Easy Homemade Refrigerator Peach Jam: Fresh, Simple & Delicious

There’s nothing quite like the taste of homemade jam, especially when it captures the vibrant essence of summer’s bounty. This quick and incredibly easy Peach Jam Recipe comes together in mere minutes, yielding a delightful batch of perfect refrigerator jam. Unlike traditional canning methods that require extensive processing for long-term shelf stability, this recipe focuses on freshness and convenience. While it’s not designed for processing for a year-long pantry staple, I find that’s rarely an issue because this flavorful jam is so irresistibly delicious, it’s usually devoured long before its refrigerator lifespan is up. Get ready to transform ripe, juicy peaches into a golden, sweet spread that will brighten up any meal.

This post was first published June 5, 2019, and was last updated July 26, 2023.

This simple peach jam is incredibly versatile and quickly becomes a kitchen staple. I absolutely adore swirling it into creamy homemade ice cream or decadent cheesecakes, adding a burst of fruity flavor that makes them feel extra special. But its uses don’t stop there! It’s equally fantastic spread generously on your morning toast, mixed into a bowl of creamy yogurt, or even drizzled over pancakes and waffles. With just a few ripe peaches, some granulated sugar, and the bright juice of one fresh lemon, you have everything you need to create this impressive and incredibly flavorful refrigerator peach jam. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly extraordinary.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and detailed instructions.

Ingredients for Your Easy Peach Jam

One of the many charms of this quick refrigerator peach jam recipe is its minimalist approach to ingredients. You only need three essential components for success, making it an accessible project for even novice cooks. This jam shares a quality similar to a peach butter in its texture and how it achieves its set: it’s simply cooked until it naturally thickens, relying on the fruit’s inherent properties rather than added pectin. While peaches do contain some natural pectin, it’s just enough to create a slightly loose, luscious jam – a consistency that, in my opinion, is absolutely perfect for spreading and swirling.

Ingredients needed to make Peach Jam Recipe.

Here’s a closer look at the simple yet crucial ingredients:

Fresh Peaches: The star of the show! For the best flavor, choose ripe, fragrant peaches that yield slightly to gentle pressure. Freestone peaches are generally easier to pit, but clingstone varieties will work too; you just might need a little more effort to remove the pit. The quality of your peaches directly impacts the final taste of your jam, so opt for the freshest, in-season fruit available.
Granulated Sugar: Sugar serves multiple purposes in jam making. Beyond sweetness, it acts as a preservative and helps achieve the desired texture. The amount used in this recipe is carefully balanced to amplify the natural peach flavor without making it overly cloying, ensuring a bright and fruity profile.
Fresh Lemon Juice: This might seem like a small addition, but it plays a significant role. Lemon juice brightens the flavor of the peaches, preventing the jam from tasting flat. More importantly, the acidity in lemon juice interacts with the natural pectin in the peaches, aiding in the thickening process and helping the jam set beautifully. Always use fresh lemon juice for the best results; bottled juice can sometimes have a less vibrant flavor.

It truly couldn’t be simpler! These three ingredients work in harmony to amplify the delicious, sun-kissed peach flavor, making this homemade peach jam recipe undeniably drool-worthy.

Step-by-Step Method for Making Peach Jam

Making homemade peach jam might sound intimidating, but with this straightforward method, you’ll be enjoying your fresh creation in no time. Follow these steps for a perfectly textured and flavorful refrigerator jam.

Preparing the Peaches: Blanching and Peeling

The first step is preparing your peaches, which involves a quick blanching process to easily remove their skins. This step contributes to a smoother jam texture, though it can be skipped for a rustic, skin-on version (more on that in our tips section).

Boil Water: Place a small to medium-sized pot of water on your stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Ensure there’s enough water to fully submerge your peaches.
Score the Peaches: While the water heats, take each peach and gently score the bottom with a sharp knife. Make a small ‘X’ shape, slicing just deep enough to break through the skin, but not into the flesh. This scoring helps the skin peel away easily after blanching.
Prepare Ice Bath: Fill a large bowl with ice and water. This ice bath is crucial for stopping the cooking process immediately after blanching and helps in loosening the peach skins.
Blanch the Peaches: Once the water is boiling, carefully lower the scored peaches into the hot water. Cook them for only 15-20 seconds. You’ll notice the skin near the ‘X’ starting to curl back. This brief exposure to heat is all that’s needed.
Cool and Peel: Using a slotted spoon, quickly remove the peaches from the boiling water and transfer them directly into the prepared ice bath. Let them cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove them from the ice water, dry them gently, and begin peeling the skin off. If your peaches were perfectly ripe, the skin should essentially slide off with just a gentle rub. Don’t worry if a few tiny bits of skin remain, especially if you plan to blend your jam further – it won’t affect the final product significantly.

Whole peaches before blanching with an x scored into the bottom of each.

Whole peaches blanching in boiling water.

Pureeing and Cooking the Jam

With your peaches peeled and prepped, it’s time to transform them into the delicious jam base.

Pit and Puree: Cut each peeled peach in half and carefully remove the pit. Discard the pits. Place the peach halves into a blender or a small food processor. Blend until the peaches are completely smooth, creating a vibrant peach purée. Ensure there are no large chunks remaining for the best jam texture.
Combine Ingredients: Transfer the smooth peach purée to a small saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and the fresh lemon juice to the pan. Give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
Cook the Jam: Place the saucepan over medium heat on your stove. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to ensure the sugar dissolves completely and nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook, stirring often, for approximately 7-8 minutes.
Check for Doneness: You’ll know the jam has cooked enough when you observe a few key changes: the foam on the surface will begin to subside, the color of the jam will deepen to a rich, warm hue, and it will visibly thicken slightly. Remember, this is a refrigerator jam without added pectin, so it won’t be as stiff as a commercially canned jam. It will continue to thicken significantly as it cools.
Jar and Cool: Once the jam reaches the desired consistency, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully transfer the hot jam into a clean, sterile container that has a lid. A 16oz canning jar works perfectly for this recipe.

Peaches after blanching and peeling and removing the pitts.

Peaches that have been blanched and peeled after pureeing in a mini food processor.

This recipe, using approximately 4 medium-sized peaches, typically yields enough to perfectly fill a standard 16oz canning jar. When completely cooled, the jam will have a lovely, slightly thin consistency, perfect for easy spreading and swirling. If you prefer a noticeably thicker jam upon cooling, you have an optional step: you can incorporate 1 packet of bloomed gelatin into the hot jam before transferring it to the jar. Simply bloom the gelatin according to package directions, then stir it into the hot jam until fully dissolved.

Notes & Tips for the Perfect Peach Jam

Here are a few extra pointers and considerations to help you achieve the best results with your homemade peach jam:

To Peel or Not to Peel: I sometimes find myself short on time or just a little lazy, opting to skip the blanching and peeling process for my peaches. And it’s absolutely fine to do so! If you prefer a rustic jam with more texture and less fuss, simply remove the pit from your peaches, slice them up (skin and all), cook them down with the sugar and lemon juice, and then puree the mixture after cooking. The peach skin actually contributes to a beautiful, deeper dark pink or reddish hue in the finished jam, as you might observe in some of the images. Conversely, the vibrant orange color seen in other photos comes from using peeled peaches.
Understanding Consistency: This recipe creates a “slightly loose” jam, which is its intended characteristic as a refrigerator jam without added commercial pectin. It’s perfect for spreading and swirling. If you desire a firmer set, the bloomed gelatin addition is your best bet. Remember that jams continue to thicken as they cool, so always assess the final consistency once chilled.
Sterilizing Jars: While this is a refrigerator jam and not for long-term canning, it’s still good practice to use clean, sterile containers to maximize its freshness. You can sterilize jars by running them through a dishwasher on a hot cycle, boiling them in water for 10 minutes, or heating them in an oven at 225°F (107°C) for 10 minutes. Ensure lids are also clean.

Important Storage Note (Not for Canning)

Please take note: this is NOT a recipe for preserving jam for long-term, shelf-stable storage through traditional water bath canning. This quick peach jam is designed to be stored in the refrigerator. It will keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 weeks. It will not, however, be safe for prolonged storage at room temperature, even if sealed in a canning jar, as it has not undergone the necessary high-heat processing to create a vacuum seal and kill spoilage organisms required for shelf stability. Always keep this jam refrigerated.

Serving Suggestions for Your Delicious Jam

This versatile, quick peach jam recipe shines in so many applications:

Breakfast Staples: Spread it generously on warm toast, biscuits, scones, or croissants. Swirl it into oatmeal or a bowl of creamy Greek yogurt.
Dessert Enhancer: It’s truly exceptional swirled into decadent treats like my homemade Peach Ice Cream or a rich Peaches n’ Cream Cheesecake. You can also use it as a filling for tarts, crêpes, or even thumbprint cookies.
Savory Pairings: Don’t underestimate its savory potential! A dollop alongside roasted pork or chicken, or even as part of a gourmet cheese board, can be a delightful surprise.

Substitutions & Creative Variations

Given that this recipe relies on just three core ingredients, there’s not much room for direct substitutions if you want to achieve a proper set. Peaches are central to the flavor, sugar is essential for both taste and preservation, and lemon juice is critical for balance and pectin activation.

However, where this recipe truly invites creativity is through additions and flavor variations:

Spiced Peach Jam: For a warming, aromatic twist, consider adding spices during the cooking process. A cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground cinnamon, a few cloves, or even a star anise would infuse a wonderful complexity. Remove whole spices before jarring.
Vanilla Peach Jam: Elevate the fragrance and flavor by adding a split vanilla bean to the saucepan as the jam cooks. The vanilla will beautifully perfume the jam. Remember to remove the bean before storing.
A Touch of Almond: A tiny splash of almond extract (start with ¼ teaspoon) can enhance the stone fruit notes of the peaches, adding a sophisticated dimension. Add this after the jam is cooked and off the heat.
Herbal Infusion: For an unexpected, gourmet touch, try infusing a sprig of fresh thyme or a few basil leaves during the last few minutes of cooking. This can add a refreshing, herbaceous note.

More Great Peach Recipes

If you love peaches as much as we do, you’ll want to explore these other fantastic recipes:

Peach Jelly Donuts

Skillet Peach Cobbler

Peach and Pecan Fritters

Spiced Peach Pie

Peach Upside Down Cake

Peach Sweet Tea

Peach Pesto Flatbread

Peach Shortbread Bars

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 2 cups

Peach Jam Recipe

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
10 minutes

Use this delicious homemade peach jam to swirl into ice cream, mix with your morning yogurt, or spread generously on toast!

Ingredients

4 medium Peaches
1 ½ cup Sugar
Juice of 1 Lemon, about 3 tablespoons

Instructions

For the peach jam, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut a small X in the bottom of each peach. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Blanch the peaches in the boiling water just until the skin begins to peel back at the X, 5 to 15 seconds. Transfer to the ice bath to cool; drain.

Peel the skin off of the peaches; at this point, it should slide off for the most part. Slice the peaches in half from top to bottom and twist to separate the fruit from the pit.

Puree the peaches in a blender or food processor until completely smooth.

Combine peach puree, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring often, until foam subsides and the mixture has thickened slightly.

Remove from the heat and let cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to a clean, sterile container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 2-3 weeks.

Notes

To Peel or Not to Peel: You can skip blanching and peeling if you prefer a rustic jam. Just remove the pit, slice peaches (skin on), cook with sugar and lemon, then puree. The skin adds a darker pink/red hue to the jam, while peeled peaches result in an orange color.

Storage: This is a refrigerator jam, not for canning. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. It is not suitable for shelf-stable storage at room temperature.

Thicker Jam: If you desire a thicker jam, you can add 1 packet of bloomed gelatin to the hot jam before jarring it.

Serving Suggestions: Excellent in Peach Ice Cream, Peaches n’ Cream Cheesecake, on toast, stirred into yogurt, or served with pancakes and waffles.

Variations: Experiment with additions like a cinnamon stick or a split vanilla bean during cooking for spiced or vanilla peach jam.

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Delicious Homemade Peach Jam