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‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

jam jars

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I was given two bags of apricots last week, and decided to make some jam for the store cupboard. I love apricot jam. Especially on toast with butter.

I had half a jar of jam left over and remembered these cookies I made for Valentine's Day last year. This time I used this recipe, adding a little more flour, and substituting almond essence for the vanilla and apricot jam for the raspberry. Good in the school lunchboxes, and not bad with a cup of tea, either.

Here's my recipe for apricot jam in case you have have a glut of apricots too. It makes about 4 small-medium jars.

Apricot Jam

1.5 kgs fresh apricots, halved and stoned

about 10 apricot kernels

1 1/4 cups water

6 cups sugar

Crack about 10 of the apricot stones and remove kernels (I used a nutcracker for this, then a hammer which was more effective.) Put the apricots, kernels and water into a pan and cook slowly until fruit is pulpy. Add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Boil briskly for 30 mins or until setting point is reached. Remove the kernels and pour jam into sterilised jars (I just wash mine and place them in a low-heat oven for 20 mins or so.)

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31 responses to “jam jars”

  1. annri Avatar
    annri

    yummy! buttered toast with apricot jam is a favorite for me too; i also like toast with cream cheese and apricot jam. the cookies look delightful!
    best – annri

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  2. Holly C. Avatar
    Holly C.

    Oh-I love the look of jam jars. And the cookies look devine!
    Lovely photos, as always:)

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  3. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    wow the apricot kernel just reminded me of the whole laetrile ( cancer treatment) controversy that just seemed to have disappeared.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdalin

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  4. Journaltransience.blogspot.com Avatar
    Journaltransience.blogspot.com

    I’m so envious of all that apricot-y sweetness you have! We’re still working our way through the blackberries in the freezer..it’s winter over here and the snow keeps coming.

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  5. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    That apricot is huge compared to the tiny specimens we get here in the UK. I’d love to make apricot jam but it would just be too expensive. Teresa x

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  6. Lovely World Avatar
    Lovely World

    The combination of butter and jam on toast is one of my favorites. Also, when one of my children is in need of a pickup, toast it is! Lucky you to receive a bag of apricots.

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  7. martha Avatar
    martha

    Oh, you make the most ordinary things look so romantic. 🙂
    And thanks for the sterilizing tip. I only know how to can using a water bath, and all that boiling water makes me so nervous.

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  8. Rhubarb Sky Avatar
    Rhubarb Sky

    Oh my, those cookies look so sweet all lined up in a row. This seriously makes me pine for summer. It’s beautiful right now way up in the NW corner of the U.S., but COLD!

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  9. katylou Avatar
    katylou

    have never been much of a jam fan but your photos and recipe makes me want to be. especially jam with lots of biscuit under it 🙂

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  10. Hadley Avatar
    Hadley

    Just before I read this I gorged on camembert with apricot jam. Like, really gorged.
    Those cookies look fabulous!

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  11. The Cupcake Goddess Avatar
    The Cupcake Goddess

    I so love apricot jam and it brings back so many memories of when we would go and pick apricots up from my grandma’s tree (the ones on the ground that were bruised made the best jam). I’ve never tried this with the kernels though, oh thank you! Can’t wait to try your recipe.

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  12. Sarah S Avatar
    Sarah S

    Yum, jam on toast is my fave snack ever! A friend of mine popped in last weekend with homemade raspberry jam (made with homegrown fruit too – even better!). Those biscuits look great, I will definitely running a batch of those in the oven when it gets a bit cooler this week (32C in the shade at Lincoln today….).

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  13. louise Avatar
    louise

    Why do you put the kernals in–we grow apricots and I have never heard of using the kernals. How was your dinner party?

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  14. Eyecatchers Avatar
    Eyecatchers

    i’ve been given a load of plums, emmm i think i know what i should do with them 🙂

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  15. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    hi louise,
    ive got a few differnt recipes that use the kernels in the jam. i think its to help in the jam-setting process- so you dont need to add any extra pectin or setting agent.
    just read this though- taken in excess the kernels sound dangerous! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apricot_kernel

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  16. Emma Avatar
    Emma

    Spooky – I made those exact biscuits today with homemade apricot jam.

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  17. by night Avatar
    by night

    mmmmh this looks sooo delicious! I love making jam too and this just makes me expect summer even more!

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  18. jodi Avatar
    jodi

    it all looks so delicious…and the sunflowers previous are divine!

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  19. GRACIA AND LOUISE Avatar
    GRACIA AND LOUISE

    Apricot jam of the homemade variety is one of my all time favourites. And those biscuits are made for jam. Enjoy!

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  20. Islay Avatar
    Islay

    I adore apricot jam, but like Teresa, I’m in the UK so it would cost a small fortune in apricots!
    Bring on the rhubarbs, though! I love making rhubarb and ginger jam and spreading it on everything.

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  21. nath Avatar
    nath

    oh yum. i made marmalade yesterday, what a shame we can’t swap jars!

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  22. Clare Avatar
    Clare

    Oh, a glut of apricots! I can almost smell them now..thanks, your post got me all nostalgic for home and warmer climes 🙂

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  23. Sharon Lovejoy Avatar
    Sharon Lovejoy

    Apricot jam glistening from a pantry shelf or set like an amber in a jam cookie–what could be more satisfying than to see those?
    I’ll try the recipe and look forward to my upcoming crop. I counted 110 apricot blossoms on my tiny apricot tree today.
    All joys,
    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  24. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    i absolutely love toast with apricot jam. and those cookies sound pretty good too.
    thanks for the recipe

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  25. Mousy Brown Avatar
    Mousy Brown

    I have my home made apricot jam – can’t wait to try those cookies!

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  26. Lucille Avatar
    Lucille

    My favourite jam every morning. It has to be Bonne Maman most of the time, but I made a batch once with the kernels and it was a slowly eked out treat.

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  27. trish Avatar
    trish

    are you sealing these for long storage, or just planning on using them up right away? My grammy pours a slab of wax to cover the top of the jam before closing the lid–sometimes this works better than other times.
    Either way, your photos are absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

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  28. Celine Avatar
    Celine

    arrggh… we are just eating our last pot of our apple jelly from last September…. Do you know this good trick from a good friend of mine? As soon as you have fille the pot and done the lid tight, turn the pot upside down and store it that way. The heat from the jam creates a seal around the lid and as a result it keeps longer!

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  29. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    great tip, celine, thanks!

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  30. mazuin Avatar
    mazuin

    That’s yummy. I like apricots too. Cool recipe, will have to put them in my recipe’s book for when im free to bake :p and when i get the ingredients. hard to find apricots now that im in malaysia.

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  31. Kim Tillyer Avatar
    Kim Tillyer

    looks very tasty. Moomin Mama…watch out for the “lonely and the rum” stealing your jam while you’re hibernating in the wintertime!

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