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This Orange Marmalade recipe is bright, sweet-tart, and made with whole oranges, lemon, and sugar, plus a spoonful of vanilla bean paste for a subtle creamsicle-style finish. You’ll simmer it until it reaches a jammy consistency (look for 222–223°For use the freezer-plate test). It’s ready in about 15 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes of cooking time, and it’s perfect on toast, pancakes, or stirred into savory sauces.
I tested this recipe multiple times to get a reliable set without pectin, using both the thermometer method and the freezer-plate test, so you end up with marmalade that’s sticky and spoonable.
So easy and fresher tasting than the kind from the store! I chopped up my orange slices so I would have smaller chunks of peel, but other than that followed the recipe exactly.
– Kara
I’ve always been a jam girl. As a little kid, when it came to making a PB&J sandwich, I’d always plead for more J and less PB. I’m the same way as an adult! While I’ll always have a nostalgic soft spot in my heart for store bought grape jelly, my tastes matured to greener pastures with recipes like this truly incredible homemade Orange Marmalade.
The most delicious thing (in my humble opinion) about this sweet Orange Marmalade is the touch of vanilla in there. There’s just enough to make you think of an orange creamsicle when you taste it, but not so much that it competes with the tangy orange flavor. It’s the perfect balance of sweetness to offset the bitter taste of the orange peel.
This easy Orange Marmalade recipe is so delightfully easy to make with no added commercial pectin. You’ll need some time to hang out a bit so you can stir occasionally, and it takes a bit of time to thicken up to a jam consistency, but your patience will be greatly rewarded by the most beautiful results.
It’s the perfect spread for your popovers or with a smear of cream cheese on toasted brioche bread or No Knead Sourdough Bread.
Ingredients for Orange Marmalade
- Fresh Oranges – Seville oranges are, by far, the best for marmalade but we love using Cara Cara oranges, Navel oranges, blood oranges, clementines, Valencia oranges and mandarin oranges. You can use other citrus fruits like grapefruit and lemon but Orange marmalade is as classic as it gets.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar adds the perfect balance of sweetness.
- Vanilla – Not traditional in marmalade, pure vanilla extract adds a sweet earthiness.
For full ingredients list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to avoid bitter marmalade
- Don’t let it scorch once the sugar goes in, burnt sugar turns bitter quickly.
- Use thin-skinned oranges when you can (navel, Cara Cara, mandarins). A thick peel can taste more bitter.
- Minimize pith (the white part). A little is fine, but lots of pith leads to more bitterness.
- Slice consistently: very thick slices can stay chewy and taste bitter; thin, even slices soften and mellow better.
How to make Orange Marmalade
- Slice the oranges evenly. Thin, consistent slices cook up tender and less bitter than thick chunks.
- Start with gentle heat. Bring the mixture up slowly so the sugar dissolves cleanly (less chance of scorching).
- Simmer and stir near the end. As it thickens, stir more often to prevent burning.
- Use one of two set tests:
- Thermometer: aim for 222–223°F.
- Freezer-plate test: a spoonful should wrinkle when you push it after 1 minute in the freezer.
- Let it cool to finish setting. Marmalade thickens as it cools, don’t judge final thickness while it’s piping hot.
Why this marmalade sets without pectin
Oranges and lemons naturally contain pectin, and as the mixture cooks down, the sugar, acid and heat help it gel. That’s why the temperature target matters: around 222–223°F (at sea level) you’re typically at the gel point. If you don’t have a thermometer, the freezer-plate test is a reliable backup.
How To Use Orange Marmalade
Grab a spoon and eat this jarred sunshine all by itself! (Kidding… Kind of!)
- Pair it with your favorite bready carb. Pancakes, Biscuits, Waffles, Best French Toast Recipe Ever, croissants, and toast are just a few of my favorite treats to pair with orange marmalade.
- Make it savory. Orange marmalade? Savory? YES! One of my favorite appetizer recipes of all time is my classic Slow Cooker Spicy Orange Marmalade Meatballs. Or stir it into a pan sauce for pork chops, swap it out with the jam in this Easy Apricot Chicken.
- Use it in a sandwich. Smear this homemade Orange Marmalade on a piece of bread and layer your sandwich with brie and turkey for a delicious lunch! You can really get creative with your sandwich building.
Tips for the Best Orange Marmalade
- Don’t let it burn! Make sure you stir the marmalade occasionally as it cooks to ensure it’s mixed well and not burning in the pan. Also, don’t forget to lower the temperature after it reaches a boil. If your mixture burns you will end up with a bitter marmalade.
- Check the temperature. Use a candy thermometer to check if the marmalade is done. It should reach about 223°F before you remove it from the heat. If you take it off the heat too early, the consistency will not be jammy and thick.
- Freezer test! If you’re unsure if your marmalade is ready, put a small plate in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove the plate and place a small drop of marmalade on the frozen plate. If it thickens up, your marmalade is ready!
Storage, Freezing, and Canning
Refrigerate
Store orange marmalade in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Freeze
For longer storage, freeze marmalade for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir before using.
Optional: Water-bath canning (for pantry storage)
If you’d like to can your marmalade, ladle it into hot, clean jars, leaving about ¼-inch space at the top, wipe rims clean, and seal with lids. Process in a boiling water bath following safe canning guidelines for your altitude.
Easy Orange Marmalade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound oranges, about 4 medium
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
- Slice the oranges thinly, approximately 1/8 inch thick, picking out the seeds as you go. A mandolin makes this process move quickly.
- Place the orange sliced in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the water, sugar and vanilla.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to low.
- Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has darkened in color and thickened to a jammy consistency. The process will take approximately 35-40 minutes and the temperature will read 222-223 F on a candy thermometer.
- Carefully transfer the marmalade to canning jars and seal with the lid.
- Marmalade can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days in an airtight container.
Notes
- Set check: Marmalade is ready at 222–223°F or when it wrinkles on the freezer-plate test.
- It thickens as it cools: Don’t judge final thickness while it’s boiling hot.
- Prevent bitterness: Avoid excess pith (white layer) and don’t let the mixture scorch once sugar is added.
- Stir more near the end: As it thickens, stir frequently to prevent burning.
- If it’s too runny: Simmer a bit longer and re-test.
- If it’s too thick: Warm gently and stir in water 1 Tbsp at a time until loosened.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Bitterness usually comes from too much pith, very thick peel, or scorched sugar. Use thin-skinned oranges, minimize pith, and stir more frequently as it thickens.
No, citrus has natural pectin. This recipe relies on the gel point (temperature) and/or the freezer-plate test to confirm set.
First, let it cool completely (it thickens as it cools). If it’s still runny, return it to the pot and simmer a bit longer, then re-test with the freezer plate or thermometer.
Warm it gently and stir in a little water (1–2 tablespoons at a time) until it loosens to your preferred consistency.
Yes. Freeze in freezer-safe containers (leave a little headspace) and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Yes, if you want longer storage, use clean jars and a water-bath process time appropriate for your altitude. (See the canning section above.)
Can the Orange Marmalade be frozen in the jars if I leave a little head room?
Yes, definitely leave about 1/2 inch of space at the top of the container.
Will this work in a slow cooker?
I haven’t tried it in a slow cooker so I can’t say for sure. That’s definitely being added to may to-do list!
Will This water bath? I like to keep a variety of jams and jellies, but being a single, I like to do small batches. Then be able to pull out one anytime during the year. Thanks for your help.
I haven’t tested it for canning but I do freeze it in batches. It thaws beautifully!
It absolutely will! As I make larger batches to handle my 2 mandarin orange trees, I definitely need the finished product to last longer. A 10 minute boiling water bath (as is standard for most jams) works well and the result lasts! Just read up a bit on canning/boiling water baths and you’ll be fine.
Thank you for your comment, Suzanne!
So easy and fresher tasting than the kind from the store! I chopped up my orange slices so I would have smaller chunks of peel, but other than that followed the recipe exactly. 🙂
Would it be possible to use a sugar substitute like Swerve to make the marmalade for diabetic individuals?
I haven’t tested it with Swerve so I can’t say for sure.
I am making this today after reading the comments plus a traditional british marmalade recipe. I hope no one threw out the finished product even if it didnt thicken up. You can just add some instant pectin and voila! Also I got an awesome tip from the british recipe. Orange seeds (or pips) contain more pectin than store bought powder. Cook them in muslin with the jam and at end of cooking time squeeze the pectin from the cooled muslin to release the pectin into you marmalade! The british version also contained lemons with the oranges. One more thing to reviews who said it was too bitter. Traditional marmalade is made with bitter oranges so it is supposed to be a little bitter, hence all the sugar. I think this recipe will turn out great and Im looking forward to a cooking challenge! Thank you Kellie!
Thank you so much for your comment…..it’s full of great tips for a lot of readers who may have grown impatience and tossed their marmalade thinking it was ruined. I do appreciate it!
So easy and amazing!!!
Doubled recipe and used 2/3 blood oranges and 1/3 ?? oranges. Not sure what they were because my neighbor gave them to us. Took a little while longer to cook but turned out great. Thank you
Thank you so much! So happy you liked it!
I’m going to add 2 T fresh lemon juice and cut 1/4 slices as I don’t like long rind pieces.
Also, when it doesn’t thicken, folks really need to hit that temperature (223F) or it won’t set correctly
Thank you for your comment! That temperature is spot on and thanks for calling that out.
May this be frozen?
Yes, this does freeze well!