This unusual jam recipe has the flavor of classic Zucchini Bread, but in the form of a spreadable jam. You’ll love this fun way to preserve the summer harvest.
I am told that this particular recipe that was shared with me originated in a Ball Blue Book.
However, I don’t know what year it would have been published. I have a several of the Ball canning books and this recipe doesn’t exist in any of them.
One thing is for certain, zucchini bread jam is not something you see often on a pantry shelf or probably have even heard of.
The recipe starts with 4 cups of shredded zucchini. Personally, I like to shred it with the very fine grating attachment with my mandolin. It takes a few minutes longer to do it that way, but I think it gives the jam a much more spreadable texture.
How to Make Zucchini Bread Jam
To begin, combine shredded zucchini, apple juice, pectin, raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large pot.
I always use an 8 quart, stainless-steel stock pot. Enameled cast iron is also fine. You never want to use aluminum or other reactive metal. That includes the utensils as well.
Stir the ingredients together and bring it to a rolling boil over medium high heat. A rolling boil is a boil that can not be stopped by vigorous stirring.
Add sugar and again bring it to a rolling boil. Stir continually.
Boil for 1 minute and remove it from the heat. Ladle the jam into prepared half pint jars. Leave 1/4 inch of head space.
Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, and add the lids and rings.
Place the jars in your hot water bath or steam canner, then process for 15 minutes. (Article: How to Use a Steam Canner)
When they are done processing, turn off the heat and remove the lid to the canner and allow the jars to sit for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the jars to a surface that is lined with towels or a cooling rack – in a place that is draft-free.
Leave the jars undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
Remove the rings and test the seals. Label your zucchini bread jam and store it in your pantry.
Have an abundance of zucchini? Check out more zucchini recipes from Cosmopolitan Cornbread.
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Zucchini Bread Jam
Ingredients
- 4 c finely shredded zucchini
- 1 c apple juice
- 3 oz powdered pectin, 1 pouch
- ⅓ c raisins
- 1 Tb bottled lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 c sugar
Instructions
- To begin, combine the shredded zucchini, apple juice, pectin, raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large pot. (I always use an 8 quart, stainless-steel stock pot. Enameled cast iron is also fine. You never want to use aluminum or other reactive metal. That includes the utensils as well.)
- Stir the ingredients together and bring it to a rolling boil over medium high heat. A rolling boil is a boil that can not be stopped by vigorous stirring.
- Add the sugar and again bring it to a rolling boil. Stir continually. Boil for 1 minute and remove it from the heat.
- Ladle the jam into prepared half pint jars. Leave 1/4 inch of head space.
- Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, and add the lids and rings.
- Place the jars in your hot water bath or steam canner, then process for 15 minutes. (Adjust for elevation.)
- When they are done processing, turn off the heat and remove the lid to the canner and allow the jars to sit for 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars to a surface that is lined with towels or a cooling rack – in a place that is draft-free. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12-24 hours.
- Remove the rings and test the seals.
- Label and store in your pantry.
Video
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
Unit Conversions:
Unit Conversion for measurements (if displayed), going from US to Metric is an auto-generated conversion. If you are using the metric measurements, please double-check to confirm that these are accurate with your favorite preferred conversion tool.
I’m loving the idea of this, but a box of Sure-Jell pectin is 1.75 ounces. A pouch of liquid is 3 ounces. So I’m just wondering if there’s a mistake somewhere.
Also, Ball has a Carrot Cake Jam recipe in their books, and has for years. I’ve never seen one for Zucchini.
Thanks!
When it comes to the volume of the pouches, much of the liquid pectin’s volume is going to come from the water it contains.
Could I use less lemon juice? I made a batch today and ,WOW the lemon flavor! I love lemon but didn’t imagine it being so overwhelming. I thought the spices would be what I tasted the most. I would like to try again if it is safe to use less lemon juice.
It’s good, but it didn’t set like jam. Not sure what happened, we followed the recipe. Anything we can use this for besides toast?
Is the pectin amount really 3 oz? That’s 2 boxes of pectin not 1.
Can you make this with frozen shredded zucchini? If so do you drain it or leave the “zucchini juice” ?
Just wondering how this recipe is safe for water bath canning? Is it the addition of apple juice? I am concerned that the acidity is not high enough in this recipe with all that zucchini. Or does the amount of sugar play a part in making it safe to can?
Yes, the apple juice and lemon juice make this acidic.
Is there an alternative to pectin for someone who has an allergy?
Not that I could give experiential information on. I do know there is a way to make a natural pectin from apples, but I have never done that.
Is there an alternative to pectin for someone who has an allergy?.
Thank you so much.
Gayle
I want to make this because my family LOVES zucchini bread. Can I make it without the raisins? That is the deal breaker with my picky eaters. Lol
Absolutely!
This recipe is fabulous! I have made it a few times now! It is so unique and people have never heard of it. Great Christmas gifts! I heard about your blog on 1870’s homestead and I’m addicted now! My friend is allergic to Apples so I usually change it to pear juice instead. My favorite way to make this is to use PINEAPPLE juice with crushed Pineapples instead of the apple juice though. Measured out the same. 😍
So delicious! Thank you!!
Question- have you ever made this with tromboncino/rampicante? They are the only thing still happily overproducing in my garden :)
This is such an easy recipe to follow. It set up nicely once it cooled. We think it tastes just like raisin pie. Soooooo Yummy!! Am making more today to gift to family.
I’m shredding my zucchini and it has alot of juice. Do I drain it out or keep it?
I leave the zucchini juice in.
Girlllllll!
So good! Keep up the good works.
Love the new goats!
Thank you!
Would it work to do and low sugar/low carb sweetener ? The recipe looks interesting and sounds yummy. I need to use up extra zucchini.
I don’t think so. To be honest, I have zero experience canning with alternative sweeteners.
I just made it with low sugar pectin and was able to cut the sugar in half. Still plenty sweet but the yield was less, only 3 half pints. This could also be because I did not pack the zucchini enough when measuring maybe.
Reducing the sugar, reduces the volume of what you are making. So that will result in less overall jam :)
Have you ever tried Monk Fruit? It measures 1 to 1 like sugar. It is available at Walmart, Hyvee, sometimes at ALDIs and of course Amazon..