Have a sweet bite of summer! Cantaloupe jelly recipe is an old fashioned southern treat that you make in the slow cooker. It's an easy freezer jam that anyone can make! Just five ingredients make a soft, amber jelly that's so full of flavor you'll want to eat it with a spoon. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for longer storage. No pectin needed.
For this recipe you'll need: cantaloupe, sugar, lemon juice, salt, vanilla beans or vanilla extract, jelly jars or plastic freezer containers
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Easy Cantaoupe Jelly Anyone Can Make!
I've made homemade jelly, jam, freezer jam, pickles, and preserves for a long time.
There's really nothing like the fresh summer flavor that's captured in homemade jams and jellies. You can't buy it at the store no matter how much you pay for it.
Sadly, most people don't have time to make jam and jelly anymore. I know that, as much as I enjoy the process, I rarely have time to do it. Life is just too busy!
Life isn't too busy for this cantaloupe jelly! I do think that jelly is a misnomer - since it's slow cooked it's really more like a cantaloupe butter. Still the flavor is fabulously rich and fruity plus the color is a gorgeous, glowy amber.
It's almost as if it produces its own light.
I found this recipe stuffed into the pages of an old cookbook I bought - it was torn from a newspaper and I have no idea where or when it was from. I added the vanilla bean because it reminded me of my favorite summer breakfast when I was little.
Cantaloupe and Vanilla
In the 1960s people were less concerned about diets. Personally, I think we've become overly concerned about it to the point that we've created an obese society by trying to tamper with real food to make it something it was never meant to be but I'm going to stay off that soapbox for now.
Anyway, in the 1960s, at least in MY house, ice cream was a viable dairy product. So, there was absolutely nothing wrong with a cantaloupe, cut in half with the seeds scooped out, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the center of it for breakfast on the weekend.
It was my favorite.
The combination of the sweet, juicy fruit and the creamy, vanilla ice cream was heavenly to me. I loved it! So when I found this recipe I decided to try to add vanilla to it in order to recreate the flavors of my childhood summers. So happy to say that it worked!
Once you've tried this easy freezer jam on the buttermilk bread, Amish white bread, or the English muffin bread you are going to be hooked!
Cantaloupe Jelly Variations
As with everything, there are tons of variations! Here are some of my favorites.
- Add 1 teaspoon of grated, fresh ginger instead of the vanilla
- Use half peaches or mangoes
- Add a few mint leaves
- A little freshly grated nutmeg is nice
- Use half brown sugar and half white sugar
- Use honey for the sweetener instead of sugar - be sure to use about ⅓ less
- Try honeydew instead of cantaloupe - I haven't tried watermelon yet but I plan to. Crenshaw melon, and other melons are also great possibilities
- A leaf or two of lemon basil or lemon balm is nice if you're growing it
- Lemon zest adds an extra zing
More Jam and Jelly from Restless Chipotle
I have several jam and jelly recipes here on Restless Chipotle. Whether you are an experienced jelly maker or not there's something for you here!
- Strawberry Margarita Jam is what happens when you add a splash of tequila, salt and lime to a strawberry jam recipe!
- Dried Fig Jam is another one you won't need pectin for! This is one of my favorites for using with appetizers and charcuterie boards.
- Bacon Onion Jam is made with sweet caramelized onions, smoky bacon, rich maple syrup, and spicy chipotle are simmered until the mixture becomes thick and jammy. So good on burgers but also on bagels!
Tips for Making Jelly without Pectin
When you make this cantaloupe jelly, or any freezer jam or jelly without pectin, you should expect that resulting jelly to be somewhat softer than when you use pectin. It shouldn't be runny but it will be more like what the jelly companies are calling "spreadable fruit". Here are some tips to help you out -
- If it's too runny after 4 hours take the top off the slow cooker and let it continue to cook an hour or so. This allows the liquid to evaporate more easily.
- If you'd like a firmer freezer jam use 3 tablespoons of pectin and follow the cooking instructions on the pectin package
- Do not seal this in jelly jars. It should be stored in the freezer until ready to use and then it should be thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
- Longer cooking will give it a darker color. For a more golden color use pectin as directed and forgo the slow cooker.
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I use the little four ounce jam jars. They work great and you can use them in the freezer. And if you happen to need a slow cooker this programmable slow cooker is my favorite!
Southern Cantaloupe Jelly Recipe
One of the things I love about this is the fact that you can use cantaloupe that either was a teeny disappointing or got too ripe before you could get to it. Make batches of this and store in the freeze for gift giving and hostess gifts all year long.
📖 Recipe
Cantaloupe Jelly
Print SaveEquipment Needed
- Jelly Jars
Ingredients
- 2 ripe cantaloupe, , seeded, cut from rind and diced (5 cups puree)
- 1 vanilla bean, , or 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 cups of sugar, , or more depending on sweetness of fruit
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
- Spray the crock of a slow cooker with nonstick spray.
- Set aside.
- Puree the cantaloupe in the blender in small batches.
- Add the cantaloupe, vanilla bean (if using vanilla extract add it last), lemon juice, sugar, and salt to the slow cooker.
- Stir well.
- Cook on low for 2 to 4 hours. You may need more time depending on the juiciness of the fruit.
- Remove the vanilla bean and scrape the insides into the jelly, then discard the pod. Add the vanilla if using extract.
- Stir to distribute the vanilla then spoon into freezer containers.
- Freeze until ready to use.
- Unfrozen jam will keep in refrigerator about 1 to 2 weeks
Notes
- Add 1 teaspoon of grated, fresh ginger instead of the vanilla
- Use half peaches or mangoes
- Add a few mint leaves
- A little freshly grated nutmeg is nice
- Use half brown sugar and half white sugar
- Use honey for the sweetener instead of sugar - be sure to use about ⅓ less
- Try honeydew instead of cantaloupe - I haven't tried watermelon yet but I plan to. Crenshaw melon, and other melons are also great possibilities
- A leaf or two of lemon basil or lemon balm is nice if you're growing it
- Lemon zest adds an extra zing
Bryan L Powers
What would I have to do to the recipe so I can actually can it and use a water bath
Marye
You can't can this safely no matter what you do to it.
DIANNA SHERRILL
Hi Jackie,
is there any difference if I dont want to freeze can the jam?
Marye Audet
Dianna - no you can just put it right in the fridge. 🙂
Marye Audet
Thanks Jackie - It's southern-sweet and very unusual. I really love it... especially when I end up with some melon that's just not as yummy as I think it should be for eating out of hand.
Pam
I tried this because of an over abundance of cantaloupe in my garden. It is so addicting, I didn't know what to expect and fell in love. It's different from what we are use to, but very delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I cooked mine on the stove, and had to add some thickener. If you need to add some, take some of the hot juice, let cool a little and add to the cool juice. Now you can add it to the rest of the cantaloupe. Definitely will do this again. I tried on pretzels, the salt made it taste even better! Which was hard to imagine in the first place. Lol
Marye Audet
I am SO glad you liked it!