Cranberry Mandarin Jam or Christmas Jam

Cranberry Mandarin jam brings together two of my favorite winter fruits, mandarin oranges and cranberries. Together they make a perfect Christmas Jam.

cranberry mandarin jam on toast
Cranberry Mandarin Jam on toast

More jam recipes: Homemade Mandarin Orange slices, Mandarin Orange Jam, Blueberry Jam, Strawberry Jam and Strawberry Rhubarb Herb Jam.

jars of cranberry mandarin jam
Jars of cranberry mandarin jam – They make perfect gifts!

Fantastic on toast, pancakes, waffles, French toast or as a glaze for your turkey or ham. Make a batch for yourself or for others; the 125 mL or half jam jar sizes are perfect for gift giving.

Jam NOT Marmalade

This is jam, not marmalade. In other words, there is no peel or pith (the white part of the rind that has a bitter flavor) in this jam.  This means you need to spend a little more time to prep the oranges since all the pith (white bits) have to be removed from the mandarins to prevent bitterness. I found sitting in front of the TV and using a paring knife to scrape the sides of the oranges makes this task bearable. I didn’t remove the membranes between the segments, but I did cut out the core from inside the oranges. Doing so allowed me to catch any stray seeds that you occasionally find in seedless oranges.

cranberry mandarin jam in jar
Beautiful bright colours in Cranberry Mandarin Jam

Once the oranges are prepped, you’re all set to go to make cranberry mandarin jam.

Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Cranberry Mandarin Jam

A bright and cheery jam perfect for your toast or for holiday gift giving. For an even more seasonal taste, try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
Prep : 1 hour
Cook : 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs mandarin oranges 10-12
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup chopped cranberries fresh or frozen
  • 2 cups sugar*
  • 1 pack No Sugar Needed Pectin

Instructions

Prepare Oranges

  • Peel mandarins and remove as much of the white pith as possible from the outside and center of the oranges. Remove any seeds.
  • Separate segments and chop into small pieces.
  • Zest and juice one lemon, add to oranges.
  • Add chopped cranberries.
  • You should have 4 cups of prepared oranges. Add orange juice or more orange segments if needed.

Prepare Jars

  • Wash jars and lids and keep hot. (No need to sterilize).

Prepare Jam

  • In large saucepan, combine 4 cups prepared oranges and No Sugar Needed powdered pectin. Stir until pectin is fully dissolved.
  • Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently.
  • Add sugar. Stir constantly and return mixture to a full rolling boil for 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Pour into hot jars leaving a 1/4 inch headspace.
  • Wipe rim of jars and apply 2 piece lids tightening ring finger tight.
  • Place jars in hot water bath and boil for 10 minutes (start timing when water starts boiling).
  • Allow jars to rest in canner for 5 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
  • These jars will last on a shelf for one year.
  • Makes: 4-5 half pint (250 mL) jars or 8-9 quarter pint (125 mL) jars

Notes

Jars do not need to be sterilized because the hot water bath processing is 10 minutes.
*Sugar Note: The beauty of No Sugar Needed Pectin is that you can add as much or as little sugar as you want. Sugar adds depth of flavor, helps preserve color and extends shelf life of jams once opened.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 2167kcal | Carbohydrates: 559g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 28mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 523g | Iron: 2mg
Course: Gifts, preserves
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberries, gifts from the kitchen, jam, mandarin oranges
cranberry mandarin jam

For my next batch, I think I’ll add a combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to make this truly Christmassy.

For other mandarin orange preserves, try:

This jam is so pretty, if you make a batch, I’d love to see how it turned out for you. Please take a photo and share it with me by tagging @getgettys on Instagram. Or leave a comment and let me know how it went.

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.

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