Joe's and Aldi.
In contrast to regular lemons that are available all year long, the Meyer lemon season is much shorter, generally December through May. So it's time to enjoy them right now. But you can also preserve the wonderful flavor of Meyer lemons by making a batch this Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade!
45-minute sunshine
I call this Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade my "45-minute sunshine" because that's how long it will take to stir up a batch of this delicious, cheerful condiment. The best part? It tastes like "a delicious explosion of sunshine" when it hits your mouth!
How does it work? First of all, gather together your supplies. You'll need 4-5 Meyer lemons, 2 navel oranges, sugar, a packet of powdered pectin (I use SureJell) and some clean jars with tight-fitting lids. You can find powdered pectin at most larger grocery stores, usually in the same area as canning jars and food storage supplies.
It also helps to have a small zester, like the one pictured below. These are wonderful for use in zesting citrus fruit as they make it easy to remove just the colored part of the peel and not the white part (the pith) underneath. The colored part of citrus peels is delicious and full of flavor while the pith is bitter (and also unattractive). I love the fact that this zester removes the zest in small slivers rather than big chunks.
This type of zester can be purchased at kitchen stores or big box stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond and also online.
Once you've removed the zest from both the Meyer lemons and the navel oranges, it's time to cut up the fruit itself. Cut off any remaining peel with a sharp knife and dice the lemons and oranges into small pieces, discarding any seeds and white membrane, as you go.
Combine the zest, fruit and sugar in a large pot and bring this mixture to a boil. It will just need one minute of boiling to dissolve the sugar and then it's time to add the pectin. In a small pot combine ¾ cup water and the powdered pectin and also bring this to a boil. Again, boil for a full minute then remove from heat and add this to the citrus mixture. Stir, stir, stir for 3 minutes and all that's left is to pour your beautiful liquid sunshine into the waiting jars.
Because citrus fruit has lots of its own natural pectin, you see the marmalade starting to thicken as you're transferring it to the jars. As the jam cools and spends a little stint on the counter, you'll notice it will thicken to a nice jammy consistency.
That's it, except for standing back and admiring your handiwork. I love seeing the beautiful-hued jars all lined up on my counter and you will too! Allow the marmalade to sit at room temperature for 20-24 hours, then refrigerate (or freeze for longer storage).
Ways to use this Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade
- Delicious on toast, English muffins, biscuits, dinner rolls and scones. We love it on slices of this Ridiculously Easy Brioche Bread toasted and buttered!
- It makes a wonderful, very gourmet peanut butter and jelly.
- Serve it on a cheese and cracker tray for a splash of sunshine.
- Spoon it over warmed Brie with some crusty bread or some of these Copycat Raincoast Crackers on the side.
- Spoon it over Greek yogurt and serve with homemade granola.
- Spoon in over ice cream and serve with shortbread cookies.
- Use it as a filling for layer cakes
- Use it as a glaze for salmon, chicken, pork...
- Combine a couple of spoonfuls of marmalade and a splash of both rice vinegar and soy sauce and use it as a dipping sauce for eggrolls, chicken tenders, Chinese dumplings, etc.
Dress it up a bit!
I make lots of jams, jellies and marmalades. Sometimes it's hard to determine what kind it is when I go into the freezer to pull out a jar. I've learned to add a little label to each jar that's either glued to the lid or one that slips under the band of the jar lid. These labels are also really nice when you want to give a jar as a gift. If you make this jam and would like a printable PDF for the labels, feel free to leave a comment below. I'll send you both sizes.
Café Tips for making this Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade
- Measure carefully. Jam and jelly making is an exact science and altering the measurement can cause problems with the setting, making the consistency too thin or too thick.
- I love these pretty Italian jelly jars. They come in two sizes, 5-ounce and 8½-ounce. They would make a lovely gift!
If you want to make this Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade and you don't have the small zester mentioned above, you can also use a vegetable peeler to shave off the colored part of the peel of both the lemons and oranges. Then use a sharp knife to cut the pieces of zest into small slivers.
- This is a refrigerator or freezer jam. It's not shelf-stable as you do not use a hot water bath when canning it. It will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for 3-5 months. If you give this as a gift, tell the recipient to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Navel oranges don't have any seeds, but Meyer lemons do. After removing the peel, I find the easiest way to cut up the fruit is like this: cut the fruit in half from top to bottom, then remove the inner white core with a v-shaped cut. Most of the seeds will come with it or will be exposed so they're easy to remove. Then I cut each half in half again (lengthwise) and slide my knife along the peel to remove the fruit.
- You might be wondering why there's a little pat of butter added to the jam before it boils. It helps diminish the foam that can form on the top, but doesn't affect the jam in any other way.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.
- 1 cup whole raspberries
- 4 medium Meyer lemons 5 if they're small
- 2 medium navel oranges
- 4 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ¾ cup water
- 1.75- ounce box powdered fruit pectin I use SURE-JELL
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Wash glass jars and lids with hot water or run through the dishwasher. Dry thoroughly. (You'll end up with about 5 cups of marmalade, so the number of jars you'll need will depend on what size they are.)
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Place the raspberries in a medium-size bowl and crush them with the back of a spoon or a potato masher.
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Remove colored zest (just the colored part, not the white pith) from the lemons and oranges, using a small zester (see note in post above).Transfer the zest to the bowl with the raspberries.
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Cut the remaining peel off of the lemons and oranges and coarsely chop the fruit into small pieces, discarding any seeds and the white core and reserving any juice. Transfer the fruit and juice to the bowl with the raspberries and zest. Stir to combine.
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Transfer exactly 2 cups of the fruit mixture to a large pot. If you don’t have quite enough, add a bit of water or orange juice to make exactly 2 cups. If you have extra, discard (or use for something else) any remaining fruit mixture.
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Add the sugar and butter to the pot and stir until well mixed. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir frequently until the mixture comes to a full rolling boil (a boil that you can’t stir down). Set a timer for 30 seconds and boil, stirring continuously. After 30 seconds, remove from heat.
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Add ¾ cup water to a small saucepan. Sprinkle in pectin and stir until dissolved. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring continually. Add the hot pectin to the fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes. (Don't cheat on the 3 minutes!)
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Transfer marmalade to prepared containers immediately and fill to within ½ inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers and immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature for 20-24 hours to complete the setting.
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Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator before using it.
See Café Tips above in post for further instructions and more detailed tips.
Makes about 5 cups of jam.
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Jane says
This sounds so delicious that I must try it. Please send me the labels to have ready when I start my hunt for Meyer lemons - don't live in lemon country!
Chris Scheuer says
Sending them your way, Jane!
K says
I’m eager to try this as the other jam recipes of yours are delicious! I’d love to have the pdf for the labels for gift giving. Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, K!
Marie Garcia says
Good morning Chris,
Our Meyer lemon bush is simply loaded with fruit so I am going to make easy lemon curd and your raspberry lemon marmalade. I would love to receive the pdf for labels!
Also, your recipe for Italian braised beef stew was a huge hit with our family and friends during the holiday season! All of your recipes are wonderful so thank you for sharing your talents!
God bless,
Marie
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad, Marie! Thanks for letting us know! We will send the labels your way.
Jeannie Hafer says
I don't know if I can find Meyer lemons but just in case, please send me the pdf for the labels. Thanks ever so much.
Chris Scheuer says
Sending the labels your way, Jeannie!
Megan O says
I made this jam today, it was easy and fun! Turned out great (you can see pics on my Instagram @sageyoku).
Some hopefully-helpful notes:
I followed the recipe exactly, used 4oz Ball jars, and ended up with approx 11 jars (that's 5 cups plus a little extra).
If you decide to water bath can this recipe, **highly recommend that you do NOT use the tsp of butter.**
Water canning is NOT enough heat to keep butter from going rancid and potentially developing botulism.
I omitted the butter and water canned ten of the jars so they can be given as gifts or shipped to relatives.
Here in Florida, Meyer lemons are about the same size as navel oranges.
I used two orange-sized lemons for this recipe, counting each lemon as two "medium-sized lemons". That seems to have worked well, the lemon flavor is very forward and the color is similar to what is pictured in the recipe.
The marmalade is setting now but it looks great and when licking the spoon I really liked what I tasted! Sweet-tart and lovely. Thank you for a beautiful recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your review, Megan! I know others will find it helpful.
Megan O says
Hi! I live in Florida and have three Meyer lemons that are the size and shape of navel oranges. In your estimation, how many do you think would work for this recipe? All three, or perhaps a little less than that? Any advice appreciated. Thank you!
Ginger Diagostine says
I have a bounty of Meyer lemons to use - this recipe looks perfect! I would love the PDF for the labels, please! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Ginger!
Jo Litchfield says
Hi Chris, I enjoyed your marmalade so much this weekend. Our Meyer lemon tree has outdone itself. please send the pdf of the labels. Thank you, Jo
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Jo! We will send the labels.
Patti says
Looking forward to making this jam to use as gifts. Please send the pretty labels. I’m excited to try this new to me recipe.
😊 thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Patti!
Kay Koll says
Please send me the labels for Raspberry Meyer Lemon Marmalade
Chris Scheuer says
Sending them your way, Kay!
Patricia Streeter says
Can’t wait to process. Just found Meyer lemons. Please email labels
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Patricia!
Nancy says
I can't wait to try this recipe. If you send me the labels, they will be amazing to look at. Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Nancy!
Kate says
Love this so much! If you could send over the label PDF that would be amazing. Such a great treat to share with friends and family.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Kate! We will send the labels your way!
Shelley says
I was given a jar of this amazing marmalade complete with your beautiful label. I was so happy to find the recipe when a I googled it. Please May I have a copy of the pdf too. I am looking forward to making it next raspberry season.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Shelley! We will send the labels your way!
Laura says
I haven’t made this, but someone gave me a jar that they made and it was amazing! I added it to some plain sheep yogurt and used it as a dip for fruit at a party and everyone raves bout it! I plan to make this, would you please send me the labels? Also, if I do boil the jars of jam to make it shelf stable, will it ruin the jam?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Laura, I haven't personally canned this marmalade with a hot water bath but it should be fine. Other readers have reported doing it with good success. You may lose some of the brightness of the color in the process but the flavor will still be great!
Kaye Gross says
After starting my grocery list for your Overnight Raspberry Freezer Jam, I found this recipe which will be a great use for the Meyer lemons from my trees. Can't wait to try it. Too, will you please send me the PDF for the label for this jam? I can see lots of "jamming" in my near future!
Kaye
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Kaye! Enjoy!
Elaine says
The Christmas marmalade that I made was out of this world delicious. I think it’s my all-time favorite jam. I gave a jar to my neighbor and she said her husband fell in love with it, too. She asked for the recipe which I gladly gave her as long as she gave me a jar of her batch . . . which I have already devoured. My next venture is this raspberry Meyer lemon marmalade. Please send me the labels so I can share the joy.
Chris Scheuer says
That's great to hear, Elaine! We will send the labels your way.
Monique von Scheven says
I have two Meyer lemon trees and an abundance of lemons. Making this today and starting a batch of limoncello. I'd love the pdf for the labels!
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Lucky you! We will send the labels your way, Monique!
Anna C says
Do you have a meyer lemon marmalade recipe without the raspberries? My tree is just loaded with lemons so I would like to try making with and without raspberries. Can you also email me the pdf labels? I've made your blood orange marmalade before and it's as delicious as it is beautiful.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Anna, I don't have a plain meyer lemon marmalade but that is a wonderful idea! I will put that on my docket!
Leann says
Chris, thanks for sharing ... marmalades are a favorite in our home. While you mentioned the brioche bread, could you please tell me which seeded bread slice is pictured with this marmalade? Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
I think this was a loaf from the store, Leann. We do have these recipes you could try if you are looking for a seeded bread recipe- https://thecafesucrefarine.com/no-knead-seeded-oatmeal-bread/
https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-seeded-focaccia/
Leann K says
Oh ... my ... sweet tart goodness! Made this marmalade yesterday and it definitely brought sunshine in January. Recipe was easy and brought a sense of 'winter calm' as I went through each step. Enjoyed it on a toasted slice of seeded loaf from Trader Joes and look forward to Monday morning with yogurt & homemade granola. Today, I am driving up to Denver for a visit with dental hygiene friends and a jar of marmalade with a wheel of brie will be my hostess gift. Thanks for sharing, Chris!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Leann!
Carol Solari says
I love this recipe...have so many meyer lemon trees this is a great way to use them...Love your recipes btw!!!
Can you send over the labels?
Thank you,
Carol S.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Carol! We will send the labels!
Ruthie Simpson says
I made the first batch of Marmalade today, using Meyer Lemons from our own tree. Came out great but I need to practice to get it down to 45 minutes prep time. Please send .pdf labels ()both sizes) so I can share with friends and family and make them look specials. Thanks Ruthie
Chris Scheuer says
Sending the labels your way, Ruthie!
Kathryn Gearheard says
Bless you and (is it?) your daughter-in-law for these sweet labels. May I have copy of this pdf? Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
It is! You are welcome, Kathryn! Sending the labels your way 🙂
Jane says
Please send me the label file. I cannot wait to make these beauties!!!
Thank you so much. I know they will be delish.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Jane!
Susan says
I have Meyer lemons in my greenhouse and just bought raspberries. This will make lovely springtime gifts! Thank you so much for the recipe, always on the lookout for lemon recipes!
Would you please send me a label pdf? Thanks again!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Susan! Enjoy!
Susan says
Made the marmalade today and it is delicious! I ended up with 5, 6 ounce jars and a custard cup for tasting. Delicious over cheese! Thank you for the pdf file too, it makes the crowning touch!
Best wishes to you,
Susan
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for letting us know, Susan!