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Preserve the honey-like flavor of seasonal persimmons with this small-batch persimmon jam. It takes just 4 simple ingredients and about 35 minutes, with no pectin and no canning required, so it’s perfect for spreading on toast or gifting to friends!
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When life gives you persimmons, make jam! After a couple of spiced persimmon smoothies, a loaf of vegan persimmon bread, a batch of persimmon muffins, and these persimmon cookies, I had just enough left for one more recipe. Have a few firm Fuyu persimmons, too? Toss them into my persimmon salad. This jam is also lovely swirled into a loaf of eggless cranberry orange bread.
Quick Glance
- Recipe Name: Persimmon Jam
- Why You’ll Love It: A sweet, honey-like jam with just 4 ingredients and no pectin.
- Time and Difficulty: 5 minutes of prep and about 30 minutes on the stove, easy.
- Main Ingredients: Ripe persimmons, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Method: Simmer the diced fruit with lemon juice, mash it, then cook it down with sugar until thick.
- Texture and Flavor: Thick, spreadable, and sweet, with warm hints of honey and cinnamon.
- Quick Tip: Take it off the heat when it is a little looser than you want, since it thickens as it cools.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Persimmon Jam So Good
Persimmons have a honey-like, cinnamon-y flavor that shines in a simple jam, and their natural pectin helps it set. Even if you’ve never made jam before, this one is practically foolproof, and you don’t need any special equipment.
- No pectin: The fruit, lemon juice, and sugar thicken it naturally.
- Just 4 ingredients: Persimmons, lemon, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
- Small batch: It makes about 1¼ cups, enough for one small jar, so it is easy to use up while it is fresh.
- No canning needed: Store it in the fridge or freezer.
- Giftable: Since you rarely see persimmon jam in stores, a jar makes a thoughtful homemade gift.
- Customizable: Make it spiced, smooth, or chunky. If you love homemade jam, try my grape jam with no pectin next.
Persimmon Jam Ingredients
You only need 4 simple ingredients. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Ripe persimmons: Use very ripe, sweet fruit. Either Fuyu or Hachiya persimmons work (see below). Two medium persimmons make about 2 cups of diced fruit. If yours are small, use 3.
- Lemon: The juice of half a lemon balances the sweetness and helps the jam set.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the jam and helps it thicken and keep longer.
- Salt: Just a pinch brings out the flavor of the fruit.
What Are the Best Persimmons for Jam?
There are two main types of persimmons, and either one works well in this persimmon jam.
- Fuyu persimmons: They’re short and squat, with a firm, crisp texture even when ripe. They’re great for salads but also excellent for jam.
- Hachiya persimmons: They’re taller with a pointy end, like an acorn, and are astringent and bitter until fully ripe. When they’re ripe and soft like a water balloon, they become sweet and pudding-like, which is ideal for mashing.
- Wild American persimmons: These work too and are more like Hachiya persimmons. Make sure they are ripe and sweet before using them.
Recipe Variations
- Spiced persimmon jam: Add a little cinnamon, plus a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom.
- Ginger: Add fresh, ground, or crystallized ginger for a little warmth.
- Vanilla: Stir in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste at the end, off the heat.
- Citrus zest: Add some orange, lemon, or lime zest for more citrus flavor.
- Maple syrup: I haven’t tested it, but swapping part of the sugar for maple syrup should give the jam a deeper flavor. Keep in mind it may change how the jam sets.
- Sweet and spicy: Add a pinch of chili flakes, chili powder, or cayenne.
- Chia jam: For a lower-sugar spread, stir ground chia seeds into the cooked fruit to thicken it. I haven’t tested this version yet, so let me know in the comments if you try it!
How to Make Persimmon Jam
Step 1: Prep the persimmons. Wash and dry the persimmons and cut them in half. Remove the stem, white core, any seeds, and the peel, then dice the fruit.
Step 2: Cook with lemon. Add the diced persimmons and the juice of half a lemon to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3: Mash. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the persimmons as they soften.
Step 4: Add the sugar and simmer. Add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then keep cooking in 4 to 5 minute stretches until most of the juices have evaporated and the jam is thick.
PRO TIP: The exact time depends on how juicy your persimmons are. It’s ready when it’s thick and jammy, and a little looser than you’d like is best, since it sets as it cools. To check, chill a small plate in the freezer before you start. Spoon a little jam onto the cold plate, wait a minute, and push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it’s done.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Use very ripe persimmons: This matters most with astringent Hachiya persimmons. Taste the fruit first, since one unripe persimmon can affect the whole batch.
- Smooth or chunky: For a smooth jam, puree the fruit before or after simmering, or use an immersion blender right in the pan. For a chunkier jam, mash it by hand.
- Stir often at the end: As the jam thickens, it can stick to the bottom of the pan, so stir more often in the last few minutes.
- For a longer shelf life: Follow the recipe as written and use a clean, sterilized jar. Using less sugar or lemon shortens how long it keeps.
What To Serve With Persimmon Jam
Use homemade persimmon jam the same ways you would your favorite jam:
- Over toast, pastries, and scones, like vegan pumpkin scones and vegan walnut oat scones
- On quick breads, like vegan pumpkin bread
- With easy vegan pancakes, vegan waffles, and easy vegan French toast
- Swirled into stovetop oatmeal, vegan overnight oats, a yogurt parfait, or healthy chia pudding
- In baking, swirled into dairy-free brownies or as a filling for thumbprint cookies
- On a fall vegan charcuterie board
How else do you enjoy this jam? Let me know in the comments!
Make Ahead and Storage
- Cool it first: Let the jam cool completely before you put the lid on and refrigerate it.
- Fridge: Store it in a clean jar or airtight container for 3 to 4 weeks, using only clean spoons. It keeps for less time if you use less sugar.
- Freezer: Freeze it in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 6 months, then thaw it in the fridge overnight.
- Gifting: Spoon the whole batch (about 1¼ cups) into a small mason jar, add a label with the date, and keep it in the fridge until you give it.
Persimmon Jam FAQs
You can, but sugar helps the jam gel and keep. With less sugar, the jam will be thinner and won’t last as long in the fridge, so you may need to cook it longer or thicken it another way.
Simmer it a little longer, add a bit more sugar, or stir in a thickener like ground chia seeds. Remember that it thickens more as it cools.
Not if you plan to blend the jam smooth. I mash it by hand and prefer the texture without the peel.
You don’t need it, since the fruit, lemon, and sugar thicken this jam naturally. I haven’t tested it with pectin, so if you’d like to try, follow the directions on your pectin package.
I haven’t tested this recipe for water bath canning, so I recommend storing it in the fridge for up to 4 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Homemade Jams and Spreads
Vegan Breakfasts
Easy Strawberry Applesauce
Vegan Appetizers
Easy Plum Jam (No Pectin)
Vegan Desserts
Instant Pot Apple Butter
Vegan Desserts
3-Ingredient Easy Mango Compote [or Coulis]
If you tried this persimmon jam or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!
Easy Persimmon Jam
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Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe persimmons peeled, cored, and diced (about 2 cups / 300 g)
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Place the diced persimmons and the lemon juice in a small saucepan and stir. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, and mash the persimmons with a fork or potato masher as they soften.
- Add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Keep cooking in 5 minute stretches until most of the juices have evaporated and the jam is thick. The time depends on how juicy your persimmons are.
- Mash once more with the fork or potato masher for a smoother texture.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to an airtight container, and let it cool completely before refrigerating.
Notes
- Use very ripe persimmons, especially if you’re using astringent Hachiya persimmons. Taste the fruit first, since one unripe persimmon can affect the whole batch.
- For a smooth jam, puree the fruit before or after simmering. For a chunkier jam, mash it by hand.
- The jam thickens as it cools, so take it off the heat when it’s a little looser than you want.
- For a longer shelf life, follow the recipe as written and use a clean, sterilized jar. Using less sugar or lemon shortens how long it keeps.
- Store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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Love this sweet jam!