Make your own No Sugar Apricot Preserves at home with this easy pectin free recipe. Using your fresh Blenheim apricot, you can make a quick and easy summer fruit jam in a jar that is perfect for breakfast toast and storing in your pantry.
My mum makes apricot preserves yearly with all the fruits from her garden. Of course, I leave with bags full of preserves on every visit.
But this time, I got fresh apricots directly from their garden, and I made the preserve myself, of course, sharing it with you. It has no sugar in it and no pectin whatsoever. Just pure apricots and cinnamon to add a bit of extra flavor.
Not only do I enjoy it, but my kids love having it on their slices of protein bread loaf or topped with brioche french toast pudding. It is one of our favorite jams.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- So Easy To Make: My recipe for apricot preserves is simple to make at home and only needs a few ingredients. I made it quickly and easily so you can enjoy it right away whenever you want to.
- Natural Sweetness: These preserves let the natural sweetness of ripe apricots shine through without any added sugar. I love it because it has a pure and fruity taste that is so refreshing, especially for summer.
- No Sugar: You will enjoy this recipe more because it has no sugar, and it is perfect for those watching their sugar intake every time they eat sweets. Since I am using ripe apricots, no sweetener is needed because it is naturally sweet and delicious.
Summer Fruit Apricot Preserves and Jams
If this is your first time hearing about this recipe, apricot jams and preserves are sweet spreads made from apricots that are usually cooked with sugar and lemon juice. For this recipe, I made it without sugar, but it still has the same taste as the originals because of the sweetness of the apricots I used.
People usually make this every summer since apricots are one of the best summer fruits and bloom every summer. Their orange color resembles peaches, as they are both related and sometimes called stone fruit. So interesting.
Ways To Use Apricot Preserves
You can use your apricot preserves in many ways, and I’ve tried most of them, but I usually pair them with a slice of bread. You can try serving it in these ways:
- Spread on tortilla wraps or with pretzels for a sweet breakfast treat.
- Use it as a filling or topping for your bundt cake and chocolate dump cake to add a fruity taste.
- Serve with a fruit or cheese platter together with cranberry roll-ups and chocolate blueberries for a summer party treat.
- Stir into salad dressings like buffalo ranch sauce for sweetness and tangy taste.
How To Make Apricot Preserves Recipe
Follow this recipe with all the steps I prepared for you. If you want the exact measurements for this recipe, check the recipe card below. I also made a great tutorial video for a visual guide.
Kitchen Gadgets:
- Cooking Pot: Use a cooking pot with enough size to fit how many apricot preserves you will make. It is better to use a heavy-bottomed pot for even cooking and to prevent the apricots from burning.
- Potato Masher: This potato masher will break down the apricots as they cook.
- Jars for Storage: You will need enough jars to store all your preserves. Mason jars are the best.
Ingredients:
- Water: Water is needed to cook down the apricots.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice adds a bit of tang and helps preserve the apricot’s color. Freshly squeezed is best, but bottled lemon juice works too.
- Cinnamon: Adding a pinch of cinnamon will add a warm, sweet, and spicy taste to the sweetness of the apricots.
- Apricots: Fresh apricots are ideal for this recipe, so look for juicy and slightly soft ones. Frozen apricots can be a good substitute if fresh apricots are not in season.
- Xanthan Gum (Optional): This natural thickener can help give your preserves a thicker, jam-like texture. Use it sparingly, as a little goes a long way.
- Sweetener or Honey (Optional): If you prefer sweeter preserves and want to preserve them even longer, add a natural sweetener like honey or a sugar substitute.
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
FULL INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEPS FOR THIS JAM RECIPE
First Step: Ingredients
Start by gathering all the ingredients needed.
Wash your apricots thoroughly. Remove the pits, and cut apricots in halves. You can also prepare the other ingredients on the side, like lemon juice, cinnamon, and water.
Since Xanthan gum is optional, it depends on you whether you will use it. It is okay if you don’t use any thickener.
Second Step: Cook the Apricots
In your cooking pot, combine the apricots, lemon juice, cinnamon, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then cook it for 20 minutes until the water evaporates.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer. Mash the big chunks with a potato crusher and stir them until the apricots are macerated and have broken down into a thick, jam-like consistency.
Third Step: Thicken
Add a half teaspoon of xanthan gum and keep stirring the jam. It will make the jam thicker, but skip this step if you are okay with the consistency. You can spoon the preserves to check if they are perfect in texture. Skim if there are foams present on top of the preserves.
Let it sit for 10 minutes, and your jam will be ready for eating and storing.
TRICKS AND TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE:
- Lemon: When the jam is almost cooked, add one more spoon of lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown.
- Apricot chunks: Either leave the chunks or smash them with a hand smasher, but do NOT blend them thoroughly with a hand blender because we are making preserves and not jam.
- Test – Place a small amount on a chilled plate to check if your preserves are ready. If it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, it’s ready.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I Need Thickener for This Recipe?
The answer to this question will depend on how your apricot mixture turns out because some get the thick consistency right away, but some don’t. You can skip the thickening part of this recipe, but you may not need one if you prefer a softer consistency. I am using Xanthan gum for thickening if needed.
How Do I Preserve Apricot Preserves?
To preserve your apricot preserves, first fully clean and sterilize glasses and lids, then microwave them for 5 minutes before filling them.
Fill the jars while the preserves are still boiling. Place the lid on top, but don’t tighten it. As the hot preserves cool, the lid will seal itself and ensure that the jar of apricot preserves has some headspace. After tightening the lid, place a freezing cold towel on top. This helps the lid seal even more tightly for 15 minutes.
Next, turn all the jars upside down and wrap them in a thick blanket. Leave them like this for 24 hours or overnight to ensure the preserves are correctly sealed and preserved.
Aside from the refrigerator, you can also freeze apricot preserves. Use freezer-safe containers or jars with space for expansion. Thaw in the fridge before using; they will keep well for months.
More Recipes That Will Make You Say OMG
If you liked this recipe and want to try more, I’ll be glad to share more of our recipes, like this chicken mu pickled daikon. It is one of my favorite side dishes, along with this baked buffalo chicken dip.
To add sweetness to your table, make white chocolate strawberries and cranberry juice for dessert with this protein cheesecake. By making these recipes, you will enjoy your meals even more and won’t even realize it.
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Full Recipe With a Printable Version
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No Sugar Apricot Preserves Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 Cups Apricots Ripe
- 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum Optional
- 1/2 Cup Sweetener or Honey optional- if you are planing to Preserve it for longer period.
Instructions
- Start by gathering all the ingredients needed. Wash your apricots thoroughly. Remove the pits, and cut apricots in halves. You can also prepare the other ingredients on the side, like lemon juice, cinnamon, and water. Since Xanthan gum is optional, it depends on you whether you will use it. It is okay if you don't use any thickener.
- In your cooking pot, combine the apricots, lemon juice, cinnamon, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then cook it for 20 minutes until the water evaporates. Reduce the heat and let it simmer. Mash the big chunks with a potato crusher and stir them until the apricots are macerated and have broken down into a thick, jam-like consistency.
- Add a half teaspoon of xanthan gum and keep stirring the jam. It will make the jam thicker, but skip this step if you are okay with the consistency. You can spoon the preserves to check if they are perfect in texture. Skim if there are foams present on top of the preserves. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and your jam will be ready for eating and storing.
Video
Notes
- Lemon: When the jam is almost cooked, add one more spoon of lemon juice to prevent it from turning brown.
- Apricot chunks: Either leave the chunks or smash them with a hand smasher, but do NOT blend them thoroughly with a hand blender because we are making preserves and not jam.
- Test – Place a small amount on a chilled plate to check if your preserves are ready. If it wrinkles when pushed with your finger, it’s ready.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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