Apricot Preserves - Small Batch Recipe

Name: Apricot Preserves - Small Batch Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs apricots (pitted and coarsely chopped); ¾ cup sugar; Zest of 1/2 a lemon; Juice of 1/2 a lemon; 2 -3 thyme sprigs; ½ vanilla pod or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

by Beth Lee · Published: Jun 13, 2022

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Apricot Preserves are easy to make and capture the magic of summer fruit. The thyme and vanilla add a subtle layer of flavor to enhance the fantastic apricot goodness. Freeze a jar for a rainy day!

You might also enjoy this apricot jam chicken recipe or apricot ice cream recipe.

For ease of browsing, here are all of my jam recipes in one place.

Close up of a jar of apricot jam in front of a crate of apricots.

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Why you'll love this recipe!

Because opening a jar of this jam when only apples are in season is just a happy thing! Apricot preserves have become a must-have in our house. Once you taste the flavor of good summer apricots, like Blenheims, cooked into preserves, you'll never want to eat store bought again.

The first time I tasted the beauty of Blenheim and Bonny Royal apricots, I was at a stone fruit tasting at a local farm called Andy's Orchard. It was a life-changing event for me and I realized not all stone fruit is created equal.

Of course, I bought more fruit than we could eat or bake, so my friend taught me how to can jam (so much easier than I thought). But if you don't want to can the jam, this small batch recipe is for you. Just refrigerate and freeze any extra jars for later use.

Box of Blenheim apricots view straight down.

Ingredients you'll need

The most important ingredient in these preserves are the apricots you choose to use. More on that below.

Apricot preserves ingredient shot showing jam ingredients in a large clear bowl.

Apricots: I am lucky to have access to Blenheim or Bonny Royal apricots. If you can find them, please 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, vanilla, or thyme to enhance the flavor of the apricots.
Lemon Juice and Zest: I have meyer lemons but any lemon will work. If it is not organic, check for a wax coating and clean well before zesting.
Thyme: I use fresh thyme and let it macerate in the fruit before it cooks. If you don't have fresh thyme, I would probably not use any.
Vanilla: If you have a fresh vanilla pod, by all means use it but a good liquid vanilla is just fine.

How to make this recipe

Sometimes when I make jam, I throw all the ingredients into a pot and go. Sometimes I macerate the fruit overnight or for several hours. For example, I "pre-soak" my strawberry raspberry jam made with rosé wine. And I like to macerate these apricot preserves. Macerating with sugar draws out the juices, creating a syrup and also allows flavor additions like thyme to permeate the syrup and fruit. It also accelerates the time it takes to cook down the fruit. Here's how to make these preserves step-by-step.

1. Combine the apricots, sugar, lemon juice and zest and thyme 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. After it has macerated (sat in its juices), put it all in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring it up to a boil on medium heat.

Saucepan with macerated apricot preserves starting the boiling process.

3. Maintain a vigorous boil and stir frequently. You will see foam forming at the top. I skim this off 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!

Boiling apricot mixture in pot with foam forming at the top.

4. After 10 or 15 minutes, the fruit will break down, get glossy and begin leaving residue on the side of the pot.

Apricot preserves in pot still boiling and foamy.

5.This is what my preserves look like when they are ready to go in jars. But you can also 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, you need to keep boiling.

Apricot preserves in pot ready to be ladled into jars.

6. When the jam is ready, stir in the vanilla. 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 works great for putting the preserves into storage jars.

Ladling apricot preserves into jars with canning funnel.

Check out my apricot preserves web story for a quick visual guide on making this recipe.

Expert tips and FAQs

Buy the best apricots you can find. Check the farmers' markets and small farm stands. Don't be afraid to ask if they'll sell you a larger quantity of firsts or seconds for a discounted price per pound. But the preserves will be delicious no matter which apricots you use.
If you like a more firm texture for your jam or preserves and usually use pectin, feel free to do so.
Vanilla and thyme are lovely additions but just delicious apricots, sugar and lemon juice and zest will yield a wonderful result too!
I have canned this jam and I've also just stored it in the refrigerator or freezer. If you have the equipment to can and make a big enough batch, it is wonderful to open a jar of this in the cold of winter. But the refrigerator/freezer approach is absolutely fine too.

Five jars of apricot preserves cooling off on a white towel.

How long will apricot preserves or jam last in the refrigerator?

If the jars were sterilized to start, the jam should last three to four weeks in the refrigerator but you'll finish it sooner 😉.

Can you freeze apricot jam or apricot preserves?

Absolutely. Just be sure you leave some expansion space - about ½ inch - at the top of the jar. Just like with stock, the jam needs some room to grow when it freezes.

What is the difference between apricot jam and apricot preserves?

Preserves have bigger chunks of fruit in them than jam. There is a fine line between jams and preserves. If you decide to crush the fruit with your potato masher and not leave chunks, then you can technically call this recipe jam.

Why is it important to macerate the fruit before you cook the preserves?

Macerating (soaking) fruit with sugar to draw out the liquid serves a few purposes. One - by drawing out the liquid, a syrup is formed. Two - this syrup creates a wonderful base for cooking down the jam. While the fruit is soaking, you can also add flavors - such as herbs or vanilla. In addition, the pre-soak can help accelerate the actual cooking time of the preserves.

What to serve with apricot preserves

Any of my challah recipes will taste delicious with these preserves: my challah rolls, Lonni's challah or my citrus challah.

Other jam recipes on OMG! Yummy

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P.S. If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a review in the comment section below. I so appreciate your feedback! AND find more inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Signup for my email list, too!

Apricot Preserves - Small Batch Recipe

Beth Lee

Apricot Preserves are easy to make and capture the magic of summer fruit. The thyme and vanilla add a subtle layer of flavor to enhance the already fantastic apricot goodness. Pop a jar in the freezer so you can enjoy the summer flavors in the cold of winter.

4.92 from 24 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 8 oz jars

Calories 28 kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs apricots pitted and coarsely chopped
¾ cup sugar
Zest of ½ a lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 -3 thyme sprigs
½ vanilla pod or ½ teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions

Prepare fruit

Combine the apricots, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and thyme in a medium-sized bowl.
Mix well and let it sit for a few hours 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 and bring it to a boil on medium heat.
Turn down heat to maintain a vigorous boil, stirring frequently.
Foam will 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!
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 preserves. 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 mix well. Let it boil for another minute and then use your canning funnel or any funnel you have to ladle the preserves into clean, sterilized jars. Even when just refrigerating and/or freezing the preserves, you want to 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. Don't be afraid to ask if they'll sell you a larger quantity of firsts or seconds for a discounted price per pound. But the preserves will be delicious no matter which apricots you use.
If you like a more firm texture for your jam or preserves and usually use pectin, feel free to do so.
Vanilla and thyme are lovely additions but just delicious apricots, sugar and lemon juice and zest will yield a wonderful result too!
I have canned this jam and I've also just stored it in the refrigerator or freezer. Since this recipe is for a small batch, I haven't included canning instructions. For a great tutorial, see this strawberry key lime jam recipe from my friend Cheryl at Pook's Pantry!

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 28kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 487IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg

Keyword apricots, fruit preserves, summer fruit

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