Orange marmalade is a real treat, so bright and sweet with just the tiniest bit of a bite from the acidic citrus. While any seedless oranges will do, Seville oranges are ideal for this recipe. They can be difficult to find though since they are in season for such a short time (late January to mid-February).
The key to this recipe is taking the time to peel and pith the oranges before cooking them down with sugar. The result is an intensely flavored citrus jam.
Using hot water helps to loosen the pectin that will bind together with sugar and create the sauce. A little bit of lemon juice will also help bring out the tartness in the oranges.
For a little extra zip, add some cinnamon or ginger just before you put the marmalade into jars. It will give it a nice little zing of surprising flavor. I recommend Red Ape Premium Ground Cinnamon. It is real cinnamon whereas most of the cinnamon in the grocery store is not. Real cinnamon is milder and sweeter.
Orange Marmalade
This recipe freezes well, and it is good for canning. Spread orange marmalade on French toast, crepes, pancakes, bread or toast. I enjoy it in oatmeal.
While there is a bit of prep, the taste is incredible. Making homemade marmalade is easy; it just takes a bit of time. Follow these step-by-step directions to make orange marmalade.
Ingredients
- 4 large seedless oranges, cleaned well
- 1 lemon, cleaned well
- 8 cups water
- 6 cups sugar
- Optional: Ground cinnamon or ginger
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Other time: 8 to 10 hours overnight soak
This recipe makes 96 servings (2 tablespoons per serving).
Preserves made from oranges are easy to make but take a bit of time.
How to Make Orange Marmalade
- Remove the orange rind using a vegetable peeler. Use a sharp knife to cut the peel into thin slices that are about 2 to 3 inches in length. Remove any seeds. Do the same for the lemon.
- You will see that the pith, the thick, white part just under the peel is left. Use your knife to remove that so all you have is the flesh of the orange. Discard the pith. Do the same for the lemon.
- In a medium pot on high heat, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. When the water begins to boil, add the orange rind and lemon rind. Lower heat to medium high and boil the rind for 10 minutes.
- Drain the water out of the pot but keep the rind inside it. Add more water and repeat the process two more times.
- After the third and last boil, drain the water from the pot. Add the orange segments and lemon segments as well as the sugar and water to cover (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil.
- Boil the orange mixture for 5 to 7 minutes. Lower heat to medium low and allow it to simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to get your marmalade to a temperature of 220 degrees F. Use a food thermometer. You will notice that the marmalade will thicken as it cooks.
- After 40 minutes, test the readiness of the marmalade by pouring a little on a chilled plate. Tilt the plate. If the marmalade runs, it might need a few more minutes of cooking. If it runs slightly but stops, it is ready.
- Transfer the marmalade to jars. (Optional: Sprinkle in ground cinnamon and/or ground ginger. Mix.) Let it rest overnight. As it reaches room temperature it will firm up nicely. Refrigerate.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel easily.
Use for Oranges
Marmalade is the perfect recipe if you have a lot of oranges. Buy them when they are in season and on sale for the freshest taste. If you are lucky enough to have an orange tree, you’ll definitely need to find uses for all the oranges.
How to Use Orange Marmalade
You can add orange marmalade to cauliflower oatmeal and other breakfast foods such as fluffy pancakes.
This orange marmalade tastes divine when slathered on homemade buckwheat bread. It’s also delicious on toast with tea for a light breakfast.
Serve it for brunch with rolls and vegan biscuits. It also is delicious on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.
Easy Marmalade Recipe
There are many ways to make orange marmalade, but this recipe is both simple and delicious. It’s also a healthy way to use the sweet oranges available during the winter season.
It takes a bit more time to prep but I often easily double the batch when I make this. Once, when I had lots of oranges and wanted to make marmalade for several houses on my street, I had three pots on the stovetop at once. I made 10 batches at once. If you have enough pots, it’s easy to do. The process is simple to replicate.
FAQs
What is orange marmalade used for?
Orange marmalade is a simple, sweet and delicious recipe that can be served on toast for breakfast or bread for a snack or appetizer. You can also put it in/on yogurt.
What are best oranges to use for marmalade?
I think the best oranges to use are Seville oranges which is what I recommend if you have access to them. They’re the most flavorful. However, I’ve used many types, and it turns out great.
What is the difference between orange jam and marmalade?
Orange marmalade is made from the orange fruit as well as the peel making it more bitter-tasting than jam. It also uses lemon as an ingredient.
What is the difference between marmalade and jam?
Marmalades are made from citrus fruits whereas jam can be made from citrus as well as other fruits, including strawberries, blueberries, pears, apples, and more.
Which sugar is best for marmalade?
White sugar, also called granulated sugar, is best for marmalade. It works well on the stovetop and dissolves quickly into clear liquid. You can choose organic sugar if your budget permits.
Is marmalade thicker than jam?
They typically have the same thickness and consistency. However, marmalade has pieces of the rind which will be firmer than any remaining fruit pieces.
Making Foods at Home
My son has a sensitivity to palm oil. Because of this, I’ve learned over the years to cook and bake most all of our foods at home. There are lots of easy palm oil free breakfast foods to make from scratch.
While we have been fortunate that jelly, jams, and fruit preserves are typically palm oil free, we sometimes like to make sweet and tangy orange marmalade when our neighbor gives us oranges from their trees. We can only eat so many fresh oranges!
It’s really easy to make preserves, jellies, and jams from scratch too. Try my strawberry jelly and cherry preserves recipes too.
If you make this orange marmalade recipe, please leave a note in the Comments below. I’d love to hear how it turned out. Thank you for your interest in cooking at home!
Orange Marmalade
Ingredients
- 4 large seedless oranges or remove seeds
- 1 lemon
- 8 cups water
- 6 cups sugar
Instructions
- Clean fruits well. Remove the orange rind using a vegetable peeler. Use a sharp knife to cut the peel into thin slices that are about 2 to 3 inches in length. Remove seeds.
- Do the same for the lemon.
- The pith, which is the thick, white part under the peel, is left. Use knife to remove pith so the flesh of the orange remains. Discard the pith. Repeat with the lemon.
- In a medium pot on high heat, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. When the water begins to boil, add the orange rind and lemon rind. Lower heat to medium high and boil the rind for 10 minutes. Drain the water out but keep the rind inside.
- Add more water and repeat the process two more times.
- After the third and last boil, drain the water from the pot. Add the orange segments and lemon segments as well as the sugar and water to cover (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil.
- Boil the orange mixture for 5 - 7 minutes. Lower heat to medium low. Allow it to simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The marmalade will thicken as it cooks. You want to get your marmalade to a temperature of 220 degrees F.
- After 40 minutes, test the readiness of the marmalade by pouring a little on a chilled plate. Tilt the plate. If the marmalade runs, it might need a few more minutes of cooking. If it runs slightly but stops, it is ready.
- Transfer the marmalade to jars and let it rest overnight. As it reaches room temperature it will firm up nicely. Refrigerate, and enjoy as you wish!