Paula Deen Strawberry-Apricot Preserves

Paula Deen strawberry-apricot preserves take 20 minutes and just 3 ingredients, mashed apricots, sugar and strawberry gelatin, to make a bright, spreadable jam. It's an easy homemade preserves recipe for holiday gifts, Sunday brunch or church supper tables, and it's a small-batch stovetop recipe.

Keep the pot at a full rolling boil for the whole 4 minutes, because that is what sets the preserves and dissolves the sugar. Pull it early and you get a runny, syrupy spread that never thickens in the jar.

Paula skips the pectin and lets strawberry gelatin do the setting, which is why this takes minutes instead of an afternoon. The gelatin also gives the apricots a strawberry flavor and a rosy color they would never have on their own.

Paula Deen Strawberry-Apricot Preserves

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Course: BreakfastCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

190

kcal

Mashed apricots, sugar and strawberry gelatin cook down at a rolling boil into a soft, spoonable preserve. Once it cools in the jars, it spreads thick and glossy over toast or biscuits.

Ingredients

• 3 cups mashed ripe apricots
  

• 3 cups sugar
  

• 2 (3 oz) packages strawberry gelatin mix
  

Directions

• Mash the apricots: Mash the ripe apricots until you have 3 cups, leaving a few small chunks if you like texture. Then pour them into a large saucepan.
• Add the sweeteners: Stir 3 cups sugar and 2 packages (3 oz each) strawberry gelatin mix into the mashed apricots. Give it a good stir so the gelatin does not clump.
• Boil the preserves: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then cook for 4 minutes. Stir frequently so the bottom does not scorch.
• Skim the foam: Skim off any foam that rises to the top with a spoon. That keeps the finished preserves clear and glossy.
• Jar and seal: Pour the hot preserves into sterilized jars and seal them right away. The recipe fills 8 half-pint jars, so line them up before you start.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Ball regular mouth mason jars, 12 pack, OXO silicone spatula set. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use canned apricots instead of fresh?

Yes, as long as you drain them well before mashing, since extra liquid keeps the preserves from setting. Measure out 3 cups of mashed fruit after draining.

How long do these preserves keep?

Properly sealed jars keep in a cool, dark pantry for months, and once opened they should go in the fridge. Any jar that did not seal should be refrigerated and eaten first.

Can I use a different gelatin flavor?

Strawberry is what makes this recipe taste like strawberry-apricot, so other flavors will change the result. Peach or orange gelatin would work if you want a more apricot-forward spread.

Why did my preserves turn out runny?

The most common cause is not holding a full rolling boil for the whole 4 minutes. Too much liquid in the fruit can also keep it from setting, and the jars firm up as they cool.

Can I cut the sugar?

I would not, because the sugar works with the gelatin to set the preserves and helps them keep. Cutting it gives you a softer, less stable spread.