Name: Maple Peach Whisky Jam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups chopped peaches (about 3 medium peaches, not canned); ¾ cup maple syrup; ½ cup sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh if possible); 2 tablespoons powdered pectin crystals; 1 tablespoon whisky

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Maple peach whisky jam is a terrific way to enjoy late summer peaches! A small-batch staple in our house, it’s the next best thing to eating ripe juicy fruit.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 27 mins

A slice of sourdough bread smeared with maple peach whisky jam.

Though I’ve been making this recipe for maple peach whisky jam for years, it’s technically not a jam. With small chunks of fresh summer peaches suspended in thick maple jelly it’s actually more of a preserve. If you prefer a spreadable jam-like texture you can purée the peaches before you begin. Either way, it’s delicious.

Using a thermometer is your best guarantee for consistent results. Also, note the colour of your small batch peach jam is dependent on the colour and ripeness of your peaches. When using fruit without a lot of natural pectin for small-batch jams, I like to add a tablespoon or two of powdered pectin crystals to set my mind at ease. Though it may seem quite syrupy after cooking, keep in mind the jam will thicken and set in the jar as it sits in the fridge for a few hours.

We love small batch peach jam slathered on fresh sourdough bread for breakfast, spooned over ice cream for dessert, or served on a charcuterie board with meats, cheese, nuts, and olives.

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Ingredients
Step-By-Step Instructions
Tips & Notes
Substitutions
🖨Recipe

Ingredients

fresh peaches
maple syrup
sugar
lemon juice
powdered pectin crystals
whisky

Step-By-Step Instructions

Wash heat-proof glass jars with air-tight lids with hot soapy water and dry. Set aside.

Chop the peaches, leaving the skins on.

Combine the chopped peaches with the maple syrup, sugar, lemon juice, and pectin crystals in a medium-large pot. Stir to combine.

Chopped peaches, sugar, and maple syrup in a pot.

A hand stirring peaches, maple syrup, and sugar together in a pot with a rubber spatula.

Bring the peach mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to cook until the jam reaches 222ºF (105ºC) on a thermometer. Remove the pot from the heat.

Add the whisky to the pot and stir well to combine.

A hand stirring cooked small batch peach jam.

Carefully ladle the small batch peach jam into the clean jars. Clean the rims of the jars with a damp cloth, and apply the lids tightly. Cool the maple peach whisky jam completely before storing it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

A jar of maple peach whisky jam next to a pot of jam.

Tips & Notes

I leave the skins on my peaches for maple peach whisky jam because I like the look of them, and I like the added-fibre, however, feel free to peel your peaches before you begin if you like.

You can process your jars to can a shelf-stable jam if you want. We eat our small batch peach jam so quickly, usually within a week, that I don’t ever bother.

For accuracy and consistency use a thermometer when making maple peach whisky jam. The jam will reach 220ºF (104ºC) rather quickly, however, will take longer to climb those last couple of degrees. Be patient and keep your eye on the thermometer.

I want to make a small batch peach jam with reduced sugar, however, haven’t tried it yet. I will update this post one I do.

Maple peach whisky jam on a spoon laid out on a stone surface.

Substitutions

Any stone fruits will work here in place of peaches. Try plums, cherries, apricots, or a mix.

Amaretto is a tasty substitute for whisky in small batch peach jam.

Hands holding a plate with a slice of bread with jam.

Other Small Batch Preserves You Might Like

Maple Rhubarb Jam With Cardamom Lightly sweetened with maple syrup, with a gentle warming note of ground cardamom.

Microwave Lemon Curd All of the bright lemony flavour of luscious curd without the hassle!

Strawberry Bay Leaf Jam A simple vegan recipe made with bay leaves for an herbaceous twist.

🖨Recipe

These are the original images which accompanied the recipe for maple peach whisky jam when it was first published on May 23, 2015. The peaches used in that batch were a different colour than the current, updated version, and the original recipe included fresh thyme.

A jar of small batch peach jam with maple and whisky being spooned out.

A jar of small batch peach jam with maple and whisky.

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