Y’all, this might just be the easiest—and tastiest—jam you’ll ever make. No boiling jars, no special equipment, no fuss. It’s not like old-school canning at all. Since you don’t cook the fruit, you get to keep all that fresh, bright flavor.
I’ve knocked out five 8-ounce jars in under an hour before, and that even includes the taste-testing!
And the flavor? It’s downright amazing. Honestly, I think I like this even more than traditional canned jam. You really get that sweet, juicy peach flavor in every single bite.
You need to use freezer-safe jars that will allow for the cold temps and the expansion of the freezing jam, since the freezing part is what preserves it. Simply look at the packaging at the store and make sure it says “freezer-safe.”
In general, for freezer jam, it’s best to use straight-sided jars. Jars with shoulders (the curved part near the top) can crack when the jam expands during freezing, since there’s nowhere for it to go. Straight-edge jars allow room for expansion and help prevent breakage. You can use freezer-safe glass jars, but many folks prefer plastic freezer containers since they’re lightweight, stack easily, and aren’t at risk of shattering. Look for options labeled specifically for freezer use. Ball and Kerr both make great ones.
What is freezer jam?
Freezer jam is a simple, no-fuss way to preserve fresh fruit without all the traditional canning steps. That means no boiling jars, no special equipment, and definitely no water bath canners taking over your kitchen.
Instead, it’s a quick stir-together method that lets the fresh peach flavor shine. Once everything’s mixed and poured into jars, you just let it sit at room temperature for about 24 hours to set, and then pop it in the freezer. That’s it! You get all the goodness of homemade jam with a fraction of the effort.
Can I use instant pectin instead?
I don’t really recommend it. And, I have my reasons… Originally, this recipe did use instant pectin. However, that ingredient kept producing varying results. I wanted to make sure that when you used my recipe, you could trust that you were going to get the same thing you see in my photos.
So, after some testing, I decided to update this recipe with a more consistent method for preparing freezer jam that produces better results. This method, and the use of regular fruit pectin, adds a step but produces great jam every single time. Keep in mind, though, freezer jam doesn’t firm up quite like traditional jam. It will be thinner, but still spreadable.
Peach Freezer Jam
- In a small saucepan, stir the water and pectin together. Place over high heat, stirring constantly – the pectin might be lumpy at this point. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Stir constantly. Remove from heat.
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Add the pectin mixture to the peach and sugar mixture and stir for about 3 minutes – or until all of the sugar is completely dissolved. A few sugar crystals are ok, but you don’t want it to be grainy.
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Spoon the jam into 6 clean pint-size freezer-safe jars or containers with tight fitting lids ensuring you leave about 1/2 inch of space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer. Loosely cover the jars. Allow them to sit at room temperature for 24 hours to set. Seal tight. Store the jam in the refrigerator or the freezer. The jam will last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks and in the freezer for about a year.
Makes 6 (8-ounce) jars.
You can use any freezer-safe jar in any size for this – the number of containers you’ll need will vary by the size of the container. There are some really great plastic freezer jars available or you can use standard jelly jars with lids and bands like I did. If you don’t think you’ll go through 8 ounces of jelly in 3 weeks, just use the smaller 4 ounce jars and keep the rest in the freezer.
Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.002g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 31IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.1mg
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
