This peach jelly recipe is a delicious way to preserve the sweet and tangy flavor of fresh peaches. With just a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you can make your own homemade jelly that’s perfect for spreading on toast, hot biscuits, or even using as a glaze for meats.
Sometimes I wish peach season would just last year-round… there’s nothing better. Since it doesn’t, preserving that flavor is a must.
While we make a lot of canned peaches and peach salsa, this simple peach jelly is my favorite way to preserve it. Sweet from the peach juice combine with tart lemon juice to make an amazing flavor. Plus, I oftentimes add just a touch of bourbon to really bring some flavor out.
What are the best peaches for jelly?
Any yellow peach variety will do for making peach jelly, however, clingstone peaches will provide you with more juice, and you’ll want juicy peaches to give you the most. That said, freestone peaches can be used, they just won’t give you as much juice.
Regardless of which type you use, I always recommend using organic peaches, especially when making jelly unless you’re going to peel them (or not use some leftover peels to make the juice). This is because peaches are a high spray fruit and we don’t want those chemicals extracted into our peach jelly.
If you don’t have access to organic peaches and are using conventional peaches, just make sure you peel them before extracting the juice.
Easy Peach Jelly Recipe
Follow these simple instructions and you’ll be well on your way to making this easy recipe. Note that my secret ingredient is a little bourbon at the end of the process, it really brings out the taste of fresh peaches and it doesn’t affect the set, but it’s completely optional.
You will need approximately 9 medium peaches, or 3 pounds, to make enough juice for the jelly.
Cook the peaches. Place quartered, ripe peaches, unpeeled(as long as they’re organic) into a large saucepan. You do not need pit the peaches first, which makes using clingstone peaches easy (they’re more difficult to pit).
Add 1 1/2 cups water for 3 pounds of peaches (1/2 cup per pound). Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and stir frequently.
Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan and continue gently boiling, stirring and mashing up the peaches occasionally until the peaches are softened. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
Strain the juice. Pour the hot peach mixture into a dampened jelly bag fitted over a stand and placed over a large bowl. Allow the juice to strain into the bowl for a minimum of two hours, or overnight, occasionally gently squeezing the bag to help it along.
Prepare the jars and canner (if canning). Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water. If canning, place jars in the canner and fill with water until it reaches the top of the jars and heat over medium heat to 180°F while preparing the jelly.
Prepare the jelly. Place three cups of peach juice and and a half cup lemon juice in a large saucepan. Whisk in a package of regular powdered pectin until it is dissolved.
Bring the juice and pectin mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Once boiling, pour all 5 cups of sugar in at once, stirring constantly and return to a full rolling boil.
Once returned to a boil continue boiling, stirring constantly for 1 full minute. Remove the peach jelly from the heat and skim foam. Quickly stir in 3 tablespoons of bourbon, if desired to the jelly mixture.
Check the gel. Use the sheeting test to check for proper set of the jelly. To do this, place a clean, dry spoon in the mixture after it is removed from heat. Pull the spoon out of the jelly and it should drip off the spoon in at least two “sheets”.
If the mixture doesn’t properly gel for some reason, you can add a bit more sugar and pectin to it to get it right.
Ladle into jars. Ladle the hot jelly into hot jars. The jelly is now ready to cool and eat, if you don’t want to can it. The jelly can be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. It can also be frozen, however be sure to use straight sided jars and leave at least 1/2″ of headspace at the top of the jar.
Can the jelly (optional). If you want to keep the peach jelly at room temperature canning is easy to do. Simply ladle the hot jelly into the hot half pint jars and leave 1/4 inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust for proper headspace if necessary.
Wipe rim, center the lid and tighten the screw bands to finger tight. Carefully place the canning jars into the waiting water bath canner.
Place the lid on the canner and bring everything to a rolling boil over high heat. Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting processing time for proper altitude. Turn off the heat and remove the lid from the canner. Allow the jars to sit for 5 minutes before removing to a towel-lined counter.
Leave jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking for proper seal. Remove the bands from properly sealed jars and store in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.
Homemade Peach Jelly
Easy and delicious, this peach jelly is the perfect way to preserve this summertime fruit. Bourbon can be added for an additional kick in flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 Lbs Peaches (organic is best)
- 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1 1.75 oz Regular Powdered Pectin
- 5 Cups Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Bourbon (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by quartering peaches and placing them in a large saucepan with 1 - 1/2 cups of water. It is not necessary to peel or pit them (if they're organic).
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and stir frequently.
- Reduce the heat and cover keeping the mixture at a gentle boil and stirring and mashing the fruit occasionally until the peaches are softened - about 20 minutes.
- Pour the hot peach mixture into a dampened jelly bag fitted onto a stand over a large bowl and allow the juice to extract for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Wash jars and lids and prepare the canner if using.
- Place the peach juice and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Whisk in the package of pectin until completely dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stir frequently.
- Add the sugar all at once, and return to a hard boil, stirring constantly boil for 1 full minute. Remove the heat, skim off the foam, and stir in the bourbon if using.
- Pour hot jelly into jars and allow to cool (if not canning) before storing.
- If canning, pour hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4" of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust for headspace if necessary.
- Wipe the rims with a damp rag (I use vinegar to dampen the rag for fruit recipes), center the lid, and tighten the ring.
- Place the jars in the canner, put the lid on the canner and bring everything to a boil over high heat. Process the jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary (see notes).
- After processing, turn off the heat and remove the lid. Allow the jars to sit for five minutes before removing to a towel-lined counter. Leave undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking for proper seals. Remove the rings and store.
Notes
Altitude Adjustments:
0-1,000 ft 10 Minutes
1,001 to 3,000 ft 15 Minutes
3,001 to 6,000 ft 20 minutes
6,001 ft + 25 minutes
To make a low-sugar version of this jelly, simply cut the sugar to a more desireable amount and use low sugar pectin or pamoas pectin.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
80Serving Size:
1 TablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 14gProtein: 0g
Olivia
Monday 12th of August 2024
Curious what brand/s of bourbon you use / recommend! It's not something I normally keep on hand, so I would be curious what brands result in the best flavor.
Danielle McCoy
Monday 12th of August 2024
Maker's mark is not incredibly expensive and will provide a good flavor. Buffalo trace is another good brand, but typically pricier. You can get away with using Jack Daniel's, which is cheap and you can find in small bottles, but it tends to give the peaches an off-flavor.
Dinette Watkins
Monday 5th of August 2024
Can you use the left over pulp for anything?
Danielle McCoy
Friday 9th of August 2024
You can make fruit leather with it, or freeze it into cubes to add to smoothies.
Kristi Heise
Monday 22nd of July 2024
Can Splenda be used in the recipe for sugar free jelly?
Danielle McCoy
Thursday 25th of July 2024
Yes, however, you would need to use a no sugar pectin to get it to set up properly.
Dragons Aurora
Tuesday 31st of October 2023
3 bags frozen peaches through ninja blender added water to 19 cups total 4 packs powdered pectin 15 cups sugar rolling boil into jars yum
Danielle McCoy
Wednesday 1st of November 2023
Oh yay! Sounds delicious! Glad it turned out :).