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Easy Homemade Spiced Plum Jam Recipe Small Batch Perfect for Beginners

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A quick and easy small batch spiced plum jam with warming cinnamon and cloves, perfect for beginners and made with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds ripe plums (preferably a mix of red and black)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (optional)
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Wash and pit the plums, then cut into quarters, leaving skins on. (5 minutes)
  2. Place plums and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. (10 minutes)
  3. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. (2 minutes)
  4. Add cinnamon stick, ground cloves, and grated ginger if using. Stir well. (1 minute)
  5. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently and mashing fruit gently, until jam thickens and bubbles steadily, about 25-30 minutes. Skim foam if desired.
  6. Test jam set by placing a spoonful on a chilled plate; if it wrinkles when pushed, it’s ready. If not, simmer longer and test every 5 minutes (up to 35 minutes total).
  7. Remove cinnamon stick and pour hot jam into clean jars. Let cool completely before sealing and refrigerating. (10 minutes)

Notes

Use firm, ripe plums for best texture. Adjust sugar based on plum sweetness. Skim foam for clearer jam. Stir often near the end to prevent sticking. Lemon juice is key for proper set. Slow simmering prevents burning and bitterness. Frozen plums can be used if thawed and drained. Refrigerate jam up to three weeks or freeze for longer storage.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiced plum jam, homemade jam, small batch jam, easy jam recipe, plum preserves, cinnamon jam, cloves jam, beginner jam recipe