This easy & delicious cumquat jam recipe is really quick to make unlike some that can be tricky, fiddly and take a lot of time.
In this recipe there is no de-seeding cumquats involved (& no pectin)! Enjoy it spread on homemade toast bread, 3 ingredient scones or simple sourdough discard pancakes.
Love this recipe, thank you Claire! It worked a treat when I made it last year for the first time and by now it is a firm staple of my kitchen repertoire :). Now I just have to get myself a cumquat tree for the garden, that would be dreamy. Homemade jam is just the best, isn't it. Especially on homemade bread!
Katrine
Quick look at Cumquat Jam
- ⏲️ Ready in 50 minutes.
- 🛒 Ingredients: Just 4 (including water)!
- 🍽️ Makes: Adjustable depending how many cumquats you have.
- 🧑🍳 Difficulty: Easy.
- 🗃️ Make ahead: Keeps for up to 2 years.
The first time I made this, my grandmother rang me after sampling her jar to tell me it was the best cumquat jam she’d ever had (& she was a tough judge - it was her very favourite jam after rosella).
Why This Cumquat Jam Recipe
- No de-pipping! I reject any recipe that involves taking the pips out of the tiny little fruit. It's way too fiddly!
- It's quick - The most work is preparing the fruit and even then, you just have to quarter them. Ready in under an hour.
- It's delicious - As judged by my Grandma the most critical food tester there ever was.
- It's beautiful - This jam is a beautiful vibrant orange unlike some recipes that turn a bit more of a burnt orange colour. According to my Grandma it's the prettiest she's seen.
Jump to:
Ingredients in Cumquat Jam
To make cumquat jam, you will need:
- Cumquats – They’re super easy to grow and do well in pots. Cumquats are ripe & ready to pick when they turn bright orange (they start out green). Pick a few extra to make melting moments sandwiched with cumquat icing.
- Lemon juice – Fresh is best but out of a bottle will work just as well as you've got the cumquat pips.
- Sugar – We use raw sugar. Caster sugar or just regular white sugar will work. You can very the amount of sugar depending on how sweet you like your jam.
Pro Tip
You can always add more sugar, but you can’t take it out — taste your jam first, then add a little at a time if needed.
How To Make Cumquat Jam
Step 1: Measure out all the ingredients. Step 2: Wash the cumquats well in a tub of water then drain.
Step 3: Cut them into quarters with a sharp knife. Step 4: Place the cumquats in something big enough to hold them & the water. Add the water, cover & soak overnight.
Step 5: Pour the water and cumquats along with the lemon juice into a saucepan. Step 6: Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the cumquat skins are soft.
Step 7: Add the sugar to the saucepan. Step 8: Stir through the sugar over medium heat until it has dissolved.
Step 9: Bring to a gentle boil and let it roll for 20 minutes watching carefully to make sure it doesn't boil over. Step 10: Sterilise the jars for the jam.
Step 11: Check if the jam has reached setting point by spooning a small blob onto a small chilled plate. Step 12: If it's ready, it will stay separated when you run your finger through it.
Step 13: Turn the heat off and remove the pips if desired. Step 14: Using a funnel, pour the hot cumquat jam into the sterilised jars.
Step 15: Carefully put the lids on the jars and tighten them. Step 16: Turn the jars upside down to cool. This helps create a good seal on the jars (the lid will 'pop' in).
Serving Suggestions
Honestly we could probably eat this with a spoon but if you want to be a bit more civilised you could:
- Spread it on a warm slice of Coconut Loaf Cake or Honey & Sea Salt Challah Loaf.
- Use it to sandwich Maple Butter Shortbread Biscuits together to make a shortbread sandwich.
- Whip it through Easy Buttercream Frosting and spread it on Easy Delicious Vanilla Cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
If you’re planning on keeping your cumquat jam at room temperature for a period of time or really even if you want to keep it in the fridge it’s recommended you sterilise your jars to kill any bacteria that might be lurking.
There are a few methods out there but here's how to easily sterilise glass jars without using an oven.
No, jam needs to be jarred when it is hot hot hot and have the lid put on right away. The heat stops any bacteria from getting in and creates a seal in the jar.
If you’re going to be making jam more than a couple of times, I recommend getting some jam-making tools.
I have a little stainless steel funnel, a jar-holder (they’re like camp tongs with a rubber end on them) and another similar thing that holds the jar while you screw the lid on so you don’t burn your fingers.
For best results, flip the jam jars onto their lids while they cool which helps create a seal.
I like this jam because I don’t have to remove the seeds but if you do want to, make sure you keep them, wrap them up in a little bit of muslin cloth and then put them in the pot with the fruit while it cooks.
The seeds contain pectin and that is what helps the jam to set.
I personally have only used the one type of sugar for this recipe but others have successfully made it using other sugars.
Keep in mind different types of sugar have been processed differently so may take longer to cook or may brown more quickly.
Even if you use white sugar, it will brown when it gets to a certain temperature.
Different sugars also vary in sweetness.
Using an unrefined sugar like rapadura will result in a slightly more tart jam.
I've never seen cumquats in grocery stores (or supermarkets) here in Queensland, Australia but don't write off the recipe just because of that.
They're actually really easy to grow.
Even in a small space, you can grow cumquats in a little pot. A small tree will produce enough fruit to make a decent batch of cumquat jam every year.
You don't need a lot of cumquats to make jam - the recipe can be scaled down if you don't have enough.
Enjoy!
p.s. If you’re using old jars, I have a little tutorial for how to remove the labels without ruining your fingernails (you’ll also get a bonus tutorial for making pretty labels in less than 5 minutes without having to buy anything).
Recipe
Cumquat jam
Ingredients
- 1 kg cumquats
- 5 cups water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 5 cups raw sugar
Instructions
- Wash the cumquats and cut them into quarters.
- Place in a bowl, add the water and cover the bowl then set aside over night.
- Pour the water and cumquats into a large saucepan, stir in the lemon juice and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes or until the cumquats are soft.
- Add the sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves then bring to a boil and continue to cook on high, uncovered and without stirring for 20 minutes or until the jam has reached setting point.
- To test if it's ready, place a small plate in the fridge. Spoon a little jam onto the plate and put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
- Run your finger through the middle and if the jam stays separated then it is set.
- When the jam is ready take it off the heat for 5 minutes and carefully scoop out any pips you can see.
- Divide between sterilised jars and seal them up.
Colin says
I made a 2kg batch and de pipped them .followed the recipe and mine did not set. buying pectin3 today and redo
Claire says
Colin did you take the pips out before you cooked it? They are what helps it set. If you want to take them out, wrap them all up in a muslin bag and pop it in the mixture. That will do the job of bought pectin.
Jeunesse crane says
Hi Colin as your comment was in June you have probably fixed your problem, but in case you didn't I always get a hit and miss with jams and marmalades not sure why tried using thermometer tried using jam setter and sometimes it just don't wanna work. Now I put a lemon jelly in if it doesn't set on the plate. It doesn't change the taste of the jam coz it already has some lemon in it anyway. And I wouldn't want to change Claire's beautiful recipe. I just open the packet and stir it in when it's finished cooking, when its melted bottle it. I know this is cheating but it works for me. Thanks Claire for sharing your very easy recipe :)
Christine says
Marmalade is similar to jam but made only from bitter Seville oranges from Spain or Portugal. Also when making a marmalade, the skin is used and not the whole fruit, for instance kumquat jam. Jelly uses the juice. Marmalade came from the Portuguese orange Marmelos. Old English marmalades are very bitter. I prefer the jams. We as a race have lost our bitter taste buds over the centuries, to a degree.
Lesley says
I've just harvested and prepared my kumquats, I don't worry about the seeds as mine are VERY seedy, I always use a heavy based pan to cook them in. Before I the sugar I find I can skim off most of the pips out, if some are left behind its quite easy to get them out when you spread it. Hope this recipe will make lovely marmalade, I'm going to try adding some passionfruit to a couple of jars and brandy or whiskey to another couple of jars, I have in the past used chopped glacé ginger chopped finely to it, yum!
Claire says
Ooh love the idea of the added extras Lesley. Yum!
Ann says
If you cook the cumquats with the pips in wouldn’t you need to remove them before bottling them?
Marea says
ok so made this with only 400g fruit and reduced the amount of sugar and water
Still a little sweat but thought it ok
Had some difficulty as the bit where you dont stir I ended up with burnt fruit sticking to the bottom of pan despite having made it in my heavy based pan. Did go very dark and assume this is from the raw sugar.
I ended up putting it all through a sieve and using it as a drizzle on numerous desserts
Lovely non the less
will try reducing heat to just boiling and see how that goes
thanks for the recipe
Marea
Claire says
Great idea to strain it and use as a syrup Marea. Yum!
Vicky Mackey says
A Wonderful easy recipe - I made it last year and it worked great. It is easy to scoop out the pips they seem to float to the top - the few that don't are soft and edible if they get noticed at all. The colour was fantastic. I went into a panic yesterday when your blog wasn't finding the recipe for me and I couldn't find any other recipe where you left the pips in. I'm so glad it popped up today - I'm going to save it and print it off - thanks again for the great recipe. BTW I have made lemon and lime marmalade and that was delicious - but more time consuming than this simple easy pesy recipe.
Claire says
You're very welcome! So sorry you couldn't find it the other day. There was some glitch with the search.
Bernice says
Joyanne did you try it with less water and sugar? Diabetes runs in my family so. Looking for recipe w less sugar.
Nicolei says
I made the marmalade and had 5 kilos of cumquats. My situation was the same Joyanne. It has become very dark. I definitely think that there should be some comment about ratio of water to sugar especially if you are cooking large quantities. I am very disappointed in the way the recipe has worked out for me as I have spent a lot of time doing this and my results are poor. I am a first time maemalade maker and I don't think that it is an easy thing to get right and your instructions made it seem like it should be.
Claire says
Oh no Nicolei I'm sorry it didn't turn out well for you. I always try to work with smaller quantities just in case.
Cass says
Nicolei you can't increase the amount so much and get a good result. Next time try 2 kilo max. I'm cooking tomorrow as a friend had a late last harvest from their tree. I've got 3 kilos. Better to do two batches.
Joyanne says
I tried making the jam as you described. I found I had to boil it for a lot longer though to get it to the consistency I wanted. The jam in turn became dark brown, but the flavour is really nice. It may just be personal preference, but next time I'd like to use less water (and sugar as a result) to get a jam with a thick consistency and a higher fruit to liquid ratio. Do you think this would work or was there a reason to use 5 cups of water for one kg of cumquats?
Claire says
I can't see why that wouldn't work Joyanne if you like it a bit thicker. I'm just about to harvest from my tree this year and make another batch!
Rosemarie says
Sounds great, I have a bumper crop this year from just 2 pots of nagami kumquats and will give this recipe a try. They were also big and juicy. The last recipe took hours of cutting into very small slices and I was exhausted after making it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Rosemarie
Claire says
You're welcome Rosemarie. I'm about to do the same! My little man is going to help me this year.
Astrid says
1kg-1cup doesn't sound right! 1Kg-2lbs!
Claire says
Hi Astrid. Sorry I'm not sure what you're asking sorry?
Karin says
Hello I have one small question after you put your jam (which is so tasty) into your jars do you put them into the fridge? Probably a silly question but I have never made jam before
Claire says
Hi Karin. No problem at all. You don't need to refrigerate it until you open the jar.
Jo says
Great recipe, Thank you Claire! I was given 2kg of cumquats from my neighbours tree and gave them a jar of this jam as a thank you. The recipe was so simple even for a jam beginner like me - with a 2 week old baby watching on! Thank you x
Claire says
Oh Jo you're amazing making jam with a 2 week old baby! So glad you liked it x
Jan Jury says
First timer here, do you leave the skin on the cumquats before cutting please?
Claire says
Sure do!
Amma says
I guess I figured it all out!! The best kumquat jam I have ever made!!!
Thanks for sharing
Claire says
Well done Amma! So glad you liked it and you are welcome.
Amma says
1kg -1 cup
Wasn't sure if that could possibly be right?
1kg - to 5 cups of sugar???
Also by cutting them only on quarters, does the peel stay whole?
I am trying to make this now
Claire says
It sure is a lot of sugar! You could experiment cutting it down. Yep the peel stays whole but it does significantly soften.
Lynne says
Claire, you have just taken all the stress out of my jam making. I make it every year from home grown cumquats, but the setting of the marmalade was always hit and miss (mostly "miss" ). Then I found your recipe and it has worked really well. I've just made the third batch this morning and they all look like yours! Golden and perfectly set. Thank you!!
Claire says
Yay! So glad I could help Lynne. I'm just waiting for the fruit on my tree to ripen so I can make some myself.
Amy says
How many cups = 1 KG of Kumquats?
Claire says
Hi Amy. Sorry I'm not sure the answer to this and can't seem to find it on Google. As soon as I have cumquats from this year's harvest I will measure it for you.