Homemade Kiwi Jam

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Delicious, tangy Homemade Kiwi Jam made with just four ingredients! Enjoy this jam by itself or on top of a piece of toast for a delicious breakfast.

Kiwi jam in a jar with a spoon next to a plate of toast and a bowl of kiwis

Move over, Smucker's — we're making jam at home today. And even better, it's homemade kiwi jam!

For a few years now, I have been obsessed with making jam at home (and if you don't believe me, please see case study one and case study two for further proof).

Making jam from scratch is so much easier than you would think, and it's 10x more delicious than anything you can find in the grocery store.

And though I've shared several jam recipes with you on The Baker's Almanac, I wanted to switch things up today and try out a new jam recipe featuring kiwis!

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Ingredient Rundown
Tips for Making This Jam
Common Questions About This Jam
Hungry for More?
Homemade Kiwi Jam

Ingredient Rundown

Kiwis. The star of the show in this recipe! I used six kiwis when making this jam, and I chopped them into fine pieces before adding them to the pot. The finer you chop them, the more smooth the jam mixture will be.

Granulated sugar. This recipe calls for quite a bit of sugar, but it's definitely essential. It both helps the jam set and keeps bacteria away from the mixture. Talk about a win-win!

Lemon juice. I always like to include a bit of lemon juice in my jam recipes because it adds a bit of acidity to the mixture and helps cut the sweetness of the fruit and sugar.

Kosher salt. Last but not least, don't forget a pinch of kosher salt. You don't need much, but it helps create a more rich, distinct flavor profile for the jam.

Tips for Making This Jam

Use an immersion blender if you'd prefer a smoother jam. While the jam is cooking, you can blend the mixture with an immersion blender (or even a potato masher) to create a smoother texture. Totally optional — just depends on how you like your jam.

While the jam is cooking, stir frequently with a heatproof spatula. As the jam cooks in the pot, it can easily start to burn on the bottom. By stirring the jam frequently, you help distribute it evenly throughout the pot and prevent any burning.

Make this jam in small amounts. When it comes to making jam, I don't recommend doubling or tripling the recipe. If you try and make too much jam at once, it's easy for the fruit to overcook. Instead, I recommend making the jam in several batches if you want a large amount.

Overhead shot of a bowl of kiwis with sugar on top next to a wooden spoon

Common Questions About This Jam

How do you know when the jam is ready?

When I first started making jam, I overcooked it over and over again. Keep in mind that the jam will continue to thicken up once you take it off the heat! I can usually tell that the jam is ready once it starts to stick to the bottom of the pot. You can also try putting a spoon or lid in the freezer, then dropping some of the jam on it. Run your finger or another utensil through the jam, and if the jam wrinkles, it’s usually ready. If you're interested, this video shows this process in more detail.

How long will this jam last?

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this jam will usually last up to two months. This time will vary, so keep an eye on it—you should toss the jam if you start seeing any mold growing on the top.

Two pieces of toast covered with kiwi jam next to a bowl of kiwis and a jar of kiwi jam

Hungry for More?

Author: Leslie Jeon
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 ounces 1x
Category: Jam
Method: Sauté
Cuisine: American

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Description

Delicious, tangy Homemade Kiwi Jam made with just four ingredients! Enjoy this jam by itself or on top of a piece of toast for a delicious breakfast.

Ingredients

Scale

6 kiwis (475g), finely chopped
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5g) lemon juice
Pinch of kosher salt (1g)

Instructions

In a medium pot, combine kiwis, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Heat mixture over high heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula. Once the mixture starts to bubble up, reduce the heat down to medium-low.
Cook the mixture for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly until the jam is thick and viscous. To test if the jam is ready, I usually like to run my spatula along the bottom of the pot in a straight line. If it takes more than a second for the line to fill back up, the jam is usually ready. I like to err on the side of caution and take the jam off almost too early—if it's not done yet, you can always return it back to the heat.
Once ready, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the jam to a heatproof container. Let the jam cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the fridge.
Stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge, this jam will usually last for two months.

Notes

Be careful not to overcook the jam or it will set too hard! Remember that the jam will continue to cook once you take it off the heat, so you just want to remove it once it starts to thicken.
If you'd prefer a smoother texture for your jam, you can blend it with an immersion blender while it's cooking to break the chunks of kiwi up.
I always like to make my jam in smaller amounts so that it doesn’t spoil. You can even cut this recipe in half if you want a smaller amount of jam.