Canned sweet & spicy onion marmalade is perfect for meat glazes, toppings and great for appetizer plates.
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I’ve been making this sweet and spicy onion marmalade off and on for years, ever since seeing the original version in Jan Roberts-Dominguez’s food preservation column in The Oregonian newspaper when I first started canning. I love sweet onions and was looking for a way to preserve them through the winter.
This sweet and spicy onion marmalade goes way beyond that though, adding flavor to meats, seafood, and appetizers. I used to think of this as an addictive condiment until I started making Addictive Tomato Chutney, but this runs a close second. Maybe I should call it “slightly addictive onion marmalade?”
Well, whatever I call it, it’s really just plain good. I’ve adapted it through the years to use honey instead of white sugar (and a lot less of it) and lots more red pepper flakes for added spice, though of course you can adjust that if you don’t like things as spicy as we do. This is only slightly spicy with the one teaspoon of red pepper flakes, though–not too spicy at all for most pf the people I’ve served it to – everyone loves it as much as I do!
Make Sweet & Spicy Onion Marmalade
Even though it’s a canning recipe, you don’t actually have to can it – it will keep a couple months in the refrigerator. Although it’s really easy to can, too–it’s just a matter of a few simple steps:
- prepping ingredients and adding them to a pot
- boiling and adding the honey/sugar
- boiling again for a minute
- ladling marmalade into hot, prepared canning jars
- sealing and adding them to a boiling water canner
- boiling for 10 minutes
- removing from canner and cooling
So in less than an hour, you can have six small jars of delicious sweet and spicy onion marmalade lining your pantry shelves–or to give away as special gifts.
Note: this recipe calls for low sugar pectin – I usually use this brand’s “flex batch” pectin, but you can also use this low or no sugar pectin.
This marmalade makes a wonderful glaze for meats and seafood, and is particularly good on a roasted ham. But one of my favorite was to serve this is as a simple appetizer on top of cream cheese or a flavored Boursin cheese. It’s really good. And I love serving different things on a platter for guests than what you can find in stores – it sorta personalizes it and helps it seem more special. I hope you enjoy it, too!
Note: if you need more info on how to can, you can read Boiling Water Canning Steps here or view this video:
Click the arrow for the full onion marmalade recipe (with print options)!
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I made this today, but I used a mix of regular and red onions. I cooked them for a while before adding the honey and sugar, but wondered if I was suppposed to do that. The onions were quite firm – do they soften after a while? I really like the taste, the combination of sweet and tart is perfect. Thank you.
That’s okay to cook them a bit if you like the texture better that way, Norma. The onions do remain firmer, which I like – but it’s totally up to you. It won’t affect the safety or anything of the end product.
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I am having trouble finding the low or no sugar needed pectin. Is there any other pectin I can use.
You can use either of these (Amazon links provided):
Ball Low-No Sugar Pectin
or
Mrs. Wages Lite Fruit Pectin
Hope that helps!
Hello 🤗 I made the spicy and sweet onion marmalade, but I don’t think I made it correctly ☹️. I am wondering, do you have a video on you making the jam?
Oh, shoot. I don’t have a video of that yet, Edith – I’ll have to put it on my to-do list!
Ok to just water bath this as opposed to pressure canning? My mother in law having a fit because it’s onions and she’s saying it’s not safe but I really want to try it !!
If this were just plain onions then, yes, you’d have to pressure can. But this is a basically a jam with vinegar and sugars making it safe for boiling water canning.
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I made this last year during canning season. We have a large garden so I make a variety of tasty goodies. My salsa is always super popular but the onion marmalade may have surpassed it in popularity. Because it was unique I had more people asking a jar and I didn’t have enough. In fact it was so good I greedily kept the last jar just for me!! 🙂 Since it’s canning season again, I’m back for the recipe. This year I’ll triple it and see if I can keep more than 1 jar for myself.
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Since we weren’t in our own home last year, it’s been a few years since we’ve had this, Terrie, and I’m with you – I’m making enough for me first. 🙂
Oh my gosh, made this this afternoon… panicked as it seem so runny and didn’t see it thickening up.. went to dinner, and when we got home it cooled and was perfect !! Still a bit confused as to why you store without the ring on the jar .. but can’t wait to try
Glad to know it all worked out, Patty – yes, sometimes patience is the key. 🙂 Most canning experts tell you to store all canned good without the rings so to ward against any spoilage that may happen with particles caught in the rings and to be able to see the lid better to see if it’s bulging, etc. You don’t have to if you don’t want – I’m not sure it makes that much difference, it’s just what’s normal to me by now. 🙂
hi jami I made the sweet an spicy onion but you say to put the onions in the pot do you cook them beforehand? how long do you boil everything together before the honey an brow sugar? I put the pectin in – will it jell? thanks pat plsek
All the specific directions can be found in the printable recipe – click on the arrows, either at the top of the page or at the bottom – or just click here.
For the marmalade could you reduce the sweetness? That is a ton of honey and sugar.
I actually already did reduce it from the original recipe, Selena! That’s the thing with canned jams, jellies, and marmalades – they require sugar to set. You could try reducing further, but the finished product will not be the same.
I made this recipe and canned it last year. It was a “huge hit” with friends and family. My cousin had given me 5 pounds of peeled onions and I searched for a marmalade recipe. Thanks so much, because I am making it again today.
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5 pounds already peeled onions? That is a sweet cousin. 🙂
I’m glad you and your people enjoy this as much as we do!
This is so delicious! I’ve been canning for several years now and needed to “spice” things up with some variety. I served this with cream cheese at several holiday parties and it’s been THE HIT of the appetizer table. I’m going to have to make a lot more as everyone is asking for a jar. Thanks so much for the recipe.
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I love hearing this, Terrie – so glad everyone appreciated it!
If I don’t use honey, how much sugar should I use?
Is it possible for you to send a sample if I wired you shipping costs to you?
Sorry, no – I don’t have that ability.
I tried making it but the color in not glassy as yours on the picture above.
Please response my comment
I’m not sure what to say, Kerem, I only know that the recipe posted resulted in the item pictured and I have made it many times, as well as others so I know it’s a tested recipe.
Thank you for your kind response.
Two question: what do you think that gives that orange color to it?
What kind of honey do you use?
I have made it with pine honey and without apple juice. What kind of pectin do you use?
Thanks
The apple juice, apple cider, and honey give it the orange hue. I use a clover honey and Ball’s Flex Batch Low or No Sugar pectin. Hope this helps!
This looks so delicious! Thanks so much for sharing, I can’t wait to make it at home! My family will love this for sure!
I made this today and LOVED it! It is easy and definitely something I will keep on my shelf and in the fridge. Mine also was a bit thick the first time but I am not deterred.
Glad you liked it, Sue!
Made this Onion Marmalade with 2 friends. It is so good. Thanks so much, and and certain friends will love receiving this for holiday gits.
Great, Linda – it’s one of my favorite things to give away, too. 🙂
Love trying new recipes. Love onions! This looks like a win win, yay!
Quick question…the ground mustard? Powdered. Right? I’ve seen recipes where they intend it to be, ground mustard as in, coarse mustard in a jar.
Taking this with me to a Thanksgiving feast to enjoy and as a hostess gift.
Thanks!
Oh, gosh, I never even thought of this since spices are ofter referred to as ground. But you are right – it is powdered!
Hi Jami. I know you posted this over 3 years ago but I guess the popularity is a testament to your great recipe!! 🙂 I’m considering putting these in 12 or 16 oz jars for some great foodie gifts. How long should I increase the processing time? Thanks so much for a great recipe.
Going from 8 oz to 16 shouldn’t need a time increase like going to quart sizes, so you would be okay with the stated time. Sometimes I add 5 minutes in cases like this just to be doubly sure. 🙂
Thanks Jami for the quick reply. ????
had a problem with this recipe. Made it exactly and it did not set up. am an experienced canner and loved this recipe as it sounded awesome. Any thoughts
Shoot, I don’t know what happened, Sue. I actually have the opposite problem with this recipe – it sets up almost too much to spread nicely when I want to use it. I wrote it just like I make it. 🙁
Hello what is pectin 3TB?
And a water canner?
Pectin is what is added to home-canned jams to help them set. Since this uses less sugar, it needs a commercial pectin to aid in jelling. A water canner is a water-bath canner – that’s how you make these jars able to be stored on the shelf safely. Go here to see how to water-bath can and what equipment you’ll need: https://anoregoncottage.com/boiling-water-canning-step-by-step/
Hi there love this but in south Africa we do not have canners.
What can I do to bottle in the normal way and keep in my cupboard with the rest of my preserves
Thanks bernadette
You can use any large pot to water-bath can, Bernadette – just make sure it has some kind of rack/trivet on the bottom that the jars can rest on and then follow the directions for canning. There’s no other way to safely store at room temperature!
I too, an new to making jam. My first batch was so wonderful, that I decided to double the recipe. Not good. It was so runny and did not set for 2 reasons: 1. I used regular pectin, not low sugar, and 2. doubling the recipe. So… to the internet to see if I could fix it. Pour the jam into your widest pot. Set heat to high and begin to bring the jam to temperature. Whisk in one tablespoon of powdered pectin as it heats. Cook vigorously until the jam appears visibly thickened. I used the plate test (frozen plate, drop jam, see if it sets). Water bath canning both batches seems to have worked!
Thanks, Jamie! (You may not remember me, but I used to see both you and Brian at Lake Oswego Dental Center in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. So wonderful to see you, Brian and the kids!)
How fun – of course we remember you Hannah!! You still remain our top dental hygienist ever. 🙂
Thanks for this info – this is really helpful to the people who’ve had a hard time with it jelling. I’m glad you liked it!
I am so pleased with this recipe, and I wanted to come back to say “thank you”. I love honey, but didn’t have enough, so I resorted to sugar. I used the same ratio of honey to sugar. I used Ball pectin (6 tablespoons) and I had to let mine simmer for about six minutes. I did the frozen plate test, and the jam set up beautifully. It’s now in my Ball Auto Canner, for 35 minutes. I got 4 pints and and extra half pint that I will use in a meatloaf glaze recipe that I saw. I love my Sweet Red Pepper Jelly, and this recipe is similar to it. It’s a great balance of sweet, tart and heat (I used a scant 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes). This recipe will be a keeper. I can definitely see this on crostini with cream cheese. I look forward to serving this! Thanks again.
Wonderful to hear! Thanks for letting us know. 🙂
Jami, would you adjust the time for pints? So excited to try this, it looks delish!
This is my first time working with pectin! I’m new to canning 🙂 When should the marmalade be firming up? When I ladled it into the jars it was still pretty runny. How would I go about adding more pectin and recanning if I need to?
It should firm up for you after canning and sitting for a bit. I’m not sure how you’d go about recanning – I haven’t done that. I tend to just use things more runny if they don’t set for me – sometimes it’s hard to know with canning. 🙂
Couldn’t wait to make this today and was not disappointed. I cut the honey to 3/4 cup and happy with the level of sweetness. Mine did not thicken during the cooking process so added more pectine. It thickened when it cooled. Will definitely make again.
Thank you for letting us know how it worked with even less honey, Charlotte – glad you liked it!
Bernardin http://www.bernardin.ca/ is the Canadian division of http://www.jardenhomebrands.com/ which also owns Ball and Kerr
While they list their products in metric, I suspect the jars are the same capacity and lid/ring size as Ball and the pectins would be of the same quality as Ball.
I just made this with the yellow box of Sure-jell. After I added the pectin, and cooked for 1 min. , should it start to thicken up? Mine didn’t. Looks watery. What went wrong. I used sweet onions Alisha Craig, that are pretty sweet and juicy. I even cooked the pectin for longer than one minute, about 1-1/2 min. Tastes great.
I’m not sure what type of pectin the yellow box of Sure-Jell is, Geri. I would just keep cooking it until it thickens some. Sorry you’re having trouble!
Would I be able to half the recipe….. and is there anything different that I have to do if I am not canning it?
thanks,
You can just keep this in the fridge – no need to do anything different except skip the canning steps. 🙂 I haven’t tried making only half, so I don’t know if you’d run into problems with setting up, but since it’s using the flex-batch pectin, it may work without a problem.
Dear Jami, I want to try this recipe for sweet onion marmalade but i have a question about the No Sugar Needed pectin, im not sure what you mean by “flex batch”? I use Bernardin No Sugar needed pectin when making my sugar reduced or sugar free jams, would that be the same thing that you use, I don’t want to make a mistake and ruin it! Thank you for any info Barb
Use whatever low-no sugar pectin you have, Barb – I haven’t heard of the Bernardin brand (are you in a different part of the country or different country altogether?). The “flex batch” is made by Ball and it comes in a container that you can use some or all of, depending on the amount you’re making instead of the boxes that make one amount. But it doesn’t matter – use what you have, but maybe use their directions on amount?
Thank you for answering my question. Yes I live in Ontario Canada and we have access to 2 types of pectin but only one is sugar free and it comes in a small box the size needed for a batch of jam or jelly. Im hoping that I can get the amount right for the marmalade because i would hate to mess it up so that it isnt edible!!! LOL My grandaughter is getting married and has asked me to make some small samples of jams {a sweet and a savory} as a gift for the guests and Im hoping I can use this onion marmalade as part of that so I really want it to work!! Thank you again for your help. Barb
The amount I used equals 1 box of pectin, so your options should work, Barb. That sounds like a labor of love on your part – what a wonderful memory your granddaughter will have. 🙂
Any thoughts on using all sugar? I would love to try this recipe, I’m just not crazy about honey…
You can use all sugar, Christy – I’m just recently trying to use as much natural sweeteners as I can in recipes.
have to give you a shout out for that jar, pictured on the top of your onion marmalade pyramid! did you find it new? i have two of these from my grandmother’s basement and three tall ones from my mom’s basement, when they each gave up canning… i love them but haven’t found them Ever in stores (or the interwebs, for that matter). i absolutely love using jars that have history in them! i stubbled over here looking for a canned pizza sauce recipe and find myself drooling over many of your recipes…
Welcome, Carrie – so glad you are finding recipes you like! I didn’t think that jar was a vintage one – it looks a lot like the little decorative 1/2 pint jars they still sell. I’ll have to take a closer look at it. 🙂 I love old jars, too!
Made this a couple of days ago and people are LOVING it! Of course, to me a recipe is a starting point. Instead of 1 c of apple juice I used 1/2 c juice +1/2 c cold brewed coffee. Played w/vinegar (1/2 ac vinegar, 1/2 balsamic), used maybe 1/2 c honey and because I saw a recipe on the internet which used bacon, I added some cooked beef bacon-everything else I did as written. I don’t think you can do ‘wrong’ with this recipe. It is a keeper!
Wow, those additions sound interesting – glad you liked it, Mick!
a note on adding bacon (or any meat) to a canning recipe – it changes the acidity significantly enough that you should pressure can it instead of boiling water bath… and for 85 minutes instead of 10. perhaps stick to the fridge instead of depending on shelf stability. have to say my mouth is watering thinking about it though…
Do you know if I can use Balls classic pectin for this with more sugar?
I haven’t tried that, Viv, so you’d have to experiment.
I just made this and now I have cream cheese on my grocery list for tomorrow. It’s so good, I could probably eat it all by itself.
I have been know to eat it from the spoon a time or two, Angi 😉
Hi Jamie: We have been looking for a Balsamic Vinegar Sweet Onion somethin’, somethin’ to can, mostly because we love Walla-Walla sweet onions and balsamic vinegar. Do you think we could substitute the 1/2 cup of cidar vinegar with balsamic? Or, do you think that might be too much balsamic? Your opinion counts more than mine based on your experience.
Thanks for your great posts and ideas!
Oh, that might be really good, Franny! I’d maybe start with a half-batch and add just 1/4 c. balsamic with 1/4 c. cider vinegar and see how you like it. If you think it would be good with the whole 1/2 c. as balsamic, you can make more with that. It really depends on the type of balsamic – the ‘regular’ kind you find in most stores or the sweeter, syrupy aged balsamic from specialty stores. The aged balsamic I’d go really easy with – a few tablespoons to 1/4 c. max.
Please let me know how this turns out if you try it – I’d love to experiment, too!
Oh yum! I bet this would be really good on some crusty bread for sandwiches too.