Yesterday, Jennifer O left me this comment…
“I bought a tiny jar of homemade jam at a local farmer’s market for $9! Yes, expensive but it was Carrot Cake Jam, and the best I’ve ever had (I’m a bit of a jam enthusiast and this one make me swoon). I’ll be paying them another $9 at some point, I’m sure.
Carrot Cake Jam? Never heard of it. But I found an awesome recipe, so guess what? I whipped up a batch of the stuff this morning. Hole Lee Crap! What have I been missing all my life? Not only does my house smell incredible… But this carrot cake jam… Is Da’ Bomb!
Go find some carrots people… And make this today!
Canning 101 – Carrot Cake Jam Recipe
Description
The best carrot cake jam recipe!
Ingredients
1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
1–1/2 cups shredded carrots
1–1/2 cups chopped peeled ripe pears
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
6–1/2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Bring a boiling-water canner, 3/4 full with water, to simmer.
- Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water.
- Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat.
- Let stand in hot water until ready to use.
- Drain well before filling.
- In a 6 – 8 quart sauce pot, combine the first seven ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the pears are tender.
- Stir occasionally so nothing sticks to the pan.
- Remove from the sauce pan from the heat, and stir in pectin.
- Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
- Slowly stir in the sugar and return to a full rolling for 1 minute, making sure to stir constantly to avoid boiling over.
- Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.
- Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops.
- Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly.
- Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.}
- Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min.
- Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely.
- After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger.
- If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary}.
Notes
Yields {7} 1/2 pints.
Looking for a few more canning recipes? Search my Full List of Canning Recipes
Looking for a good canning book? Here’s a list of my favorites:
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
- The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook
- Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It
- Food in Jars
- The Amish Canning Cookbook
- Not Your Mama’s Canning Book
Also, check out these tutorials if you’ve never used a canner before:
Tutorial: Hot Water Bath Canning
Tutorial: How to Use a Pressure Canner
Kayla says
Love that you posted this! I was planning on making carrot cake and apple pie jam for holiday gifts this year and the visual tutorial helps. 🙂
Gwenn says
Apple pie jam!?!? Sounds amazing. Are you willing to share the recipe?
Kayla says
I just recently found it in the Ball Home Preserving book so I’m waiting to test it out when apple season gears up. The funny thing is, the recipe in the book calls for heaps of sugar and this one from their website has way less.
6 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples or other tart apples (about 6 medium)
Juice and grated zest of 1 medium lemon
2 cups unsweetened apple juice
3/4 cup raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp Ball® RealFruit™ Low or No-sugar Needed Pectin
1-1/2 cups sugar or SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands
Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE apples, lemon peel and juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until apples begin to soften. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin. Add raisins and cinnamon. Return mixture to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Skim off foam, if necessary.
3.) LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
Mamalala says
Looks good. Doing low carb so thanks
Mavis says
You bet Mamalala!
Mavis says
Thanks Kayla! I hope someone can use this low sugar version. 🙂
Stacy says
Maybe try coconut sugar instead…natural and low glycemic and available in bulk on amazon/online sites..
Before using Splenda please research it first…does not sound like a healthy choice:
http://www.truthaboutsplenda.com
Christy says
Coconut sugar does not work or taste good in jam. I tried it in a caramel apple jam and it did not set up well at all nor did it taste good.
Jennifer O says
You are a super hero, I swear!! The ingredients list of my jam matches your ingredients, except that they added shredded coconut too. Just adds texture, so probably not missed. Glad you like it too! I’ve never made jam, but I will have to pin this for when I get the courage to.
Lisa R says
I made apple pie jam the recipe I used is http://www.mrswheelbarrow.com/2010/09/best-of-fall-apple-pie-jam/
This carrot cake jam looks delicious. I’m going to give it a try.
Penelope says
I just love this whole thing. I’ve got carrot cake jam on the list once I can pull carrots. I’ve got apple pie jam on the list as well, different recipe from the last one I made. This is the one I want to try http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2009/10/apple-pie-jam-i-fall.html
We made spiced plum jam yesterday too (I add cardomom to round out the flavor. Kids say it smells like Christmas). I just love harvest.
Diana says
I will have to try this one. I have made apple pie jam and peach cobbler jam. We even use it as ice cream topping. Yesterday I made fig and vanilla jam with a bourbon infused vanilla bean, it was wonderful!
Mavis says
I want to try the apple pie now too. 🙂
Zoe says
I made basil jelly today which is a first. I LOVE it. Carrot cake jam sounds intriguing. I will have to try it when I have an abundance of carrots again.
Mavis says
Make it Zoe!
Laura H says
What do you do with Basil jelly? We have so much of it. This sounds like a great use for it.
Elizabeth says
I will definitely try this though not right away. Too many other things doing. Carrots still in the ground. I usually wait til after the (for here) canning rush ends and do things like marmalades late fall. It is nice to can on a cool day and use the heat to warm the house. I freeze my juice for jelly too so that I can do later when more time.
Mamalala says
My pal makes this jam and it is so good on whole wheat English muffin with cream cheese on top then the jam. Oh man am I craving it!
Mavis says
With cream cheese? Sounds delish! 🙂
Nancy from Mass says
I made carrot cake jam a few years ago…everyone devoured it! I need to make more this year.
Helen in Meridian says
What variety of pears did you use, Bartlett? How ripe of fruit did you use?
Mavis says
Hi Helen, I used Anjou pears from our pear tree. I picked pears last week and the one I used today was bite into juicy ripe. Not squishy, but juicy enough to dribble down your chin. 🙂
Dayla says
Thank you ladies!!!! All this jam talk makes me crave cake & pie….but I like the idea of making jelly! Thank you for sharing your recipes!!!
Sakura says
I found carrots at sprouts for .39 cents a pound today! I bought 9 pounds, so I’ll definitely be making this sometime this week!
Mavis says
Nice! I hope you like it. We do. 🙂
Amanda B. says
Yum! Well, I know what I’m doing next week!! Between peaches and plums and salsa and my three month old, that is. 😀
Lucky L says
Mavis you should also try out the Morning Cheer Marmalade in the Ball Home Preserving book.
If you are looking for things to do with your tomato harvest we do the Green Tomato Hot Dog Relish and the Bruschetta in a Jar from the same book.
Mavis says
Thanks Lucky L, I will take a look. You know me, I can’t stay away from the canner. LOL
Penelope says
Peeking in to say I made the morning cheer as well. Some how I overcooked it… just a heads up.
Lorri F says
OMG! I thought I was done canning Jam. (I think we have 50ish… hubby want a little nuts on the blackberrie picking) But now I have to make Apple Pie . if I can get my hands on some forraged Peaches and Carrots I’ll make some Carrot Cake and Peach Cobbler too!
Crystal says
Oh my word! Carrot Cake Jam??? That is genius! Can you tell me what you used to shred the carrots – and how finely you shredded them?
Mavis says
You can just use a regular cheese shredder if that;s all you have. Maybe 1/2″ long?
Jaime says
So glad you found this, was going to mention it with all your carrots. I just did a whole bunch and think I will do more. They make great gifts for Christmas and my parents have a pear tree that is doing great this year. Am making lots of pear sauce. I did a double batch of carrot cake and it didn’t set up as nice. I wish I could capture that smell in a candle!!! My house smelled D-Vine!
Tali says
Can I make a freezer jam out of all these yummee jams you make?
Mavis says
I don’t know Tali. I have never made freezer jam before and so I wonder if the process is a little different. Yikes! I wish I knew.
Jennifer says
Making it this afternoon!!! 🙂
C says
I made this jam (Sooo good!) except I used no-sugar needed pectin and added only a 1.5 cups of sugar substitutes… I am not sure if it changed the recipe a lot… But mine only made 2 pints. Not 7.5… So don’t prep too many jars!
Sara says
The receipe says make 7 1/2 pints
Sarah says
I have a batch of this in the canner right now! It smells so good, and the leftovers on the pot taste delicious! I am definitely making another batch to use as Christmas gifts.
Lindsey says
Do you think you could use apples vs. pears? I have an abundance of apples!
Jennifer says
The first batch went so quickly – I made another. Note to self: DON’T use liquid pectin. BIG difference.
Sandy S. says
I made the Carrot Cake Jam this morning. Not only did it make the house smell amazing, it turned out beautifully. I canned it in 1/2 pints so I can share. Thank you for the recipe. I will be trying some of the others soon.
Mavis says
🙂
Debi B says
Oh, MY GOODNESS!!!! I made this jam two days ago… Wow! I love love love it!! I making the Apple Pie Jam today.. Thanks!!
Laura H says
I made this today but I have no idea what to do with it. What do you all put this on?
Paula Deprey says
Amazing recipe. I loved it and will be making this for a very long time.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yay! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Tami says
Thanks Mavis for the recipe, got me making jam again (not usually a pastime in the -40 winters here while nothing is growing.) but hey, carrots? check. pears? check. canned pineapple, check!
Very tasty stuff.
Attempted making this without pectin by boiling it to a gel point ie: 220F, but no. Doesn’t work.
No biggie, my french co-worker is going to love this “Carrot Cake Preserve” (hehehe) to smother over a big lump of brie.
My hubby and I are eating it on ice cream, yum-o!
I won’t be such a rebel next time, and just buy the dang pectin.
Take care, loooove the blog.
Tami
Beausejour, MB, Canada
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Tami, I really like making preserves in the winter.
judy says
Any substitute for the pears in carrot cake jam?
Nancy says
This recipe is one of my family and friends favorites. I’ve made it for gifts and it ALWAYS gets rave reviews. Not sure if anyone has mentioned it earlier but I always add a handfull of raisins. Just enough for a few with each serving. AWESOME! Thanks so much for posting this.
Amanda says
Can you make it without the pectin & just boil it longer? I’ve never used pectin before. When I make strawberry or blueberry jam I do 2 parts fruit, 2 part sugar & 1 part water & just cook it down to the desired consistency.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve never tried it without the pectin before so I’m not sure.
Deb says
That is a ton of sugar, can it be reduced to at least half as much and still taste great?
Mavis says
I’ve never made it any other way, but if you try it with less, let me know how it turns out!
Brianna says
I recently found your blog. I’ve enjoyed your canning tips and recipes. My 10 year old daughter used this recipe to make this jam, and won grand champion at our local county fair! It’s so easy and absolutely delicious!! Thanks!!
Mavis says
That is so cool! Tell her congrats from Mavis!
Wendy says
Hi am loving this jam but I have problem I am allergic to pineapple when I make carrot cake I sub pineapple with apple sauce can I do the same here?
Jean says
I just happened onto your site and can’t wait to make apple pie jam. I canned for the first time last week and made applesauce, I didn’t add sweetener but it was really good, I know this because I gave my in laws some and hey both raved about it. My father-in-law said it was better than his favorite brand. Now I’m hooked and need to make more things. Because my mother-in-law and I are diabetic I’ll have to work out sweetener, tasting after each addition. It’s a tuff job but somebody has to do it 🙂 also, I just bought carrots for stew. Goodbye stew hello carrot cake jam!
Carla says
In the Carrot Cake Jam, could you use Golden Raisins instead of pears?
Mavis Butterfield says
I honestly have no idea. I have only used pears. Sorry.
Mama in the Kitchen says
I made this today! The taste is incredible, however mine did not set up!?! What did I do wrong? I made these for teacher gifts…would it be horrible to still send out? Should I try again? I have only used liquid pectin…and had great luck! I am new to canning, so not sure the differences? It tastes AMAZING!
Mavis Butterfield says
I used boxed pectin in the recipe. I’ve never tried it with liquid pectin so I don’t know for sure. Sorry.
Jane says
Hi there, I am so excited to make this recipe this weekend! I’m wondering if I could use pint jars instead of half pint?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes!
Delora says
Ok, I only got 3 pints. What did I do wrong?
Miriam says
Hello! Thank you for sharing. With what do you serve the carrot cake jam?
Mavis Butterfield says
We spread it on toast. 🙂