Orange Marmalade
Orange Marmalade is like sunshine in a glass jar! It’s got tons of naturally sweet and tart flavor that’s enhanced by sugar and a dash of vanilla bean paste. Serve it on a slice of toast, with a stack of pancakes, or even stirred into a savory sauce. You’ll love having this multipurpose homemade marmalade in your kitchen!
Orange Marmalade
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 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.
Oh, and you’ll absolutely love the smell of this marmalade! Making this recipe is an aromatic experience you won’t soon forget. It will make your kitchen smell better than any candle ever could!
This simple Orange Marmalade recipe is so delightfully easy to make. 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.
If you like the sweet, juicy flavor of oranges, you’ll obsess over how that natural flavor is highlighted in this rustic recipe.
How to Make Orange Marmalade
Prepare to feel like a real home chef when you brag that you can make your very own marmalade!
Slice the oranges. Slice the oranges thinly, approximately 1/8 inch thick, picking out the seeds as you go. A mandolin makes this process move quickly.
Heat the ingredients. 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.
Simmer and stir. 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°F-223°F on a candy thermometer.
Store or serve, and enjoy! 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.
Uses for 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, 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.
- 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.
- 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 plate in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove the plate and place a small drop of marmalade on the plate. If it thickens up, your marmalade is ready!
Grab those glass mason jars and let’s get to work!
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Get the Recipe: 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.
101 Comments on “Orange Marmalade”
This recipe sounds great and easy! Love marmalades and jams. I am considering doing enough to cold pack to seal them. Do you think it will work?
Yes! It is perfect for canning!
Do u have an easy recipe rhubarb sauce I can’t wait try orange marmalade, will let u know does it cost to sign up on c to this website
Hi Cheryl! It’s free to sign up for my emails. And I’ll have a rhubarb jam in a few weeks that you will probably like. I haven’t tried a sauce yet but will definitely give it a go this rhubarb season!
Up to 10 days!!? That’s a lot to take. What can I do to make that longer like 6 months or so?
You could freeze it, I transfer it to an airtight container (like the disposable Glad or Ziplock containers) and cover with plastic wrap before sealing with the lid.
You can also just put the mixture into smaller jars and can them. So you just open a new jar as you use them. if you added some lemon juice you should be able to have a low enough PH level. also the orange oil in the oranges should suppress bacteria.
Thanks for the suggestions, Stan!
Love to receive your emails. Please add me to your mailing list.
Will do!
Try just canning it in small jars. may need to ass a little lemon juice to hit your ph level.
I made the recipe but found that I needed to add another cup of water and more sugar. I just added a cap of vanilla and that was enough. Then I had to cook it down because I don’t like a thin marmalade. But the vanilla seemed to do something to bring out more of the orange flavor. It occurs to me that with a little white vinegar this could be a good glaze for pork.
So how much lemon juice do you think you should add? I really want to make this to put up for winter….
It usually comes out to about a tablespoon.
What a nice and easy recipe. I’ve been wanting some marmalade like I had years ago at a hotel in Washington DC. As I recall it was called “Pecan Praline Orange Marmalade”. The pecans had been toasted before adding them to the marmalade. I’m trying to work out in my head how best to do this… I’m thinking to toast the pecans in some butter and add it in just prior to canning … the vanilla in your recipe will punch up the “praline” side of things. ‘course, maybe just make a glazed pecan, chop and add.. What do you think? Any suggestions?
I would add the pecan right before canning, I think the oils in the nuts could make it difficult for the marmalade to set up so definitely hold off on adding them until the end.
I tried this recipe exactly as written and basically I am out a pound of oranges. I cooked the mixture for over an hour and it never changed color nor did the rinds soften or the mix thicken as stated it would. I was excited to try this but am very disappointed.
Hi Chandra, I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you and that you wasted your oranges. I’ll test the recipe again but other readers have made it with great results. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you through the process should you decide to give it another try.
When you freeze it in the plastic containers are you putting the marmalade directly in the container or the jars in the container? Thank you!
I freeze in plastic containers.
My daughter and I tried this yesterday, and it never thickened nor did it turn darker. Not sure what went wrong. We did exactly as the recipe said.
I’m finding that some oranges may react differently and have to be cooked a bit longer. Sometimes up to an hour or hour and a half. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you but I’ll need to go back and add my favorite orange varieties for this recipe.
Hi, your recipe sounds lovely. Before I dive in to cook all the oranges we’ve grown, did you really mean this marmalade has to be eaten in 10 days ?.? Probably not – but how long will it keep out of the refrigerator? thankyou for a great-sounding recipe. Maggie
I have had this in the fridge for about a month….but it usually doesn’t last that long because it gets eaten before that.
Can I can it in jars and seal so it will last? I am making for Christmas baskets? Also should I use pectin?
You don’t need to use pectin and you can can it in jars/seal it. Some readers have left some great tips if you want to read through those. I’m not a canning expert and usually just eat it within a month.
I know this is a year later, but altitude is a major factor, as well as humidity. If you live at a higher altitude, then sugary recipes tend to not set up like they are supposed to. Also high humidity will cause similar issues.
Thank you for your tip!
I have a bumper crop of naval oranges this year but I hate canning and making preserves so I was looking for a simple marmalade recipe that would allow me to enjoy my oranges all year long without a huge production. I have to admit though that after trying this recipe, I did not like it. The inclusion of the pith makes the marmalade too bitter to overcome with any amount of sugar. However, I did enjoy the simplicity of this recipe so with a couple minor tweaks, I was able to produce a delicious marmalade that will be my go-to recipe from now on. All I did was use a cheese grater to remove the rind from the whole oranges, then I sliced the oranges in half, sliced off the pith, and finished them off with the mandolin and followed the cooking instructions as shown in the recipe. I also replaced half the sugar with honey, which gives it a nice honey-orange flavor. I agree that the vanilla adds a nice touch. Delicious!
Love all your tips! I do know that when I use large navels the pith is a bit more bitter so you can do what you did or add a bit more sugar. I try to use a thinner skinned orange for this reason.
i am making this but will add 3 tbs chia seeds may will make thick will let you know
Oooo, that’s a good idea! Please come back and let us know how that turned out.
Tried two batches, even weighed my oranges. The sugar and water evaporate leaving me with just semi soft oranges. First time making a marmalade so I tried twice. Same issue. Even used a candy thermometer but this just didn’t turn out like a spreadable “jam” like it sounds like it’s supposed to.
Never got to the “jammy” consistency you mentioned even after an hour.
Anyone else who’s had problems, have you figured out a solution?
I was so excited to have this for breakfast.
Oh no! I’m so sorry you had issues with the jam not setting up. I’m wondering now if the oranges may be the culprit. I recreated the recipe yesterday using cara cara oranges and it’s IMPERATIVE that the oranges are thinly sliced. I’ll try again with a navel orange. What type of oranges were you using? I have a marmalade expert I can ask for troubleshooting tips, too.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar!
You can try! I haven’t tested the recipe with it so I can’t guarantee results.
I have never eaten (or prepared) orange marmalade before, but I have a recipe for glazed carrots that called for it that I wanted to try. THIS IS SO GOOD. I had mandarin oranges on hand, so that’s what I used. I threw them in the food processor with the slicing blade and cooked it all up, per the instructions. It’s delicious.
I’m so so sooooo glad you loved it! AND I can’t wait to use it on my carrots, that sounds so amazing. Thank you!
till After 2 hours I just have hot sweet oranges. I’ve made lots of jam before so I’m not inexperienced so ……… I’ll just put this down to an unfortunate pinterest fail.
The marmalade thickens as it cools….if it’s still hot it’s going to be more liquid……like if you put jam in the microwave for a few seconds.
I cooked this for an extra hour all the while adding more water (approx 2 cups) and it turned into more of a puree than a jam – very disappointing and a huge waste of fruit.
I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you but I’m curious as to why would you add an extra 2 cups of water? It will definitely turn into more of a puree if you’re adding additional water, you need to give the fruit time to cook down and concentrate. The marmalade does thicken to a jammy consistency when it cools. As when you put jam in the microwave and heat it….it will be runny. So, hot marmalade while you’re cooking it will not set until it’s cooled. Hope that helps.
Left me with hot oranges and no marmalade. #disappointed Will not be recommending to my friends. 🙁
Hi Hope, I’m so sorry this didn’t work out for you. Did you try the freezer test to make sure it set? If the oranges were still hot, did you give them a chance to chill in the fridge overnight? The jam will still be pretty fluid when it’s hot like if you heated jelly in a saucepan, it will become thin.
Can this recipe be canned so that I can send it to family and friends?
I haven’t tried canning it so I’m not sure.
Can I double up on thr recipe?
You sure can!
I added the seeds from the orange and some lime zest. The seeds help with setting. I put them in a little mesh bag I happened to have. Use lemon seeds too if you have them. I added Jamaica leaves (I’m in Mexico) what a pretty colour and the taste is amazing. Also added a little local vanilla…..it’s setting now, but the cold plate test worked fine. During cooking, added orange juice that’s I’d juiced from the oranges. I don’t like tons of peel so hopefully it will be like runny jelly with a small amount of very thinly sliced peel.
I added the orange juice as the liquid evaporated….so it’s not too thick and sticky
Thank you!
Thank you so much for commenting with your tips! It’s one of my favorite recipes.
Marmalade is currently on- don’t think I,ve cut the oranges small enough! Can I strain them after & leave them out so it becomes more like a jelly jam ? Welsh lady in wales uk 1st time attempting marmalade/ jam! Help!
Hi Jo! If you feel the peels don’t melt down enough, you can strain them. The jam may be a little runnier but to be sure it’s the right consistency, put a drop or two on a plate and stick it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes to make sure it sets to the consistency you want. Good luck!
Thank you! This is my second time making the marmalade. I was so happy with the first results! Thanks for the helpful recipe. I don’t think I’ll buy another jar of marmalade again!
I’m so glad you liked it! A lot of people are commenting it’s watery but I think they didn’t wait long enough for it to chill before making that assumption. thank you for your comment!
Absolutely adore this! Thank you so much – so easy to make, and it worked! I always thought having some home made marmalade would be difficult, so I appreciate your sharing x
Thank you for your comment! It’s a favorite of mine.
I’m getting ready to try this recipe now. Wish me luck.
Please let me know how it turned out!
can I water bath can this recipe ?
I’ve never done it but it should work out just fine!
Canning for jam is ten minutes in a boiling water bath -simple
Thank you!
I tried this recipe… It took much longer than stated but it did turn out perfectly! And it taste great! Thanks for sharing!
Sometimes it does take a bit longer to make depending on the type of oranges used for the recipe. So glad you loved it!
I made these from the orange tree in my yard. They have thick rinds. I cut about a 3rd of the rind off, discarded them and simmered the rest for an hour,. I did the set test in the freezer on a very cold plate and it set in 5 minutes. I also canned them in 4 oz jars. The recipe made 5 jars. I boiled them for 10 minutes in the jars. The cooking time in the pot is going to vary due to the thickness of the rind. The canning method boiling time is going to vary depending on your altitude. If you have not ever canned before, you can go to the National Center For Home Food Preservation website for more information.
I’m sorry, my miscount, 7 jars! 🙂
🙂
Thank you so much for your canning tips! I know a lot of readers will appreciate it as much as I do.
I made this twice as directed with great results. My thermometer wasn’t working as planned so I boiled the mix for a bit before reducing to simmering. It also had to simmer longer than 30 minutes before it reduced to my liking. Sunny color and delicious. I love that it’s lower in sugar than other recipes. I like the small batch too. Worked for me!
I’m so happy you loved it! And yes, I think a lot of readers are not letting it simmer long enough and then it does set up when it cools. Some oranges take longer to cook down than others due to the sugar content.
Tried this recipe, and mine has not changed colour nor has it thickened ☹️. It’s been on for an hour and a half but still like water. Wanted to show my husband that there is an easier way to make it but I guess not. He will have to make his.
I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you…..some oranges seem to take longer to thicken than other varieties.
CANT YOU CAN IT WHERE IT WILL LAST LONGER THEN 3 DAYS
Yes, you can definitely can it to make it last longer or even freeze it in a freezer safe container. The three days is a conservative estimate for jam that’s already opened.
Love it. My first time making marmalade. I used naval oranges because that’s what we grow. The first time I cut the pith out. A lot of work. So I tried another batch with the pith and little extra sugar which I mascerated overnight. Yummy. I took longer to set up, maybe its the elevation thing but well worth the time. I love the simplicity of the recipe.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Good one
Thank you!
so easy and so tasty, love it
Thank you so much!
I live in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. I have free Valencia oranges available. Also some not so sweet oranges. How would you use them in your recipe?
You may want to add a bit more sugar and definitely remove some of the peel and pith as it may be a bit more bitter than a sweeter orange would be.
Came out bitter and tasting like hot over ripe oranges. Tried it again incase of cooks error and the same. I used fresh orange from my tree.
Hi Aly, I’m sorry your’s didn’t turn out but your marmalade needs to chill…..so it most certainly shouldn’t last like hot anything.
Carol Rai
Thank you!
Carol Rai
I absolutely love this recipe that I’ve tried for the 3rd time and comes out beautifully making the BEST marmalade jam.. Reminds me so much of my late Mum who loved it and made it all the time ❤️
Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you loved it!
May this be frozen?
Yes, this does freeze well!
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.
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 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!
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.
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. 🙂