Keep summer around all year with homemade Peach Jam. Hints of vanilla and bourbon compliment the naturally sweet Southern peaches. Canning is easier than you think and makes breakfast worth getting up for. Don’t want to can it, just freeze it instead.
Because summer should stick around a little longer
This peach jam doesn’t use pectin. You don’t need it. A little lemon juice thickens things naturally, and it gives the jam that bright, fresh flavor that doesn’t taste like it sat on a shelf for a decade. And the best part? If canning feels like too much, freeze it. Done.
I grew up standing on a stool next to my grandma every summer, elbow-deep in peach juice, learning how to make jam the old-fashioned way. We didn’t measure with teaspoons. We measured with instinct—and probably too much sugar. But you know what? That sticky, sweet mess became one of my favorite memories.
Now, years later, I’m still making jam every summer, but with a few tweaks. Less sugar. More peach. A splash of bourbon because… why not?
I’ve been using this easy peach vanilla jam recipe without pectin for years and it always makes the most spectacular jam. I love it when I have a large basket of peaches ripening on my counter just waiting to be made into jam. (It’s easy to experiment with jam recipes when you live so close to peach orchards.)🍑
Why This Peach Jam Is Worth Your Time
- It actually tastes like peaches (not just sugar pretending to be fruit)
- A hint of vanilla bean makes it feel fancy
- A splash of bourbon makes it feel Southern
- You can freeze it if you’re not ready to can
- It makes breakfast feel like summer, even in February
Quick Tips Before You Start
- Use ripe peaches—a few firm ones are fine (they have more natural pectin)
- Taste as you go—every batch of peaches is different
- Don’t skip the lemon juice—it helps it set and balances the sweetness
- Worried about canning? You don’t need to be. Just grab a water bath canner, a jar lifter, and a big stockpot. You’ve got this.
Want more ways to use it? Try spooning it over this easy apricot chicken or drizzle it on top of a warm peach cake for a double dose of peachy goodness.
When making jam, it’s best to have ripe peaches, you can have a few that aren’t fully ripe. (those not quite ripe peaches will have more natural pectin). But in order to keep your added sugar down, you want to have wonderfully sweet peaches.
Peaches will ripen off the tree, so If you’ve come home with peaches that aren’t quite ready for jam, here are some tips for how to ripen peaches.
Everyone that I’ve shared my peach preserves with has raved about it and it’s my favorite of all the jams I’ve made especially when spreading on oatmeal bread.
I don’t eat a lot of jam, but when I do, I want it to taste like fruit and not just seasoned sugar. Don’t get me wrong, you have to have sugar to make jam, but some of the old recipe books have an equal amount of sugar to fruit, YIKES.
After working with the consistency and taste, I’ve found that 21/2 cups of sugar for 8 cups of peaches is just about right. This makes the perfect small batch recipe with a lot less sugar than what you’ll find at the grocery store. Taste your jam as you go and if your peaches are tart, then you might need a little more sugar, but I promise, you won’t need 8 cups!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Just the essentials here. Full amounts and instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Fresh Peaches– any variety will do. Try to get a mixture so that most are very ripe and a couple are not as ripe. You will need to peel them.
- Vanilla bean – you’ll be surprised at the warmth this adds.
- Bourbon – totally optional, start out using just a little and taste until it has the flavor you like.
- Large stock pot for canning – this will need to be larger than a Dutch oven. A water bath canner is the best as it will be deep enough to cover the jars.
How to Make Peach Jam (Without Pectin)
Step 1: Get your canner going
Start out with a water bath canner, you can get one on Amazon for about $40, it’s really nice for other things, like making a seafood boil. The supplies that you can order for $20 include a jar lifter and a magnetic tool that allows you to place the lids on the jars without having to touch them.
Fill the canning pot with enough water to cover whatever size jar you are using and bring it to a full rolling boil. This can take a LONG time so start this first. If it comes to a full boil before you’re ready, just turn off the stove and keep it covered. Then when you’re ready, it will only take a minute to heat back up.
As soon as it comes to a boil, add the empty jars to the hot water bath to sterilize for 5 minutes then remove to a clean towel to dry. For the lids, I scoop out some boiling water and put it in a small pan and just put my lids in the hot water for a few minutes. Then take them out and place them on a clean towel to dry with the jars.
Step 2: Cook the jam
For this jam, you can either make it chunky or puree it in a blender or with an immersion blender depending on how you like your jam, but you will start out with small chunks of peaches and then mash them with a potato masher as they heat up in a large pot, I like to use a Dutch oven. You will need peeled peaches.
Once you’ve added the sugar they will need to cook over medium heat until it thickens. This can take from 15-25 minutes depending on how juicy the peaches are. Once it comes to a bowl, mash the peaches with a potato masher. You’ll need to stir it occasionally.
You’ll know it’s done when it is slightly thickened and it sizzles when you pull the spoon through it. How’s that for being precise! It will thicken more as it cools.
Step 3: Fill the jars
When the jam has thickened pour the hot jam into the sterilized jars, I find a soup ladle works best, wipe the rims clean with a paper towel and then place the sterilized lids on top.
Screw the outside ring on, but not super tight. Place them in your boiling water bath and boil for 5 minutes.
Remove and let them sit on the counter, you should hear the lids pop as they seal. Sometimes this takes a few minutes. You will know it has sealed if there is no indentation on the top. If you can push down the center it didn’t seal. You will need to refrigerate any that did not seal and eat right away or freeze it.
This will produce about four 8-ounce half-pint jars of jam. If you want to double the recipe, just make sure you have a pot large enough so that they don’t boil over.
There’s nothing like having a few jars of jam in the pantry in the middle of winter when peach season seems a long way away.
For guidelines on safe canning techniques refer to The Complete Guide to Home Canning put out by the USDA, it’s a free download and will be sure to answer all of your questions.
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Ingredients
- 8 cups peaches peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 vanilla bean
- 3-6 tablespoon Bourbon
Instructions
- Place peaches and lemon juice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Mash the peaches with a potato masher until they are the consistency you want.
- Add sugar and bring to a boil stirring for about 15-25 minutes until thickens. As it starts to thicken add a vanilla bean that has been split and scrape seeds into jam along with the pod. Continue to cook until it sizzles when you run a spoon through it and it has thickened.
- Remove from heat and add 3-6 tablespoons of Bourbon depending on your preference.
- If you want a smooth jam, use an immersion blender to make it smooth.
- Pour the jam into the sterilized jars leaving about 1/4 inch at the top. Using a wet paper towel, remove any jam on the rim of the jar and place a flat lid and ring on each. The ring should be just finger-tight.
- Place the jars in boiling water, making sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove and leave undisturbed until cool. Once cooled, check to see if the lids have sealed by pressing down on the top. If it can be pushed down, it has not sealed and you should refrigerate and enjoy right away.
Notes
- Try to use ripe peaches, if they are tart, you will need to add a little more sugar.
- Since some peaches are juicier than others, you may need to cook it longer.
- You can leave out the bourbon and it will still be delicious.
- This will make four 8 ounce jars.
- You can skip the canning part and just freeze the jars once they have completely cooled.
Nutrition
I first published this Peach Jam recipe on my Southern food blog Butter and Baggage.
I made a double batch for I had lots of peaches. Easy to make. I made adjustments that was needed. I will make this again.
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to comment.