Orange Marmalade
Making homemade orange marmalade has never been easier. This simple, foolproof method ensures you get that perfect balance of texture and flavor without needing to fuss over the nitty gritty details.
Best of all, no pectin is needed to make this- you'll just be relying on the natural fruit pectin- just like in my spiced Christmas jam.
Over the last few months, I have picked up quite a lot of fresh fruits in an attempt to learn how to preserve them in different forms- from roasting and jamming to pickling and canning, and it's all turned out great.
My fig compote and fig paste have received so much love, but the star of the show was truly my homemade lemon marmalade, which is actually what inspired me to try this recipe too.
Quick Look
- 🔪Prep time: 10 min.
- ⏲️Cook time: 40 min.
- 👪 Servings: 8.
- 📋Main ingredients: Oranges, lemon, sugar, vanilla.
- ♨️Cooking method: Slice and deseed oranges 🡢 add lemon juice and sugar and cook until it boils 🡢 turn down the heat and continue cooking until it thickens 🡢 remove from heat, add vanilla and cool 🡢 store for later or use immediately.
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣Serving ideas: Spoon some of the marmalade into your breakfast oats or use it as a topping for a parfait made with coconut yogurt, fresh fruit and granola.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It's really easy to make. No complicated steps and cooking equipment. You'll need just a saucepan and a few minutes- that's it.
- No pectin is needed! Just like my peach jalapeno jam, this comes together with just some basic pantry staples.
- It's perfect as a homemade gift for the holidays- just like my spiced pear butter!
Recipe Ingredients
Oranges: You can use almost any kind of oranges for this recipe. However, if you can find Seville oranges, I'd highly recommend using them for that slight bitter flavor that they have, that beautifully complements the sweetness.
Lemon: A fresh lemon, juiced and zested. You can use the leftover rind to make some candied citrus peel!
Sugar: To help the marmalade set, and of course, for the sweetness.
Vanilla: Just a little, for that aroma.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- In addition to oranges, you can also add smaller fruits like clementines or grapefruit for a different flavor if you want to.
- For a deeper, earthy flavor, you can add a small piece of fresh ginger or a pinch or ginger powder.
How to Make Orange Marmalade
Step 1: Slice the oranges and remove the seeds. Chop them into small pieces.
Step 2: Transfer them to a saucepan on medium heat along with the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Bring it to a boil, turn down the heat and continue cooking for 40 minutes.
💭Top Tip
If you can, choose oranges that are organic and have thin skins. This will ensure the marmalade doesn't get bitter.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- You can also reduce the quantity of sugar you're using for this recipe, and add some low calorie sweetener instead to balance out the flavor- just remember that the marmalade will have a slightly runny texture though.
- For a deeper color, you can add some homemade date sugar or date puree too.
- If you want the marmalade to have a thicker consistency, continue cooking it for an additional 10 minutes.
- If you're worried about the slight bitterness from the Seville oranges, you can try using a different variety like Naval, Cara Cara, Blood Oranges, Tangerines or even a mix of them.
- If you want to cut down on the prep time, you can simply deseed the oranges and add them to a food processor instead of chopping them with a knife.
- To lend the marmalade that beautiful holiday flavor, you can also add a cinnamon stick into it while it is on heat, and then remove it out when you jar it. I used it while making my orange spiced honey and lemon infused honey and it added such a beautiful earthy warmth to them.
How to Serve Orange Marmalade
This homemade orange marmalade has a very sweet, slightly bitter flavor, but is very concentrated, which makes it best to pair with crackers and creamy cheeses, especially mascarpone cheese.
You can also use it as a topping for your pastries or cakes- like I do with my pistachio pastry cream and pecan praline sauce, or team it up with your overnight oats or breakfast pancakes, along with some classic blueberry sauce.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Transfer the leftovers to a clean glass jar with an airtight lid and refrigerate for up to 3 months, or store at room temperature in a cool and dark place.
If stored correctly, away from direct sunlight, the marmalade can stay fresh for up to a year.
Pour a bit of the marmalade on a cold plate and place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Remove and check if it slides down easily or is jelly-like and thick.
If your marmalade hasn't set and looks runny, you can stir in a bit of pectin during the final couple of minutes of cooking time, or allow it to reduce further by letting it stay on heat for an extra 10-15 minutes.
More Fruit Preserves
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this orange marmalade 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!
Orange Marmalade
Ingredients
- 4 oranges
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Slice the oranges and remove the seeds. Chop them into small pieces.
- Transfer them to a saucepan on medium heat along with the sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Bring it to a boil, turn down the heat and continue cooking for 40 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla, take off heat and let it cool before storing.
Notes
- If you can, choose oranges that are organic and have thin skins. This will ensure the marmalade doesn't get bitter.
- You can also reduce the quantity of sugar you're using for this recipe, and add some low calorie sweetener instead to balance out the flavor- just remember that the marmalade will have a slightly runny texture though.
- If you want to cut down on the prep time, you can simply deseed the oranges and add them to a food processor instead of chopping them with a knife.
- If you're worried about the slight bitterness from the Seville oranges, you can try using a different variety like Naval, Cara Cara, Blood Oranges, Tangerines or even a mix of them.
