Simple Plum Jam With Vanilla and Cardamom

Have you avoided making homemade jam or marmalade because it seemed too intimidating? I'm right there with you. I used to feel the exact same way, but not anymore. Now, I regularly make small-batch refrigerator jams with full confidence. This plum jam recipe is quick, simple, and totally foolproof.

This easy plum jam with cardamom and vanilla is the perfect recipe to kickstart your homemade jam obsession. You only need four ingredients: Harry & David plums, sugar, cardamom, and vanilla. It doesn't require any fancy equipment (unless you count cheesecloth as fancy equipment), and you don't need to learn any technically challenging tricks to make it.

How to make jam

To start, you'll want some super ripe Harry & David plums...the riper, the better! Pit them, chop them (no need to peel them), and then let them macerate overnight with some granulated sugar. If you like your jam really sweet, use the full two cups of sugar listed in the recipe. If not, use a little less. The following morning, the plum mixture will be extra juicy and soupy, which means it's time to make jam.

Add the cardamom and vanilla bean pods to the macerated plum mixture for flavoring, and cook everything down until it's thick and glossy. Let the jam cool to room temperature (it will thicken up a little more as it cools). Then transfer it to clean containers for storage in either your refrigerator or freezer.

For this recipe, we don't have to add pectin, a thickener used in making jams. That's because plums have naturally high levels of pectin.

When it's done, this plum jam is perfect on toasted Wolferman's English Muffins. I also like to swirl some into my Greek yogurt. You can add it to a cheeseboard; the plum goes particularly well with sharp cheddar and goat cheese. And, if you're grilling chicken or pork, try mixing some of the jam with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper, and use this to baste the meat during grilling. I promise you won't run out of ways to use this delicious jam.