This gorgeously hued, simple-to-make rhubarb jam with honey is a lightly sweet, just tangy enough preserve with no refined sugar. A 4-ingredient jam, it's a lovely way to capture rhubarb's unique flavor in a naturally sweetened spread that's ideal on toast, cake, or swirled into yogurt.
Like my rhubarb jam recipe, this honey-sweetened rhubarb jam could hardly be simpler to make, and it needs minimal ingredients! Make the most of rhubarb's short season and simmer it over low heat to create a silky smooth, prettily colored jam that's equally welcome on a toasted piece of easy dutch oven bread as it is in a gluten free rhubarb cream cake (or rhubarb cake recipe with whipped cream made with all-purpose flour), spread on warm oat flour scones, or on a sweet oat flour cake.
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Why I Love Making Homemade Rhubarb Jam
First off, you are not going to find many store-bought jams that specifically feature rhubarb jam, let alone rhubarb jam made with honey! The two main reasons I make homemade jam are 1. I like to take advantage of whatever produce is in season, even better if it's growing in my backyard or a neighbor's; 2. I love being able to adjust the jam to whatever I'm in the mood for! Whether I'm making persimmon jam or strawberry honey jam, there's nothing like the scent of a simmering pot of preserves on the stove that fills up my whole kitchen with goodness.
- Simple ingredients. Yes, you read that right. Just 4 basics are needed to make this jam.
- Quick. Rhubarb honey jam is done in less than 45 minutes, making a quick and easy afternoon project.
- Special. Like I mentioned, you will not find jars of this jam readily available. It makes a wonderful edible gift, too, that stands out from the rest.
Ingredients You'll Need
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Rhubarb - Always choose or pick fresh, firm rhubarb that doesn't have any brown spots. Rhubarb can still be ripe when it's green, so if you prefer a pinker/redder jam, use pink stalks of rhubarb.
- Honey - Yes, the only sweetener you need in this recipe is sweet, sticky honey! Use your favorite honey to make this jam.
- Lemon juice - This pectin-free jam relies on a little lemon juice to help it set.
- Water - A splash of water added to the cooking pot will help the rhubarb start cooking (it's not as juicy as, say, strawberries or blackberries, so it needs a bit of help to get going).
Variations to Try
- Strawberries - Adapt my strawberry & rhubarb jam recipe to sweeten it just with honey.
- Other berries - Try raspberries or even blueberries to change it up a bit.
- Maple syrup - I love honey here, but you could try maple syrup if you wish.
- Vanilla - Add a little vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
How to Make
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this beautiful jam:
1. Combine: Add all of the ingredients to a pot.
2. Mix: Stir and mix to combine, then bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Simmer: Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes.
4. Finish: Check the jam for doneness, then transfer to jars to store.
Jam Tips
- Sweeten to taste. Rhubarb is quite tart, so I don't like to skimp on the honey. However, you don't want to make it overly sweet. I recommend tasting as you go and carefully adjusting/adding more sugar until it reaches your desired sweetness. Start with 1 ¼ cups and go from there.
- Use very ripe strawberries. This will help the jam to turn out nice and sweet without a ton of added sugar. If the strawberries are not super ripe, you may need to add more sugar.
- Use the plate test. Place a plate in the freezer to chill while the jam cooks. When the jam looks like it's done (coats the back of a wooden spoon), drizzle a spoonful of jam on the cold plate. If the jam "wrinkles" and doesn't run, it's set and ready to take off the heat. If it's still pretty loose, keep cooking the jam and try again in a few minutes.
- Add salt. I learned this trick from a comment on a NYT recipe for apple jelly and have started incorporating it when I make jam. A big pinch of fine sea salt stirred into the jam pot will accent its sweetness.
- Do half honey and half sugar. You can also make this jam using a combination of sugar and honey. Use 1 cup of honey and 1 cup of granulated sugar to sweeten the jam.
Serving Options
The possibilities are nearly endless when you make fruit jam! Drizzle it over scoops of ice cream, cookies, and more.
- With cake: Finish a gluten free busy day cake with a layer of jam or add spoonfuls to slices of gluten free coconut loaf cake or a coconut loaf cake. It's also a lovely addition to a gluten free rhubarb cream cake or a rhubarb cake recipe with whipped cream.
- Scones: I love jam and whipped cream with oat flour scones, or why not, a batch of gluten free rhubarb scones.
- On bread: Try jam with toast made from no knead whole wheat bread or leftover porridge bread.
Proper Storage
- Preserve it - If you wish to can your jam, use the USDA's home canning guide to can your jam safely.
- Fridge - Otherwise, you can transfer the jam to glass jars with tight-fitting lids, cool to room temperature, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
- Freezer - Transfer the jam to freezer-safe containers, cool completely, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the jam in the fridge before serving.
More Simple Rhubarb Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Rhubarb Jam with Honey
Ingredients
- 2 pounds rhubarb , preferably red, trimmed, rinsed, and cut into small chunks (about 16 cups)
- 2 cups honey
- ¾ cup cold water
- 1 lemon , juiced
Instructions
- Place a plate in the freezer. Combine 2 pounds rhubarb, 2 cups honey, ¾ cup cold water and juice of 1 lemon in a saucepan or Dutch oven set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes. Jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
- Sweeten to taste. Rhubarb is quite tart, so I don't like to skimp on the honey. However, you don't want to make it overly sweet. I recommend tasting as you go and carefully adjusting/adding more sugar until it reaches your desired sweetness. Start with 1 ¼ cups and go from there.
- Use very ripe strawberries. This will help the jam to turn out nice and sweet without a ton of added sugar. If the strawberries are not super ripe, you may need to add more sugar.
- Use the plate test. Place a plate in the freezer to chill while the jam cooks. When the jam looks like it's done (coats the back of a wooden spoon), drizzle a spoonful of jam on the cold plate. If the jam "wrinkles" and doesn't run, it's set and ready to take off the heat. If it's still pretty loose, keep cooking the jam and try again in a few minutes.
- Add salt. I learned this trick from a comment on a NYT recipe for apple jelly and have started incorporating it when I make jam. A big pinch of fine sea salt stirred into the jam pot will accent its sweetness.
- Do half honey and half sugar. You can also make this jam using a combination of sugar and honey. Use 1 cup of honey and 1 cup of granulated sugar to sweeten the jam.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.