Carrot Cake Jam
This carrot cake jam takes all the cozy flavors of carrot cake and turns them into a sweet, spoonable spread. Grated carrot, apple, crushed pineapple, warm spices and sugar comes together in this delicious and versatile jam that you can put to use in a ton of ways.
Just like my spiced Christmas jam, you can batch-make and store this for weeks too!
I'm a big fan of homemade gifts, and during the colder months of the year, I love spending time in the kitchen on weekends, whipping up batches of my s and spiced orange honey.
I end up using them for my recipes, and also as gifts for my friends, and this jam is another new favorite I recently tried making.
Quick Look: Carrot Cake Jam
- 🔪 Prep time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 20 minutes
- 🍎 Servings: Depends on final yield
- 🥣 Main ingredients: Green apple, carrot, pineapple, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, and lemon juice
- ➡️ Method: Chop and grate ingredients → combine in saucepan → cook until apples soften → add water as needed → add pectin → bring to a rolling boil → cool
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🍞 Best served with: Toast, biscuits (try my homemade biscuit dough), crackers, pancakes, or cheese.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It has all the warm, cozy flavors you associate with carrot cake, and is perfect to make during the colder months of the year.
- Just like my spiced pear butter, this is a fun alternative to traditional fruit jams.
- You can use it as a spread, topping, or filling for a variety of desserts and breakfast foods.
Recipe Ingredients
Green apple: Adds natural sweetness, gentle tartness, and fruity texture to the jam.
Carrot: Gives the jam its signature carrot cake flavor and color.
Crushed pineapple: Adds sweetness, moisture, and a tropical fruity note.
Spices: I used a mix of Air Fryer ginger powder and some cinnamon to lend a warm, slightly spicy flavor to the jam.
Sugar: A mix of brown and white sugar, for sweetness and that bit of depth.
Lemon juice: Adds acidity to balance the sweetness and brighten the flavors. Sometimes, I like to add half a teaspoon of my candied citrus peel too.
Pectin: Helps the cooked mixture set into a jam-like consistency.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use a sweet red apple instead of green apple if you prefer a less tart jam.
- Freshly grated ginger can be used instead of powdered ginger for a stronger ginger flavor.
- You can also add a little orange zest for a bright citrus note that works especially well with carrot and cinnamon.
- For a nuttier variation, serve the finished jam with toasted walnuts or pecans. I love chopping up some candied walnuts with brown sugar and using them with this jam!
How to Make Carrot Cake Jam
Step 1: Combine chopped apples, grated carrot, crushed pineapple, sugar, lemon juice and spices in a saucepan.
Step 2: Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously. Add water if the jam is drying out.
Step 3: Once the apples have softened, turn down the heat and add the pectin. Mix and cook until it comes to a boil.
Step 4: Once the jam has thickened, take the saucepan off heat and allow the jam to cool down before storing.
💭Top Tip
Don't worry if the jam looks a little loose when you first take it off the heat. Let it cool completely before deciding whether the consistency is right. The pectin continues to work as the mixture cools, so the jam will become thicker as it reaches room temperature.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Chop the apple into small, even pieces so it softens at roughly the same rate throughout the jam.
- Grate the carrot finely so it blends naturally into the finished jam.
- Stir continuously while the mixture cooks to prevent the sugars from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. I always do this when I make apple cider caramel sauce too.
- Keep an eye on the moisture level as the jam cooks, and add a little water whenever the mixture starts looking too dry.
- Don't add the pectin until the apples have softened and the mixture has cooked down.
- Once the pectin is added, keep the heat low and stir well so it distributes evenly.
- Allow the jam to cool completely before judging its final consistency. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Don't have the individual spices that the recipe calls for? Add a dash of allspice powder or a spoonful of gingerbread syrup into the jam to lend it that warmth.
How to Serve Carrot Cake Jam
This carrot cake jam is delicious spread onto warm toast, biscuits, English muffins, or crusty bread.
You can also spoon it over pancakes (especially some spaghetti pancake), waffles, oatmeal, or yogurt for a sweet breakfast. For dessert, try it as a filling between cake layers, spoon it over cheesecake, or serve it alongside crackers and cheese and some orange marmalade for a sweet-and-savory snack.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
If the jam becomes thicker than you want, you can gently warm it and stir in a small amount of water until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Make sure the mixture reaches a rolling boil after adding the pectin. The jam also needs to cool completely before you can accurately judge its final consistency.
Fresh pineapple can be used, but the texture and moisture level of the jam may be different. Crushed pineapple gives the mixture both fruit pieces and moisture.
For a small-batch homemade jam that has not been processed for canning, refrigerate it and use a clean utensil each time.
More Homemade Spreads
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this carrot cake jam or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Carrot Cake Jam
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 green apple
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 lemon juiced
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pectin
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
Instructions
- Combine chopped apples, grated carrot, crushed pineapple, sugar, lemon juice and spices in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring continuously. Add water if the jam is drying out.
- Once the apples have softened, turn down the heat and add the pectin. Mix and cook until it comes to a boil.
- Once the jam has thickened, take the saucepan off heat and allow the jam to cool down before storing.
Notes
- The amount of water needed can vary depending on the moisture in the apples, carrots, and pineapple, so add it gradually as needed.
- Stir continuously while the mixture cooks to prevent the sugars from sticking to the pan.
- Allow the jam to cool completely before judging its final consistency.
