Autumn Jam with Apple, Pear and Cranberry

This autumn jam cooks tart cranberries, sweet pears and apples with a little cinnamon and ginger until they turn into a thick, ruby-red spread. No pectin goes in, and the batch is small: about 4 half pints, which suits anyone who wants a few jars for the pantry without giving up a whole weekend to canning.

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It is sweet enough for morning toast and tart enough to sit next to a wedge of cheese. Plan on about 50 minutes from washing the jars to pulling them out of the canner.

What goes into the pot

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (8 oz)
• 2 cups peeled and diced ripe pears (about 2)
• 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples (about 2 small)
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Get the jars and plates ready first

Jam moves fast once it reaches temperature, so set everything up before the fruit goes in. Wash 4 half pint jars and their lids, then keep the jars sitting in simmering water so they are hot when you fill them. Hot jam into hot jars is the habit that keeps a canning day calm.

Slide 2 small plates into the freezer at the same time. You will use them for the gel test near the end, and a properly cold plate gives you a quick, honest read on whether the jam has set. Two plates means you have a backup if the first test comes up loose.

Cut the apples and pears the same size

This is the one tip that changes the texture most. When the apple and pear pieces match, they soften at the same rate and finish as tender little pieces in the jam. Mixed sizes leave you with some bits that collapse into the syrup and others that are still firm when everything else is done.

Ripe pears are softer than most apples, so a matching dice also keeps the pears from vanishing before the apples catch up. Peel both fully; skins stay tough and curl up in the jar.

How autumn jam sets without pectin

The set comes from cooking the fruit and sugar long enough to reach 220°F. Cranberries do a lot of the work here: as they boil, they burst and release their juice, and the mixture thickens noticeably over the 15 to 20 minutes on the stove. The bottled lemon juice adds acidity and brightness alongside the tart berries.

A thermometer tells you when you are close, but the frozen plate is the final check. If the jam wrinkles when you push it with a fingertip after a minute on the cold plate, it has set. If it runs back together, it needs a little more time. That is all there is to it, and it saves you from guessing.

For another fall jar that keeps in the fridge, try our apple pumpkin jam made with butternut squash and cinnamon.

Steps

• Wash 4 half pint jars and lids and keep the jars hot in simmering water. Put 2 small plates in the freezer.
• Combine the cranberries, pears, apples, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the cranberries burst, the fruit is soft and the jam reaches 220°F. Stir along the bottom of the pot; a heavy pot and frequent stirring keep the sugar from catching.
• Do the gel test: put a little jam on a frozen plate and wait 1 minute. Push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it is ready. If not, boil 2 minutes more and test again on the second plate. Skim off the foam.
• Ladle the jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, add the lids and bands, and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Above 1,000 feet, add 5 minutes.

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What can go wrong at the stove

The most common problem is jam that is still runny after cooling. That usually means it came off the heat before 220°F or before the plate test wrinkled. Trust the plate over the clock: the 15 to 20 minute range is a guide, and your stove and pot decide the rest.

The second problem is scorching. Three cups of sugar in a pot of fruit can stick quickly once the liquid reduces, which is why the recipe calls for a heavy pot and frequent stirring. Keep the boil gentle once the sugar has dissolved.

Foam is harmless but cloudy in the jar. Skimming it off after the gel test gives you clear, glossy jam with the fruit pieces easy to see.

Serving and keeping your jars

Spread it on toast or biscuits, spoon it next to a cheese board, or set out a jar with crackers when friends come by. The cinnamon and ginger are gentle, so the fruit stays in front.

Sealed jars keep for 1 year in a cool, dark place. Once you open a jar, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within 1 month.

If you are in a fall baking mood, a spoonful of this jam sits nicely beside our pumpkin cheese ball , and apple fans can keep going with these mini caramel-apple hand pies or the quicker caramel apple puff pastry bites .

Autumn jam questions

Can I use frozen cranberries?

Yes. The recipe works with fresh or frozen cranberries, 2 cups (8 oz) either way. Cook until they burst and the jam reaches 220°F.

My jam failed the plate test. Now what?

Boil it for 2 more minutes and test again on the second frozen plate. Repeat until it wrinkles when pushed after 1 minute.

Do I need to change anything at high altitude?

Yes, for the canning step. Above 1,000 feet, add 5 minutes to the 10 minute processing time in the boiling water canner.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us