Making this easy fresh peach jam is super fun and rewarding. Homemade jam will last you for the whole year and can also make great gifts to share with friends and family.
Since Dustin and I moved to Austin, we have wanted to visit this little town called Fredericksburg, Texas. Fredericksburg is a small town deep in Texas Hill Country and is known for its peaches (as is its neighboring town, Stonewall).
So, not only did fresh peach jam sound amazing, but it also gave us an opportunity to visit Fredericksburg again. Yay!
That town is so darn cute -- we couldn't stand it. We both agree we already need to go back again.

With my parents visiting us for a week, we thought it'd be neat to make some homemade peach jam together. Over the years, we have all made homemade jam, including strawberry chia jam and blackberry chia jam.
What's not to love about a cute little country town that has “Fresh Peaches” signs posted everywhere? It's like a rule or something: fresh peaches = happiness. Visiting Fredericksburg even reminded Dustin and me how much we would love to live out in the country and run a vineyard or farm.

Ingredients for Peach Jam
You don't need many ingredients to make this easy peach jam recipe, thankfully. Here's what you'll need:
- Fresh Ripe Peaches: When you chop peaches, you'll need about 3 lbs. to yield 4 cups. We used a combination of Stonewall white and yellow peaches, but any peaches will do.
- Lemon Juice: This will require about 2 lemons and is a great acidic cut to the fresh peaches.
- Raw Honey: When swapping raw honey for granulated sugar, you don't need to use nearly as much of the honey because it is sweeter than sugar. Given this, I recommend using about ¾ cup for every 1 cup of sugar. For this recipe, that means using 5 ½ cups raw honey. This recipe originally included granulated sugar, and I've wanted to update it forever to avoid processed sugar. If you're following the original recipe, it called for a whopping 7 ½ cups of granulated sugar.
- Sure-Jell Certo Fruit Pectin: You'll need to use liquid fruit pectin so the jam sets and can be canned. If not canning and just making for use in the fridge, you can use chia seeds, as I do in these 5 Homemade Chia Jam Recipes.

How to Make Homemade Peach Jam
The process to make jam is relatively simple. Just follow these steps, and you've got it!
- Fill a Canner half-full of water and bring to a simmer.
- Wash Mason Canning Jars, Lids and Bands in hot, soapy water and then rinse with warm water.
- Remove the skin from the peaches.
- Add peeled peaches, lemon juice, and raw honey (or sugar)to a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
- Ladle the mixture into the prepared, cleaned jars. Screw bands on tightly and place jars on the elevated Canning Rack in the canner.
- Lower rack into canner so that water covers jars by 1 to 2 inches. Cover and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars using a Jar Lifter and place them upright on a towel to cool completely.
- After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of the lid with your finger. If lid springs/pops back, it is not sealed and that jar will need to be refrigerated.
- Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours and then your jam is ready. Store unopened jam in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.
- Refrigerate opened jams for up to 3 weeks.

Choosing The Best Fruit For Homemade Jam
When buying fresh fruit for your jam, don't worry about how it looks – just how it tastes. We even ask for the “ugly" ones because they're usually cheaper. This is another reason why making homemade jam is amazing if you happen to have a lot of fresh fruit on your hands.
For the tastiest ripe peaches, look for vibrant, yellow flesh and golden-reddish skin. Again, bruises or blemishes on these peaches are okay.


How To Peel Peaches For Jam
For this easy peach jam recipe, you'll want to remove the skin from the peaches. To peel a fresh peach, blanch for 45 seconds in boiling water, then remove and place in ice cold water for 1 minute.
Using a sharp paring knife, make a criss-cross slit at the bottom of the peach to create a place to insert the knife blade.
Gently grab the skin between your finger and the knife blade and remove the skin. Trust me -- this works wonders.


Jam Making Tools You'll Need
Often, you can find some or all of these in a canning set on Amazon, but here are the individual pieces broken out and their uses.
- Paring Knife: This will be used to peel the peaches. Look for a sharp knife that can pierce the peach's skin but is still small enough to be easily maneuverable.
- Glass Mason Jars: Glass is the best option for canning, and it can be reused over and over. I use 16-oz mason jars for canning. For gifts, I'll also use these smaller 4-oz jars.
- Canning Pot: You'll need a deep, large pot that will hold the canning rack and all the mason jars. These can also be used to store all your canning tools once you're done. This is also called a "Canner."
- Sauce Pan: We'll need to cook down the peaches first before we turn them into jam, so you'll need a large saucepan to do so.
- Canning Rack with Tongs: This will be essential to lift the hot mason jars out of the boiling water in the canning pot.
- Canning Funnel: You'll need this when filling your mason jars. The wide mouth and large funnel will keep you from spilling your homemade jam everywhere. It also works great for adding anything to a mason jar.

Fresh Peach Jam Recipe
Equipment
- Glass Mason Jars I use 16-oz jars for storing it and 4-oz for gifts
- Saucepan
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh peaches about 3 lbs., we used a combination of Stonewall white and yellow peaches
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 5 cups raw honey*
- 1 pouch Sure-Jell Certo Fruit Pectin liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
- Fill a Canner half-full of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Wash Mason Canning Jars, Lids and Bands in hot, soapy water and then rinse with warm water. Add jars, screw bands and lids to simmering water. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well.
- Remove the skin from the peaches by blanching for 45 seconds in boiling water, then removing and placing in ice cold water for 1 minute. Using a sharp paring knife, make a crisscross slit at the bottom of the peach to create a place to insert the knife blade. Gently grab the skin between your finger and the knife blade and remove the skin (see photos above). Once skin is removed, remove the pits. Finely chop the peeled, pitted peaches.
- Measure 4 cups finely chopped pealed peaches and cook over medium-high heat in 6- or 8-quart saucepan for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and raw honey to saucepan and stir to combine. [You may add ½ tsp. unsalted butter to reduce the foaming if you wish.]
- Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin pouch quickly. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let mixture boil over. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
- Ladle mixture into the prepared, cleaned jars. I really recommend using a Wide-Mouth Funnel to easily ladle mixture into jars. Fill each jar to within ⅛-inch from the top. Wipe the jar rims and threads and cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands on tightly and place jars on elevated Canning Rack in canner. Lower rack into canner so that water covers jars by 1 to 2 inches. If more water is needed, add boiling water. Cover and bring to gently boil for 10 minutes. Remove jars using a Jar Lifter and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of the lid with your finger. If lid springs/pops back, it is not sealed and that jar will need to be refrigerated.
- Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store unopened jam in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate opened jams for up to 3 weeks.


mattie
How many half pint jars does this recipe make?
Lacey Baier
Hi there! Okay, are you ready for some math?? lol. A cup is equal to a half pint and this recipe makes about 8 cups. So, it will yield 4 half-pint jars. It can be doubled and tripled as well, if you'd like.
Kirstin
Wouldn't that make it 4 pints instead of half pints? 1 c= 1/2 pint so 2 c = 1 pint, I want to make sure I get the correct number of jars lol
Lacey Baier
Yep, you're absolutely right. That's my mistake. I'll update the recipe to reflect! Thanks 🙂
Kerri
We live in SA so we go to Fredricksburg every year for peaches, blackberries, and strawberries. Have you picked your own? It’s a wonderful experience. I’m going to use your recipe to make peach jam, usually we just freeze our peaches but my daughter loves peach jam. Can’t wait to try it.
Lacey Baier
Hi Kerry! Yes, we love picking our own fruit in Fredericksburg. It's definitely an annual summer tradition for us 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion, though, and happy picking! I hope your daughter enjoys the jam 🙂
Anne
Can't wait to make this, yummy!!! Question - my Mom Mom taught me to make strawberry jam just like this, except instead of using a canner at the end, she tops off with wax. What would be the difference? Could I top off with wax for this peach recipe? The only difference in ingredients is strawberries instead of peaches...thanks!!
Lacey Baier
You know, I'm not familiar with the wax technique. Sorry!
Lori Wegehaupt
Lacey, have you ever made pear jam? I am looking for a recipe that adds fresh ginger to the jam.
Lacey Baier
Hi Lori. Unfortunately, no I haven't. Sounds amazing though!
Anna
Hello Lacey,
I love love your recipes! And your cookbook is amazing!
I would love to have the time to make some if not most of those beautiful recipes. However,I will make that beautiful golden color peach jam over the weekend.
Thanks for sharing!!
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Anna! You're so sweet 🙂
Kristi
I grew up here and there is nothing I love more than downhome Texas cooking. I spent hours in the kitchen helpng my grandmother with recipes that have been in the family for a hundred years at least. I learned what a dab and a pinch were way before I knew tsp. and Tbsp....lol. Cooking and baking are something I am so passionate about! Your peach jam made me think about all the colors of jars in grandma's store room. You just have to pick wild plums and make plum jelly, or our lovely prickly pear fruit jelly! I have some awesome recipes and would love to share!
Lacey Baier
Kristi, I'm all ears. That sounds amazing! 🙂 Feel free to email me sometime.
Dianna
Just made your jam yesterday evening and very excited! I had the kids sample what I couldn't jar and they loved it!!! I am a little scared.....the jam doesn't seem completely set. It still seems liquidity.....it quite hasn't been 24 hrs. Any suggestions?
Lacey Baier
Hi Dianna,
It's really the luck of the draw if the jam doesn't want to set completely. I'd recommend sticking it in the fridge to harden it up a bit. The consistency, while it shouldn't be soupy, will vary depending on the liquid levels of the peaches you're using. I'm sure it will still be tasty even if a bit lose. I hope it turns out for you!
jess
just made this. tastes as good as it smells easy enough to follow recipe for someone that hasnt made jam before
Lacey Baier
I'm so happy to hear it all turned out well for you. Thanks for sharing, Jess!
kate
Have you ever doubled this receipe? I know a lot jam receipes tell you to not double it.
Lacey Baier
I'm sorry, Kate, but I haven't ever doubled this recipe so I'm not sure.
Kate Sandberg
My husband's favorite is peach jam, unfortunatly he hasn't had it since he was a young boy, sitting at his Grandma's. She used to make more peach jam then anyone could handle but it was always gone within a few months. I know I wont be able to fill those shoes, but I'm hoping to help bring back some wonderful memories. I cant wait to try your peach jam recipie!!!!
Cindy Lou
Fortunately for me, your jam recipe (and peeling hints, which my mom had told me about, but I just couldn't remember) showed up when I dogpiled Fresh Peach Jam. I will make several different recipies and let you know our favorite! One of them is a "peach melba" with raspberries and I so love rassies. Thanks for this post Sweet Pea!
Lacey Baier
Oh, you're very welcome, Cindy. Enjoy!
katie @ the hill country cook
wait, wait, wait Lacey WHEN did you move to Austin? Did I always know this and it just never clicked???!!!! We need to meet up! Share recipes and photography tips or SOMETHING!!! A food blogger friend close to me OMG!!! 😀
Lacey Baier
Hahaha, Katie! We moved about 6 months ago from San Diego 🙂
I would LOVE to meet up and embrace the Austin food blog world! Heehee.
NanaBread
Your post takes me back to when I was a child, when my mother made homemade jellies and jams each summer. On jelly day, she'd make loaves of homemade bread, and serve us "jelly foam" sandwiches as she scraped the bubbles off the top of the jam. Oh, the memories! Nothing beats homemade jam made from fresh summer fruits.
Lacey Baier
What a wonderful memory! Thank you for sharing. Enjoy your summer 🙂
Charissa
How cool! Peach jam is my absolute, favourite jam in the world...someday I'm going to be all ambitious like you and make my own...until then, I'm inspired.
Lacey Baier
Well, I'm glad to have inspired you, Charissa 😉
Jen
I can't wait til our local Niagara peaches start showing up in the market. Your gorgeous jars are making me want to make some jam of my own!
Lacey Baier
Yay! Fresh jam is so awesome!