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This recipe for small batch prune jam requires two ingredients – fresh plums and sugar. Includes a comprehensive guide on canning it for long-term snacking!

Run jam in a bowl

This easy plum jam recipe will have you wondering why you waited so long to make jam in the comfort of your own kitchen. The biggest ingredient? Patience! You’ll need to boil and reboil the jam 5-7 times in order for it to thicken naturally, but it’s well worth the wait (and taste!). What’s better? You don’t need any pectin or gelatin – just the natural sweetness from the prunes and some basic, white sugar.

How to Can Prune Jam at Home

Before we start making this rich prune jam recipe, let’s talk about canning. To preserve your jam for up to a year, here’s what to do:

  1. Wash the Jars: Preheat the oven to 215°. While it’s heating up, wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water. Rinse them completely to remove any suds.
  2. Sterilize the Jars: Next, place all the jars and lids in the oven until they are completely dry (this is very important!).
  3. Fill the Hot Jars: Using an oven mitt, remove the hot jars from the oven and immediately spoon the hot jam inside them. Using a kitchen towel, cover each jar tightly with a lid and flip it upside down for an hour to seal it.
  4. Store the Jam: Finally, place the jars in a cool, dark place (the bottom shelf of your pantry or inside a cupboard) for up to a year.

Our Favorite Canning Jars for Jam! These half pint jars are the best for jam. They also make for great gifts!

How to Make Prune Jam from Scratch

To make prune jam from scratch, all you need is a bit of time and a large pot. Find the instructions below:

  • Prepare the Plums: First, rinse the plums under cool water. Remove the pits and slice them into quarters.
  • Marinate the Plums: Pop the plum pieces into a large pot and cover them with sugar. Place the pot in the fridge overnight.
  • Boil & Cool the Plums: After a night of marinating, place the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat on low. Bring the plum mixture to a boil, remove it from heat, and allow the plums to cool. Repeat 5-7 more times.
  • Jar the Jam: After the last boil, can the hot jam (long-term storage) or allow the jam to cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge (short-term storage).

Expert Tips for Making Prune Jam

Never made homemade jam before? These tried-and-true tips will help you nail it!

  • Cook the jam low and slow. To prevent the jam from burning during the boiling rounds, cook it low and slow. Also, make sure to stir it constantly so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Use a timer to help you with the boiling rounds. To help you manage the boiling rounds, set a kitchen timer to remind you to check on it between each.
  • Tweak the flavors with different seasonings. If you’d like, add in a bit of lemon juice to the jam to make it a marmalade. Or, add cinnamon sticks or cloves during the boiling process and remove them once the jam is finished cooking.

Prefer smoother jam? Use an immersion blender to beat the jam until it’s smooth in texture. Do this while the jam is still piping hot for best results!

Different Ways to Use Your Prune Jam

Now that you have all this jam, what to do with it? Here’s some ideas to inspire you.

  • Ice Cream: Warm the jam in the microwave or in a saucepan until it liquefies. Drizzle it over vanilla ice cream.
  • Sandwiches, Breads, & Toast: Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with it, or smear it on a slice of brioche or honey wheat bread with butter.
  • Charcuterie Boards: Serve it alongside crackers, cheese, cured meats, fruits, and veggies on a charcuterie board.
  • Cakes: Layer it in a cake. We like to use it in our Kiev cake recipe or in our Honey walnut poppy seed cake. You could also swap out the prune plums in our prunes walnut cake for the jam instead.
  • Cookies: Use the prune jam for kolaczki (Polish cookies) and thumbprint cookies.

FAQ

Do you need to peel plums for jam?

No, you do not need to peel the plums before making jam. The skin will naturally dissolve during the boiling process. You’ll also get a bit of extra fiber to boot!

What’s the difference between a prune and a plum?

Prunes are just dried plums! It’s the exact same fruit.

What’s the quickest way to remove the pit from plums?

To quickly remove the pit, slice along the diameter of the seed with a knife until you cut completely around the seed. Next, rotate the plum and slice the plum alongside the pit and remove the seed easily.

Can you freeze prune jam instead of canning it?

Yes, if you don’t want to can the jam you can freeze it in an airtight container instead. To thaw freezer jam, place it in the fridge overnight.

How long do you have to wait to eat the jam?

You do not have to wait to eat the jam! You can use it immediately after the last boil.

More Tasty Jams & Spreads to Try

Recipe

Prune Plum Jam in a bowl with a spoon and prunes around it, with jars behind the bowl

Prune Plum Jam Recipe

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Servings
24 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
With just two ingredients, this small batch prune jam is rich, sweet, and just right. Use it for everything from toast to baking or can it for up to a year!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Rinse the plums, remove the seeds, and slice them into quarters.
    Prunes cut into fourth all place into one bowl
  • Place the plums into a pot and cover them with sugar. Allow them to sit in the refrigerator overnight to develop a nice juice.
    Prunes covered in sugar
  • The next day heat the plum mixture over low heat on the stovetop, stirring it constantly to prevent the fruit from burning. Once it begins to boil, immediately remove it from heat. Repeat this process 5-7 more times, letting the plums completely cool between each round (this process will help to thicken the jam).
    Prunes bing boiled in a pot over the stove top
  • Once you bring the plums to their last boil, transfer the jam into jars or can them for longer use.
    Prune Plum Jam in a pot
Nutrition Facts
Prune Plum Jam Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 225 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 248mg7%
Carbohydrates 57g19%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 55g61%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 544IU11%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted January 1, 2022

About Author

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Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.