Homemade Orange Marmalade Recipe: Capture Summer’s Flavor

🍊 Canning Orange Marmalade: Sweet, Tangy & Homemade

Each year, August marks the start of our canning season. It’s a tradition we look forward to as summer reaches its peak, and the kitchen fills with the comforting rhythm of chopping, boiling, and sealing. For us, canning isn’t just about food preservation, it’s about creating flavors that carry us through the colder months and preserving the abundance of summer.

This year, alongside our annual 300 pounds of canning tomatoes, we decided to bring back one of my mom’s favorites: Homemade Orange Marmalade.

Back in 2020, during Covid, we had the blessing of my mom living with us. With so much extra time at home, we turned to the kitchen for comfort. One of the first recipes we tried was her favorite jam—orange marmalade. The process became more than just cooking; it was a way to pass the time, share stories, and hold on to tradition during uncertain days. Now, each time we make it, we’re reminded of those sweet moments together.

There’s something magical about spreading marmalade onto a slice of warm, homemade bread, fresh from the oven, with butter melting beneath the golden citrus spread. That first bite the tang, the sweetness, the slight bitterness feels like sunshine captured in a jar.

Sunshine in a Jar Orange Marmalade

🌟 Why Make Your Own Marmalade?

Fresh Flavor: Nothing compares to the vibrant taste of homemade marmalade. Tradition: Canning connects us to generations before us who preserved their harvests. Versatility: Perfect on toast, swirled into yogurt, layered in cakes, or even as a glaze for meats. Gifting: A jar of homemade marmalade makes a thoughtful, delicious gift.

🥄 Tips for Successful Canning

Use fresh, firm oranges and lemons for the best flavor and natural pectin. Thinly slice the peel for that signature marmalade texture. Always process jars in a boiling water bath to ensure a safe, sealed preserve.

🍊 Homemade Orange Marmalade Recipe

Ingredients:

4 large oranges 1 large lemon 6 cups sugar 1 package Sure-Jell Pectin 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Peel oranges, chop pulp, and thinly slice peel. Peel lemon, chop pulp, and thinly slice peel. Add peel and water to a large pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in orange and lemon pulp. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in pectin, simmer 5 minutes. Add sugar, bring to a hard boil, and cook 2 minutes. Jar the marmalade Remove from heat. Pour hot marmalade into sterilized ½-pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims, seal with lids and rings. Water bath process Place jars in a boiling water bath and process for 10 minutes. Remove carefully and let cool on the counter. Listen for the satisfying “pop” of sealed lids!

✨ The Reward

When the jars cool and line up on the counter, glowing like golden jewels, you know you’ve captured something special. Each spoonful brings back the sunshine of summer, even in the coldest winter months. See full recipe below

Whether enjoyed on toast, baked into pastries, or gifted to friends and family, this homemade orange marmalade is the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and just a hint of bitter—truly a taste of tradition.

For us, this marmalade will always hold a little extra meaning. It’s more than just a spread—it’s a memory of long days in the kitchen with my mom, finding joy in the simple act of cooking together.

🥫 Do you have a favorite canning memory or family recipe? I’d love to hear your stories! Share your canning traditions in the comments below or tag me on social media if you try this recipe—I may feature a few in a future post. Together, let’s keep the tradition of home canning alive.