Apple Pie Jam With Bourbon
Apple Pie Jam with Bourbon is a low-sugar cooked jam made with Pomona’s Universal Pectin and adapted from Pomona’s Apple Pie Jam recipe by Kim Pedley of Township Valley Farm in Browns Valley, California. Pomona’s Universal Pectin contains no sugar or preservatives and jells reliably with low amounts of any sweetener. Kim says: “I made this Apple Pie Jam with Bourbon for gifts. I used a combination of apples (Honey Crisp, Opal, Green Dragon, and Pink Lady) for a great layered flavor.”
Servings 5 cups
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound apples 9 to 12 medium apples
- ¼ cup up to ½ cup water
- 4 cups of cooked apple sauce with some apple chunks from ingredients above
- 2 teaspoons calcium water see step #1
- ¼ cup lemon juice bottled
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 Tablespoons Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
- 2 teaspoons Bourbon Vanilla
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons Pomona’s Pectin mixed with sweetener
Instructions
- Before you begin, prepare calcium water.To do this, combine ½ teaspoon calcium powder (in the small packet in your box of Pomona’s pectin) with ½ cup water in a small, clear jar with a lid. Shake well.Extra calcium water should be stored in the refrigerator for future use.
- Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Wash lids and bands and set aside.
- Peel, core, and chop all the apples except one. Put the chopped apples into a sauce pan with the water. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered, stirring and mashing occasionally, until you have fairly smooth apple sauce.
- Meanwhile, chop the final apple into small pieces and put into a separate small sauce pan with a little water and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes until fork tender. Stir the apple chunks into the apple sauce. Remove from heat and measure out 4 cups of apple sauce and apple chunks.
- Put measured amount of cooked apple sauce with chunks into sauce pan.
- Add calcium water, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and mix well.
- Measure full amount of sugar into a bowl. Thoroughly mix pectin powder into sugar. Set aside.
- Bring fruit mixture to a full boil. Add pectin-sugar mixture, stirring vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin.
- Add the Bourbon Whiskey and the vanilla extract now and stir well. Once the jam returns to a full boil, remove it from the heat.
- Remove hot jars from canner and fill jars with (marmalade/jam/jelly), leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove trapped air bubbles, wipe rims and put on lids and screw bands, tightening bands only to “fingertip tight” (until resistance is met, and then just the tiniest bit more). Place jars in the hot water, on the rack inside the canner. (Make sure jars are upright, not touching each other or the sides of the canner, and are covered with at least 1-2 inches of water). Place the lid on the canner, bring the canner to a rolling boil, and boil for 10 minutes. (Add 1 minute additional processing time for every 1000 feet above sea level.)
- Turn off heat and allow canner and jars to sit for 5 minutes. Then, remove jars from canner. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Then, confirm that jars have sealed, then store properly. Eat within 1 year. Lasts 3 weeks once opened.
Can this be used for pie filling?
Can you leave out the alcohol?
How set is this jam? I am looking for apple preserves to top yogurt, ice cream, cheesecake, and pancakes/waffles, but couldn’t find any on your website. (The one preserves recipe in your book also includes alcohol).
You sure can!
You can adjust the pectin to your liking. We would suggest decreasing the pectin by 1 teaspoon to achieve the consistency you’re desiring, but decreasing it further may be needed.
This recipe is amazing! Tastes just like Apple Pie. Can peaches be substituted for the apples in this recipe?
Thank you! Yes, they sure can.
Hello, I would like to use crabapple’s instead of regular apples. Will I need to adjust the recipe?
Thanks!
You sure can, no adjustment needed, happy jamming!
Could I substitute the sugar with honey or even maple syrup?
You sure can! You will use 3/4 cup to 1 cup of honey for this recipe.
Is this recipe used to make jam that you spread on toast, or to make pie filling? I’m assuming jam, but the photo is causing doubt.
This recipes is for jam.
This is so easy and tastes like apple butter but is a million times faster to make.
The part about using apple sauce is confusing and not necessary. It also would result in a mushy jam. Use the sliced apples and cook until soft. This was it looks more like apple pie.
This “jam” is tasty, but comes out like applesauce. I’m a long-time user of Pomona’s pectin, and know to expect a spread rather than commercial jam. But unless you want the world’s fanciest applesauce, this recipe is a waste of expensive Bourbon Vanilla. (I wish I could post a photo to show you.)
This is a very good jam. Instead of the bourbon, I substituted apple pie moonshine. Added another flavor depth. Yummy! Thanks for the original recipe. Pomona’s pectin is the BEST!! I like that you can be so creative with recipes.
Thinking about making this in a larger quantity. Would I simply double or even triple this recipe?
Hello Lin,
Yes, you can double or triple the recipe.
Happy jamming!
Can the sugar be reduced in this recipe?
You sure can! We would recommend using no less than 1/2 cup total.
Happy jamming 😊
I’d be interested to know how this “jam” differs from apple butter….?
Apple Butter is a smooth, silky consistency that from the de-peeled apples being slow cooked for a long period of time.
This Apple Pie Bourbon Jam has chunks and is not cooked for a long period of time.
Happy jamming!