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Sweet, fruity and packed with fresh peach flavor, this peach and vanilla bourbon jam is a delicious way to preserve ripe summer peaches. The vanilla adds a subtle warmth while the bourbon brings just enough richness to make this jam feel a little extra special.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
No Peeling Required – Just like with my peach cobbler jam recipe, there’s no need to peel the peaches. Once the jam is blended, the skins disappear into the finished jam, saving you time without affecting the texture.
Ready in 30 Minutes – This quick, small-batch jam comes together in around 30 minutes, making it perfect when you have a few ripe peaches sitting on the counter waiting to be used.
Perfect for Breakfast, Dessert, or Gifting – The vanilla and bourbon give this jam a little something extra while still letting the fresh peach flavor shine. Spread it on warm sourdough toast, spoon it over vanilla ice cream, or pour it into a pretty jar for an easy homemade gift.
Ingredients
- Peaches – Fresh, ripe peaches will give you the best flavor and natural sweetness. If your peaches are a little underripe, you can add a bit more sugar to balance the flavor.
- Sugar – Sugar sweetens the jam while also helping it thicken and preserve properly.
- Water – A little water helps stop the peaches from sticking before they begin releasing their juices.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps the jam set as it cooks.
- Vanilla Bean (or Vanilla Extract) – If you have a vanilla bean, it’s well worth using here. It gives the jam a richer vanilla flavor and those beautiful little flecks of vanilla throughout. Vanilla extract works well here too but the flavor doesn’t come through quite as strongly.
- Bourbon – The bourbon adds a subtle depth of flavor that complements the peaches and vanilla without overpowering them. Most of the alcohol cooks off as the jam simmers, leaving behind a rich, well-balanced flavor.
How To Make Peach And Vanilla Bourbon Jam
Add the peaches, sugar, water and lemon juice to a heavy-based pot. If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the pot and add the pod as well.
Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the peaches begin to soften. Stir in half the bourbon, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jam has thickened.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Cooking Tip
If the mixture starts looking too thick before the fruit has softened, add a teaspoon of water at a time as needed.
Stir in the remaining bourbon and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and let the jam cool for 5 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod, then blend until smooth using an immersion blender.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Texture Tip
If the jam seems a little thin after blending, simply return it to the heat and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes after blending.
Ladle the warm jam into clean glass jars and allow it to cool completely before sealing and refrigerating.
What To Eat With Peach And Vanilla Bourbon Jam
One of my favorite ways to serve this jam is as part of a cheeseboard. Pair it with creamy brie, blue cheese or sharp cheddar, a handful of roasted nuts and some whole wheat sourdough crackers for an easy appetizer that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
It’s also delicious at breakfast. Spoon it over whole wheat sourdough pancakes, swirl it into plain yogurt, or serve it with sourdough discard granola and fresh peaches for an easy breakfast that’s packed with summer flavor.
If you happen to have a jar leftover, try using it as the filling for sourdough hand pies. Just swap the filling instructions for the peach jam. The peach and vanilla flavors make a delicious filling tucked inside buttery sourdough pastry.
How To Store + Freeze
Peach and vanilla bourbon jam should be stored in a clean glass jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
You can freeze this jam as well, for about 3 months. Leave about ½ inch of headspace if freezing so the jam has room to expand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh peaches will give you the best flavor, but frozen peaches will work if that’s what you have available.
No! The peach skins blend seamlessly into the jam with the immersion blender so you can skip the extra prep.
If it’s still runny after cooling completely, simply return it to the heat and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes before testing it again.
While I highly recommend using a fresh vanilla bean (it does make a difference), vanilla extract works well here too if that’s what you have on hand.
Peach Bourbon Vanilla Jam
Equipment
- Medium Heavy Based Saucepan
- Immersion Blender
- Stainless Steel Ladle
- Glass Jars For Storage (I've used two 300ml jars, or two 10oz jars)
Ingredients
- 7 Peaches, cut into ½ in chunks, skin on (920 g whole, 670 g cut up)
- 130 g Sugar
- 100 g Water
- 20 g Lemon Juice, about ½ a lemon
- 1 Vanilla Bean, or 20 g vanilla extract
- 50 g Bourbon
Instructions
- Add the peaches, sugar, water and lemon juice to a heavy based pot.If using a vanilla bean, split it lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the pot. Add both the seeds and the empty vanilla pod.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the peaches soften, they'll begin to release their juices.
- Add half of the bourbon and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches have broken down and the jam has thickened. Stir through the remaining bourbon and cook for another minute.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow the jam to cool for around 5 minutes.If you used a vanilla bean, remove the pod before blending.
- Carefully blend the jam until smooth using an immersion blender. If the jam still seems a little thin, return it to medium heat and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. If you'd like a stronger bourbon flavor, stir through a small splash during the final minute of cooking.
- Carefully ladle the warm jam into clean glass jars and allow it to cool completely before sealing.
- Store the peach bourbon vanilla jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Remember that jam thickens as it cools. If it seems slightly loose when hot, give it time to cool before deciding whether it needs additional cooking. If it’s still loose after some time, you can add it back to the pot and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor but follow these two important steps: 1. Be sure the cooked down jam has cooled down completely, almost room temperature to avoid splatter and burns! 2. Work in small batches. Blending in a processor can get messy so just be sure to do a little at a time to avoid splatter and stains.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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