Apricot Jam with brown sugar and bourbon is a fun variation on a more traditional apricot jam recipe. Darker in color with a sharper almost butterscotch-like finish, this recipe will become a welcome addition to your annual apricot extravaganza.
You might also enjoy this apricot preserves recipe or apricot ice cream recipe.
For ease of browsing, here are all of my jam recipes in one place.
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Why you'll love this recipe!
- It's so much fun to compare the effect of brown sugar on your apricots versus white sugar. It creates a very different flavor profile with the same fruit. If you have enough apricots to experiment, this is worth a try!
- The recipe comes together quickly especially if you make a small batch and skip the canning process.
- If you are a butterscotch lover, you will adore this jam. It has those caramelly, buttery notes.
- The finish is slightly bitter in a good kind of way so if that excites your palate, this is the recipe for you.
Ingredients and substitutions
The most important ingredient, in my opinion, in any jam recipe is the fruit you choose to use. More on that below.
- Apricots: I am lucky to have access to Blenheim or Bonny Royal apricots from a nearby orchard. If you can find specific types of apricots, buy them! But if not, use the freshest apricots you can find. Taste them for sweetness and flavor and adjust the ingredients accordingly. Apricots not very sweet? Add a bit more sugar or vanilla to enhance the flavor of the apricots.
- Brown Sugar: I show dark brown sugar in the picture but you can use either dark or light brown. Dark brown sugar has a higher percentage of molasses in it so it will yield a darker color and a more pronounced caramel/butterscotch/toffee finish.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: I grow Meyer lemons but any lemon will work. If it is not organic, check for a wax coating and clean well before zesting.
- Vanilla: If you have a fresh vanilla pod, by all means use it but a good liquid vanilla is just fine.
- Bourbon: Honestly this is optional but it's a fun addition. Whatever bourbon you have in your liquor cabinet will work.
Let's make apricot jam step-by-step!
(Printable recipe card is at the end of the post with ingredients, measurements and step-by-step instructions. This section includes more and larger pictures and high level explanations of the process.)
Jump to Recipe Card Now!Macerating with sugar draws out the juices, creating a syrup. Sometimes I throw all my jam ingredients into a pot and just start cooking. Other times, I macerate the fruit for several hours or even overnight. For example, I "pre-soak" my strawberry raspberry jam made with rosé wine. If I have time, I do macerate the apricots for this recipe. Here's how to make this brown sugar jam step-by-step.
1. Combine the apricots, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest in a large bowl, mix well and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. This is called macerating and will draw out the juices and create a syrup.
2. Put the macerated mixture into a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it up to a boil on medium heat.
3. Turn it down from medium if it boils too dramatically. Maintain a low boil and stir frequently. If any white foam appears, skim it off and then use that on your morning toast or stir it into your yogurt.
4. After 10 or 15 minutes, the fruit will break down, look glossy and leave residue on the side of the pot. If you want the jam less chunky, now is a good time to grab a masher and smooth it out.
5.This is what my preserves look like when they are ready to go in jars (I like my jam chunky and arguably more like a preserve). To test when your jam is ready, keep a little plate in the freezer and when you think the jam is ready, pull the frozen plate out, put a dab of jam on it and put it back in the freezer for 1 minute. If it wrinkles when you push it, it’s ready. If it just falls back on itself, keep boiling. When it is nearly done, add 1 tablespoon bourbon and ½ teaspoon vanilla.
6. Ladle into clean jars, let it cool down and then refrigerate or freeze. Remember if freezing, leave about a ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Even if you are not a canner, the funnel for filling up canning jars is a good tool for putting the preserves into storage jars.
Beth's expert tips and FAQs
- Buy the best apricots you can find. Check the farmers' markets and small farm stands for firsts, or seconds at a discounted price per pound.
- If you like a more firm texture for your jam or preserves, feel free to use pectin. But since my recipe is lower sugar than a typical jam recipe, try Pomona Pectin or Ball RealFruit Pectin, both made specifically for lower sugar jams.
- Bourbon is a nice addition but certainly optional. Fresh apricots, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest will yield a wonderful result too!
- Brown sugar does scorch more easily than white, so pay attention while this boils to maintain that low boil and not let the heat rise too high or too fast.
If the jars were sterilized to start, the jam should last three to four weeks in the refrigerator but you'll finish it sooner 😉.
Absolutely. Just be sure you leave some expansion space - about ½ inch - at the top of the jar. Just like with soup stock, the jam needs some room to grow when it freezes.
Either dark or light brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar has more molasses in it and will emphasize the darker color and more toffee or caramel like notes of the jam.
What to serve with brown sugar apricot jam
Any of my challah recipes will taste delicious with this jam: my challah rolls, Lonni's challah or my citrus challah. Or dollop some on your cheese blintzes or mini cheesecake bites or cheesecake bars. For something really fun -- swirl the jam thru apricot ice cream! Or go savory and try it on my apricot jam chicken.
Other jam recipes on OMG! Yummy
- Apricot Preserves - Small Batch Recipe
- Strawberry Raspberry Jam with Rosé Wine aka Gregory's Jam
- Apricot Raspberry Jam with Orange
- Fruit Compote: The Perfect Pancake Topper (and so much more!)
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Apricot Jam with Brown Sugar
Beth LeeEquipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs apricots pitted and coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ cup lemon juice juice from about ½ a large lemon
- zest of ½ a lemon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon bourbon optional
Instructions
Prepare fruit
- Combine the apricots, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix well and let it sit for a few hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
Cook the preserves
- After the fruit has macerated (soaked in the sugar mixture), put it in a heavy-bottomed pot (wider than tall preferably) and bring it to a boil on medium heat.
- If it boils too dramatically, turn it down. Maintain a low boil and stir frequently.
- Foam may start appearing on the top of the mixture. Use a spoon to scoop it away into a small bowl. Don't discard it! Save it for your morning toast or mix it into some yogurt or top your ice cream. It's delicious! Also, if you want a smoother, less chunky result, use your potato masher to smooth it out.
- After about 10 minutes, you'll see the fruit breaking down, becoming glossy and leaving residue on the side of the pot. Those are signs you are nearly done cooking the jam. To check, keep a plate in the freezer and when you think the jam is ready, pull the plate out and put a dab of jam on it. Put it back in the freezer for 1 minute. If it wrinkles or stays separated when you push it, it's ready. If it falls back on itself, continue to boil the jam a little longer. After you make preserves and jams a few times, you will know by the sound of the boiling, what the preserves look like, and how much the mixture has reduced that it's ready to be put in the jars.
- Once the mixture is ready to go, add the vanilla and bourbon and mix well. Let it boil for another minute and then use your canning funnel or any funnel you have, ladle the preserves into clean, sterilized jars. (Even when just refrigerating and/or freezing the preserves, start with clean jars and lids. A pass through the dishwasher will do the trick).
Notes
- Buy the best apricots you can find. Check the farmers' markets and small farm stands for firsts, or seconds at a discounted price per pound.
- If you like a more firm texture for your jam or preserves, feel free to use pectin. But since my recipe is lower sugar than a typical jam recipe, try Pomona Pectin or Ball RealFruit Pectin, both made specifically for lower sugar jams. For a great tutorial on how to do the canning process, see this strawberry key lime jam recipe from my friend Cheryl at Pook's Pantry!
- Bourbon is a nice addition but certainly optional. Fresh apricots, brown sugar, lemon juice and zest will yield a wonderful result too!
- Brown sugar does scorch more easily than white, so pay attention while this boils to maintain that low boil and not let the heat rise too high or too fast.
Nutrition
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Jenni
What a wonderful variation on a traditional apricot jam. Thank you for sharing all your tips and the step-by-step instructions, too! I love the ease of making this jam and the deep, butterscotchy flavor. Delicious!
Laura
I'm loving the subtle differences in my jam from regular sugar to brown sugar. So delicious with my morning toast!
Beth Lee
Still lets the delicious fruit shine but gives you a different finish right? So good.