This cherry blueberry jam is richly hued, sweet, and fruit forward. It would be great in a layer cake or ribboned through a batch of scones.
Cherry season has been really good to me this year. Back in June, I came across a sour cherry tree dripping with fruit and filled a gallon sized bag (I combined them with apricots and made a big batch of this jam). Craving more, I bought a full flat of sour cherries to freeze and make my bourbon sour cherries.
When Rainier cherries started appearing at my local farmers market, I gave myself permission to buy a quart a week (bliss!). And then, just when I figured things were slowing down, the folks from Northwest Cherry Growers sent me a 27 pounds of perfect, deep red sweet cherries.
I have eaten a ton of those cherries straight from the colander. I shared some with friends and neighbors. And I have also done a goodly amount of preserving. Cherry butter. Cherry chutney. And this cherry blueberry jam (I am still planning on making a cherry elderberry jelly. Keep your eyes peeled).
Whenever I preserve sweet cherries, I like to pull in another flavor to help keep the cherries balanced. Some times I do this with lots of citrus or even some vinegar. Other times, I draft another fruit. This time, I tapped blueberries and the result is really lovely. The finished jam has deep, dark hue and a bright, rich finished flavor. This is one that would be excellent ribboned through a batch of scones.
If you’re looking for a tool to help you pit your cherries, this is my favorite multi-cherry pitter.
I’ve now been partnering with the Northwest Cherry Growers for more than a decade, so if this recipe doesn’t speak to you, there are many others from which to choose.
- Small Batch Cherry Plum Jam (2020)
- Sweet Cherry Butter (2018)
- Sweet Cherry Balsamic Jam (2018)
- Sweet Cherry Meyer Lemon Marmalade (2017)
- Sweet Cherry Ketchup (2017)
- Spiced Cherry Preserves (2017)
- Sweet Cherry Barbecue Sauce (2016)
- Sweet Cherry Rhubarb Jam (2015)
- Cherry Kompot (2015)
- Sweet Cherry Chutney (2014)
- Sweet and Sour Cherry Jam (2013)
- Pickled Sweet Cherries (2010)
Finally, for all things cherry, make sure to follow the Northwest Cherry Growers on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Cherry Blueberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
- 2 pounds blueberries, crushed
- 4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath canner and enough jars to hold 7 half pints of jam.
- In a large, nonreactive pot, combine the prepared cherries, crushed blueberries, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine.
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook at a boil for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the jam has reduced by about a third and has thickened. Here's how to test for set.
- When the jam is finished cooking, remove the pot from the stove. Take one jar from your canner. Place it on a wooden board or towel-lined countertop and fit it with a wide mouth canning funnel. Fill the jar with jam, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rim with a clean, damp cloth and fit the jar with one of your clean lids. Secure the lid in place with a ring, taking care to not overtighten.
- Return the filled jar to the canner and repeat the filling process with the remaining jars.
- Process the filled jars at a full, rolling boil for ten minutes. When the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let the jars cool in the pot for five minutes.
- When that cooling time is up, remove the jars from the canner and set them to cool on a wooden cutting board or folded kitchen towel.
- When the jars are completely cool, remove the rings and check the seals. Sealed jars are shelf stable for at least a year. If any jars did not seal, refrigerate them and use promptly.
This sounds delicious! I’ve really been enjoying your small batch no pectin recipes, and I’m wondering if this can be made without added pectin. I’ve done some of your other no added pectin recipes with these same ingredients and they worked well. If it’s possible with this recipe, what would you do differently?
What kind of pectin? Some want you to add pectin, boil, then add sugar. Others want you to add sugar, boil, then add pectin. Haven’t heard of one where you add both then boil.
I used the Ball classic powdered pectin. That’s my recommendation.
Hi! Thank you for this recipe. I was wondering if it can be done with frozen fruit?
You can definitely do this with frozen fruit. Just read through my tips for making jam from frozen fruit first. https://foodinjars.com/blog/canning-101-how-to-make-jam-with-frozen-fruit/
I’m hoping to make this recipe today, but the quantities have me flummoxed. Four pounds of fruit?!? My jelly pan is half full just with fruit. Then, all that fruit, but less than 6 T of pectin … I know blobs are pretty good in the pectin department, but, GOSH! I can understand the lower sugar, since the berries and cherries are already sugar-full. But I am really hesitant here…
This recipe uses fairly standard ratios for me in terms of sugar and pectin. The blueberries do bring a lot of pectin to the party. You also need to cook it until you see signs of set. But if you don’t feel comfortable with it, perhaps find a different recipe?
So good to have your recipes again, Marissa. You have been missed. I am from the Seattle area and really look forward to cherry season. This year we are buying Yakima Bings in Dallas for eating. A family member is suffering from cancer and we are in Dallas to help out. No canning or preserving this summer. Thanks again and the best to your family.
It’s good to be back! I am thinking good thoughts for your family member!
What happens with the juiced lemon?
I’m so sorry, I accidentally missed putting it in the recipe. You add it with the other ingredients. I’ve corrected the error.
Hello. Just love your posts. I have two antique preserving pans. One copper the other brass. Can one still use these.
Regards Sharon (Yorkshire, England)
sharonljervis@gmail.com
Copper preserving pans are still in use, but I don’t recommend that you use the brass one. I don’t know how it would react with the acid in the fruit. If you cook in your copper pan, make sure to combine your fruit and sugar before putting it in the pan.
It should be fine to use your copper pan, but I don’t recommend you cook in the brass pot. Do make sure to combine your fruit and sugar before you put it in the copper pan, to prevent the fruit from leaching a metallic flavor from the copper.
When do you add the lemon juice?
Oops, my apologies that I left that out. You add it with the rest of the ingredients. I’ve corrected the recipe.
I would like to use this recipe as the sweet cherry season, in Washington, is winding down. I only use Pomona Pectin so how would I use this in the recipe? I like jam sweet!
Second on the cherry pitter it does not come up. I looked on Amazon and they have several brands, red and clear plastic, and prices. Would you send the name or brand and the price so I can order one.
Thank You!!!
If you wanted to use this with Pomona’s Pectin, I’d use a tablespoon of calcium water and another of pectin powder. I’d probably reduce the sugar a little too, since you can’t use too much with Pomona’s. I added a link to my favorite cherry pitter.
Favorite!
I made a half batch of this today and it came out AMAZING! wowowow. I had frozen lemons so I used a little zest then defrosted the lemon and squeezed in, so good! I followed the recipe to a T and added the pectin before cooking for those asking. It was fine. Half batch for me was just a tad under a pound of each fruit. It made three full half pints and a partial that I didn’t put in the water bath so I could eat the goodness right away and it had the perfect jam consistency 🙂 the other three look perfect! Thank you!
I’m so glad you’re happy with the jam.
I make this with sour cherries instead of sweet ones and I can’t prevent my husband from eating it directly from the jar with a spoon. By far the best jam I’ve made!
Oh hooray!
Could I use sour cherries in this recipe?
Yes.
Just made this …a delicious jam. I got 7 -1/2 pints and 4 – pints with the amount of ingredients called for. Can’t wait to pass on to my friends.
I’m so glad you’re pleased with it. I am surprised at the major increase in yield, but as long as you’re happy, all is well.
Recently I’ve been added grated green apples with lemon juice to jams as a natural pectin with lemon juice.
Strawberry and blueberry.
Great results!
That’s a good way to add a pectin boost!