Homemade Kumquat Jam is sweet, tangy, and bursting with citrus flavor. Spread it on English muffins, mix it into yogurt, or add it to a cheese platter for the ultimate flavor combo. Who's ready to make a batch?
I created this recipe to make the most of my Kumquat tree, which was overflowing with fruit.
This is why you'll notice multiple Kumquat recipes on my blog, like Candied Kumquats, and my Gluten-Free Fruit Loaf.
I've tested my kumquat jam multiple times to ensure the perfect spreadable consistency.
Spread jam on an Air Fryer Scone, toast, or a Gluten-Free English Muffin.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fresh Vanilla Bean has sweet and floral notes and helps balance out the tartness of kumquats.
- Kumquat Jam is perfect for using up all those kumquats on your tree.
- Spread this marmalade on toast, croissants, or Air Fryer English Muffins.
🧾 Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is a visual overview of the Kumquat Jam Ingredients. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
See recipe card for quantities.
Kumquats
These small oval-shaped citrus fruits have sweet skin and tart flesh. Kumquats are in season from late winter to early spring (December through March). They are great in jam, jellies, and chutney.
You can substitute kumquat for oranges or lemons when making jams or marmalades.
Sugar
Sugar is used to sweeten, and preserve, and it helps the pectin in the fruit create a gel.
You can use honey or maple syrup in place of sugar but the amounts may be different since they are sweeter. These sweeteners will change the flavor profile of your jam so keep that in mind.
Cinnamon
The addition of one cinnamon stick adds the perfect amount of spice to this marmalade.
Warming spices like cinnamon, and star anise pair beautifully with citrus.
Vanilla
The reason this is the best kumquat jam out there is because we use fresh vanilla for a sweet and floral essence.
Can't find fresh vanilla beans? Use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
Orange and Lemon
Orange and lemon zest add an extra burst of citrus to this recipe! I used a microplane for fine zest, but a citrus zester works just as well.
Grapefruit would be a good swap for orange and lemon zest.
🍊 Variations
- Spiced Kumquat Jam: Use warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and star anise.
- Ginger Kumquat Jam: Add 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger for a nice flavor profile.
- Pear Kumquat Jam: Consider adding in some peeled, and diced pears for a great flavor combination.
🔪 How to make Kumquat Jam
I’ve provided step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the complete printable instructions and ingredient quantities, please scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Prepping Kumquats
Preparing kumquats is a time-consuming process but trust me when I tell you it's worth it. Grab your significant other and kids together in the kitchen and have a kumquat party.
Step 1. Rinse kumquats under water to remove dirt, pesticides, and bacteria.
Step 2. Cut each kumquat into quarters.
Step 3. Use your thumb or the back of a knife to remove the seeds.
Step 4. Chop each quartered kumquat into small pieces (image 4).
Macerating Fruit
Process of marinating fruit in sugar so all the flavors enhance each other.
Step 5. Place the chopped kumquats, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, sugar, citrus zest, and water into a Dutch oven.
Step 6. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and let the fruit macerate for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Tip - To remove the vanilla from the bean, use a sharp knife to split the bean lengthwise. Then, scrape the tiny seeds out with the back of the knife, and into the jam.
Cooking Jam
Step 7. Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the mixture up to a simmer.
Step 8. Reduce to medium heat and continue cooking and stirring until the mixture reduces and thickens up. If using a candy thermometer cook until the temperature reaches 215°F/101°C.
Step 9. Freeze a spoonful of jam on a plate for 5 minutes, then run your finger through it and if it holds its shape and doesn’t flow back together, it’s ready.
Step 10. Spoon kumquat jam into mason jars and cool down to room temperature before refrigeration.
Note - Sometimes I will make a big batch and follow canning instructions to preserve the jam for gifts for family and friends.
👨🏻🍳 Equipment Needed
💭 Chef Tips
- Clean your Kumquats. All citrus contains dirt, pesticides, and bacteria that you'll need to rinse off.
- Remove the seeds. I know it's a tedious task but remove all the visible seeds, nobody wants to bite into a kumquat seed while enjoying a delicious jam.
- Chop your kumquats. Yes, you can quarter, slice, and dice your kumquats for jam but in my experience, the texture of chopped kumquats is the best.
- Macerate the fruit. By macerating all the ingredients together for 24 hours the flavor is incredible.
- Checking for the gel stage. The jam will start to become thick and when you run your wooden spoon through it you'll see the bottom of the Dutch oven for 1-2 seconds or when your candy thermometer reaches 215°F.
📋 Recipe FAQ's
Kumquats have a nice balance of sweet, sour, and tangy citrus flavors. Unlike oranges, they have a thin, edible skin, allowing you to enjoy them whole!
Jam can be made from any fruit and includes the fruit's pulp, while marmalade is made from citrus and only uses the peel.
Pectin is a natural starch found in fruits and vegetables. When making jam, it combines with sugar to create a thick, gel-like consistency.
Sugar balances the acidity, sourness, and bitterness of fruits while also acting as a preservative. More importantly, it helps prevent spoilage and gives jam its signature consistency.
The kumquat is a small, oval-shaped citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia. Its thin, sweet skin contrasts with its tart pulp, making it perfect to eat whole.
🍊 More Kumquat Recipes
If you tried this Kumquat Jam Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Kumquat Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups prepared kumquats 8 cups of whole kumquats
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- Rinse the kumquats under cool water, quarter them lengthwise, remove the seeds with a knife or your fingers, then chop them to your desired size for jam.
- Combine chopped kumquats, vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, sugar, citrus zest, and water in a Dutch oven, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours to macerate.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring, until thickened or until it reaches 215°F/101°C on a candy thermometer.
- Freeze a spoonful of jam on a plate for 5 minutes, then run your finger through it and if it holds its shape and doesn’t flow back together, it’s ready.
- Spoon the hot kumquat jam into clean mason jars, let it cool to room temperature, then seal with a lid and refrigerate.
Notes
- If you increase the volume to make a large batch of jam, you'll need to increase the cooking time so the jam will gel properly.
- This recipe requires 8 cups (2 quarts) of whole kumquats, which will yield 4 cups once quartered, seeded, and chopped.
Mike Cleavenger says
This kumquat jam is delicious and perfect to spread on morning pastries.