If you follow me on Pinterest (and I hope you do!) you are well acquainted with my love of all things LEMON! I. Love. Lemon. I even have an entire board devoted to it called “Lemon Joy” that has over 500 pins on it. So it shouldn’t surprise you that when I saw a recipe for LEMON JAM I about flipped!
I thought I’d tried (or at least heard of) every delicious way to enjoy lemon in a recipe, but this was new to me. I asked Kaitlyn to make some for us and boy oh boy what a TREAT! If you love lemon like *I* love lemon this is a must try. Plus, it looks as good as it tastes, making it a wonderful homemade gift.
Kaitlyn writes…….. I’ve never actually made jam before, so when Jillee suggested I do this post on lemon jam I was a little intimidated! For some reason jam making seems like one of those things that only cute grandmas with years of kitchen experience can pull off ;-) So I was relieved when I saw just how easy this recipe was. It’s basically fool proof and completely delicious! This jam isn’t too sweet and has the perfect amount of tart lemony flavor.
Lemon Jam
Adapted from Give Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 lemons
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups water
Directions
Grate the zest of three of the lemons into a small pot. Slice the fourth lemon into thin rings and add them to the pot. Make sure to remove any seeds before you add the rings to the pot.
Add 1 cup of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the water off the lemons and zest. Add the lemons and zest back to the pot and cover with another cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain again.
Put the lemons and zest back into the pot once again. Add sugar, lemon juice, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to medium/low. Simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 30-45 minutes. Pour the jam into a jar and put it in the fridge to cool. The jam will thicken quite a bit once it cools so it shouldn’t feel exactly like jam while still on the stove.
If you need a little inspiration for how to use this delicious jam, give this recipe a try!
Crepes with Ricotta and Lemon Jam
Ingredients
Crepes
- 1 1/2 cups flour – you can substitute rice flour for a gluten free crepes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Ricotta Filling
- 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Blueberries (optional)
More Ideas You'll Love
Directions
For the crepes, add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and mix well. I like to mix mine in the blender to get all the lumps out but that’s not completely necessary. Heat a pat of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Pour a little less than 1/2 a cup of batter into the pan. Swirl the batter until it fills the pan. Cook for about one minute on each side.
For the ricotta filling, add all ingredients to a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
Put about 1/4 cup of the ricotta filling onto a crepe. Add a bit of lemon jam then roll the crepe. Top with fresh blueberries.
I loved the combination of the savory ricotta, tart jam and sweet blueberries! Delish!
What is your favorite jam recipe?
Lemon Jam
Ingredients
- 4 lemons
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Grate the zest of three of the lemons into a small pot. Slice the fourth lemon into thin rings and add them to the pot.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the water off the lemons and zest. Add the lemons and zest back to the pot and cover with another cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes and strain again.
- Put the lemons and zest back into the pot once again. Add sugar, lemon juice, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to medium/low. Simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 30-45 minutes. Pour the jam into a jar and put it in the fridge to cool.
Love it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Chris. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this exactly and it never set up. Very thin. Not sure why?.. Flavor was great though. I poured it over homemade yogurt and it was spectacular!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I had the same issue – so runny! I let mine simmer, then when it wasn’t thickening after 45 minutes I let it simmer a bit more… then I figured maybe it would thicken as it cooled. Let it sit in the fridge in its jars overnight, but no such luck! I’m thinking of boiling it with a little gelatine to thicken it up, will that work?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do you keep in fridge? How long will it keep?
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Definitely keep it in the fridge, for no more than a month. You could freeze it for around six months. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How many crepes does the recipe make? The jam sounds luscious! Can’t wait to try it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This sounds so yummy. I love dessert crepes. My favorite homemade jam is raspberry. Unfortunately they don’t grow where I live. It’s always a treat when we go to the Utah area and my aunt sends us home with a jar. She also brings us a jar when they come to see us. The thing that really gets me is you have to buy the import brands to get that homemade taste. I don’t know why they can’t seem to get that taste with our American brands.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just tried this <3 ;-)
I have a lemon tree in the back yard so I thought I would try it while I had it on my mind.
First off… does it get any easier than this??? :-)
I followed the recipe exactly and it is good… very much like marmalade. I have had it in the fridge for an hour now and it has not really set up like marmalade… it has thickened, but I would like it to be just a little more jam/jelly like.
I like to give my neighbors/friends/family a Christmas gift of something I make. I will try it again before I give it as a gift.
If you do try it, please post your successes.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.thanks, Ginnie
Hi, does this only make one jar of jam? and how small a jar? Can it be doubled or tripled? Sounds like a perfect gift for me to make for my lemon loving son-in-law!! Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Jill for linking back to my recipe for lemon jam. Yours looks so divine! And it’s great that you put step by step photos here, which makes everything even more clear.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For those who wonder why we drain it twice: We slice one lemon into rings with the peel including the white parts. So the zest is combined with this sliced lemon. We boil them and throw the boiling water to remove the bitterness. Otherwise, your jam will taste bitter. It tastes wonderfully zesty and lemony this way. No bitterness at all.
Oh! And it’s a great idea to use this jam in crepes. Will definitely try it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I must try this. I’ll be making Lemon Curd as well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Could you do this with grapefruit too? I don’t get the throwing away of the water either.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What do you w the other 3 lemons? That part sounds wasteful.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would juice the other three lemons that had been zested and freeze the juice in icecube trays for future recipes.
This sounds amazing! My sister in San Diego County has a Meyer lemon tree that produces almost year round. I am sending her this post!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea!
The crepes sound divine.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also, that discarded lemon water can be put to work by making a paste with baking soda for the sink or stove or tub–add a little elbow grease & shine! For me, I would save the juice (clearly marked) in the refrigerator/freezer until I needed it.
Nice post.
That’s a perfect use for the discarded lemon water! I wouldn’t use it in a recipe because it’s so bitter :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ok, THIS looks yummy! But my little heart just cringes at throwing out all that lemony, juicy water – Come on Jillee – give us a recipe or use for all that lemony goodness instead of just dumping it down the sink!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I was wondering the same thing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Is this marmalade? If not, how is marmalade different?
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You could call it marmalade, if you like :-) Jams usually add pectin, so they’re a little more goopy/jelly (like jelly, which is just the jelly part without fruit bits). Marmalade utilizes natural pectin (from things like lemons).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this jam yesterday, but it hasn’t thickened up yet. Is there something I can do to it to help it along?
Can I use Truvia instead of sugar in this recipe?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How much jam does this make?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’d also like to know why you drain the water off 2x.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.HURRY UP MORNING! I can’t wait to go buy a few lemons to try this! Can you imagine it on an Everything Bagel with cream cheese? Or a slice of pumpkin bread….or raisin toast…..or a hot, buttery biscuit……or a tiny slather on a bite of baked chicken…or turkey….or ham! Um, excuse me while I go wipe my chin.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Every. Thing. Bagel. Yum! Some people may think that is crazy–but, if you have ever had a fresh NY style Everything Bagel you would be salivating just like I am right now.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think I just found today’s Quest.
Why do you keep throwing out the water, isn’t that where the juice of the lemons is released? I’m confused.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m not THE Jill, just another fan. I was wondering the same thing, but thought perhaps it would make the jam way too tart. I think when I try making this I’ll use part of the drained water in the final two cups of water. And the rest should make a great drink of some sort…..HA!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I believe that Jill drains it twice to remove the bitterness of the lemon peel. Lemon peel contains the white stuff that becomes even more bitter when cooked.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That process makes the lemon jam delicate and fine.
I think you’re probably right about the bitterness in the lemon , but its just the peel isn’t it? Not the white stuff under the peel that is being used… omgoodness, now I’m really confused! The marmalade thing… wondering about it too, what makes it different from this? I want to try this so bad, just don’t want to mess it up– cause I don’t do much in the kitchen anymore, so need to ensure I do this perfect! lol
Since the lemon slices are added, some of the white under-peel is in there, and all you get is bitter flavor if you leave it! You could probably save it for cleaning products, but it really doesn’t maintain any of the bright, delicious flavor!
I’ve made jam for years and this absolutely didn’t work for me. I admit two grandchildren were “helping” me and I may have been distracted, but I don’t know that this recipe would work for anyone.
I Tried this too didn’t work for me