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    See More:   Condiments & Spices Gluten-Free Raising Foodie Kids Recipes for Beginners Snacks

    Last Modified: Oct 2, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 78 Comments

    How to Make Watermelon Jam

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    How to make DIY homemade watermelon jam with pectin powder - This simple and easy watermelon jam recipe uses sugar and pectin to cook the best watermelon jelly you've ever eaten!

    PIN IT FOR LATER!

    jam in a jar with wordsPin

    Since I learned to make jam several years ago, I have always wanted to make watermelon jam.

    I've never eaten watermelon jam, mind you, but I have had a twenty-five year love affair with watermelon-flavored Bubblicious (bubble gum), and so I have been thinking that watermelon jam would be simply delightful.

    I'm going to give away the ending of my story and say that watermelon jam tastes simply delightful. It has all of the flavor of my beloved gum, and it doesn't irritate my TMJ.

    There were no instructions for watermelon jam in the box of pectin, so we made it up as we went along. We had one medium-sized watermelon, and it made two batches of jam with enough watermelon chunks leftover for us to have as an after dinner snack.

    What you'll need to make the best watermelon jam

    Ingredients

    See printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for amounts.

    • Fresh watermelon - Seedless watermelon is nice, but you can use standard watermelon as well. You'll need to remove any black seeds, separate the red fruit from the from rinds, and cut the watermelon into chunks.
    • Fresh lemon juice
    • 2 boxes of No Sugar Needed Pectin - If you only add 1 box of pectin, you will end up with something akin to watermelon syrup. Also, "no sugar needed" is misleading. You still need a lot of sugar, just not as much as traditional pectin.
    • White sugar
    No sugar needed pectinPin
    The pectin I use

    How to Make Homemade Watermelon Jam

    How to make watermelon jamPin

    1. Puree the watermelon chunks in a blender or food processor. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to blend in two batches, but the finished amount of puree should be roughly 4 cups. There is no need to strain the watermelon juice because the puree gets very thin.
    2. Pour the watermelon puree into a large pot. Add lemon juice.
    3. In a small metal bowl, whisk both boxes of pectin together with ½ cup of the sugar. This will prevent the pectin from clumping later on.
    4. Whisk the pectin/sugar mixture into the watermelon puree.
    5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir almost constantly to prevent the bottom of the mixture from burning.
    6. You will add the rest of the sugar when the mixture is boiling so hard that you can't stir the bubbles away. Whisk the sugar in.
      How to Make Watermelon JamPin
    7. Return the mixture to a hard boil, and cook for one minute.
    8. After one minute, remove the jam from heat.
    9. If your jam doesn't set up, simmer until it has reached the consistency you want. Alternately, you can start over at step 3 and add additional pectin.

    Preserving your watermelon jam

    You have three choices:

    1. Can the jam. This is my favorite option. It's simple, as long as you have the right tools. More on that below.
    2. Freeze the jam up to one year. Use containers especially for keeping in the freezer, and wait to fill them until the jam mixture has cooled.
    3. Eat the jam. This is a good option, except that this particular recipe makes about 10 cups of jam. It will only keep a few weeks in the refrigerator, so... unless you're going to give it all away really quickly, this isn't a great option.

    Canning Homemade Jam

    1. Preheat 10 half-pint jars and 10 jar lids. We do this by running the jars through the dishwasher and boiling the lids and seals on the stove.
    2. Heat a very large pot of water for canning. Use a canner pot if possible. Preferably, this is a 20-quart or bigger pot filled about halfway with water and heated on high til the water boils.
    3. Get out a jar, make sure it is both clean and dry, and fill it with jam using a ladle and a funnel, leaving about ¼ inch of empty space at the top.
    4. Wipe the top of the jar with a clean paper towel to make sure it's clean and dry. Place a lid on top of the jar.
    5. Screw a lid ring on firmly.
    6. Repeat until all jars are full. If you have a partial jar, you should put it in the refrigerator and eat it in the next couple of weeks. Don't can a partial jar.
    7. Place all of the jars into the hot water in the big pot. Boil them for 10 minutes. (If you are above sea level, times will vary. Consult the instructions inside the box of pectin to be sure.)
    8. While the jars are boiling, set a dry towel on the counter (or in some other place where they can sit undisturbed for at least 24 hours). When the time is up, use tongs to remove the jars and set them in the middle of the towel. When all of the jars are out of the water bath, bring the ends of the towel up and lay it over top of the jars. This will help them to cool slowly. Honestly, I don't know why that's important, but my mom told me to do it, so I do it.
    9. Once the jars are cooled, check to make sure they sealed. Just like the jars in the store, the lids should all be sucked down and shouldn't give when you press on them. You'll most likely hear this happening as the jars cool; I always listen and keep count. Because I'm a canning dork.

    When we started canning, I think we spent around $100 at Walmart for all of the canning supplies that we needed. I've also seen them at Lowe's and Home Depot for similar prices. At the same time, there's nothing wrong with freezer jam, aside from it being a little less convenient than shelf-stable jam.

    Of course, after you've opened a jar of melon jam, you'll want to store it in the fridge until it's been used up. It will stay good for a couple weeks to a month.

    Important tips for canning watermelon jam

    You will need to use the widest and deepest pot you have, like a stockpot or a canning pot. The watermelon puree will climb up the sides of the pot as it cooks, and it will also splatter a lot because you'll be cooking it at a full boil. The bigger and deeper the pot, the better.

    You can try to use another type of pectin if you want to, but I can't guarantee your results. I use this exact recipe with no sugar pectin. I do not use liquid pectin, and I do not use regular pectin. My jam sets up perfectly every single time. Some commenters have said that their jam didn't set up at all or that it overset, and I am sorry for that. Elevation, air temperature, and other factors will impact your finished jam. But as I said above, this EXACT recipe has worked for me every single time I've ever tried it.

    As I said in the recipe below, you can use this same method to make a delicious watermelon syrup. Just reduce the amount of pectin to one box instead of two. The syrup is great on ice cream, waffles, cheesecake, pancakes, and more. Use it the same way you'd use raspberry sauce or even maple syrup.

    Use the plate test when you think your watermelon puree has boiled long enough. To do this test, you will need to put several small plates or bowls in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (put it in before you begin pureeing and cooking). When you think the watermelon juice has cooked enough, drip a very small spoonful onto one of the plates. If it starts to solidify and form a skin, it is done. If it stays runny, it needs to cook longer. The reason I say to put several plates in the freezer is that you may have to do this test more than once to get the right consistency.

    You will need a set of canning tools and a canning basket. You'll use the the jar lifter, wide mouth funnel, and basket the most. Pouring the boiling hot watermelon puree into the jars is so much easier with a funnel, and you will need the jar lifter to move the jars full of boiling hot jam around. Finally, the basket allows you to lift all of the jars out of the water bath at the end without any trouble.

    When fill jars with the jam, pour very slowly and careful. This liquid is over 200º, and it will burn you if it splatters. It's also very sticky, so it will be tough to get off your stove or countertop if it spills.

    Once the jars are full, allow them to sit for 2-3 minutes. You will be surprised at how much the jam settles into itself, and you will have space in the jar for a bit more jam. You want to get up to about ½" below the top of the jar.

    My Last Word

    This jam was so good that it will be in our rotation every year from now on. I have eaten it several times since we made it, on toast, on bread, and on crackers. I could eat it every day. It's just that good.

    More delicious summer recipes

    • A Refreshing Non-Alcoholic Watermelon Drink
    • Homemade Root Beer Float Popsicles
    • How to Make Oreo Ice Cream Popsicles
    • Homemade Sweet Tea Peach Popsicles
    • Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Popsicles
    • How to Make Simple & Easy Dirt Pudding Pops
    jam in a jar with words

    How to Make Homemade Watermelon Jam

    How to make DIY homemade watermelon jam with pectin - This simple and easy recipe uses sugar and pectin to cook the best watermelon jam you've ever eaten!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Condiment
    Servings 80 servings
    Calories 47 kcal

    Equipment

    • No sugar pectin

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 cups watermelon black seeds removed, separated from rinds, and cut into chunks
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 2 box No Sugar Needed Pectin if you only add 1 box of pectin, you will end up with something akin to watermelon syrup
    • 4 cups sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Puree the watermelon chunks in a blender or food processor. Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to work in two batches, but the finished amount of puree should be roughly 4 cups. There is no need to strain the watermelon juice because the puree gets very thin.
    • Pour the watermelon puree into a large pot. Add lemon juice.
    • In a small metal bowl, whisk both boxes of pectin together with ½ cup of the sugar. This will prevent the pectin from clumping later on.
    • Whisk the pectin/sugar mixture into the watermelon puree.
    • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir almost constantly to prevent the bottom of the mixture from burning.
    • Add the rest of the sugar when the mixture is boiling so hard that you can’t stir the bubbles away. Whisk the sugar in.
    • Return the mixture to a hard boil, and cook for one minute.
    • After one minute, remove the jam from heat.

    Notes

    WHAT NEXT?

    You have three choices:
    1. Can the jam. This is my favorite option. It’s simple, as long as you have the right tools. More on that below.
    2. Freeze the jam up to one year. Use containers especially for keeping in the freezer, and wait to fill them until the jam mixture has cooled.
    3. Eat the jam. This is a good option, except that this particular recipe makes about 10 cups of jam. It will only keep a few weeks in the refrigerator, so… unless you’re going to give it all away really quickly, this isn’t a great option.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!
    HOW TO MAKE WATERMELON JAM STORYPin
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Homemade canning says

      January 29, 2011 at 12:32 pm

      Everything that touches the cucumbers must be sterilized. The jars, lids and all utensils used, must be sterilized. This may be accomplished by submerging in a boiling water bath for a minimum of 10 minutes.

      Reply
    2. Sandra says

      July 12, 2012 at 11:38 am

      I tried this recipe yesterday and it turned out beautifully! It actually tastes like watermelon. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    3. Brittany says

      June 16, 2014 at 1:09 am

      Just finished making this and it's AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for the recipe. : )

      P.S.
      I accidentally used regular pectin instead of the 'No Sugar Added'. I don't know if that makes mine more or less sweet, but I'd make it the same way next time.

      Reply
    4. yasoobalhayat says

      July 03, 2014 at 2:20 am

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
    5. Chuck says

      September 09, 2014 at 10:59 am

      Question, I already have regular sure-jel on hand, can I use it instead of the no sugar added pectin?
      This looks and sounds amazing, gotta try it. I have watermelon in my garden.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        September 09, 2014 at 11:32 pm

        I don't see why not. You'll just need a lot more sugar.

        Reply
    6. Rena says

      February 10, 2015 at 1:32 pm

      I tried this recipe and it was very thin. Maybe because I didn't have any (store-bought) pectin, but I used orange peels bc I read that the white pith of orange/citrus peels can be used as a substitute. Anyway, I added a bit of cornstarch after while to try and thicken it up at least a little bit. Maybe we can use it as a syrup over ice-cream! But it still needs to cool down so I'll see how it is. I really liked the idea of watermelon jam, though!

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        February 10, 2015 at 8:46 pm

        I think you really need commercial pectin and a lot of it to make this work.

        Reply
        • Rena says

          February 12, 2015 at 10:05 am

          My problem is that I can't get it here, I live in Brazil. Today I'm making some pectin from apples and lemon. It might be a no-no but I'm going to try kind of redoing some of my "jam" with this new pectin and see what happens! I love the flavor of my watermelon "syrup" though. It'd be great for ice-cream or pancakes!

          Reply
          • Tara Ziegmont says

            February 12, 2015 at 7:58 pm

            I'm glad you like it! It does taste amazing, so even if it doesn't work out for your toast, it sounds like it won't go to waste. 🙂

            Reply
            • Rena says

              February 23, 2015 at 3:32 pm

              My pectin worked out great! I added about 3 Tbl, boiled it quite a bit longer and the consistency was just right. So there you go, make your own pectin if you live where you can't buy any (or don't want to go out to buy).

    7. Helen says

      June 17, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      We just bought some watermelon jam from a local farm. Everyone loved it! Funny, the jar looks exactly like the ones pictured here...

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        June 17, 2015 at 9:14 pm

        Maybe they used my recipe!

        Reply
    8. Beth says

      August 15, 2015 at 10:23 am

      I do not have any more half pint jars on hand. What would be the difference in processing time if I use pint instead? Do you think it would set the same? I'm very new to canning, sorry for the basic question. Also, how much more sugar do you recommend if using regular Sure Jell?

      Reply
    9. Shelly Becker says

      February 08, 2017 at 6:52 am

      I have made this jam several times now. It's super!! I sell a lot of this jam. Easy recipie and directions.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        February 08, 2017 at 8:13 pm

        So glad to hear!

        Reply
    10. Beverly says

      April 28, 2017 at 1:26 am

      Awesome recipe! Thank you so much. I just made it and it came out wonderful. I will defiantly be making this again

      Reply
    11. Tina says

      July 31, 2017 at 11:59 pm

      I made this recipe tonight and it is delicious! It set up a little on the stiff side though. I'm wondering if anyone has tried it using only one box of pectin instead of the two? Would love to hear how it came out if so!

      Reply
    12. Amanda McConnell says

      October 08, 2017 at 10:42 pm

      I just made this this morning. It is still watery. Did I do something wrong? I could I pour it back in the pain and try cooking it longer?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        October 09, 2017 at 10:14 am

        You can but I would probably try adding more pectin.

        Reply
    13. BlingRunner says

      June 07, 2018 at 10:05 pm

      I just tried watermelon preserves in Indonesia. Oh my was that good. So I wanted to try at home and found your recipe. The jam is cooling and I'm just about to start the canning process. It is YUMMMMM!!!! Thanks.

      Reply
    14. Wes says

      July 14, 2018 at 10:47 pm

      Just made it this afternoon and followed the recipe to a T. I believe that the pectin called for is too much. The bit that was left and didn't go into a jar set up like mortar!! I used Ball brand pectin and a seedless watermelon. The flavor is great as well as the texture. The next time I make it, I'm going to try using half the pectin. Other than that, thank you for the recipe!!!!

      Reply
    15. John says

      July 21, 2018 at 6:22 pm

      I was wondering if you have ever tested the pH of the watermelon jam. I have recently started looking up information about low sugar pectin recipes and it indicates that acidity is critical in preventing botulism. Your recipe does add a fair amount of lemon juice, but I was wondering if the pH was low enough. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        July 21, 2018 at 6:58 pm

        Nope, never tested it.

        Reply
        • Maria S says

          October 06, 2022 at 9:03 pm

          I made a watermelon jam with 4c watermelon puree and NO added sugar using the low/no sugar pectin, and it came out fine. Regular watermelon jam turns out fine also when I use regular pectin with the puree/sugar ratio being 1:1.

          Reply
    16. stan gardner says

      August 02, 2018 at 8:13 pm

      how long have you stored this ?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        August 02, 2018 at 9:07 pm

        We've kept it up to a couple of years, but I don't know how long you could keep it.

        Reply
    17. Misi says

      October 08, 2018 at 5:22 pm

      I tried this and loved it. I also played a little and made Watermelon-Blackberry, which has gotten rave reviews! 🙂 Thank you

      Reply
    18. Kathryn Hughes says

      June 22, 2019 at 1:43 am

      Made this today. Followed directions. I am disappointed in it. Put some in the frig. It is very thick. Not sweet enough for my taste either. The consistency is too thick for jam.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        June 22, 2019 at 2:43 pm

        I'm surprised it's too thick. Perhaps you cooked it too long. Most people have the opposite problem, that it is too thin even after boiling.

        Reply
    19. Kathy Lowrance says

      July 11, 2019 at 12:29 pm

      I just made a batch of this jam and it is syrup!!! followed directions and ingredient measurements as written! waste of my time, pectin, sugar unless you can tell me how to make it into jam! should have stayed with the other recipe I found that makes jam a bit hard to spread but at least it set up

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        July 11, 2019 at 1:14 pm

        I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out for you. If you have syrup, your only option that I know of is to add more pectin and the appropriate amount of sugar. Other people have said that my recipe made their jam too thick, so I think it depends on something beyond the actual recipe. Good luck!

        Reply
    20. Kwandew says

      August 25, 2019 at 6:45 am

      Made this the other day, turned ot really runny, so we remade it by adding more pectin,sugar and lemonjuice...it is still runny! Should I redoit and add more pectin and all

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        August 25, 2019 at 11:30 am

        I would add more pectin.

        Reply
    21. Reed says

      August 27, 2019 at 7:48 am

      Made this yesterday and followed the recipe. Turned out perfectly and it tastes divine.

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        August 27, 2019 at 8:04 am

        Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
        • DEE says

          August 11, 2022 at 10:22 am

          I poured some of the jam into a cup and showed it was setting up. I proceeded to pour into the jars and process in the water bath. The jam has not set up and is very watery. Can I put them back in the water bath for and hour or two .

          Reply
          • Tara Ziegmont says

            August 11, 2022 at 10:56 am

            You can try that, but I think what is more likely to work is to pour the jam back into a pan and cook it longer. Wash the jars and re-can it. Because if you cook it in the jars, the moisture (which is the problem) is going to stay in the jars and reabsorb back into the jam. So I don't think boiling them in the water bath is going to help to set the jam.

            Now, having said all that, I'm not 100% sure because I've never had this happen. So the easier thing is to boil them in the water bath, and you may want to try that before going to all the work of unsealing the jars and re-cooking the jam. Let me know what you decide and how it goes.

            Reply
    22. Phil V says

      July 25, 2021 at 10:45 pm

      A few weeks ago, I tried a different recipe. Fail. It never set. Followed this recipe and did exactly what you said. Perfect. Set up just fine. Tastes amazing. Used a juicer to get out all the seeds and it worked wonderfully. Thanks for the recipe. Will try it again soon.

      Reply
    23. Kwiyoung Baumgarten says

      October 03, 2021 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      I used Moon & Stars Watermelon to make this jam. This is my 2nd time making it and it is perfect for holiday gifts! It’s important to use the Sure-Jell low sugar pectin brand. I used different pectin brands the first time and it didn’t turn out.

      Reply
    24. Laura says

      July 22, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      How long does it take to set up?

      Reply
      • Tara Ziegmont says

        July 23, 2022 at 7:34 pm

        It should set up during cooking, or shortly after as it cools. If it doesn't get thick enough within a few minutes, you may need to add more pectin.

        Reply
    25. Maria S says

      October 06, 2022 at 9:08 pm

      My watermelon Jam turned out quite darker than your picture when heat was applied (not at all burned)...not pink but sort of a dark red. Wish it were pink!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

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