Description
This Spiced Cranberry Orange Jam is a delightful homemade condiment featuring fresh cranberries simmered with aromatic spices and fresh orange zest and juice. Perfectly sweetened and slightly tangy, this jam is great for holiday gifting or adding a flavorful touch to your breakfast or desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2 large oranges, zested and juiced
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Rinse and sort the cranberries, discarding any soft or damaged berries to ensure freshness and purity in the jam.
- Combine and Boil: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and prevent sticking.
- Add Spices and Simmer: Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and add the cinnamon stick, ground cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency.
- Finish and Cool: Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla extract to enhance the flavor. Allow the jam to cool slightly before transferring it to clean jars. Let it cool completely before sealing and refrigerating.
Notes
- The jam will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a little runny while hot.
- For a smoother texture, you can mash the cranberries during cooking or briefly blend the jam after cooking.
- This jam makes a beautiful and thoughtful edible gift when packaged in small jars.
- Store refrigerated and consume within 3 weeks for best quality.
