Fall Caramel Apple Jam (Printable)
Autumn spread of apples, caramel, and warming spices—perfect on toast, stirred into oatmeal, or jarred for gifting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 6 cups peeled, cored, and finely chopped apples (about 6 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples)
02 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ Caramel Base
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
→ Spices & Thickener
06 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid pectin
→ Liquids
11 - 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
12 - 1/4 cup water
# Directions:
01 - In a large heavy-bottomed pot, combine chopped apples, lemon juice, apple cider, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender.
02 - Use a potato masher or immersion blender to slightly mash the apples, leaving small chunks for texture.
03 - Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Stir thoroughly to dissolve sugars.
04 - Mix in unsalted butter cubes. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom, until the mixture thickens and develops a golden caramel color, about 20 to 25 minutes.
05 - Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add liquid pectin, stirring well, and boil hard for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
06 - Skim off any foam. Ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes; adjust time for altitude as needed.
07 - Allow jars to cool completely on a towel or rack. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate after opening.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You can spoon it straight from the jar onto warm bread, pancakes, or ice cream—no judgment.
- The combination of tart apples and velvety caramel tastes like autumn, all year long.
02 -
- If you stop stirring, the caramel can catch and burn faster than you think—it happened to me once and the whole batch took on a bitter edge.
- Using really fresh lemon juice (not bottled) keeps the apples from losing their sparkle and makes a world of difference in flavor.
03 -
- Ladling jam into jars while still piping hot makes sealing reliable and easy.
- A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end brings out both the apple and caramel flavors in the final jam.