Peaches are hands-down one of my favorite fruits. Nothing screams summer quite like sweet peach nectar rolling down your chin, or tasting those fruity chunks in creamy ice cream, freshly churned. Then there’s peach pie or Granny’s crispy peach tarts… my mouth is watering thinking of all of the possibilities for this sweet and fuzzy fruit. Our family took a short trip a few weekends ago and while we were away, we stopped at one of our state’s larger farmer’s markets. The bounty of fresh local vegetables and fruits was incredible, and several stands already had yellow and white peaches out for sampling! We decided on some fresh yellow peaches (and a new blueberry bush) and devoured most of them during our trip. And this Fresh Peach Jam recipe with no pectin is a perfect way to use them!
Fresh Peach Jam (no pectin)
I kept a few back for making homemade jam because it’s so difficult to find jam or jelly at the store that isn’t loaded with sugar; even a lot of the recipes for jams and jellies that have been passed down to me over the years have a ton of sugar in them. Now, I’m not against sugar, clearly, but since it shows up in so many other foods, and because fruit is naturally sweet, I wanted to make some homemade peach jam that would be lightly sweetened, yet still be a winner for the little gardeners. Enter chia jam.
Chia seeds aren’t anything new. In fact, I distinctly remember hearing the Chia Pet commercials as a kid… ch, ch, ch, chia! Little did i know that those grass-growing, terra cotta pots held a nutritional powerhouse inside them. In fact, Harvard has an entire page all about exactly what chia seeds are and what they can do. Not only are chia seeds great for you to eat and not just grow, they work as a natural thickener, so no pectin needed for this jam. And since I sweetened this jam with honey, it pleases my more natural tastes, and it has that earthly sweetness only honey can bring. I will say though, you want to use ripe fruit. Your peaches should be soft and juicy; this makes them easier to mash or blend, and the fruit itself is sweeter when it’s more ripe. So let’s get busy making this jam!
Fresh Peach Jam Ingredients:
2-3 ripe peaches
1-2 Tbsp honey (or more if you’re a real sweetie!)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
water (optional)
vanilla extract (Try making your own vanilla extract!)
Put it All Together:
- Peel peaches and roughly chop.
- Place chopped peaches, chia seeds, and honey in a small pot over medium heat.
- Cook for several minutes, mashing the peaches as they warm (I find this helps with thickening). Add water one tablespoon at a time if your mixture seems too dry. You can also add a splash of vanilla extract here for a fragrant note to your jam.
- Place warm peach mixture into blender and pulse several times until you reach your desired consistency. I like a very smooth jam, so I blended for 30 seconds or so, but if you prefer a chunkier jam, simply pulse once or twice.
- Divide jam into two jelly jars and allow to cool. Once cooled, the jam should be thickened and ready to spread on toast, bread, yogurt… the possibilities are endless!
And since this recipe makes two jelly jars full, you can always gift the other to a friend or neighbor. If you’re a baker, throw in a loaf of bread, and you’ll probably make a new best friend. This jam will keep in the fridge for a week or two, but hopefully it won’t last nearly that long at your house.
I’d love to know what your favorite jams and jellies are, and if you’ve ever tried making them at home. I hope you’re having a fabulous day; Happy Gardening!
Fresh Peach Chia Seed Jam

This no pectin and no refined sugar fresh peach jam is a great way to use ripe and juicy peaches.
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe peaches
- 1-2 Tbsp honey (or more if you’re a real sweetie!)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- water (optional)
- vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Peel peaches and roughly chop.
- Place chopped peaches, chia seeds, and honey in a small pot over medium heat.
- Cook for several minutes, mashing the peaches as they warm (I find this helps with thickening). Add water one tablespoon at a time if your mixture seems too dry. You can also add a splash of vanilla extract here for a fragrant note to your jam.
- Place warm peach mixture into blender and pulse several times until you reach your desired consistency. I like a very smooth jam, so I blended for 30 seconds or so, but if you prefer a chunkier jam, simply pulse once or twice.
- Divide jam into two jelly jars and let cool. Once cooled, the jam should be thickened and ready to spread on toast, bread, yogurt… the possibilities are endless!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g
Other Fruit Recipes:
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Cream Pies[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Peach Chia Seed Jam – A honey-sweetened jam that comes together in 10 minutes. – peaches (chopped), honey, chia seeds, water ((optional)), Vanilla ((optional)), , Peel and chop peaches and place in small pot. Add chia and honey to the pot and stir. ; Warm peach mixture over medium heat for several minutes, mashing as the mixture warms. Add vanilla if using. If mixture appears too dry, add water one TBSP at a time until desired consistency is reached.; Transfer peach mixture to blender and pulse several times for a chunkier jam, or blend until smooth for a smoother jam. ; Spoon jam into two jelly jars. Let cool on counter. ; Store jam in refrigerator for one to two weeks. ; ; – – condiment – Southern – Kid-Friendly Recipes – Recipes – chia – fruit – jam – peaches[/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Kristi
Sunday 1st of July 2018
Just made this and it turned out great. There is no need for a blender as long as the peaches are really ripe. Simply mash them as they cook. I used 3 large peaches and 1 T honey. Vanilla is a must. Thanks for a great recipe!
Courtney
Tuesday 3rd of July 2018
Wonderful to hear, Kristi! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Telene Chapdelaine
Tuesday 14th of June 2016
Peach and Blueberry mixed together are great jams. I also make a lot of strawberry jam of course. But I normally do the freezer jam. I am interested in trying to make these jams to put on the shelf instead of needing freezer space.
Courtney
Wednesday 15th of June 2016
I'll have to try adding blueberries! Thanks for stopping by!