• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me

Beyond The Chicken Coop logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact Me
×
Home » Jam

Published: Jul 20, 2016 · Modified: Mar 12, 2021 by Kathy

Apricot Jam

Jump to Recipe

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.

A small blue bowl filled with apricot jam.

Homemade Apricot Jam made with only fresh apricots, lemon juice and sugar. No pectin needed to make this delicious apricot jam.

A blue bowl filled with homemade apricot jam.

I visited the Peach Man again. Remember when I brought home peaches and made Old Fashioned Peach Ice Cream? This time I brought home a box of apricots.

Do you know how many apricots are in a box of apricots? 892 apricots! I'm kidding... I have no idea how many are in a box, but there are a ton of apricots inside one box. The Peach Man's words to me as he handed me the box was, these apricots are ripe, use them up quickly!

How do you eat a whole box in just a couple of days? You don't! You quickly get to work and make apricot dishes! Apricot jam is one of our favorites so I made several batches of apricot jam.

Fresh Apricots on a white board.

I make and can a lot of different kinds of jams. When possible, I often make jam without added pectin. There's nothing wrong with commercial pectin, but you have to use an exact amount of sugar in order for your jam to set up. It's usually a huge amount of sugar. I often want to use less sugar so I make jam without added pectin.

There are a few drawbacks: You have to cook the jam longer than with added pectin. It's a bit more difficult to make certain your jam sets up just right. Some fruits lose their vibrant color with the extra cooking time.

My Tips for Making Jam:

  • Always use fresh, quality fruit. Discard soft, bruised or blemished fruit. If it's a small blemish, I just cut off that part and use the rest.
  • Always wash and sterilize jars before using.
  • Stir often to avoid scorching.
  • Test your jam by using a candy thermometer or by using the sheeting test. 
  • Process all jam jars in a hot water bath for the recommended amount of time and adjust processing time for your altitude.
  • After processing, let jars cool undisturbed. Don't be tempted to test the seals yet!
  • After 24 hours, remove rings, wash and dry jars (they will often be sticky) and check seals.
  • Label type of jam and date.
  • Store in a dark pantry.
  • Enjoy!

If you are new to canning using a hot water bath, you might want to read Water Bath Canning.

Fresh apricots cut in half with the pits showing.

Equipment needed for making apricot jam

  • Canning Jars
  • Canning Utensils
  • Thermometer
  • Large Pot

A few other jam recipes I make are Strawberry Jam, Blackberry Jam, Rhubarb Jam and Plum Jam.

A great way to use jam is in this Oatmeal Bar Recipe or in these Apricot Bars. It's also delicious in Apricot Chicken!

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my delicious canning recipes!

  • Homemade Canned Cranberry Sauce in glass canning jars.
    How to Can Cranberry Sauce
  • Strawberry rhubarb jam spread on a piece of toast.
    Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
  • Canning jars filled with food on a shelf.
    Episode 44 Canning Jars
  • Pouring turkey broth into a stock pot.
    How to make Turkey Stock
A small turquoise bowl filled with apricot jam.

Apricot Jam

Kathy Berget
Homemade Apricot Jam
4.95 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 5 pint jars
Calories 30 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups
  • Canning Jar Lifter
  • Canning Jars 8 ounce
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 cups pitted and chopped apricots
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 5 ½ cups sugar

Instructions
 

  • Place apricots, lemon juice and sugar in a large pot.
  • Turn over medium high heat. Stir often at the beginning until the mixture becomes really liquidy.
  • Continue cooking until mixture comes to a rapid boil
  • Continue boiling for approximately 20-25 minutes.
  • Boil until jam is set (220 degrees at sea level and -2 degrees for every 1000 feet above sea level.. 1000 feet 218°). 
  • Transfer hot jam into sterilized jam jars (half pint size) leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe top of jar clean. Add canning lid and ring. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude - see notes below)

Notes

  • If you don't have a candy thermometer, test jam by doing the sheeting test (see description in post)
  • Makes 10 half-pint jars or 5 pint jars
  • Always adjust processing times for your elevation: 
  • 1,001- 3,000 ft. - add 5 minutes
  • 3,001- 6,000 ft. - add 10 minutes
  • 6,001- 8,000 ft. - add 15 minutes
  • 8,001-10,000 ft. - add 20 minutes
 

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TablespoonCalories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 149IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

 

More Jam

  • An English muffin covered with peach jam.
    Peach Preserves
  • Toasted English muffin topped with raspberry jam.
    Raspberry Jam without Pectin
  • A glass jar filled with homemade rhubarb jam.
    Rhubarb Jam
  • An english muffin topped with chunky strawberry jam.
    Small Batch Strawberry Jam

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karen says

    June 13, 2023 at 10:50 am

    5 stars
    I have always loved to cook and bake but at the age of 63 never have made jam! I made your Rhubarb Jam a few days ago now making apricot, I have thoroughly enjoyed the process! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 13, 2023 at 2:52 pm

      Hooray for you!!! I love that you're willing to try new adventures! Let me know how the apricot jam turns out!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sandra Godfrey says

    July 26, 2021 at 2:25 pm

    You've inspired me to make apricot jam without much sugar and no pectin this time. My apricots are ripe and delicious.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 27, 2021 at 5:59 am

      Wonderful!!! Enjoy and let me know how it turns out!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  3. Sue says

    July 25, 2021 at 5:15 pm

    Does it take a few days to setup? I ran short on fresh lemon juice so supplemented with bottled. Hope that is ok? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 25, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Sue,
      Bottled lemon juice is fine. If the jam was still runny while cooking and you did the temperature test or the sheeting test, you should be fine. Otherwise it needs to cook longer.
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  4. Bev says

    June 10, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    Did you blanch and peel apricots first?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 10, 2017 at 2:52 pm

      Hi Bev, I did not blanch and peel first. I just halved and pitted the apricots and then chopped them up. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Bev says

        June 12, 2017 at 3:31 pm

        Thanks so much! Starting today! Picked two huge bins and my tree doesn't even look like we made a dent.:)

      • Kathy says

        June 12, 2017 at 5:30 pm

        Lucky you! I wish apricots could grow here! Good luck with the jam! 🙂

  5. Amanda says

    July 22, 2016 at 7:30 am

    Getting a huge box of fruit like that is so fun. Like Christmas come early! And I can't think of a better way to use it. I want to put this apricot jam all over my Greek yogurt in the morning.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 24, 2016 at 6:34 pm

      Over yogurt is a great idea! I will need to try that with a bit of granola!

      Reply
  6. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    July 21, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    Hahahahaha! 892 apricots is a lot! Too bad I'm not your neighbor or I'd gladly take 165.2 of them off your hands. 😉 Love that you decided to make jam with your fresh and ripe surplus of apricots! Your jam looks absolutely perfect, Kathy! Love your tips too! I've been meaning to make jam with some of summers produce, so this post came at the perfect time! Cheers, friend!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 24, 2016 at 6:34 pm

      Trust me...there were too many to count!

      Reply
  7. Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says

    July 21, 2016 at 11:26 am

    What a wonderful post, Kathy. I have a confession that I have never used fresh apricots — I have tasted only dried ones. I know that sounds weird. Everything you make looks so inviting and delicious! And this jam is no exception!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 24, 2016 at 6:35 pm

      I love dried apricots, but there's something amazing about the fresh ones too.

      Reply
  8. David @ Spiced says

    July 21, 2016 at 5:25 am

    Great tips about making jam...it's been so long since I've made fresh jam, and you've inspired me to do it again. 🙂 I'm guessing some of this apricot jam might be excellent spread between layers of chocolate cake! Yum!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 24, 2016 at 6:35 pm

      Oh my goodness....with chocolate cake! No you're talking 🙂

      Reply
  9. Ami@NaiveCookCooks says

    July 21, 2016 at 12:37 am

    This looks so yumm! I love apricots everything so this is my kind of jam!!

    Reply
  10. Kushi says

    July 20, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    5 stars
    Love how delicious this jam looks with just 3 ingredients. Thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
  11. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

    July 20, 2016 at 10:46 am

    That is our kind of jam! Just the fruit, some lemon and sugar. It looks divine! Perfect idea to use up a lot of apricots when you have a whole box 😉 .

    Reply
  12. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

    July 20, 2016 at 10:24 am

    My son Sean's favorite cookie is a Hungarian cookie called Kifli and it's usually filled with either walnuts or apricot jam! I'll need to make him some of this Kathy and send to him! He'll love it!

    Reply
  13. Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says

    July 20, 2016 at 8:01 am

    Hubby & I wouldn't be able to eat a whole box of apricots quickly either. Great idea making jam to use them up. Plus, you end up with delicious jam -score 🙂 ! Love that there's three ingredients in here. The simpler, the better! Pinning!

    Reply
  14. annie@ciaochowbambina.com says

    July 20, 2016 at 6:54 am

    5 stars
    This a great post, thank you! I've been thinking of making jam and you've provided the tools! Apricots always remind me of my kids when they were babies... I must have fed them a lot of apricot baby food...apricots with bananas, apricots with cherry... apricots with oatmeal...

    Reply
  15. Amanda says

    July 20, 2016 at 6:46 am

    4 stars
    Yum! This looks amazing and super easy with only a few ingredients. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂

    Reply
4.95 from 17 votes (13 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

The author holding a chicken.

I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

More about me →

Grilling Time

  • Skewered shrimp on a plate.
    Honey Lime Shrimp
  • Grilled ribs on a bed of lettuce.
    Smoked Baby Back Ribs
  • Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers on a white dinner plate.
    Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
  • Grilled chicken thighs on a white plate.
    Italian Dressing Chicken
  • Flatbread rounds on a brown paper bag.
    Grilled Flatbread
  • Grilled lemon chicken breast on a plate with baby potatoes and a green salad.
    Honey Lemon Chicken
  • A glass jar filled with an orange glaze with jalapenos.
    Jalapeno Apricot Sauce
  • A whole chicken on a can of beer on the grill.
    Beer Can Chicken on Grill

Popular Recipes

  • A single muffin topped with a crumbly topping on a plate.
    Banana Oatmeal Muffins
  • Breakfast sausage cooked in the oven.
    Breakfast Sausage in Oven
  • Crispy fish fillets topped with lemon wedges.
    Pan Fried Walleye
  • Gravy pouring over a pile of mashed potatoes.
    Homemade Brown Gravy
  • Crispy fish cakes on a white platter with lemon wedges.
    Fish Cakes
  • Pasta twirled around a fork and in a large white bowl.
    Garlic Butter Pasta

Cookbooks

Two cookbooks piled on a counter.

Featured In...

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

Footer

↑ back to top

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Disclosure Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 Beyond the Chicken Coop LLC ®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.