Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (2024)

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I tried plain pear jam several years ago and was underwhelmed. The taste was quite bland. This year I've been blessed with a bounty of pears from the neighbors again, so I went looking for some different recipes.

First I took the most overripe pears and made up a batch of pear wine with candied ginger. Next I ran across a recipe for Autumn Cranberry Pear Jam in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. (If you enjoy canning, I highly recommend this book. There are tons of great recipes!)

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (1)

I didn't have a couple of the ingredients (they used liquid pectin and apple juice), so I made some substitutions for the first batch.

We loved the flavor profile of the traditional jam, but it was quite sweet. I made batch #2 with Pomona's Pectin and less than half the sugar – much more fruit flavor. I'll share both versions here so you can choose the one that you prefer.

Cranberry Pear Jam – Traditional Recipe

Adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pears – cored, finely chopped and crushed (I kept the peels on – your choice)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cranberry juice or unsweetened apple juice or cider
  • 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, organic preferred
  • 2 tablespoons powdered pectin
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter, to reduce foaming
  • 5 cups granulated sugar

Directions

Prepare canner, jars and lids. Your water bath canner should be filled about 2/3 full – enough to cover cup sized jars with two inches of water. Jars should be sterilized and kept hot. I run mine through the dishwasher. Some people heat them in their canning water or in a warm oven. You can see my full canning stovetop set up in the currant jelly post.

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (2)

In a large, non-reactive pot (I use a heavy bottom stainless steel pot), combine pears, dried cranberries, pomegranate or apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, butter and powdered pectin. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in all sugar. Return to full rolling roil and boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam, if desired.

Ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two piece lids. Screw bands until snug. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, let sit five minutes. Remove from canner and place on kitchen towel on counter top. After jars are cool, check seals. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use them first. (It's rare that a jam jar will not seal, but once in a while there may be a nicked rim or some other factor that causes a failure.)

Makes around 6-7 cups.

Cranberry Pear Jam – Low Sugar Recipe

Adapted from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pears – cored, finely chopped and crushed (I kept the peels on – your choice)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cranberry juice or unsweetened apple juice or cider
  • 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar or 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, organic preferred
  • 2 teaspoons Pomona's pectin powder
  • 2 teaspoons calcium water (included with Pomona's Pectin)

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together sugar or honey and pectin powder. Don’t skip this step, or your pectin will clump. Set aside.

In a large, non-reactive pot (I use a heavy bottom stainless steel pot),combine pears, dried cranberries, pomegranate or apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and the calcium water. Bring to a full boil.

Add honey-pectin or sugar-pectin mixture, stir vigorously 1-2 minutes while cooking to dissolve pectin. Return to boil and remove from heat.

Ladle jam into sterilized jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Wipe rims clean and screw on the lids. Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level). Jam will last about three weeks once opened. Makes around 5 cups.

The cranberries, cinnamon and fruit juice team up with the natural sweetness of the pears to make a great fall jam that is more than the sum of its parts. If you use a fair amount of cinnamon, I highly recommend buying bulk Ceylon cinnamon, as opposed to cassia or Chinese cinnamon. The flavor is richer and more complex.

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (3)

More Preserving Recipes and Tips you May Enjoy

  • 9 Ways to Preserve Pears, Plus Tips to Prevent Browning
  • Blueberry Pear Jam
  • Autumnberry-Apple Cider Jam
  • Peach Jam Two Ways – Peach Vanilla and Fuzzy Navel
  • Pumpkin Fruit Leather – Tastes Like Portable Pumpkin Pie

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Cranberry Pear Jam – Traditional

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (4)

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A delicious blend of classic autumn flavors. Great for gift giving.

  • Yield: 67 cups 1x

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • 3 cups pears – cored, finely chopped and crushed (I kept the peels on – your choice)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cranberry juice or unsweetened apple juice or cider
  • 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, organic preferred
  • 2 tablespoons powdered pectin
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter, to reduce foaming
  • 5 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare canner, jars and lids. Your water bath canner should be filled about 2/3 full – enough to cover cup sized jars with two inches of water. Jars should be sterilized and kept hot. I run mine through the dishwasher. Some people heat them in their canning water or in a warm oven.

In a large, non-reactive pot , combine pears, dried cranberries, pomegranate or apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, butter and powdered pectin. Bring mixture to full rolling boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in all sugar. Return to full rolling roil and boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam, if desired.

Ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two piece lids. Screw bands until snug. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, let sit five minutes. Remove from canner and place on kitchen towel on counter top. After jars are cool, check seals. Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use them first.

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Cranberry Pear Jam – Low Sugar Recipe

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (5)

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No reviews

Not so sweet version of these classic autumn flavors.

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • 3 cups pears – cored, finely chopped and crushed (I kept the peels on – your choice)
  • 2/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cranberry juice or unsweetened apple juice or cider
  • 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar or 3/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, organic preferred
  • 2 teaspoons Pomona’s pectin powder
  • 2 teaspoons calcium water (included with Pomona’s Pectin)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together sugar or honey and pectin powder. Don’t skip this step, or your pectin will clump. Set aside.
  2. In a large, non-reactive pot (I use a heavy bottom stainless steel pot), combine pears, dried cranberries, pomegranate or apple juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, and the calcium water. Bring to a full boil.
  3. Add honey-pectin or sugar-pectin mixture, stir vigorously 1-2 minutes while cooking to dissolve pectin. Return to boil and remove from heat.
  4. Ladle jam into sterilized jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Wipe rims clean and screw on the lids. Process for 10 minutes in water bath canner (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level). Jam will last about three weeks once opened. Makes around 5 cups.
Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (6)

Originally posted in 2013, last updated in 2018.

Cranberry Pear Jam - Traditional and Low Sugar Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between cranberry jelly and jam? ›

Simply put, the difference between jam and jelly is that jam contains actual fruit, while jelly is made from fruit juice and contains no fruit. Where it gets confusing for many folks is the fact that the fruit used to make jam can be so pureed in the production process that you can't see any fruit bits.

What pairs best with cranberry? ›

It's one of those funny fruits that people only pair with orange. But if you're still getting stone fruit (or have some frozen fruit around), it's great to combine cranberries with peaches or nectarines in a sauce for the best of their sweet and tart flavors.

What fruit mixes well with cranberries? ›

Cranberries are a versatile fruit. They can be made into appetizers or beverages, or used in breads, desserts, entrees, and side dishes. The tart flavor may need sweetening to be acceptable to most people. To avoid sugar, try mixing cranberries with fruits that have natural sweetness, like apples, oranges, or apricots.

What can I use instead of cranberry jam? ›

Consider a chutney with fresh and dried fruit, a tangy citrus marmalade, and even bacon-onion "jam." The recipes we've gathered are sweet and tart or savory and aromatic, they include the spices, nuts, and deep flavors we associate with autumn and winter, so you won't miss the cranberries one bit.

Is jam better with or without pectin? ›

Preserve fresh flavor.

Strawberry jam with added pectin can be cooked in as little as ten minutes, preserving that fresh berry flavor and quality. Strawberry jam without added pectin needs to be cooked up to four times longer to reach the gel stage, resulting in a much sweeter, less fresh-tasting jam.

What is the healthiest jam or jelly? ›

Jam and jelly have virtually the same nutritional value, fruity taste, and spreadable texture. Thus, you can use them interchangeably. That said, some studies have analyzed the nutritional profile of jams after 9 months in storage and observed no significant losses in their antioxidant content.

What not to mix with cranberry? ›

Possible Interactions
  • Warfarin (Coumadin): Cranberry may raise the risk of bleeding, especially if you already take medications to thin the blood such as warfarin. ...
  • Aspirin: Like aspirin, cranberries contain salicylic acid. ...
  • Other medications: Cranberry may interact with medications that are broken down by the liver.

What flavors compliment cranberry? ›

cranberry
  • Thyme (Orange) citrus. grassy. woody. floral.
  • Sage (Common) savory. herbal. menthol.
  • Rosemary. savory. herbal.
  • Mexican Tarragon. citrus. anise.
  • Zaatar Marjoram. woody. floral.
  • Marigold Flower. citrus. grapefruit. grassy.
  • Epazote. oregano. anise. mint. gasoline.
  • Basil (Purple Ruffles) cinnamon. anise. menthol.

What is a vodka and cranberry drink called? ›

The Cape Cod or Cape Codder is a type of co*cktail consisting of vodka and cranberry juice. Some recipes also call for squeezing a lime wedge over the glass and dropping it into the drink.

What fruit goes with pears? ›

1. Opt for a sweet juicy pear for a satisfying snack. Eat out of hand or as part of winter fruit salad along with apples, dried fruit, toasted nuts and coconut. Add a dollop of vanilla yogurt, if desired.

What flavors go well with pear? ›

Pear: Pairs well with almond, apple, caramel, chestnut, chocolate, cinnamon, citrus, clove, ginger, hazelnut, nutmeg, pecan, raspberry, rosemary, vanilla, and walnut. It mixes best with brandy, port, crème de cassis, Grand Marnier, kirsch, rum, whiskey, and dry red white, and sparkling wines.

What are the pros and cons of cranberries? ›

There are various health benefits of cranberry juice, including preventing infections, delaying or reducing the severity of chronic disease, and preventing age-related oxidative damage. Cranberry juice can also temporarily make conditions, such as acid reflux, worse because it is mildly acidic.

What happens if you make jam without pectin? ›

Making jam without pectin is easy, you just have to cook it longer. This recipe produces a very thick, rich tasting jam, but if you like your jam a bit looser, cook it 5 minutes less than the suggested cooking time.

What's the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry jam? ›

While both are cranberry-based spreads, they differ in texture and sweetness. Cranberry jam tends to have a smoother, more spreadable consistency compared to the thicker cranberry sauce. Moreover, jam typically includes a higher sugar content, making it sweeter.

Can I use lemon juice instead of pectin in jam? ›

Although we are not adding powdered pectin, we will add citric acid or lemon juice to the jam. This gives an additional pop of pectin but also some acidity that balances the sweetness of the jam. Citric acid provides very consistent results, which is why I like to use it.

What is the real difference between jelly and jam? ›

The main difference between the two is the form of fruit. Jelly is made using fruit juice, while jam is made using whole fruits that have been smashed or crushed. Because of this, jam can have seeds or pieces of fruit in it, while jelly has the fruit parts strained out of it.

Is cranberry sauce and jam the same? ›

No, although they contain the same main ingredient, cranberry sauce and cranberry jam are different. Cranberry sauce is usually not as thick and does not contain as much sugar as cranberry jam. Jam usually has a more spreadable consistency and is eaten with bread or used to fill cookies or tarts.

What is the difference between cranberry sauce and cranberry jam? ›

While both are cranberry-based spreads, they differ in texture and sweetness. Cranberry jam tends to have a smoother, more spreadable consistency compared to the thicker cranberry sauce. Moreover, jam typically includes a higher sugar content, making it sweeter.

Is cranberry sauce and cranberry jelly the same thing? ›

And deep down, they are not so different after all: Whole cranberry sauce indeed involves whole berries. Jellied cranberry sauce goes through much the same process, but it is heavily strained, removing elements of nature — skin, seeds — that would impede its perfect silken texture.

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