Tired of jams and jellies full of sugar? Here’s a honey peach preserves recipe that uses honey as the only sweetener!
We love homemade jams at our house. On toast, as pancake topping or on a sandwich. What I don’t like is the high amount of sugar that most jam recipes require.
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With the last of my peaches I decided to make a batch Peach Preserves using honey as the sweetener. The key is to make sure your fruit is perfectly ripe- letting the natural flavors and sweetness shine.
This is a simple recipe- only 3 ingredients that will let you enjoy that great peach taste with a light sweetness all winter long!
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How to Make Honey Peach Preserves
Here is what you will need (makes 4 pints):
15-20 Peaches
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1-2 cups honey (depending on your taste)
*I think peaches have enough natural pectin, but if you want you can also add a little bit of low/no sugar pectin.
What to do:
Start by peeling your peaches and removing the pits.
You can do this by boiling the peaches for a few minutes until the skins easily slip off. Some people swear by this as a time saver, but I prefer to use a peeler and I am actually faster with a peeler than with boiling water.
Then you want to chop up your peaches. I like mine chopped pretty small, so I pulse them in the food processor. You can also just dice them up by hand.
Place them in a large pot and stir in the lemon juice and honey.
Heat the mixture to boiling- stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook- stirring frequently- until the preserves start to thicken up- maybe 30 to 45 minutes. Sometimes even longer depending on your pot, heating element, etc.
You want the peaches to reach about 220F.
You’ll know it’s done when the preserves cling to a cold metal spoon.
Here are the steps to can these peach preserves:
1) Sterilize your jars by running them through the dishwasher or washing in soapy, hot water. Keep the jars warm to prevent cracking when filling with hot preserves. I recommend pints or half-pint jars for preserves and jam.
2) Fill your canning pot and turn the heat on to medium or high heat.
3) Fill your jars with preserves, leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp cloth and place the lids and bands on the jars, tightening finger tight. (I’ve had good luck with the reusable Tattler lids if you want to use reusable ones)
4) Place the jars in your canning pot so that the water comes at least one inch above the jars.
5) Process (boil) the jars for 10 minutes. Start your timer when the water begins to boil.
6) After 5 minutes, turn the heat off the canning pot. Wait about 5 minutes before removing the jars.
7) Place the hot jars on a towel, in a draft free area where they will not be disturbed. Allow them to sit overnight or for at least 8 hours before checking for seals. You should hear the “ping” of the jars sealing.
8) Check your jars for proper seals by pressing down in the center of the lid. If the center can be popped up and down, your jar is not sealed and should be refrigerated.
It’s that easy! Try a batch and let me know what you think! It goes great on top of my buttermilk biscuits!
You May Also Like These Canning Recipes:
How to Make Strawberry Preserves
I don’t even like peaches but you make them look yummy!
Oh my goodness…I’m thinking this would be amazing on some warm biscuits!
I made this and followed instructions. The taste is good and everything sealed, but it is liquidy. It didn’t set up with any firmness. Is this the way it should be? If not, can I open them and cook them some more to thicken and add some low or no sugar needed pectin?
Would appreciate your help
Paula
That looks so delish! Unfortunately, no peaches here in our place if there is those are the canned peaches. :(
I made this recipe the other day.added about half the amount if the honey,and a little cinnamon. Did it all by taste,because not all peaches are the same. Boy oh boy, it came out chunky and thick,just like really good apple sauce,but peach instead. You can eat this right out of the jar, or put it on ice cream,or a buttermilk biscuit! The Neighbor just gave me another bag of peaches,so i am cooking up another batch. Great winter treat.thanks so much. This is a must try.
I’ve been wanting to do this while peaches are in season! You gave me the push to do it, it looks so yummy! Thanks Holly
When I make jams I always cut way down on the amount of sugar I use, because I agree, I don’t like candied fruit on my toast. I love to have the fruit be the star.
Those peach preserves look divine!
yummy! you make it look so easy :)
It is easy!
Thanks I’ll have to try this!
Why do I have the feeling that mine would not turn out so lovely?! LOL
Sounds delicious! Pinned to my Pinterest Board. :)
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Ugh! Looks so yummy! I need to bake more…
Every time I read one of your canning posts, I think ,”I can do that”. You make it look so easy to do. Next time I go to the grocery store, I might have to get some peaches…we aren’t fortunate to grow them like you. But we have a great local produce department!
Angel
You can do it!! It’s an intimidating process but once you get your feet wet it is really a simple process! Let me know how if goes if you try it :)
do you have to boil the peaches prior to peeling and pitting?
You don’t have to- boiling is an easy way to peel peaches though.
Cut the peach in half remove the pit, dip in a bowl of water with limon juice added and freeze cut side up om a cookie sheet.Run under hot water and the peel will slid right off. SAVE THE PEELINGS AND PITS FOR MAKING PEACH SAUCE (now xcalled peach honey)
Cut the peach in half remove the pit, dip in a bowl of water with limon juice added and freeze cut side up om a cookie sheet.Run under hot water and the peel will slid right off. SAVE THE PEELINGS AND PITS FOR MAKING PEACH SAUCE (now xcalled peach honey)
Is the lemon juice from a fresh squeezed lemon or the bottled lemon juice? I know some recipes call for the bottled lemon juice because it has a standardized acidity
Thanks
AV
Great post. Followed you from the Homestead Barn Hop.
Love for you to come by Wildcrafting Wednesday and share.
Delicious
first things first. the easiest way to peal the peaches is with a potato peeler. learned the hard long way…. :) and apparently there is something in them that I am allergic to. my neck, face and hands have been red itchy and burning since I started peeling. my preserves are on the stove simmering now. will let you know how they turn out.
If your peaches are pretty ripe you can boil them to skin them…but if they are still firm, the peeler is the quickest way to go. And the fuzz does tend to cause an itchy reaction!
so they are now out of the water bath, for the second time. didn’t cook long enough, 45 minutes. so we took them out, added a bit more honey and cooked them longer. hoping they will “set” up, looked better this time around. We will see..
It depends on your preference. I don’t mind that my preserves aren’t very “jelly-like”, without added pectin it won’t set up the same as preserves with it added in. Either way the peachy taste is there!
So very easy to make! Made my first batch today. It is the best I have tasted. I only used a little over a 1/4 of a cup of honey. Our freshly picked peaches were so sweet to begin with. Also a tip, I let the chunks cook for 20 minutes then used an old fashioned potato masher to get a good ratio of pieces and pulp, no food processer needed or to clean! The batch had a perfect preserves consistency, Thank you so much for this recipe.
I have had mine simmering for 45 minutes, but it doesn’t appear to be thickening. Will it thicken after it cools.
It will thicken more as it cools. But it will not be as thick/jelled as a preserve with added pectin.
I love this! I just made my first batch of jam ever…honey strawberry jam. Now, I’m going to try peaches. I have a general jam canning question. I’ve read that the sugar is a very important part of the preserving process. Do you find that using honey is just as safe, and that the jams keep as long? I’d really like to continue using honey and experiment with more jams. I just don’t know anything about canning and don’t want to end up serving my family unsafe food. Thanks for your help!
I have already cut up my peaches before I found this recipe. Approx.how may cups of cut uppeaches are close to the 15-20 peaches?
Honey is a great preservative-it never goes bad! I wondered the same thing, but figured it would probably work better than refined white sugar.
it’s on the stove… interested to see how it comes out.. ive never made preserves without pectin or sugar…
Would it work to do it in a crockpot instead of stove top?
I am sure it would work fine. You are just cooking down the fruit to soften and release the pectin
I’m making some right now! :)
Is this a freezer jam? Or is it meant to be kept I the pantry? If you adding a bit of fruit pectin, when would you add it?
Wondering the same… Can I freeze this jam instead?
I canned it, but you can freeze it instead if you prefer. You would add the pectin during the cooking process. There should be directions included in your pectin to use as a general guide.
I just found your site, I love it. I made the peach preserves and though they were a little runny, AND I used half the honey, the peaches turned out so yummy that I could but won’t, just eat it with a spoon. I don’t want to use white sugar anymore and I’ve been wanting an easy honey recipe. Thank you.
My husband and l just went and picked peaches a couple days ago. I canned most of them. I’m going to make the preserves tomarrow. I love anything made with peaches Thxs for the recipe???
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Is it possible to keep jam in frig for a couple months and skip the water bath?
I just made these! They look perfect! I’m so happy that I had a little bit more than 4 pints so I can sample some soon! I did sprinkle a wee bit of cinnamon in the batch just because I like the flavor :)
THIs question was ask but no ANSWER GIVEN!
i GO BY CUPS -NOT NUMBER OF PEACHES- FOR THE NUMBER OF PEACHES YOU RECOMMEND-HOW MANY CUPS WOUND THAT EQUAL?
Oh my stars, ma’am! This recipe is perfect. Thank you so much for sharing and blessing us with this.
Gotta give the basic starter tip. For peeling, drop the peach in hot boiled water for a few seconds and slip the skins off. Not coming off easily? Water not hot enough, peach not ripe enough. Classic prep
I am excited to try this but want to make sure I am doing it right.
What size jars, how much head space? I assume pints, 1/2-or 1/4 inch? but want to make sure before canning. Thanks!
can you give me the equivalent measurement of peaches in cups? I am using the peaches that are a bit too ripe to can and as I come across them I just chopped them into a separate container so I don’t know how many peaches it would be…..
My peaches cooked for over an hour and never got thick so I canned them and they are still not thick. What did I do wrong.
Can frozen peaches be substituted for the fresh?
My peaches I bought in a crate are all different sizes. About how many cups of chopped peaches do you use for this recipe. I have a ready supply of honey and really want to start canning using it. Thanks so much for your recipe.