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Orange Cranberry Christmas Marmalade Recipe

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4.8 from 150 reviews

A festive and tangy Orange Cranberry Christmas Marmalade combining the bright flavors of navel oranges, fresh cranberries, and lemon zest, perfectly sweetened and set with fruit pectin to create a delightful holiday spread.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruits

  • 4 medium-size navel oranges (3 if they’re large)
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
  • Finely zested zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Other Ingredients

  • 4 ¼ cups sugar
  • ¾ cup water (for pectin mixture)
  • 1.75 ounce box powdered fruit pectin (SURE-JELL recommended)
  • Additional ¾ cup water

Instructions

  1. Prepare Jars: Wash clean glass jars and lids with hot water or run through the dishwasher. Dry them thoroughly to ensure proper sealing later.
  2. Zest Citrus: Remove only the colored zest (avoid white pith) from oranges and lemon using a small zester or vegetable peeler. Finely chop or cut zest into thin slivers and set aside.
  3. Peel and Chop Oranges: Remove the remaining peel from oranges, slice and coarsely chop the fruit, including any juice, then transfer to a bowl.
  4. Combine Fruit Mixture: Add 1 cup of coarsely chopped cranberries to the oranges and mix. Measure exactly 2⅓ cups of this mixture for cooking, adding water or orange juice if necessary; discard or save any leftover mixture.
  5. Cook Fruit and Sugar: Place the fruit mixture and sugar in a large pot. Stir until sugar is thoroughly mixed. Heat over medium-high, stirring frequently until reaching a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil for 30 seconds stirring continuously, then remove from heat.
  6. Prepare Pectin Mixture: In a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup water and powdered fruit pectin. Stir until dissolved, bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
  7. Combine and Cook Marmalade: Quickly add the hot pectin mixture, lemon zest, orange zest, and lemon juice into the fruit mixture. Stir vigorously and continuously for 3 minutes to ensure proper setting.
  8. Jar the Marmalade: Immediately pour the hot marmalade into prepared jars, filling to within ½ inch of the top. Wipe rims clean and seal with lids.
  9. Set and Store: Allow jars to stand at room temperature for a few hours to set. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze extra jars for up to 1 year. Thaw frozen jars in the refrigerator before use.

Notes

  • Using just the colored zest avoids bitterness from the white pith.
  • Measure fruit mixture carefully to ensure proper consistency in the final marmalade.
  • Stirring for the full 3 minutes after adding pectin is crucial for the marmalade to set correctly.
  • Be sure to use powdered fruit pectin suitable for marmalade recipes, such as SURE-JELL.
  • Glass jars should be sterilized to extend shelf life and ensure safe preservation.
  • This recipe yields about 5 cups of marmalade depending on jar sizes.

Keywords: Orange marmalade, cranberry jam, Christmas marmalade recipe, holiday preserve, citrus jam, fruit pectin jam

Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/orange-cranberry-christmas-marmalade-recipe/