Easy Homemade Cherry Lime Jam Recipe - Grains & Greens Kitchen

Name: Homemade Cherry Lime Jam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 1 kg pitted cherries (5 to 6 cups (2.2 lb)); 500 g sugar (2½ cups); 17 g powdered apple pectin; 1-2 unwaxed limes, zest and juice

Easy homemade cherry lime jam with just four ingredients — Bright, fruity and just sweet enough! It’s quick to make with no water bath canning needed.

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Vibrant homemade cherry lime jam spread on a golden toasted slice of sandwich bread. The pale blue plate sits next to the jam pot and is surrounded by a grey tea towel.

Vibrant red homemade cherry lime jam spread on a golden toasted slice of sandwich bread. The pale blue plate sits next to the jam pot and is surrounded by a grey tea towel.

Turning ripe fruit into jam is by far my favorite way to preserve the best of any season. Even if you don’t have your own fruit trees (yet), there is no better way to use up all the ripe fruit of summer than preserving some for less abundant months ahead.

I usually add a lemon to whatever fruit I’m turning into jam. But as luck would have it, I had just randomly bought some limes the day that a friend with an overflowing cherry tree called and more or less begged me to take a bucket of cherries off his hands. It made sense. I didn’t really second-guess it. And in all honesty, it turned out so much better than I expected!

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Lime Jam Recipe

easy and quick — just 3 minutes cook time
4 all-natural ingredients
easy, hot-filling method — no water bath canning required
bright, fruity taste
sterilize jars hands-off in the oven while you prep an cook

How We Make Jam in the Grains & Greens Kitchen

Cooking jam can be easy—no water baths or pressure canning equipment needed. All you need is clean, sterilized jars (easier than you think!), sugar, a little powdered apple pectin and, of course, a lot of (over)ripe, quality fruit, begging to be rescued before it’s too late. It’s a noble call to answer.

While water bath canning is the way to go to long-preserve jam, hot filling (filling boiling-hot jam into hot, sterilized jars) is standard practise in Europe to preserve jam for at least 6-12 months. And honestly? That’s as long as I’ve ever wanted to keep jam anyway. We enjoy fresh fruit while the season lasts and only preserve small batches to get us through the darker months.

I know “no-pectin” recipes are trending, but it’s an ingredient I really love for making jam. I’m on team low-sugar when it comes to jam, as I prefer a fruity taste over anything candy-like.

Pectin is naturally present in many fruits and naturally forms a gel when combined with sugar, acid and heat. It’s the best way to get a well-set jam, that does not require large amounts of sugar or long cooking times. Three minutes at a rolling boil is all it takes.

Adding acidic lime or lemon juice helps activating the pectin (both powdered and from the fruit itself). The result is a jam that sets beautifully every time.

Tools You May Need

Cherry Pitter (optional) Makes pitting cherries a lot easier

Large Pot Boiling jam bubbles and foams a lot, so leave enough room to spare

Roasting Tray (optional) For sterilizing jars in the oven

Metal Funnel, Ladle, etc. (optional) Choose metal utensils if sterilizing in the oven

Half-Pint (240 ml) Jars 4-6 jars with twist-off or two-part lids

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

A bowl of vibrant, dark red cherries sits next to a bowl with the collected pits and stems. A measuring cup and cherry pitter sit on the side.

Powdered Apple Pectin Powdered apple pectin is a great pantry staple. It’s inexpensive, lasts forever and saves you from having to rely on store-bought preserving sugar. Just make sure it’s pure pectin, no additives or preservatives. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Sugar Any granulated sugar you have on hand will work. I buy raw cane sugar in bulk and us it for everything in my kitchen.

Lime Choose unwaxed fruit, organic if you can, since the magic lies in the grated peel and you don’t want to add any nasties to your jam.

(Over)ripe Cherries Pick over diligently: toss any moldy cherries or ones with mushy brown spots. Overripe is totally fine. Just choose the cleanest, best-condition fruit you can. The fresher your fruit, the longer your jam will last.

Sterilizing Jars for Preserving

Choose jars with a tight fitting lid. Classic two-piece lids like Mason or Kerr jars work just as well as twist-off lids. Either wash jars and lids with warm, soapy water and rinse well, or run them through the dish washer.

Sterilizing with Boiling Water (great for hot weather) Fill each jar with boiling water straight from the kettle. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes, then carefully pour out the hot water (protect your hands!) and place the jars upside down on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Do the same with the lids, and any ladles, spoons, or funnels you’ll use for filling. The goal is to minimize any chance of contamination (even from the air) before the jam is poured into the jars.

Sterilizing in the Oven (my preferred method on cooler days) Place clean jars on a baking sheet or roasting tray, along with any utensils you’ll use to fill them. Loosely cover each jar with its matching lid. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 120°C (250°F) for at least 20 minutes.

I usually pop the jars in the oven while I sort through and prep the fruit. Leave them in the oven until your jam is ready. Be sure to protect your hands when it’s time to fill the jars, as everything will be very hot!

How To Make Easy Homemade Cherry Lime Jam

Two large bowls full of freshly picked cherries, surrounded by a linen towel with a pink pattern.

Bright white sugar, dark red cherries and vibrant green lime zest in a large silver pot, ready to be cooked into jam.

All ingredients for easy homemade cherry lime jam combined in a large silver pot, stirred with a wooden spoon, read for cooking.

01

Sterilize Jars:

Make sure your jars are sterilized and ready to go.

02

Prep Cherries:

Sort cherries. Use a cherry pitter to remove the stones and cut cherries in half (optional but recommended). Add grated lime zest and lime juice.

03

Prep Sugar:

In a separate bowl, combine sugar and powdered pectin. Mix very well, to avoid clumping later.

04

Cook Jam:

Add all ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a rolling boil. Once it boils and foams, start your timer. Keep at a rolling boil for 3 minutes and stir the entire time.

05

Fill Jam Into Jars:

Spoon the hot jam into prepared jars, leaving ½ cm (¼ inch) headspace. Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel if needed and top the jars with a lid and a lid ring or the matching twist-off lid. Screw lids on tightly. (I like using a metal funnel and ladle to keep the rims clean.)

06

Check the Seal:

Once all the lids are screwed on tightly, turn the jars upside down for 10 minutes, to pasteurize the lids and make sure everything is sealed well. When the time is up, flip them back over and let cool to room temperature. You’ll hear that satisfying little pop as they cool and the lids form a tight seal. That’s the sound of canning success!

Jars full of easy homemade cherry lime jam shining in golden sunlight. Jars sit in a black cast iron pan wrapped in a patterned tea towel.

Jars full of easy homemade cherry lime jam shining in golden sunlight. Jars sit on a wooden caster along with the green limes.

Tips for Successful Jam Making

Keep stirring boiling jam the entire time, so nothing catches on the bottom.
Chose a larger pot than you think—boiling jam froths and bubbles up a lot!
If you don’t have a cherry pitter, run a small, sharp knife around each cherry and twist to separate and release the pit.
Let jars cool down completely before removing any sticky spots on the outsides with a damp cloth.

How to Serve Cherry Lime Jam

Sweet or savory — homemade cherry jam goes well both ways!

Toast a thick slice of sourdough bread or sourdough sandwich bread for breakfast, spread with butter or peanut butter, and top with cherry lime jam.

It’s also great on soft cheeses, like brie, chèvre, or salty feta.

How to Store Homemade Jam

Properly sealed jars can be stored in a dark, cool place for at least 6-12 months.

Unsealed jars should be stored in the fridge and consumed within the next month or two. (You can tell a jar hasn’t sealed, if you can push down on the lid and it pops back up.)

Once opened, keep in the fridge and consume within a month.

If you try this easy homemade Cherry Lime Jam…

I’d love to hear how it turned out! Do you love the fresh taste as much as I do?

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P.S. Looking for a good bread to spread your homemade jam on? Try one of these:

Easy Soft Wheat and Einkorn Sandwich Bread
Whole Grain Soft Wheat Sourdough Bread
German Black Bread Recipe (Schwarzbrot) — great with cream cheese and jam!

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:3

Cooling Time:10

Total Time:28

Equipment

cherry pitter - (optional but recommended)
4-6 half-pint (240 ml) jars
roasting tray - (optional, for sterilizing jars)
metal funnel, ladle, etc. - (optional, choose metal utensils if sterilizing in the oven)
large pot

Ingredients

1 kg pitted cherries - 5 to 6 cups (2.2 lb)
500 g sugar - 2½ cups
17 g powdered apple pectin
1-2 unwaxed limes, zest and juice

Instructions

Sterilize Jars Clean jars and lids, then sterilize in a 120 °C (250 °F) oven for 20 minutes or fill with boiling water for 2 minutes. Keep hot until use.
Prep Fruit Pit and halve cherries. Add to a large pot with lime zest and juice.
Mix Sugar & Pectin In a small bowl, mix sugar and pectin thoroughly to avoid clumping.
Cook Jam Add sugar-pectin mix to the pot. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Fill Jars Ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving ½ cm (¼ inch) headspace. Wipe rims, seal tightly.
Seal Turn jars upside down for 10 minutes. Flip upright and let cool completely. Store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

Use a large pot — jam foams up quickly when boiling.
Keep stirring to prevent scorching.
No cherry pitter? Use a paring knife to twist and remove pits.
Storage: Sealed jars keep 6–12 months in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate unsealed jars and consume within 1–2 months.
Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 1 month.

Servings: 5 half-pint (240 ml) jars

Calories: 515kcal

Author: Sarah | Grains & Greens Kitchen

Recipe FAQs

Hot filling—pouring boiling jam into sanitized jars—acts like a quick pasteurization. Combined with vacuum sealing during cooling, it’s been a long-used European method that safely preserves jam for 6 to 12 months without a water bath—as long as you’re diligent about sterilizing and using tight lids.

Choose pure apple pectin with no preservatives, colors, or sugar added. Some contain calcium or citric acid, which can change texture or flavor. Avoid these for best results.

After hot-filling and cooling, the lid should curve downward slightly and make a “pop” sound when sealing. If you press the center and it gives or bounces back, it hasn’t sealed—refrigerate and use it soon.

Not really. You’re adding pectin and lime and boiling for 3 minutes, which will gel the pectin reliably. You may test a spoonful on a chilled plate if you’re unsure. I never do.

Sugar helps create an acidic, low-moisture environment that discourages spoilage. Too little sugar may result in a pH that’s too high for safe shelf-stable storage, especially when using hot-fill (no water bath). Less sugar may also mean a looser jam.

Absolutely! You won’t have the chance to cut them in half if you cook from frozen though. So either go with the whole cherry vibe, thaw and chop, or thaw and lightly blend with an immersion blender.

Yes, but keep in mind that pectin levels vary widely between fruits. So you may need more or less pectin to get a good set. If in doubt, follow a tested recipe for the fruit you’re using, or be ready to experiment a little!