If you've never made freezer jam before, you'll be amazed at how quick and simple the process is. If you've never even tasted freezer jam before... you need to make some. And soon!
Freezer jam is a beautiful taste of summer you can enjoy year-round. Because you use perfect, ripe fruit for freezer jam (as opposed to the slightly-too-ripe-to-enjoy-fresh-but-not-far-gone-enough-to-waste fruit often used to make regular jam!), you reall get to enjoy the true fresh flavor of the fruit!
Raspberry freezer jam tastes like you are popping fresh, juicy raspberries into your mouth. Strawberry freezer jam smells like summer, looks like a beautiful jewel-colored coating on your toast, and tastes like heaven.
This Cinnamon Nectarine Freezer Jam tastes like you are biting into a beautiful fresh peach that you have sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon... I half expect to find juice running down my chin every time I eat it!
Back to those beautiful boxes of peaches and nectarines I got... and the easy-peasy trick I just showed you on how to peel them all...
I wanted to make sure I had a good variety of uses from all the fruit, instead of just eating them all over ice cream, or freezing them plain.
I make lots of raspberry, strawberry, blackberry and rhubarb freezer jams each year, but I had never made peach before. We love freezer jam in this family... on everything from toast, to ice cream, to straight out of the jar... so I decided it was time to try it out!
I used my nectarines, but you can use peaches if you'd like... they are completely interchangeable!
adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride (& Ball!)
Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups peeled & finely chopped nectarines (or peaches!)
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons Ball Real-Fruit Instant Pectin*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Stir together nectarines (or peaches), sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Slowly stir in the pectin, stirring continuously for 3 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, and then pour the mixture into clean freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1/2" of headspace (which allows the freezer jam to expand without overflowing your containers!).
(*If you use a different brand of Instant Pectin, make sure to compare the instructions on the container and adjust accordingly!)
Cover the containers and leave them out out at room-temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer them to the fridge or freezer and enjoy!
(Freezer jam lasts up to 12 months in the freezer!)
What's your favorite kind of freezer jam?
