Grandma’s Best Jams, Jellies & Spreads

Take a page out of grandma's recipe book with one of these homemade preserves, jelly and jam recipes.

1 / 35

Apricot Amaretto Jam

This thick, chunky apricot jam was my grandma's recipe; it's lovely to make something for my family and friends that she made for hers! —Linda Wegner, Robinson, Illinois
2 / 35
3 / 35

Apple-Walnut Maple Conserve

Versatile and delicious, this conserve reminds me of a warm cozy kitchen; you'll love every bite. I warm the conserve and pour it over vanilla ice cream as a dessert, and it's great as a topping over French toast, biscuits or even pork roast. Be sure to make more than one batch so you can give it as gifts during the holidays.—Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania
4 / 35

Very Berry Spread

Two kinds of berries make this jam deliciously different. I always keep some on hand.—Irene Hagel, Choiceland, Saskatchewan
5 / 35

Tomato Lemon Marmalade

This is a marmalade I make for our church bazaar every fall. It always sells out in no time at all.—Mrs. Helen Witt, Minneapolis, Minnesota
6 / 35

Canned Blueberry Jam

Summer doesn't feel complete without at least one berry-picking trip and a batch of homemade blueberry jam. Eat atop fresh scones or biscuits for maximum enjoyment! —Marisa McClellan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7 / 35

Raspberry Peach Jam

When my jam won a first-place pink ribbon at our local county fair, I was overjoyed but it's not the highest compliment that recipe has received. Two girlfriends that I share it with tell me if they don't hide the jam from their husbands and children, they'll devour an entire jarful at just a sitting! —Patricia Larsen, Leslieville, Alberta
8 / 35

Lemon Marmalade

Lemons and grapefruit combine to create a tantalizing spread for English muffins, toast and even shortbread cookies! I give away jars of this marmalade every Christmas. —Barbara Carlucci, Orange Park, Florida
9 / 35

Plum Orange Jam

We put our homegrown plums to delicious use in this quick and easy jam. It's my favorite thing to serve with buttermilk biscuits. —Kathy Rairigh, Milford, Indiana
10 / 35

Three-Fruit Marmalade

I make all my own jams, and this marmalade is a favorite. It marries the warm flavors of peaches and pears with citrus. —Lorraine Wright, Grand Forks, British Columbia
11 / 35

Rhubarb Raisin Marmalade

At a retreat in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, I sampled a marmalade combining rhubarb and raisins. I loved it so much that I went home and tried to duplicate it. I added the strawberries to make the marmalade even sweeter. —Carmen Tuck, Airdrie, Alberta
12 / 35
13 / 35
14 / 35

Plum Anise Jam

Growing up, my father loved black licorice and all my siblings and I loved it as well. I still love the flavor of black licorice but can't eat the candy anymore for health reasons. This recipe reminds me of the flavor I loved as a child. The delicious jam tastes great with Brie or goat cheese and crackers. —Jill Grueninger, Mequon, Wisconsin
15 / 35

Apple Cinnamon Jelly

I have made this for my five kids for their peanut butter sandwiches throughout all of their school years. I have made jars and jars of this wonderful jelly for gifts for teachers, neighbors and relatives for Christmas. It's easy, delicious and homemade—what's not to love? Be prepared to have to make this jelly regularly once the kids get a taste of it! —Nancy Jenkins, Fullerton, California
16 / 35

Plum Conserve

My mouthwatering conserve is a versatile gift. It makes a lovely garnish for rolls during holiday feasts, is delicious paired with cheese as an appetizer, and makes a great dessert topping for ice cream or pound cake. —Ginny Beadle, Spokane, Washington
17 / 35

Chunky Cherry & Peach Preserves

Out of all the jams I make, this is my grandmother’s favorite. She anxiously waits for late June to come because she knows I’ll put up as many batches as I can while peaches and cherries are at their peak. —Amy Seiger, McLoud, Oklahoma
18 / 35

Strawberry Marmalade

This recipe makes ordinary orange marmalade into something really special! Sometimes I make it using strawberries that I've frozen without adding sugar or water. I just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. &mdashlMrs. Craig Presbrey, Pascoag, Rhode Island
19 / 35

Peach-Blueberry Preserves

As a child I helped my grandmother can summer fruits and vegetables. I didn't always appreciate this activity when I was young, but now I miss her terribly and wish we could have another summer afternoon in her kitchen. I think she would enjoy this recipe. —Katie Ferrier Gage, Houston, Texas
20 / 35

Blackberry Apple Jelly

August is the busiest month of the year on our small farm—that's when we're harvesting sweet corn, pumpkins and pickling cucumbers for our stand. But I always make time to put up this jelly. The apples come from our old-fashioned orchard, while the blackberries grow wild along our creek...and the jelly's usually gone by January! —Liz Endacott, Matsqui, British Columbia
21 / 35

Honey Lemon Jelly

I love both honey and lemon, so I combined those ingredients into a doubly delightful jelly. Spread it on toast, bagels, English muffins or scones for a tangy breakfast treat. —Ramona Wysong, Barlow, Kentucky
22 / 35

Carrot Cake Jam

For a change of pace from berry jams, try this unique option. Spread on a bagel with cream cheese, it tastes almost as good as real carrot cake! —Rachelle Stratton, Rock Springs, Wyoming
23 / 35

Cinnamon Blueberry Jam

Watching my grandmother can hundreds of jars of tomatoes, peaches and pears inspired me to try making jams and jellies myself. I can remember going down into her cellar as a girl—all those jars on the shelves gave me such a warm, homey feeling! My family enjoys this jam on warm corn muffins, or blueberry. The cinnamon's a bit of a surprise. —Barbara Burns, Phillipsburg, New Jersey
24 / 35

Over-the-Top Cherry Jam

We live in Door County, an area known for its wonderful tart cherries. This beautiful, sweet jam makes lovely gifts. —Karen Haen, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
25 / 35

Spiced Pear Jam

A neighbor of mine passed along this spiced pear jam recipe. I've given many jars of this jam as gifts. We enjoy it on toast with ham and eggs or on hot rolls with meat. —Karen Bockelman, Portland, Oregon
26 / 35
27 / 35

Pear Preserves

In the fall we would go to our farm and pick pears and apples. Then we'd build a campfire and roast hot dogs. Later we'd all get together and make big batches of these tasty preserves. —Tammy Watkins, Greentop, Missouri
28 / 35

Rhubarb Jelly

I help help my husband with the pouring and skimming for this jelly—my own personal favorite. It's nice as both a breakfast spread and a topping for pork or other meat. —Jean Coleman, Ottawa, Ontario
29 / 35

Tri-Berry Jam

My mother-in-law and I dreamed up this jam after we'd been picking blueberries one day. She wondered if blueberries, raspberries and strawberries would taste good together. So she made a test batch—and we quickly learned that they definitely did! Then I came up with my own version of the jam. I preserve everything from our garden! —Karen Maerkle, Baltic, Connecticut
30 / 35

Amaretto-Peach Preserves

Chock-full of peaches, raisins and pecans, this lovely conserve enhances ordinary slices of toast.—Redawna Kalynchuk, Sexsmith, Alberta
31 / 35

Strawberry Basil Jam

I make this recipe with fresh-picked strawberries and basil grown in my own herb garden. This unique sweet and savory jam makes a perfect gift—just add a bright ribbon around the top with a gift tag! The deep red jam, laced with flecks of green basil, is so beautiful. —Julie O'Neil, Two Harbors, Minnesota
32 / 35
33 / 35

Cherry-Raspberry Jam

When sour cherries and red raspberries are in season, I always freeze some with this recipe in mind. I've been making jams and jellies for years, and friends and family agree this is the best I make. —Lenora McCulley, Reedsville, Wisconsin
34 / 35

Rhubarb-Orange Marmalade

Rhubarb and orange make a great combination in this versatile marmalade. It’s a perfect glaze for meat or poultry and tasty on toast.—Joan Markytan, Elysian, Minnesota
35 / 35

Christmas Jam

I have a passion for cooking, and I can probably thank my grandmother for it. She was a marvelous cook who could really stretch a food dollar. —Jo Talvacchia, Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey

Caroline Stanko
Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish. When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer cocktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.