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Capture the delicious taste of fresh cherries and enjoy it all year long! This Sweet Cherry Freezer Jam is super easy, and there are no canning skills needed! It will even transform the humble PB&J to an epicurean delight!
Every year, when the cherry season comes around, I find myself eating my weight in this delicious, crimson fruit. The season is so fleeting, I want to fully savor it. I love to make cobblers, ice cream, sorbets, pies, cakes, focaccia (delicious!) and… Sweet Cherry Freezer Jam!
If you’re in the grocery store and you see something like this…
…stop dead in your tracks and fill up a BIG bag of these fabulous red jewels. By next week, they’ll probably be much more expensive! It’s cherry time right now, and the local markets have displays piled high – but it won’t last long.
It dawned on me one day, while I was nibbling on a handful of perfectly ripe cherries, that I could capture the delicious, summery flavor and enjoy it all through the year by making cherry freezer jam!
What’s the difference between freezer jam and traditional cooked jam?
- Freezer jam isn’t (or is barely) cooked and comes together very quickly. Traditional jam takes longer to make, as there is cooking time involved.
- Freezer jam is stored in the freezer in lieu of canning.
- Freezer jam uses less sugar than conventional cooked jam, as it’s not needed as a preservative, just as a sweetener.
- You can use any kind of container for storage instead of the glass jars that are necessary for conventional jam.
I’m a huge fan of freezer jam because it’s a wonderful way to preserve the delicious flavors of summer fruit without the fuss, heat, equipment, and time that canned jams require. And because it’s barely cooked, it retains the beautiful color of the fresh fruit. If you compare the a batch of freezer jam and traditional jam made with the same variety of fruit, you’ll be shocked at the vibrant hue of the freezer jam vs. the cooked jam!
A little kitchen workhorse
When working with cherries, it does help immensely to have a cherry pitter. I picked up this one by OXO several years ago, and honestly, it’s worth it’s weight in gold. I pitted all the cherries for this jam in less than 5 minutes.
After removing the small pits, I gave them just a few pulses in the food processor, but a knife or a chopper would work as well. Just make sure not to pulse or chop them too fine. You want nice bits of fruit in the finished jam.
A problem with freezer jam
One last thing about freezer jam. One of the main drawbacks to freezer jam is that, because it’s not cooked, it can be difficult to completely dissolve the sugar which gives the jam a “grainy/sugary” texture. With a bit of trial and error, I figured out that a short stint in the microwave will totally eliminate the problem, and yet the flavor is still fresh and the jam retains it’s beautiful hue.
So, go ahead, take 30 minutes today for a delicious summer taste sensation you can enjoy all year long! You’ll be thanking yourself when the cold winds blow and your having this wonderful jam on toast, biscuits, bagels, hard rolls, yogurt…
Café Tips for making this Sweet Cherry Freezer Jam
- Pectin, a thickening agent is necessary for making freezer jam. Most fruits actually contain some of their own pectin, but not enough to give a good consistency. Pectin can be purchased either in powder or liquid form. In this Sweet Cherry Freezer Jam, I used the powdered version. Pectin can be quite expensive but, with experimentation, I learned that generic versions work as well as the big name brands and are usually much less expensive. Although this recipe calls for Sure-Jell, I have also had great results with the Kroger brand, as well as other generic pectins.
- Don’t substitute one type of pectin for the other. The powdered and liquid versions call for different proportions of sugar and fruit.
- Even if you’ve never made jam before and don’t feel like one of those old-fashioned super cooks, I promise, you can do this! You really can; and your family/friends will be quite thrilled with you. A pat on the back just might be in order too!
- If you don’t have a ton of freezer space, freezer jam can be prepared and poured into quart-size ziplock bags. Squeeze out the air, seal the bags and stack them flat in the freezer. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw then empty the contents of the bag into a jam/jelly jar.
- If you buy new jars for making jam, save the box that the jars are packaged in. It’s a perfect, compact place to store your jam in the freezer and you don’t end up with jars going missing in the freezer.
- How to pit cherries? Use a cherry pitter! It will make the job so… much easier! I find that the best place to do it is right in my kitchen sink. Put two bowls in the sink, one for the stones and one for the pitted cherries. There will be a little splatter with each cherry and it will be confined to the sink.
- There are lots of recipes in which you can be a little sloppy when measuring ingredients and still have success. I’m the queen of that! DON’T do it with jam! Jam is an exact science. Measure very carefully and level your measuring cups at the top. Don’t skimp or overdo the amount of any of the ingredients called for.
- 1-1/2-2 pounds fully ripe red sweet cherries you'll need 2 cups pitted and chopped cherries
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 ¼ cups sugar measured into separate bowl
- ¾ cup water
- 1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin (1.75-ounces) see notes above in post
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Start with clean dry plastic containers or glass jars.
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Stem and pit cherries. I love using this cherry pitter. Coarsely chop fruit with a sharp knife or chopper. You can also give a few pulses in the food processor - not too many though, you want chunks of fruit in your jam. Measure exactly 2 cups of cherries into large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in lemon juice and sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.
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Place bowl in microwave and cook on high power for 3 minutes. Remove and stir. Most of the sugar should be dissolved. Taste the jam. If it still has a grainy texture, return to microwave for another minute or two.
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Combine water and pectin in small saucepan and stir till pectin is dissolved. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 minutes.
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Fill prepared containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers and cover with lids right away. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to one year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.
This recipe makes 5 cups of jam.
Lori Henton says
This was so easy, but very sweet! I can’t wait to try it tomorrow after it sets. Looking forward to trying your other freezer jam recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Lori! Yes cherries do make a sweet jam but it’s so good on toast, biscuits, bagels, etc. Especially in the winter, when good fresh fruit seems so far away!
Nancy says
I loved this recipe. It worked out just fine. I will definitely make this again. thank you again. We got sweet dark cherries near Traverse City, Mi. So sweet and delicious. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Nancy, so happy you enjoyed it!
Ruth says
You’re lucky Nancy. In Grand Rapids, all I can find it Washington sweet cherries and they’re no sweet this year. Bummer.
Mike says
Hi, I just wandered where you found this recipe for sweet cherrys all my ball and canning books also the sure jell recipe. None list sweet cherrys only sour cherrys just curious thanks Mike
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mike,
I know, I had the same problem. There were only recipes for sour cherries. You can’t get those where I live, so I decided to just try a recipe with the sweet cherries. And it worked!!
Mike says
Sounds good, going to try it today, let you know how it turns out, thanks
Mike says
Well made one batch to try, jelled good, not sure about the after taste, I used dark sweet cherrys -independent brand co. Not sure where grown, but it has a funny aftertaste I can’t tell what it is, little bitter, but it’s very seeet jelly, blended the cherrys in bullet just to good consistence with lots a pieces, used regular surejelly in box, not sure where the taste is cning from, almost like a bitter pit of the cherry , but I got a potter like you show here, maybe I missed one or two, and got blended in, we’ll try one more time just hand chopping, let you know what happens
Chris Scheuer says
Hmmm, that’s so strange. I’ve never encountered that problem with freezer jam as it’s just fresh fruit and sugar. The SureJell doesn’t add any flavor.
Pam Winskill says
Hi
Jam looks lovely and I will be making it!
Have you tried this recipe with xylitol? It’s used in exactly the same proportions as sugar for diabetics in baking etc (low GI) and I wondered if it would work for freezer jam as it’s not a traditional preservative.
Chris Scheuer says
I’m not really sure about using it Pam. I’ve never worked with it before. If you try it, let us know how it works.
Gayann ONeal says
I tried this several days ago…never made jam before….it turned out very well! I had to microwave for about 6 minutes to disolve the sugar,but I was patient and voila! Jam!!!
I made the recipe with red charries, but the Rainier cherries went on sale, so I will be making my second batch ! I was wondering if I could decrease the sugar to 3 1/2 cups instead of 4 1/2 cups….it was very sweet, but it IS jam,right? Thanks for the great recipe,Chris…I so enjoy your blog!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gayann,
Bravo to you!! I told you that you could do it!! 🙂
Don’t decrease the sugar as you won’t get the same results, as far as the proper consistency. HOWEVER, there is a low-sugar pectin you can purchase. It’s specially made to use less sugar. Just follow the directions for the cherry jam on the package.
Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Gayann O'Neal says
Chris, just made my second batch with a mix of Rainier and Red cherries…made it according to directions and did not decrease sugar….the only problem with this recipe is I cannot seem to stop making jam!!!!!
Chris Scheuer says
That’s awesome Gayann, I bet that mixed jam is a beautiful color!! I’m not sure if I bought Ranier cherries that they would make it to jam though, they’re so… good!!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
I just froze my sour cherries and now I guess I must get sweet ones to make jam. I hate having to worry about temperatures so this is perfect and cherries are my fave. Thanks for this Chris!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
I could just stare at this all day! Such beautiful jam and yes, cherries are plentiful and inexpensive right now, so I need to get at it!
cheri says
Hi Chris, gorgeous color, cherry anything is my favorite, love this jam!
Robyn Gleason says
Oh my goodness, Chris, these photos are stunning. Cherry season is so short and I want to make the most of it. I’m positively craving this jam now and I picked up some cherries at the farm yesterday so I know what I’ll be doing this weekend.
Have a good one!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
Cherry has always been one of my favorites – and this must be the best way to enjoy them! Mouthwateringly gorgeous!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
I’m all about sweet cherries right now, I’ve got a cherry butter recipe coming up on the blog and I’m going to make your jam next!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I have that same OXO cherry pitter Chris! I LOVE it! Makes life so much easier. I’ll definitely need to give this recipe a try. I love cherry jam!
Gin says
Hi there, I am from Canada and was wondering how much powdered pectin to use. We don’t have that brand here. The recipe sounds so good and it is cherry season here now! 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gin,
The Sure-Jell is 1.75 ounces or 49g. Hope you enjoy it!
Susan says
Cherry jam is my very favorite and one I usually buy to put on toast or an English Muffin. I’d love to try making some myself!
Liz says
Freezer jam is just my style! And thanks for the microwave tip—I can do this!!! xo
Mel says
I’ve used the reduced sugar pectin for years with great success. The sugar is only reduced by1/4 to 1/3 but every bit helps and I think the taste of the fruit comes out with less sugar.
I also was going to comment on the price of your cherries as Von did 3 years ago I noticed the picture of the ad said “Northwest” cherries. Assume that might be from here in eastern Washington which is big in cherry growing, almost up there with our apples. ….but I can’t ever remember seeing Rainiers for less than $4.95 a pound, ever, even buying them at the source, ie. ‘farm stands’ at the edge of the orchards.
Chris Scheuer says
That’s great to know about the reduced sugar pectin Mel. Thanks!
That’s so funny about the price of cherries. We actually live on the East coast in NC and I just bought a big bag of Raniers for 2.49/pound! Maybe it’s kind of like “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown”…
We used to live in Wisconsin “the dairy state” and milk was often more expensive there than any where in the country!
Madonna says
Love all your freezer jams. They retain their fresh flavor as opposed to the cooked version.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Madonna! I remember you being a fan of the strawberry freezer jam 🙂
Ginny Hartzler says
This jam looks like gorgeous jewels! Rubies in a jar! Does Scott work in photography? Phil also likes the Ranier Cherries. We load up on all the different kinds when they are in season….which is so short.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ginny! Thanks, it does look quite jewel-like!
Scottworks in photography now with the blog but it wasn’t his line of work. He’s always been photography buff though and did teach it years ago. I love his artistic eye. I could probably learn photography if I had to, but would never be able to capture the shots he does. I just don’t see the way he does, definitely a gift from God!!
Royce says
I’ve never made jam before but you have inspired me and given me the pep talk that I can do it. Live in Washington state so cherries are everywhere this time of year. Thanks for the recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! You lucky thing, living in Washington state! You definitely can do this and you will LOVE it! 🙂
Irene Campbell says
This recipe seems to use the powdered pectin. would the liquid certo work as well. that’s all I have
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Irene, you can’t really interchange the powder and the liquid pectins. The proportions would be different. If you just have the liquid, follow the directions on the package if there’s a recipe for Cherry Freezer Jam – and you should be fine.
Katie says
Can i use original pectin or freezer jam pectin?
Chris Scheuer says
Katie, If I used any other pectin, I would make it with the proportions that they specify. Jam making with pectin is an exact science, so the right amounts of everything are critical.
Sherilyn says
If I use Lower Sugar Recipes Sure Jell, can I reduce the amount of sugar?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, but follow the directions on the Lower Sugar Sure Jell instead of these.
Anna says
Wow! I just loved it. can I use raspberries ?
Thanks for the recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Anna,
The proportion will be different. Just follow the directions on the pectin label as far as amounts. I did just make a really good raspberry jam that is also delicious. It is cooked a bit but comes out really pretty and doesn’t need pectin. Here is the link: http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2016/06/old-fashioned-raspberry-preserves/
sandy says
I just made these with a bag of cherries I got at the grocery store and it looks amazing!!!! I can’t wait to make a peanut butter sandwich with cherry jam. I usually get my cherry jam at the amish farmer’s market but this will carry me thru the winter months and remind me of warmer sunny days. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Holly says
Have you ever tried cutting the sugar in half? This looks awesome going to try tomorrow.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Holly,
Don’t try to cut the sugar in this recipe. Jam making is an exact science and you won’t have good results if you tamper with the proportions. There is however a lower sugar pectin that you can purchase. I haven’t used it but it’s supposed to greatly reduce the amount of sugar. http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/surejell-for-less-no-sugar-needed-recipes-strawberry-freezer-jam-50994.aspx
We love jam but don’t really eat a ton of it so I figure the amount of sugar that’s in a teaspoon or two on our toast is not going to hurt us 🙂 If you’re concerned though about sugar I would definitely check out the low-sugar pectin option.
Have fun making jam!