93 Canning Recipes In Seasonal Order
Have you started thinking about canning season yet?
Well, if you’re a super nerd like me and like to plan ahead then you probably already have canning supplies and have started to make plans for all the delicious fruits and vegetables you’re going to grow this year.
Last fall my husband expanded our garden space so this year I’m going all in and plan to grow as much food as I possibly can this summer to save on the amount of money we spend on groceries.
Last year I had the canning cupboard filled by late September thanks to the enormous amount of tomatoes we were able to harvest.
This year though, not only do I want to fill our big canning cupboard, but a rack or two in the basement. I also have high hopes of stocking our freezers with home canned goodness as well.
Grocery prices these days are pretty crazy, and let’s be honest, I seriously doubt they’ll be going down anytime soon.
So if you’re able to tuck away some home canned goodness this gardening season to enjoy later on, I say go for it!!
Canning season, it will be here before you know it. So prepare now! Make sure you have all your seeds, your jars, lids, pectin, canning salt and sugar well before the start of the season.
93 canning recipes!
How cannolis people! I had no idea there were so many recipes on the blog. Who knows, maybe this year I’ll break 100!
Keep Calm and Can On.
~Mavis
93 Canning Recipes In Seasonal Order
January:
Orange Marmalade: I LOVE marmalade. Especially on buttered toast. Hence the reason you see so many marmalade canning recipes from me. I can’t get enough of the stuff!
Seville Orange Marmalade – Sweet with just a hint of bitterness to it, it’s the real deal if you ask me. Pair this with a buttered crumpet and you’ll feel like you’re in jolly old England.
Cranberry Orange Marmalade: You can often find great specials on oranges this time of year, so it’s a great time to can all things oranges!
Meyer Lemon Marmalade: And the awesome thing about Meyer lemons is that they flower intermittently throughout the year, ensuring an almost continuous supply of fruit year-around. That means canning in January is possible!
Meyer Lemon-Ginger Marmalade: Another take on the recipe above but with an added twist: GINGER! It really takes the flavor up a notch.
February:
Spiced Pear Butter: It really is the perfect bit of goodness to spread on toast, or to use as a side condiment for roast turkey or chicken.
Pear Jam: While I do most of my pear canning in September when I can pick a big box a rock-bottom prices, I like to can my pear jams with winter pears after the new year.
Pear Vanilla Jam: If you love pear jam, you will be addicted to this recipe. The vanilla is subtle, but it really adds to the richness of this jam!
March:
Carrot Cake Jam: Great on toast, as an unusual topping over ice cream {seriously, it’s that good!} or mixed into your favorite batch of pancakes, this recipe is a winner!
Pickled Dill Carrots: Carrots grow in pretty much any season, so while I harvest a TON in the summer and fall, I also pluck some in the winter and early spring months. If you aren’t growing them, no worries. I never see a fluctuation in carrot prices at the grocery store because of how flexible they are to grow in every season. Whatever way you get your carrots, get them for this recipe!
Pickled Eggs: Since most of us are swimming in eggs every year around Easter, this is a great recipe to use them in. They are so so good! And easy, too!
April:
Pickled Asparagus: Pickled asparagus makes the perfect addition to party platters {especially during the holidays} and it makes not only a wonderful hostess gift, but it’s also nice to have a jar or two chilling in the fridge for a late night snack.
Lilac Blossom Jelly: Using lilacs to make jelly? Yes, please. Tried it, loved it! Plus, lilacs are in full bloom in April!
Rhubarb Cinnamon Jam: When I harvest rhubarb, I like to make plenty of batches of this rhubarb cinnamon jam and then stash it away for hostess gifts in the winter. That is if we have any left!
Vanilla Rhubarb Jam: This is a nice variation of that rhubarb jam above and let me tell you Bob, it’s flippin’ delicious.
May:
Beef Stew: I just love it when I find a knock your socks off kind of recipe. And it’s even better when it’s a canning recipe that I can make loads of and store away for an afternoon when I don’t feel like cooking.
Split Pea and Ham Soup: Homemade soup and a hunk of bread… Does it get any better than that? I don’t think so.
Dried Beans: May is a canning lull in our house, so it gives me a break and a chance to can some beans! We go through black beans and chick peas like nobody’s business around here, so it is totally worth the effort to buy them {dried} in bulk and can them.
June:
Cherry Almond Jam – Out of all the jams I’ve made over the years {and I’ve made a lot!} this recipe for cherry almond jam is HANDS DOWN my favorite all time jam recipe. Who knew, that after all these years of canning, there were still undiscovered recipes that could knock my socks off!
Cherry Jam: Homemade cherry jam is awesome over ice cream! And that is all the info you need to encourage you to make this tasty jam.
Amaretto Cherries: If you have a lot of cherries and your jam cupboard is full, I suggest you switch things up an make some Amaretto cherries. I tried this recipe for the first time last year and fell in love!
Cherries: If adding in that Amaretto is not your style, regular old canned cherries are still the bomb dot com!
Strawberry Lemon Jam: I often use jam as a base of homemade salad dressing and I even love to crack open a jar of jam and add a little balsamic vinegar to it for a nice glaze over chicken.
Raspberry Blueberry Jam: Raspberry blueberry jam! It’s a little bit of summer in a jar.
Low Sugar Triple Berry Jam: If you love berry jam, we just times its awesomeness by 3! Plus, it’s a low sugar jam as well if you’re trying to avoid a lot of sugary sweetness.
Blueberry Lime Jam: This jam is fantastic! And the addition of lime really kicks it up a notch. This blueberry lime jam is great on buttered toast {we had some this morning} and stirring a spoonful into a bowl of oatmeal will be a nice treat during the winter months.
Blueberry Lemon Jam: I normally can blueberry recipes late June/early July. This recipe is a family favorite because of the lemon kick!
Blueberry Jam with Mint: This jam is the kind of thing you’d find in a specialty food store for $15 a jar. Yumm a licous does not even begin to describe it.
Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam: No pectin? No sugar? No problem. It turns out the the natural fiber found in blueberries and chia seeds act like pectin. So pectin needed.
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam – This recipe for strawberry rhubarb jam rocks! It makes {8} half pint jars, so it’s the perfect amount jam to share with neighbors and still be able to keep a few jars on the shelf for yourself.
Classic Strawberry Jam – Hands down, the best jam for your PB&J.
Strawberry Chipotle Jam: You might just have to trust me on this one, even if you’re not a chipotle fan. It gives the jam such a different taste that I start shoveling it with a spoon.
Strawberry Kiwi Jam: If you want to take your strawberry jam to the next level, kiwis are the answer. The combo is perfect.
Strawberry Basil Jam: Basil and strawberry is a match made in jam heaven. I really can’t get enough of it. If you’re in the same boat, go make this jam pronto. It. Is. Awesome.
Fast and Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam: Sometimes, the quicker the better when it comes to making jam. It doesn’t get faster or easier than this
How to Make Low Sugar Strawberry Jam: Here’s a yummy little recipe that cuts down the sugar in your jam, but doesn’t mess with the taste. Pretty great news given how much I love it!
July:
Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly: Not only would this recipe make a wonderful hostess gift, but it’s a good one to hoard as well. We like spooning it over soften cream cheese and serving it on Melba toast crackers. Try it. You’ll love it.
Apricot Jam: Apricot jam is one of my favorite to make because you don’t have to deal with any of the seeds like berry jams, and you only need 3 simple ingredients!
Green Beans: Once you canned your own green beans, there is no going back to that canned junkity junk. Preserved beans all year long are where it’s at!
Peach Lavender Jam: This peach lavender jam was probably the most fragrant jam I’ve ever made. Not only will your kitchen smell heavenly while you are making it, the jam will make for a nice pop of color on your shelf during the long winter months.
Pickled Beets: I love pickled beets, especially in my salad! So every year when I harvest my beets, some pickled beet canning is on the menu!
Peaches: Canning peaches was my first ever canning experience, and really, it’s hard to top! Canning peaches is still one of my favorite things to do each summer!
Peach Jam: If you have never smeared some fresh peach jam on pancakes or all over toast, you haven’t lived.
Spiced Peach Jam: The addition of cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg to peach jam? Wowza!
Old Fashioned Peach Preserves: Old fashioned peach preserves, just like Grandma used to make. That’s what this recipe is.
Fast and Easy Freezer Peach Jam: Sometimes I don’t have time to whip out the canner and go through the whole hot water bath canning process so I cheat and make freezer jam instead. This peach freezer jam takes all of about 10 minutes to make. Wahoo!
Raspberry Jam: I know there are all sorts of freezer and low sugar recipes out there for raspberry jam, but this one {and all it’s sugar} is still my favorite. Add in a scone and I’m in heaven. Scones + raspberry jam will always = love.
Fast and Easy Raspberry Freezer Jam: If you, too, love raspberry jam but don’t want the time commitment involved, try this quick freezer version.
Logan Berry Jam: Ever heard of a loganberry? It’s a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. It’s a tiny bit tart and a whole bit delicious. This loganberry jam recipe is absurdly good.
August:
Salsa Recipe for Home Canning {This Tastes Just Like Costco Salsa!}: With just one bite, my husband declared this recipe tasted just like Costco’s Kirkland Organic Salsa. It’s a winner!
Simple Tomato Sauce: I’ve been using this simple tomato sauce recipe for years now and it’s a wonderful way to use your garden fresh tomatoes and enjoy them throughout the winter months when we are all yearning for something homemade.
Basil and Garlic Tomato Sauce: This canning recipe for homemade basil and garlic tomato sauce couldn’t be easier to make.
Heirloom Tomato Salsa: Homemade canned salsa is one of the great joys in life. Chips and salsa is one of the best snacks ever. The end.
Tomato Bruschetta: I especially love the fact that I know I’ll be able to enjoy this bruschetta {and all the hard work that went into growing all our tomatoes this summer} while sitting by the wood stove looking out the window with snow all around outside this winter.
Sweet and Spicy Heirloom Tomato Jam: Did you know you can turn tomatoes into jam? Yes, yes you can. And, it is surprisingly delicious.
Savory Tomato Jam – This savory tomato jam, paired with a box of fancy crackers, makes a fantastic hostess or thank you gift, especially during the winter months.
Sweet And Spicy Hot Sauce: This recipe for sweet and spicy hot sauce was easy to make. I used Fresno peppers which are a little fruiter and hotter than a jalapeno. So for us, the heat in this hot sauce recipe was spot on.
Tomato Ketchup: Not only does this recipe for homemade tomato ketchup taste 100 times better than anything you could buy off the shelf, it’s packed with flavor AND you know exactly what went into it.
Canning Recipe for Old Fashioned Pickled Beets {No Funky Spices!}: If you are looking for an old fashioned, no frills recipe for canned beets, this is the one. You will not find cinnamon, cloves, or any other funky spices in this recipe. Only a few basic ingredients, plain and simple, just like Grandma used to make.
Simple Refrigerator Dill Pickles: I LOVE me some homemade pickles. Crisp, tangy and delicious, I can down a jar all by myself in no time flat.
Tang Breakfast Drink Jelly: I know, I know. Tang, Such an odd jelly recipe ingredient. But trust me on this, it’s tasty!
Green Tomato Piccalilli: Green tomato piccalilli is sweet and savory and it’s fantastic alongside ham and potatoes when the tomatoes and cabbage are bit on the chunker side.
Green Tomato Curry Sauce: When you are impatient or have green tomatoes you don’t want to mess with ripening, can this. Holy cow, it is soooo good and really fantastic dumped over a crock pot of chicken breast!
Jalapeno Pepper Jelly: I like to serve this yummy jam with a block of softened cream cheese and fancy crackers. It’s great to have on hand for entertaining for an easy peasy, no brainer appetizer.
Zucchini Relish: Move over pickle relish, there’s a new relish in town and it’s awesome!
Easy Refrigerator Pickles: If you find yourself with a crop of cucumbers, this recipe will yield some delicious pickles fast!
Cucumber Relish: Great on burgers, hot dogs or mixed in an egg salad sandwich, this is my go to recipe for home canned sweet relish.
Corn: If you are running out of freezer space or just want an alternative to freezer corn, canning corn is a great way to put up all of that corn you grew this year {or stocked up on}.
Pickled Corn Relish: My old neighbor Hulda and I decided to try our hands at pickled corn relish a few years ago. It turned out so awesome that we’ve been making it every year since!
Dilly Beans: If you have OCD and you’d like to give canning a try, than this is the recipe for you. Not only is it an easy peasy recipe because you are cold packing your vegetables, but for me, being able to line my beans up in the jar was a total rush. I loved every second of it!
Mint Jelly: Looking for a way to use all of that mint that has probably over-taken your herb beds? Real mint jelly is so easy to make, and is so pretty in the canning jars.
Low Sugar Cinnamon Plum Jam: Plum jam isn’t super popular, but it should be. After you try this recipe, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree!
Rosemary Jelly: I always have rosemary growing in the garden, but I really have no idea what to do with it besides dry it and use it as a spice. So when I made a recipe for rosemary jelly, I got excited knowing it would be a great staple to have on hand around during the holidays.
Blackberry Jam: Blackberry jam is one of those funky ones you usually only find in specialty stores. And with good reason. Blackberry jam takes a little extra effort to make.
Pickled Red Onions – This recipe for pickled red onions is a no frills recipe. Just plain and simple and perfect in everyway. You will not find red pepper flakes, or any other funky spices in this recipe. Only a few basic ingredients, an old fashioned type of recipe, just like Grandma used to make.
September:
Apple Pie Filling: This recipe for apple pie filling is wonderful not only in pies and tarts, but also fantastic warmed and spooned over vanilla ice cream or added to granola or yogurt.
Applesauce: If you have never canned anything before, applesauce is a great place to start. The ingredient list is short, {apples, sugar, cinnamon} and it’s so dang easy to make, it’s hard to screw up!
Apple Pie Jam: Monkey Boy LOVES homemade apple pie so of course he LOVES this apple pie jam! I also thinks it’s tasty, but what I equally love is how my house smells like a giant apple pie factory when I make it.
Apple Butter: The process of making apple butter is exactly the same as applesauce with the exception of one step. After you turn your apples into applesauce, instead of canning it right away, you place the applesauce in a crock pot to cook down into a thick, rich buttery spread. That extra step makes all the difference!
Apple Cider Butter: Not only is apple butter awesome on toast, but it’s even better slathered on roast turkey or pork chops. A perfect condiment for fall if you ask me.
Pear Butter: My favorite way to enjoy pear butter is on toast or pancakes. Or just eat it with a spoon straight from the jar!
Pears: I’ll take canning pears over peaches any day! All you need to do is wash your fruit, peel the skin off, core them and add a bit of sugar syrup and place them in the hot water canner. Easy peasy!
Ginger Pear Jam – Perfect over a little melted butter on toast, this ginger pear jam has the perfect amount of sweetness to start your day. I like that the recipe is a little on the smaller side and only makes about {5} 8-ounce jars,
Almond Pears: The hardest part about making making these pears…. Is waiting to crack open a jar. Because like pickles, or salsa, the longer you let these pears sit and soak in all the juices, the better they’ll be.
October:
How to Can Carrots: Carrots are just about the easiest thing to can! Trust me, you can do it.
For the Holidays:
Red Onion Marmalade: If you are looking to can something this year to give away as a gift but don’t want to make jam, this is the recipe you need to make. You are going to want to buy a block of cream cheese {and let the cream cheese soften to room temperature} and spoon about 4 ounces of the marmalade over the cream cheese and serve it with an assortment of fancy crackers.
Cranberry Apple Jam with a Hint of Orange: With cranberries, apples and a little orange, this is the jam you need to have on hand for the day after Thanksgiving to slather all over the leftover bits of turkey goodness.
Cranberry Sauce: Not only will you be able to enjoy this cranberry sauce alongside your own turkey or ham, but it makes a nice little take home gift if you’re having guests over and want to send them home with a few leftovers.
Cinnamon Anise Jelly: If you are looking for a light and sweet {and crazy simple to make} jelly to try, this recipe for cinnamon anise jelly fits the bill.
Spiced Christmas Jam: Strawberries, cranberries and holiday spices galore, what more could you possibly ask for in a wintertime recipe?
Spiced Pomegranate Jelly: With all it’s lovely spices, this jelly simple tastes {and smells} like Christmas. Not only are you going to love it, but so will everyone you hand a jar over to. Delicious on buttered toast, and even better on a fancy cracker with a little cream cheese spread underneath.
Spiced Pear Jam: If you’ve never canned anything before, this recipe for spiced pear jam is for you! It’s so simple and straightforward {and delicious!} that once you make the first batch, you’ll want to make a few more to give away as gifts to friends and family.
Just getting started in the canning world? Check out these helpful posts:
- Hot Water Bath Method
- Canning on a Glass Top Stove
- 10 Tips for Making Jam
- Preserving and Canning Equipment List
- Pressure Canning 101
- Should I Remove the Rings From My Canning Jars?
- How to Make Sure Jam or Jelly Sets
Looking for more canning recipes? Here’s a list of my favorite canning books:
- 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
Laura says
One of my favorites to can is figs, preferably from my own fig tree in the back yard. I have also converted to making all no pectin recipes for my jams. I find I prefer the slightly runnier jam to the hard stuff I can sometimes get with pectin added.
If I make sure to have items that have pectin in them naturally, this makes the gelling pretty simple. It does take longer because you must stir, stir, stir, but I like it and it saves me an additional $5 or so for not needing the pectin. A worthy tradeoff for me.
Melissa says
How do you make pectin naturally? Thanks!
Lori says
I love when canning season starts. My family’s favorite canning item is watermelon rind pickles. They eat them at every meal once watermelons are in season. They taste amazing. Easy to make too!
Mel says
Those are my favorite! Our grocery store used to carry them, and it was the best.
Tammy says
I just recently remembered that I had canned coleslaw before and now I want to make it again. The recipe I used was here: http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2012/03/canned-coleslaw-another-pickled-wonder.html It was really good!
I have used a few of your canning recipes, this is a great list! I made Christmas jam for teacher gifts last Christmas. We had a few jars for ourselves and enjoyed it a lot!
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE the Christmas jam!! Always a hit.
Gwen says
This is the coolest post ever!!! Thank you Mavis!!! Just one question…. I would love to make the like Costco salsa but it makes me nervous with all the vegetables and just being water bath canned. Can you please just reassure me that it is safe? Is it because of the vinegar?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, it’s because of the vinegar. 🙂
Amy says
Thank you for this list and the time it took to put it together! I make so many of your canning recipes each year. I make your Christmas jam every year for gifts. This past year I hosted a Christmas brunch and made tiny jars of it for take home gifts. It is always well received!
Jeri says
I’ve done some canning over the years, usually strawberry jam, apple butter or applesauce. I am by no means an expert. There was that one year we drove to Yakima and bought boxes of peaches. The drive home was a wonder. Peach juice dripping down our arms as we happily ate the very ripe fruit. Anyway, I usually do the water bath method of canning, or make freezer jams.
I’m intrigued by some of your jars! I’ve never seen them with the tab of the rubber ring. Nor have I seen some of the tall narrow jars, and other different shapes. Where do you find these jars? They look so pretty on the shelf! Also, do those rubber tabbed seals go in the water bath? If not, what do you preserve in them?
Thank you
Donna says
Have you tried Tayberry jam? It’s so good one of my favorites. If you haven’t tried
it I think you would like it.
Terry McA says
Thank you so much for this post! I was wondering how people spent their time with all the different things that can be canned! I have not done much canning in the past, but I love your recipe for zucchini relish! I also make sugar-free bread and butter pickles for dad, A gallon made in august/september lasted until last week, now I know I need to double it.
Wendy C says
We just canned 21 quarts of a ground beef/cabbage soup with homegrown cabbage. I like stocking up on meat when I can find it cheap and can that. I almost lost $1,000 of meat when a freezer door got left open so I like canning it.
Mavis Butterfield says
Well done Wendy! The cabbage and beef combo sounds like a good one.
Mark says
THANK YOU,
Listing Canning Recipes in Seasonal Order is Genius
Sorry about the yelling but you don’t know how Manny times I’ve missed a whole years goodness cause I let life get in my way for a very short window of time
Now I can post it near my Calendar and make life wait!