This gorgeous crabapple jam is prepared with crabapples, rose hips, and a mixture of fall spices. It's tart and sweet and doesn't require pectin to thicken! Enjoy this Crab apple Jam over toast or add it to your fall charcuterie board!
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I think that crabapples get a bad wrap. No one seems to like them or know what to do with them. Recently I got to pick a bunch of crabapples from a neighbor's tree down our street. I decided to make jam with them, instead of crabapple jelly, and was surprised at how good it tasted!
The texture resembles applesauce (see my canning applesauce post), more than jam but it doesn't bother me one bit! It's excellent on ice cream and mixed into homemade yogurt.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Crabapples (or crab apples) are sometimes wasted on the tree because people just don't know what to do with them. However, with a little imagination, they can be transformed into jelly, wine, butter, and this wonderful crab apple jam!
I love that no pectin is needed for this jam because apples are loaded with natural pectin. This means you don't need to add a bunch of sugar to help the jam set either.
The ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom give this crab apple jam a delicious flavor that will remind you of fall all year long!
I'll admit, chopping up the crab apples is a little bit tedious and not something I would want to do regularly, but I can tolerate it once a year, and so can you! I decided to add Rosehips, but in the end, half of them had worms. I added less than I had intended, which makes them totally optional!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Crab Apples: Use firm, ripe crabapples without blemishes or evidence of worm damage.
- Rosehips: Rosehips are optional, but they add a nice, sweet flavor. They're also loaded with vitamin C (see my rosehip syrup post for more information). The one drawback is the tedious process of processing them.
- Spices: I added what I consider fall spices (cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom) to celebrate fall, my favorite season! If you don't have all of the spices, just add the ones you have.
- Orange Slices: I always have dehydrated orange slices on hand; however, fresh orange slices are another great option!
🔪 Helpful Tools
- 6 half-pint mason jars
- canner with tools
- soup bags
🍎 How to Make Crabapple Jam
Step 1: Chop apples into small pieces and add to a medium-sized pot. Sprinkle with sugar. If adding rosehips, pinch off the blossom end, slice in half, and remove the seeds and tiny irritating hairs. Add the processed rosehips to the pot.
Step 2: Place cinnamon, cardamom pods, whole cloves, and sliced ginger into a soup bag and place it into the pot. Tie the bag to the handle of the pot for easy removal. Add orange slices.
Step 3: Add lemon juice and water (or apple juice/cider) and simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover for 5 minutes and simmer over low to medium heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the jars by sterilizing them in boiling water.
Step 4: Uncover the jam and smash it with a wooden spoon or a masher to get the right consistency. Press down on the spices as well to extract their flavor. The jam will thicken after approximately 10 minutes. Remove the orange slices.
Step 5: Ladle crabapple jam into sterilized jars, using the proper canning tools. Leave ½ inch headspace, then wipe the rims and add lids. Hand-tighten collars.
🫙 Canning Instructions
Lower the jars back into the boiling water and process for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack or dishtowel on the counter until they seal. Store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Crabapples are tart with a concentrated apple flavor, which makes them perfect for crabapple jam or jelly! The jam tastes like spiced apple sauce.
Crab apples are delicious and can be used to make the following:
• Crabapple Jam or Jelly
• Crabapple liqueur
• Crabapple wine
• Crabapple pie or tart
• Crabapple Chutney
• Crabapple Sauce
Crab apples are very high in pectin. This is a great advantage when making crabapple jam because no additional pectin is needed to thicken the jam.
🍐 More Jam Recipes
If you love making jam, give these other tasty jam recipes a try!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- When processing the apples, keep your eyes open for worm damage, which can be common in crab apples.
- For a smoother, apple-sauce texture, use an immersion blender before canning.
- If using rosehips, keep in mind that they are sweeter when picked after the first frost.
- Crabapple jam gets thick quick. If it gets too thick, just add additional liquid (water or juice).
- Any jam that does not seal should be consumed first and stored in the fridge.
- You can use the pits to make apple cider vinegar! See my how to make apple cider vinegar post for more info!
🍏 More Apple Recipes
If you like this crabapple jam, check out these other related posts!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Chop apples into small pieces and add to a medium-sized pot. Sprinkle with sugar. If adding rosehips, pinch off the blossom end, slice in half, and remove the seeds and tiny irritating hairs. Add the processed rosehips to the pot.
- Place cinnamon, cardamom pods, whole cloves, and sliced ginger into a soup bag and place into the pot. Tie the bag to the handle of the pot for easy removal. Add orange slices.
- Add lemon juice and water/apple juice and simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover for 5 minutes and simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, prepare the jars by sterilizing them in boiling water.
- Uncover the jam and smash with a wooden spoon or a masher to get the right consistency. Press down on the spices as well to extract their flavor. The jam will thicken after approximately 10 minutes. Remove the orange slices.
- Ladle crabapple jam into sterilized jars, using the proper canning tools. Leave ½ inch headspace, then wipe the rims and add lids. Hand tighten collars.
- Lower the jars back into the boiling water and process for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack or dishtowel on the counter until they seal. Store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
Nutrition
Notes
- When processing the apples, keep your eyes open for worm damage, which can be common in crab apples.
- For a smoother, apple-sauce texture, use an immersion blender prior to canning.
- If using rosehips, keep in mind that they are sweeter when picked after the first frost.
- Crabapple jam gets thick quick. If it gets too thick, just add additional liquid (water or juice).
- Any jars that don't seal should be consumed first or stored in the fridge.
Annet says
I don’t know if I consider this jam, but it is delicious. I will be eating it as apple sauce.
Hilda Sterner says
That's fair, enjoy, Annet!
Jaime says
Tastiest jam I’ve ever made. I added star anise and used a sieve to remove the spices and pulp.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Jaime, So happy to hear it! Thank you so much for the review!
Pete T says
I followed the recipe to reduce it down in a pot but when it was mashed and like applesauce I poured it into a colander lined with two layers of cheesecloth and collected the juice. It took most of the afternoon to drain and I squeezed out the last bit of juice from the pulp and seeds. I ended up with 6 cups of liquid which I steeped with the cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger for about 30 minutes over low heat.
When done I made jelly using suregel low sugar recipe following the directions on the pack using 4 cups of sugar. It turned out fantastic and set up like a champ. It’s tart and sweet at the same time. My wife loves crab apples and is in love with this jelly now. It made 8 cups which I canned in regular quilted jelly jars. I didn’t use rose hips and it was still a deep red color.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Pete, I might have to try it your way next time!
Mary says
Crabable sauce
Will be good on a turkey sandwich
thanks for the idea
I left them whole, cut tops and bottoms off and then pushed them through a patato ricer to remove skins and seeds.
nice color
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks Mary, I appreciate the comment and suggestions!
Elizabeth says
It it has the texture of both jam and applesauce at the same time. I think it will taste lovely with cream cheese and crackers or, over warm brie. Great flavour!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Elizabeth! That's a great way to describe the texture. Maybe I'll mention that in the post. Thank you for the review!
Clashing Plaids says
Very odd consistency--more like chunky applesauce than jam. I was expecting it to be thicker and more jam-like, but even after 20-25 mins of cooking in step 4, it never really jelled. However, since I like chunky applesauce, it was still a win.
Personally, I find the peels on the crab apples distracting, but that might be an individual thing.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks for your review, Joe!
Irene H Arm says
The peels provide the jam's lovely coloring, and I believe they are the apple part containing the most pectin. I strain my finished jam/jelly and throw the peels in the compost.
Hilda Sterner says
Yes, you are right, the peels and the cores/seeds contain the most pectin.
Kelly Methey says
I love the color of this bright, fall jam. I can’t wait to try it, it sounds so interesting and delicious!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kelly! I had some this morning with cream cheese on sourdough, yum!