Super easy, delicious Spiced Plum Jam made without pectin is one of my absolute favorite jam recipes ! Great way to use up extra and/or overripe plums. Perfect for gift-giving too.
This detailed recipe will guide you on how to make spiced plum jam from fresh plums. No peeling involved either.
- Why I love this recipe
- Ingredients to make this spiced plum jam recipe
- How to make spiced plum jam
- How to store the jam
- Pro tips for making plum jam (or other homemade jam recipes)
- Serving suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
Why I love this recipe
I love autumn, and the glorious stone fruits that come with it. Fall isn’t just about pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll cake and pumpkin pancakes , you know.
Living in Ottawa, I now have access to so many types of plum – blue plum, Italian plum and my favorite black plum. So when they go on sale, I buy them in bulk and make this delicious Spiced Plum Jam!
Plum jam on its own is fantastic, but this spiced version is irresistible. In fact, the spices complement the fruity sweetness of the jam. It’s the perfect treat for the colder months of autumn.
- The jam isn’t cloyingly sweet.
- The spices add a lovely, warming flavor profile.
- Great way to make those delicious plums last longer.
- Super easy recipe.
- There’s no peeling involved in the recipe!
- No pectin used here (but you can use pectin if you like).
- It’s like Fall in a bottle (and it’s NOT pumpkin-flavored!).
Ingredients to make this spiced plum jam recipe
Pitted black plum or Italian plum
I use fresh plums for this recipe. You can use perfectly ripe plums OR overripe plums too. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe plums that might be on sale. In fact, I love using sweet overripe plums for this jam.
White sugar
I use white sugar for this recipe, because it doesn’t overpower the flavors of the plum and spices. However, you can use brown sugar if you like. This will add a molassey flavor to the jam too.
Salt
Just a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness in the jam.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice really perks up the flavor of plum in the jam. I love adding citrus such as lemon or lime with fruits, because it brings out the natural flavor and sweetness of fruit. Lemon juice also helps by increasing the acidity of the jam and helps the pectin set in the jam as well.
Green apple
Instead of pectin, I use green apple in this jam recipe. Green apples have a generous amount of pectin AND are sour as well. Both of which can help the pectin properly set and give this spiced plum jam that jammy texture we know and love. It also adds a little flavor too, so that’s always a plus.
Spices
A spiced plus jam isn’t complete without the spices of course. I use a combination of,
- Star anise
- Cardamom
- Cloves
You can also use,
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger (just a touch)
- Black pepper (to make it a little spicy!)
Equipment used for this recipe
Large pot – I use a 5 qt pot for making caramel or jam. Great for any recipe that requires a large capacity pot.
Silicone spatula – A heat-resistant silicone spatula is great for stirring jam and to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Skimmer – I use this to skim the foam off the top of the jam mixture as it cooks.
Glass jars – I love these Le Parfait jars to store my jams and preserves. But if you have empty bottles from previously eaten jam jars, use those instead.
Tongs – Make it super easy to get the hot jars out of boiling water without burning your fingers! Plus, you don’t run the risk of these jars accidentally slipping through your fingers.
Instant-read thermometer
How to make plum jam without pectin
This spiced plum jam recipe doesn’t use any pectin. I don’t make jam often enough to buy pectin, so I almost always make jam without it. So the solution here is to add some lemon juice (about 2 tbsp) + a grated green apple (lemon juice and green apple have natural pectin).
So this plum jam recipe is a no pectin, no peel plum jam that’s so easy to make and super delicious!
How to make spiced plum jam
Choosing the right plums
I use a mixture of black and Italian plum. But you can use any type of plum you like. I prefer black plum, but the Italian plum variety is known to be sweeter.
I like to choose ripe plums to make jam. And overripe? Even better! The natural sweetness and flavor of plums will be at their peak when nice and ripe.
I use a pairing knife to remove the pits from the plums. I cut the plums in half and pry the seed out using a teaspoon. Then I cut each half into 3 or 4 pieces and place them all in a large bowl.
How much sugar to add?
Once I’ve weighed the fruits (minus the pits!), I calculate how much sugar I need. The ratio I use for making jams is for every pound of fruit, I use 1 cup of sugar. This has worked for me in the past for fruit jams that I’ve made, like this grape jam recipe . So,
3 pounds of fruit = 3 cups of sugar (600 g)
3.5 pounds of fruit = 3 1/2 cups of sugar (700 g)
2.25 pounds of fruit = 2 1/4 cups of sugar (450 g)
Knowing this ratio makes the whole process of making jam easier. Even if I don’t have enough fruit, or too much fruit, I know how to adjust the sugar level to still get perfect results. This ratio also works well if you have a combination of fruits, or just want to make a small batch of jam. For this post, I had 4 pounds of plums to make the spiced plum jam.
Sugar added to the chopped plums
Combine plums and sugar in the bowl. Add the spices and lemon juice as well. You can also add the grated green apple at this stage, or you can add the apple just before you start to cook the jam. I’ve tried both, and there isn’t a marked difference.
Ground cardamom, ground cloves, and star anise
Letting the fruits chill overnight
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the plums macerate overnight. This is a tip I picked up from Serious Eats . Allowing the fruits to soften overnight makes for an amazingly textured jam. Since the plums are soft, they break down easily in the jam, resulting in a smooth plum jam. Plus the spices are also given time to really infuse. It’s a win-win situation.
Cooking the plum jam
Add all of the plum + sugar mix into a large pot. Seriously. FIND A LARGE POT. The jam will splatter as it reduces, so using a large pot will keep the splatter mess to a minimum. Plus, a larger pot will cook this spiced plum jam faster (anything to get my hands on this kick ass jam sooner!).
Add the grated apple (in case you didn’t earlier), and start cooking the jam. I use a cooking thermometer to determine if the jam is at the right consistency. It’s foolproof, but you can also use frozen saucers/lids/spoons to do the jam test too (see below).
Cook the fruit over medium heat, and bring it to a boil. While cooking, remember to mash the fruits with a manual potato masher. When the jam is boiling, I keep a close eye on the mix. I stir it often to make sure it’s cooking evenly, and make sure it’s not cooking at too high of a heat. If the jam is bubbling violently, you may need to reduce the heat.
Peel or no peel?
This step is optional – If you have a food mill, you can use this instead of the potato masher. The added advantage is that the mill discards the skins for a smoother jam. Personally I don’t do this and that’s why this is a no peel plum jam. However, if you want to have a REALLY smooth jam (no chunky pieces), then you don’t want to skip this step. Use a food mill to pass the macerated fruits, so that the leftover peels can be discarded. I like my plum jam to be a little chunky, so I keep the peels.
This next step is optional too – skim the jam. As the jam boils, there will be yellow-ish foam rising to the top. If you have a skimmer, try to remove this foam that rises to the top. This results in a clearer looking jam. It doesn’t interfere with the flavor in any way, so you can just mix it in instead if you like.
How to check when the jam is done (jam test)
I used to test my jam with the freezer test/jam test. To do this, I place a scant teaspoon of the spiced plum jam on a frozen saucer, and freeze it for about 1 – 2 minutes, and then check the consistency. Run a finger through the jam to make a streak. If the jam does not join back up in the middle and fill the streak, and is still jelly-like to the touch (not stiff), then it’s at the correct, jammy consistency.
For this plum jam recipe however, I used a cooking thermometer (or candy thermometer) instead. I check the temperature of the jam every few minutes after stirring the jam to diffuse the heat. When the temperature reaches 105°C (220°F) , I remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down. I aim for a temperature between 220 – 223°F. This is the setting temperature of jam, and it’s never failed me.
It does take a while for the jam to reach this stage, so be patient. The water has to boil away and reduce the sugars for the jam to reach this temperature. If the jam is made in a large pot, where the jam mixture is shallow, it might be harder to gauge the temperature of the mixture as well.
How to store the jam
Sterilizing jam jars
While the jam is cooking, sterilize the jars. I’m not an avid canner, but when I make jam, I like to sterilize the bottles so I can keep the extra jars sealed for a longer time.
To do this, clean all jars with soapy water. Next, place the jars in a large pot and fill the pot with water, making sure the jars are also filled (keep them sideways in the pot, so they remained filled).
Heat this pot with the lids partially on, and allow the water to come to a simmer with the jars and lids fully submerged. After 5 – 10 minutes or so, the jars should be sterilized in the boiling water.
Keep the jars warm, until you’re ready to fill them with the hot jam. This is important because if you add hot jam to cooler jars that are at room temperature, the jars may crack (that’s from personal experience).
Filling the jars & storage
Add the hot jam into sterilized jars. Use oven mitts to keep your hands from burning because the jam is going to be pretty dang hot. Close the jars with the sterilized lids, but not too tightly, and allow the jars to cool down to room temperature. Once cooled down completely, they can be stored in the fridge or in your pantry for up to 3 months.
I promise this spiced plum jam is going to be your favorite, especially this time of year! 🙂
Pro tips for making plum jam (or other homemade jam recipes)
- Choose very ripe plums. Even overripe or slightly bruised ones. Basically, don’t be afraid to use plums that are usually rejected for consumption. The extra sugar in ripe/overripe plums is perfect for jam-making. It’s a great way to reduce food waste too.
- Macerate the plums overnight (up to 24 hours). This makes the plum flesh softer, which makes for a smoother plum jam as the fruits will cook faster. Plus the flavor of the spices is more prominent too.
- Place little glass bowls, saucers or spoons in the freezer overnight too. This will help with your jam test, so your jam will set correctly after cooking. Use a thermometer to check the temperature too if possible.
- Use a large pot. Bubbling hot jam spits as it cooks. So please take care to avoid burns. Using a large pot (preferably with tall sides), will minimize splatter.
- Sterilize jars. Especially if you’re making a large batch of jam. Sterilized and sealed jars will keep the jam fresh for a long time. Plus, you can give the extras to family and friends as gifts too. Use glass jars that can withstand high temperatures.
- Keep the jar really warm (hot, but can be handled) when pouring the hot jam in. If there’s a large enough temperature difference between the jam and jars, the jars may crack.
Serving suggestions
This plum jam can be used however you usually use jams! So it’s super versatile. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions.
For breakfast or brunch – Spread it on toast (made with homemade bread !), or French croissants (like in the picture above), or crumpets .
Or serve it with yeasted waffles , French toast , or homemade pancakes (even sheet pan pancakes ).
As an appetizer or snack – This plum jam tastes DELICIOUS with cheese too. So it makes for a fantastic appetizer, or a fruity jam on your cheese board. Use this spiced plus jam in appetizer ideas such as,
- Berry and cheese palmiers (plum and cheese palmiers)
- Mango relish with goat cheese dip (spiced plum and goat cheese)
- Cheesy thumbprint cookies (use spiced plum jam instead of tomato jam)
Desserts – This jam makes amazing desserts too.
- Swirl it into vanilla ice cream to make a spiced plum ice cream.
- Use this jam to make plum jam thumbprint cookies .
- Serve cream scones with this spiced plum jam.
- Make brioche tarts (replace the strawberries with this plum jam).
- Plum jam crumble bars (replace the rhubarb jam with this jam).
Can I use frozen plum to make this jam?
You can absolutely do that! You can either freeze fresh plums to make this jam at a later date, OR make this jam with pre-frozen plums as well. The plums will break down more easily as they thaw, but it is absolutely possible. Just mix the sugar with the frozen plums and let them thaw in the fridge as per the recipe. Then follow the recipe for the subsequent steps.
Do plums contain pectin?
Yes, they do. They contain a high amount of pectin, and that’s why we can easily make jam without additional pectin. The apple and lemon juice will help by adding a little extra pectin AND to lower the pH of the jam. This will aid the pectin in the plums to activate and set as the water evaporates.
Do you remove skin from the plums?
I don’t! It is quite cumbersome to do this. However, as stated in the recipe, you can use a food mill to remove the skins if you choose to.
Can I use less sugar in the recipe?
There are a few things to consider if you want to do this. Sugar plays an important role in making jam. So reducing the sugar amount will have an impact on the final product. 1) Sugar acts as a preservative. The less sugar you add, the shorter the shelf-life of the jam. 2) Sugar also helps to achieve the jammy texture in jam. If you lower the sugar, the texture of the jam will be less jammy as well. So to achieve the same texture, you will need to cook the jam longer to have the same sugar concentration in the jam. This will still make the jam almost as sweet (as the sugar concentration will be similar once cooked down further), and the yield will be much less. However, there are recipes that use other ingredients to help with the setting ability of jam in the absence of sugar. Ingredients such as additional pectin, or chia seed jams, or freezer jams can help with adapting this recipe for a low sugar recipe. I definitely recommending following a jam recipe that is designed to be low sugar for accurate results!
Other jam recipes you may like
- Easy concord grape jelly (grape jam)
- Low sugar strawberry jam
- Fig jam
Other recipes that use overripe fruit
- Strawberry shrub
- Peach and lavender shrub
- Homemade soda syrups
- Flavored shimmery liqueur (for fruit-flavored liqueurs)
Recipes you can make with an excess amount of plums
This spiced plum jam is an AMAZING way to use excess plums. But you can also make other desserts.
- Replace the strawberries with freshly sliced or diced plums to make plum brioche tarts .
- Plum galette – replace the peaches in this very popular peach galette!
- Plum cobbler – replace the peaches in this peach cobbler recipe to make a delicious plum cobbler.
- Sweet and spicy plum relish – Instead of a jam, why not make a relish? It’s perfect to use in so many savory applications such as this peach relish .
- Or make a refreshing plum shrub beverage. This sweet and sour drink is perfect for summer, and can use overripe plums too. Just replace the peaches in this peach and lavender shrub recipe.
Recipe
A savory twist on your classic jam-filled sweet thumbprint cookie. These Savory Thumbprint Cookies with an incredible Bourbon Tomato Jam are the PERFECT party appetizer.
These savory cookies are insanely flavorful, easy to make and vegetarian!
If you thought we spent all of December eating homemade Twix candy bars , or buttery melting moments cookies , or chocolate beer truffles , ginger cookies , or drinking white hot chocolate , that would only be partially true. 🙂
After all we made thumbprint cookies too! Except, these aren’t the kind you’d expect. These babies are savory cookies (just like my thyme and cheddar cheese savory cookies !). Savory Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Tomato Jam to be precise. I’m going to be quite frank, there’s no way I can do these cookies any justice with words here.
These are some of the best cookies (savory or otherwise) that I’ve had, and I don’t say that lightly. And that bourbon tomato jam is a guaranteed crowd favorite!
Mr. K is very easy to please when it comes to the food I make. He’s one of the least picky eaters out there and he will literally eat anything I put in front of him (bless him) with gusto.
If he’s fairly quiet, then I can expect a standard “good food, thank you” response. But the more vocal he gets, the more he enjoyed it, I can tell. And these savory cookies, he couldn’t stop talking about!
Why we love these savory thumbprint cookies
- Crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, with a kicked up sweet and spicy tomato jam in the center, these cheesy savory cookies are just so flavorful and unique!
- And these make the best starter recipes for your Christmas party or New Year’s Eve party. Or any other occasion for that matter.
- And these are vegetarian cookies to boot.
Imagine how your guests would be bowled over when they realize that these aren’t actually sweet cookies. Plus, this might be your only chance to get the better of your friend’s annoying kid, when he/she bites into one of these thinking they are regular sweet thumbprint cookies.
That expression alone would be worth the effort, would it not? Not that I would know. I mean, I’d never do such a thing. Noooo, never.
before baking
Aaaand they are so easy to make, even my hubs could make them. Seriously. The dough comes together quickly and you just make an imprint with your thumb to fill up with some delicious jam/jelly. So really, you got no excuse not to make them.
They’d do really well as a party appetizer or even as tea time snacks . I made these because I needed a break from sweet cookies and bar recipes .
As a huge fan of classic thumbprint cookies , I decided to give them a spicy, savory, flavorful twist. The result is truly glorious.
after baking
About the cookies
These cookies are crazy delicious with a fantastic jelly center. Here I made a cheese and rosemary cookie dough base and gave it a little bit of a spicy kick, using deseeded jalapeno. So the cookie on its own tastes insanely good, if you choose not to have a jelly/jam center.
Bourbon tomato jam
This just might be my favorite part about these cheesy thumbprint appetizers.
I filled these up with an amazingly flavorful tomato jam that incorporates garlic and a few spices and then kicked it up with bourbon! Bourbon folks. Does it not scream PARTY APPETIZER??
Besides, slow roasted tomatoes , this tomato jam is my favorite way to preserve juicy tomatoes all summer long.
bourbon tomato jam
Honestly, these came out even better than I expected, and we have now frozen the remaining cookies for later.
Storage instructions
You can easily refrigerate or freeze the formed cookies (before baking) without filling the center with jam, no issues there.
Or even freeze the baked cookies in a single layer (if you stack them, the jam can stick to the bottom of the cookies).
These cheesy savory thumbprint cookies will go really well with all kinds of fun cocktails , so all in all, these were meant to take center-stage at a party.
Oh, and I made an even more amazing, flavorful dip for these cookies, and you can find the recipe for that super easy, sweet and spicy dip in my spicy mango relish post.
Recipe
There’s a reason why Classic Thumbprint Cookies are so popular. They are a holiday favorite, easy to make, and even easier to customize with different filling and flavor variations!
I’ve shared all my tips and tricks to help you PERFECT easy thumbprint cookies!
Oh baby, it’s cookie season! It’s one of the main reasons why I love Christmas! 🙂
And with alllll the Christmas cookies out there, it’s hard – nigh impossible, for me to pick a favorite. But Classic Thumbprint Cookies …. oh yeah, they come this close to being my favorite.
Thumbprint cookies are a holiday favorite, a party favorite, and a snack favorite for me. These are one of half a dozen or so that feature in my holiday cookie boxes every year. Shortbread cookies , linzer cookies , meringue cookies , soft ginger cookies etc. are all classics for a reason.
Plus, these cookies are really easy to make and to customize too.
I’ve shared a uniquely delicious savory thumbprint cookie on the blog before, which is really popular on the blog. But I realized I’ve never shared a classic thumbprint cookie recipe with you guys before. So today, I’m going to fix that.
This is the recipe for delightfully buttery and delicious classic thumbprint cookies with a sweet jam filling . I’m sharing all my tips to help you make PERFECT thumbprint cookies and avoid cracks and spreading.
Just follow this easy guide to find out how you can nail those classic thumbprint cookies and entertain your friends and family this holiday season!
What are thumbprint cookies?
A buttery cookie with a shallow well in the middle that’s filled with a sweet filling like jam. You use your thumb to push down on the cookie dough, creating that shallow well in the middle – hence “thumbprint” cookies.
But did you know that thumbprint cookies originated in Sweden? These cookies are called Hallongrotta/hallongrottor in Swedish, meaning “raspberry cave”!
While you can fill the thumbprint in the middle with any type of jam you like, I’ll be using raspberry jam here, because that’s the flavor of classic thumbprint cookies! But I have filled these before with strawberry jam , plum jam , fig jam , and grape jelly too.
Are thumbprint cookies the same as shortbread cookies?
They are not the same, but they do come VERY close. Shortbread cookies use a 1:2:3 ratio of sugar, butter and flour. They are buttery, but crumblier, because they don’t have a binding agent. They rely on butter to hold the dough together.
Thumbprint cookies are made with a dough that’s identical to shortbread cookies, BUT the dough has eggs in addition. Some recipes call for whole eggs, but my recipe uses egg yolks only.
The egg yolk enriches the dough giving you a richer taste than shortbread, but more importantly, binds the dough together for a smoother and more pliable result.
That being said, you still CAN make thumbprint cookies with shortbread cookie dough as well.
How can I prevent my thumbprint cookies from cracking?
To be honest, there’s nothing wrong with thumbprint cookies with a few cracks along the edges. That’s part of the charm!
However, there are ways to minimize cracking. It’s got all to do with HOW you shape the cookies .
How to minimize thumbprint cookie cracking
- Keep the dough soft – once the cookie dough is made, cover and let it rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, so that the dough will be easier to handle, and be less sticky. It’s important to keep the dough at room temp. when you roll it into balls, because then it’s easier to shape the soft dough, with minimal cracking.
- Make the indentation as soon as the cookies are formed – rather than rolling ALL of the cookie dough into balls first and THEN making wells, you should roll each cookie dough ball, place it on the cookie tray and immediately make the indentation BEFORE preparing the next one.
- Roll the cookie dough balls until the surface is smooth – since the dough is soft, it’s easy to get a nice, smooth surface. Make sure there are no cracks to begin with, so that they don’t widen and show up when you press down on the cookie balls to create the wells.
To elaborate on the second point above, the reason why I like to prepare each thumbprint cookie as I go is that once you have rolled the cookie into a smooth ball, the cookie will form a “crust” – much like any dough will do, if it’s left exposed to air for any amount of time. So if you wait until the end to create the wells in the middle, the crust will most definitely cause the cookies to crack. To avoid that, I do the following.
How to make thumbprint cookies
- First, portion the cookie dough with a cookie scoop.
- Roll the cookie dough into a smooth ball.
- Roll the smooth ball in sugar (optional).
- Place the cookie ball on the parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Use my thumb or another kitchen utensil to form an indentation in the middle of the cookie.
- Repeat steps 1-5 with the rest of the cookie dough.
- Once the baking tray is filled with cookies, fill the wells with jam.
- You can either fill a second tray with more cookies and keep those in the fridge or freezer, OR wrap any remaining dough tightly with plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature until you’re ready to use.
I also like to coat these easy thumbprint cookies in sugar before placing them on the baking tray. You can use regular granulated sugar or raw sugar for this. I prefer d emerara sugar because that gives these thumbprint cookies a nice sweet crunchy texture as well.
And rather than rolling the cookie balls in sugar, I put the sugar in a small ziploc bag and then place a cookie inside the bag, and then shake it a little bit to evenly coat the cookie with sugar. Works like a charm.
How to minimize thumbprint cookie spreading
It’s pretty much impossible to make a good cookie with NO spreading at all. I mean, in theory you can add more flour to the dough until it’s pretty stiff and won’t spread at all, but then you end up with very dry, crumbly cookies.
Not good.
The simple reason why a cookie spreads as it bakes is that the butter and sugar melt inside the cookie, causing it to spread. If you bake at too low a temperature, the cookie will spread too much before it bakes and sets properly, and if you bake at too high a temp., then the cookie bakes and sets outside quickly, but the middle will still be raw.
Tips to minimize cookie spreading
- Chill the cookies in the fridge BEFORE baking – cooling the butter in the cookies before baking means that it won’t melt as readily, making it spread too fast.
- Use a chilled or room temperature baking sheet – NEVER use a hot or warm baking sheet to place your UNBAKED cookies on. I like to chill the cookies AND the baking tray together in the fridge, but at least make sure the baking tray is at room temp. before you place the unbaked cookies on it.
- Make the indentation in the middle narrow rather than wide – use just the tip of your finger and go straight down, to create a narrow indentation in the middle of the cookie, rather than a wide indentation that would make the thumbprint cookie spread.
So there you go! That’s how you can make PERFECT and EASY thumbprint cookies that are sure to impress your friends and family! 🙂
Then you can fill these classic thumbprint cookies with any type of jam you like. Personally, I love raspberry, or apricot jam.
These easy thumbprint cookies are so so good! The cookies are buttery, with a hint of vanilla, and a deliciously fruity jam filling.
And since these classic thumbprint cookies are so easy to make, you can make multiple batches and gift them to your friends and family this holiday season too. You can fill them with different jam fillings, and even flavor the thumbprint cookies with different extracts for some creative variations.
Flavor variations
- Add some orange zest to the cookie dough, and fill the middle with cranberry sauce.
- Add some lemon zest to the cookie dough, and fill the cookies with blueberry jam.
- Or instead of jam, place a reese’s peanut butter cup or a hershey’s kiss candy in the middle.
- Add some almond extract to the cookie dough, and fill the middle with salted caramel sauce .
There are so many ways you can dress up these easy thumbprint cookies! Once you realize how easy it is to make classic thumbprint cookies, you can make them your own.
Recipe
Spiced Plum Jam from fresh plums
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg black plums OR Italian plums, seeds removed. 3½ lbs. About 4 - 4.5 lbs whole plums)
- 700 g white sugar 3½ cups
- Pinch sea salt
- 30 - 45 mL lemon juice 2 - 3 tbsp
- 2 star anise
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom generous ¼ tsp
- ¼ tsp ground cloves generous ¼ tsp
- 200 g granny smith green apples 7 oz. Grated ( 1 - 2 green apples)
Instructions
- Wash the plums well. To remove the seeds - first cut the plum in half. Next, cut the plum half with the seed, in half again (into quarters). One of these quarters will have the seed attached, which you can easily pull out. Alternatively, you can cut the plum flesh around the seed. 1.5 kg black plums
- Repeat with all the plums.
- Cut all the plums into 1 inch chunks (roughly). It’s OK if the plums are a little crushed at this point, since they will be cooked down anyway.
- WEIGH the chopped plums, so you can decide how much sugar needs to be added. Place the plums in a large bowl (large enough to accommodate the sugar that will be mixed in too).
- Add sugar, salt, lemon juice and spices into the bowl. Mix well. 700 g white sugar, Pinch sea salt, 30 - 45 mL lemon juice, 2 star anise, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 48 hours). Also, place some small saucers / bowls / spoons in the freezer for the jam test (explained below).
- When you’re ready to cook the jam, scrape all of the plum-sugar mix into a large pot. Add the grated apple and stir to combine. 200 g granny smith green apples
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture to let it heat evenly. Lower the heat to medium - medium low, and cook until the fruits start to soften.
- MASH the plums with a potato masher, OR you can pass about ¾ of the mix through a food mill (this will remove the skins).
- Continue to cook the plums until the mixture reduces and starts to thicken slightly. Stir frequently to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom and burning. While the jam is cooking, sterilize some heat-proof jam jars and lids.
- Check the temperature of the plum jam every 10 - 15 minutes (more frequently as it thickens more). Cook the jam until the temperature reaches 220°F (105°C).
- If you don’t have a thermometer, you can perform the JAM TEST. To do this, drop a little jam on a frozen surface (saucer / bowl / spoon). Then keep it in the freezer for about a minute and check the consistency. If the consistency is jelly-like without being runny, then you’ve cooked the jam to the right temperature. (If you run a finger through the jam to create a streak, the jam shouldn’t join back up in the middle to fill the streak, if it’s at the right consistency).
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Using clean tongs, clean ladles and clean paper towels, carefully ladle hot jam into the hot, sterilized jars. Please be careful, as the jam and jars will be very hot at this stage (wear gloves or oven mitts to protect yourself).
- Screw on the lids while the jars are hot. As the jam and jars cool down, this will create a seal.
- Allow the jars to cool to room temperature completely. Then label and store.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe from The Flavor Bender by Dini Kodippili
Spiced Plum Jam from fresh plums https://www.theflavorbender.com/spiced-plum-jam/
Super easy, delicious Spiced Plum Jam made without pectin is one of my absolute favorite jam recipes ! Great way to use up extra and/or overripe plums. Perfect for gift-giving too.
This detailed recipe will guide you on how to make spiced plum jam from fresh plums. No peeling involved either.
- Why I love this recipe
- Ingredients to make this spiced plum jam recipe
- How to make spiced plum jam
- How to store the jam
- Pro tips for making plum jam (or other homemade jam recipes)
- Serving suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
Why I love this recipe
I love autumn, and the glorious stone fruits that come with it. Fall isn’t just about pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll cake and pumpkin pancakes , you know.
Living in Ottawa, I now have access to so many types of plum – blue plum, Italian plum and my favorite black plum. So when they go on sale, I buy them in bulk and make this delicious Spiced Plum Jam!
Plum jam on its own is fantastic, but this spiced version is irresistible. In fact, the spices complement the fruity sweetness of the jam. It’s the perfect treat for the colder months of autumn.
- The jam isn’t cloyingly sweet.
- The spices add a lovely, warming flavor profile.
- Great way to make those delicious plums last longer.
- Super easy recipe.
- There’s no peeling involved in the recipe!
- No pectin used here (but you can use pectin if you like).
- It’s like Fall in a bottle (and it’s NOT pumpkin-flavored!).
Ingredients to make this spiced plum jam recipe
Pitted black plum or Italian plum
I use fresh plums for this recipe. You can use perfectly ripe plums OR overripe plums too. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe plums that might be on sale. In fact, I love using sweet overripe plums for this jam.
White sugar
I use white sugar for this recipe, because it doesn’t overpower the flavors of the plum and spices. However, you can use brown sugar if you like. This will add a molassey flavor to the jam too.
Salt
Just a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness in the jam.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice really perks up the flavor of plum in the jam. I love adding citrus such as lemon or lime with fruits, because it brings out the natural flavor and sweetness of fruit. Lemon juice also helps by increasing the acidity of the jam and helps the pectin set in the jam as well.
Green apple
Instead of pectin, I use green apple in this jam recipe. Green apples have a generous amount of pectin AND are sour as well. Both of which can help the pectin properly set and give this spiced plum jam that jammy texture we know and love. It also adds a little flavor too, so that’s always a plus.
Spices
A spiced plus jam isn’t complete without the spices of course. I use a combination of,
- Star anise
- Cardamom
- Cloves
You can also use,
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Ginger (just a touch)
- Black pepper (to make it a little spicy!)
Equipment used for this recipe
Large pot – I use a 5 qt pot for making caramel or jam. Great for any recipe that requires a large capacity pot.
Silicone spatula – A heat-resistant silicone spatula is great for stirring jam and to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Skimmer – I use this to skim the foam off the top of the jam mixture as it cooks.
Glass jars – I love these Le Parfait jars to store my jams and preserves. But if you have empty bottles from previously eaten jam jars, use those instead.
Tongs – Make it super easy to get the hot jars out of boiling water without burning your fingers! Plus, you don’t run the risk of these jars accidentally slipping through your fingers.
Instant-read thermometer
How to make plum jam without pectin
This spiced plum jam recipe doesn’t use any pectin. I don’t make jam often enough to buy pectin, so I almost always make jam without it. So the solution here is to add some lemon juice (about 2 tbsp) + a grated green apple (lemon juice and green apple have natural pectin).
So this plum jam recipe is a no pectin, no peel plum jam that’s so easy to make and super delicious!
How to make spiced plum jam
Choosing the right plums
I use a mixture of black and Italian plum. But you can use any type of plum you like. I prefer black plum, but the Italian plum variety is known to be sweeter.
I like to choose ripe plums to make jam. And overripe? Even better! The natural sweetness and flavor of plums will be at their peak when nice and ripe.
I use a pairing knife to remove the pits from the plums. I cut the plums in half and pry the seed out using a teaspoon. Then I cut each half into 3 or 4 pieces and place them all in a large bowl.
How much sugar to add?
Once I’ve weighed the fruits (minus the pits!), I calculate how much sugar I need. The ratio I use for making jams is for every pound of fruit, I use 1 cup of sugar. This has worked for me in the past for fruit jams that I’ve made, like this grape jam recipe . So,
3 pounds of fruit = 3 cups of sugar (600 g)
3.5 pounds of fruit = 3 1/2 cups of sugar (700 g)
2.25 pounds of fruit = 2 1/4 cups of sugar (450 g)
Knowing this ratio makes the whole process of making jam easier. Even if I don’t have enough fruit, or too much fruit, I know how to adjust the sugar level to still get perfect results. This ratio also works well if you have a combination of fruits, or just want to make a small batch of jam. For this post, I had 4 pounds of plums to make the spiced plum jam.
Sugar added to the chopped plums
Combine plums and sugar in the bowl. Add the spices and lemon juice as well. You can also add the grated green apple at this stage, or you can add the apple just before you start to cook the jam. I’ve tried both, and there isn’t a marked difference.
Ground cardamom, ground cloves, and star anise
Letting the fruits chill overnight
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the plums macerate overnight. This is a tip I picked up from Serious Eats . Allowing the fruits to soften overnight makes for an amazingly textured jam. Since the plums are soft, they break down easily in the jam, resulting in a smooth plum jam. Plus the spices are also given time to really infuse. It’s a win-win situation.
Cooking the plum jam
Add all of the plum + sugar mix into a large pot. Seriously. FIND A LARGE POT. The jam will splatter as it reduces, so using a large pot will keep the splatter mess to a minimum. Plus, a larger pot will cook this spiced plum jam faster (anything to get my hands on this kick ass jam sooner!).
Add the grated apple (in case you didn’t earlier), and start cooking the jam. I use a cooking thermometer to determine if the jam is at the right consistency. It’s foolproof, but you can also use frozen saucers/lids/spoons to do the jam test too (see below).
Cook the fruit over medium heat, and bring it to a boil. While cooking, remember to mash the fruits with a manual potato masher. When the jam is boiling, I keep a close eye on the mix. I stir it often to make sure it’s cooking evenly, and make sure it’s not cooking at too high of a heat. If the jam is bubbling violently, you may need to reduce the heat.
Peel or no peel?
This step is optional – If you have a food mill, you can use this instead of the potato masher. The added advantage is that the mill discards the skins for a smoother jam. Personally I don’t do this and that’s why this is a no peel plum jam. However, if you want to have a REALLY smooth jam (no chunky pieces), then you don’t want to skip this step. Use a food mill to pass the macerated fruits, so that the leftover peels can be discarded. I like my plum jam to be a little chunky, so I keep the peels.
This next step is optional too – skim the jam. As the jam boils, there will be yellow-ish foam rising to the top. If you have a skimmer, try to remove this foam that rises to the top. This results in a clearer looking jam. It doesn’t interfere with the flavor in any way, so you can just mix it in instead if you like.
How to check when the jam is done (jam test)
I used to test my jam with the freezer test/jam test. To do this, I place a scant teaspoon of the spiced plum jam on a frozen saucer, and freeze it for about 1 – 2 minutes, and then check the consistency. Run a finger through the jam to make a streak. If the jam does not join back up in the middle and fill the streak, and is still jelly-like to the touch (not stiff), then it’s at the correct, jammy consistency.
For this plum jam recipe however, I used a cooking thermometer (or candy thermometer) instead. I check the temperature of the jam every few minutes after stirring the jam to diffuse the heat. When the temperature reaches 105°C (220°F) , I remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down. I aim for a temperature between 220 – 223°F. This is the setting temperature of jam, and it’s never failed me.
It does take a while for the jam to reach this stage, so be patient. The water has to boil away and reduce the sugars for the jam to reach this temperature. If the jam is made in a large pot, where the jam mixture is shallow, it might be harder to gauge the temperature of the mixture as well.
How to store the jam
Sterilizing jam jars
While the jam is cooking, sterilize the jars. I’m not an avid canner, but when I make jam, I like to sterilize the bottles so I can keep the extra jars sealed for a longer time.
To do this, clean all jars with soapy water. Next, place the jars in a large pot and fill the pot with water, making sure the jars are also filled (keep them sideways in the pot, so they remained filled).
Heat this pot with the lids partially on, and allow the water to come to a simmer with the jars and lids fully submerged. After 5 – 10 minutes or so, the jars should be sterilized in the boiling water.
Keep the jars warm, until you’re ready to fill them with the hot jam. This is important because if you add hot jam to cooler jars that are at room temperature, the jars may crack (that’s from personal experience).
Filling the jars & storage
Add the hot jam into sterilized jars. Use oven mitts to keep your hands from burning because the jam is going to be pretty dang hot. Close the jars with the sterilized lids, but not too tightly, and allow the jars to cool down to room temperature. Once cooled down completely, they can be stored in the fridge or in your pantry for up to 3 months.
I promise this spiced plum jam is going to be your favorite, especially this time of year! 🙂
Pro tips for making plum jam (or other homemade jam recipes)
- Choose very ripe plums. Even overripe or slightly bruised ones. Basically, don’t be afraid to use plums that are usually rejected for consumption. The extra sugar in ripe/overripe plums is perfect for jam-making. It’s a great way to reduce food waste too.
- Macerate the plums overnight (up to 24 hours). This makes the plum flesh softer, which makes for a smoother plum jam as the fruits will cook faster. Plus the flavor of the spices is more prominent too.
- Place little glass bowls, saucers or spoons in the freezer overnight too. This will help with your jam test, so your jam will set correctly after cooking. Use a thermometer to check the temperature too if possible.
- Use a large pot. Bubbling hot jam spits as it cooks. So please take care to avoid burns. Using a large pot (preferably with tall sides), will minimize splatter.
- Sterilize jars. Especially if you’re making a large batch of jam. Sterilized and sealed jars will keep the jam fresh for a long time. Plus, you can give the extras to family and friends as gifts too. Use glass jars that can withstand high temperatures.
- Keep the jar really warm (hot, but can be handled) when pouring the hot jam in. If there’s a large enough temperature difference between the jam and jars, the jars may crack.
Serving suggestions
This plum jam can be used however you usually use jams! So it’s super versatile. Here are some of my favorite serving suggestions.
For breakfast or brunch – Spread it on toast (made with homemade bread !), or French croissants (like in the picture above), or crumpets .
Or serve it with yeasted waffles , French toast , or homemade pancakes (even sheet pan pancakes ).
As an appetizer or snack – This plum jam tastes DELICIOUS with cheese too. So it makes for a fantastic appetizer, or a fruity jam on your cheese board. Use this spiced plus jam in appetizer ideas such as,
- Berry and cheese palmiers (plum and cheese palmiers)
- Mango relish with goat cheese dip (spiced plum and goat cheese)
- Cheesy thumbprint cookies (use spiced plum jam instead of tomato jam)
Desserts – This jam makes amazing desserts too.
- Swirl it into vanilla ice cream to make a spiced plum ice cream.
- Use this jam to make plum jam thumbprint cookies .
- Serve cream scones with this spiced plum jam.
- Make brioche tarts (replace the strawberries with this plum jam).
- Plum jam crumble bars (replace the rhubarb jam with this jam).
Can I use frozen plum to make this jam?
You can absolutely do that! You can either freeze fresh plums to make this jam at a later date, OR make this jam with pre-frozen plums as well. The plums will break down more easily as they thaw, but it is absolutely possible. Just mix the sugar with the frozen plums and let them thaw in the fridge as per the recipe. Then follow the recipe for the subsequent steps.
Do plums contain pectin?
Yes, they do. They contain a high amount of pectin, and that’s why we can easily make jam without additional pectin. The apple and lemon juice will help by adding a little extra pectin AND to lower the pH of the jam. This will aid the pectin in the plums to activate and set as the water evaporates.
Do you remove skin from the plums?
I don’t! It is quite cumbersome to do this. However, as stated in the recipe, you can use a food mill to remove the skins if you choose to.
Can I use less sugar in the recipe?
There are a few things to consider if you want to do this. Sugar plays an important role in making jam. So reducing the sugar amount will have an impact on the final product. 1) Sugar acts as a preservative. The less sugar you add, the shorter the shelf-life of the jam. 2) Sugar also helps to achieve the jammy texture in jam. If you lower the sugar, the texture of the jam will be less jammy as well. So to achieve the same texture, you will need to cook the jam longer to have the same sugar concentration in the jam. This will still make the jam almost as sweet (as the sugar concentration will be similar once cooked down further), and the yield will be much less. However, there are recipes that use other ingredients to help with the setting ability of jam in the absence of sugar. Ingredients such as additional pectin, or chia seed jams, or freezer jams can help with adapting this recipe for a low sugar recipe. I definitely recommending following a jam recipe that is designed to be low sugar for accurate results!
Other jam recipes you may like
- Easy concord grape jelly (grape jam)
- Low sugar strawberry jam
- Fig jam
Other recipes that use overripe fruit
- Strawberry shrub
- Peach and lavender shrub
- Homemade soda syrups
- Flavored shimmery liqueur (for fruit-flavored liqueurs)
Recipes you can make with an excess amount of plums
This spiced plum jam is an AMAZING way to use excess plums. But you can also make other desserts.
- Replace the strawberries with freshly sliced or diced plums to make plum brioche tarts .
- Plum galette – replace the peaches in this very popular peach galette!
- Plum cobbler – replace the peaches in this peach cobbler recipe to make a delicious plum cobbler.
- Sweet and spicy plum relish – Instead of a jam, why not make a relish? It’s perfect to use in so many savory applications such as this peach relish .
- Or make a refreshing plum shrub beverage. This sweet and sour drink is perfect for summer, and can use overripe plums too. Just replace the peaches in this peach and lavender shrub recipe.
