Easy Spicy Sweet Onion Jam-Marmalade for Canning or Freezing
This spicy sweet onion jam or marmalade, with pieces of sweet onion floating in a lower sugar glaze, combines the tangy flavors of onions with sweet hints of fruit. Perfect for canning or freezing, this amazing onion jam offers you a unique, homemade treat for any occasion. Use to spread on toast, pair with cheese, or to add a delicious glaze to your favorite meats and seafood. Whether it’s a holiday gathering, a special gift, or just a treat for yourself, you’re going to love this easy onion marmalade!
✩ What readers are saying…
“Strangers and friends beg for this recipe!!! I do use 1 Tablespoon of red pepper flakes!!! Your very best recipe!!” -Patricia P.
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I’ve been making this amazing sweet and spicy onion marmalade regularly for years, ever since seeing the original version in a food preservation column in The Oregonian newspaper when I first started canning (yep, back when we got our information from newspapers…).
I love sweet onions and was looking for ways to preserve them through the winter since they don’t store well like regular onions. And does this deliver!
This slightly spicy sweet onion marmalade goes way beyond just preserving, adding wonderful flavor to meats, seafood, and appetizers. It’s basically an onion jam recipe but with larger pieces of the sweet onion, like a citrus marmalade.
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 it’s called, it’s really just very, very 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!
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
For this canned onion jam-marmalade, you’ll need:
- Onions– use sweet onions or a mix of sweet and regular onions – any color.
- Apple juice– or apple cider (not vinegar, but fresh pressed cider) unsweetened only. I’ve never tried it with any other flavor of juice.
- Vinegar– apple cider vinegar is preferred, though another vinegar could be substituted, as long as it’s 5% vinegar.
- Seasonings– garlic, black pepper, dry mustard, red pepper flakes.
- Salt– you can use canning salt or sea salt with no additives.
- Pectin– Low or no sugar needed pectin ONLY. I usually use this brand’s “flex batch” pectin, but you can also use this low or no sugar pectin. Do not substitute regular pectin – the amount of sugar isn’t enough and the jam may not set.
- Honey– I’ve only used honey in this recipe. I’ve recently learned you can’t use maple syrup in canning recipes in place of sugar or honey. If you can’t use honey, use cane sugar.
- Brown sugar– I kept some brown sugar in the recipe to provide the caramely flavor it brings.
- Butter or oil- this is optional to reduce foaming, but I always use it.
How to Make Sweet Onion Marmalade
Even though this is a canning recipe, you don’t actually have to can it – it will keep a couple months in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer.
Although it’s really easy to can in a water bath canner/pot, too–it’s just a matter of adding a few simple steps to the initial cooking process:
Step 1: Prep ingredients and add them to a pot.
Step 2: Boil, then add the honey/sugar. Boil again for a minute.
Step 3: Ladle marmalade into hot, prepared canning jars OR here’s where you’d refrigerate or freeze if not canning.
Step 4: Water bath can. Seal and add the jars to a boiling water canner. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from canner and cool.
Need to learn about water bath canning or get a refresher? Read the full tutorial for the easy Boiling Water Canning Steps here or watch the video below:
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 (they’ve been really popular when I’ve gifted them!)
Storage
- Canned: will last 18 months in a cool, dark pantry.
- Fridge or Freezer: You don’t have to can this – it will keep for 2-3 months in the refrigerator, 6-12 months in the freezer (leave more headspace in the jars for freezer expansion, though).
Onion Jam Serving Suggestions
- Glaze: This marmalade makes a wonderful glaze for meats and seafood, and is particularly good on a roasted ham.
- Dip: Mix into sour cream and serve with chips or crackers.
- Appetizer: But one of my favorite ways to serve this is as a simple appetizer on top of cream cheese or a flavored Boursin cheese. It’s really good.
I love serving different foods for guests other than what you can find in stores – it really personalizes it and helps it seem more special.
Looking for more easy, lower sugar canning and preserving recipes? Try this addictive tomato chutney, this maple sweetened blackberry jam, or this delicious green tomato chutney (don’t let them go to waste!).
Reader Raves
Oh my gosh this is an amazing jam! I love the Sweet and spiciness! I have 10 pounds a Vidalia onions! I think I’ll be making more of these! Yum! -Dawn
We opened one up today; a month and two and a half weeks later, and ate it with some grilled cheese sandwiches. Absolutely delicious!! Thanks again. I’ll definitely be sharing this recipe and using it again. -Julianne
I made this last night and it’s SO GOOD! It took my grilled cheese to a whole new level! -Erika
I hope you enjoy this sweet onion marmalade as much as we do – if you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!
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Spicy Sweet Onion Marmalade Recipe for Canning
Equipment
- 8 quart or larger stockpot
- water bath canner (if canning)
- 6 half pint canning jars and lids
Ingredients
- 2 pounds onions preferably sweet or a mix of sweet and regular
- 1 cup apple juice or apple cider
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar or other 5% vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or canning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional – to taste
- 3 tablespoons Low or No Sugar Needed pectin – flex batch (equals 1 box)
- 1/2 teaspoon butter or oil (optional to reduce foaming, but I always use it)
- 1 cup honey*
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- If canning, prepare waterbath canner, 6 half pint jars & lids, keeping warm until needed. If storing in fridge or freezer, prepare jars or other freezer containers.
- Cut ends off onions and peel; slice in half and cut each in half again, lengthwise (or in thirds if onions are big). Turn halves and cut into 1/4 inch slices widthwise (as pictured in tutorial). Place slices in an 8 quart measuring cup – you should have 6 cups of onion slices.
- Add prepared onions, apple juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard and red pepper flakes to an 8 quart or larger stockpot. Gradually stir in pectin and then add butter if using. Bring to a boil that can't be stirred down over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add honey and sugar; return to a full boil and let boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat (skim foam if needed).
To Waterbath Can
- Ladle hot marmalade into prepared half pint jars one at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims, attach lids, and place in canner.
- Place lid on canner and bring to a gentle, steady boil – process for 10 minutes, maintaining steady boil the entire time.
- Turn off heat, and let jars cool in canner 5 minutes before removing jars to a towel lined surface to cool for 24 hours. Check lids for seal before labeling and storing in a cool, dark place (with rings removed).
To Store in Fridge or Freezer
- Let the marmalade cool for a bit and ladle into freezer safe containers leaving a 1-inch headspace if freezing.
Notes
- Canned: will last 18 months in a cool, dark pantry.
- Fridge or Freezer: You don’t have to can this – it will keep for 2-3 months in the refrigerator, 6-12 months in the freezer (leave more headspace in the jars for freezer expansion, though).
- Use as a glaze for meats like chicken, ham and pork, as well as seafood (my favorite is shrimp).
- Top grilled steak, pork, chicken and seafood.
- Add on top of Boursin cheese or cream cheese as an appetizer.
- Mix into sour cream as a dip for crackers, pretzels, or chips.
Nutrition
Your Questions Answered
Home canned foods with good seals (do a check before you store – and store WITHOUT the rings) will last for up to 18 months in a cool, dark place.
Two things to think about:
First and foremost, jams made with pectin will still seem runny when they are hot – they will firm up as they cool down.
Second, be sure that your onion mixture comes to a FULL roiling boil before you add the sweeteners and bring back to a FULL roiling boil before you start counting the one minute. This is very important! Use a stock pot that’s at least 2x the size of the mixture so there’s room to boil and foam a bit as you’re stirring.
Also, the in the directions on the pectin container state that it can take up to 2 weeks for jams to fully set!
Note: Sometimes jams don’t set for one reason or another – you can still use this as a great glaze over meats and cheeses even when a bit runnier.
Technically, this is actually a chutney, since a marmalade is made with citrus fruit, whereas a chutney uses vegetables or fruit, vinegar and sugar (although that is in the broadest sense of the term and there are a lot of variations on that). Whatever you decide to call it, anyone who eats it will only call it good!
Canning them in a jam like this is one of my favorite ways to preserve sweet onions when they’re in season. You can also dice and freeze them to use in sauces, soups and cooked dishes.
In addition to the suggestions in the recipe card for glazes and appetizers, you can also marinate chicken thighs and drumsticks with onion marmalade plus salt, pepper, and fresh thyme for an hour before roasting as usual.
Another idea is to make onion cheese toast or a grilled sandwich. Spread a layer of onion marmalade onto a slice of good bread, top with the cheese of your choice, and toast open face or top with another piece of bread and toast in a pan for grilled cheese. (Served with a salad, this makes a quick, light, meatless meal.)
More Easy Condiments To Try
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2014.
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Jami, this is such an interesting idea! I never would have thought of it. I have a wonderful harvest of onions and I was wondering what to do with the Walla Wallas before they go soft. I may have to try this!
Are those your homemade crackers in the photo with your marmalade?
I hope you do try it – it’s really a great condiment, Toni!
And no, those are some artisan style crackers I bought. 🙂
Thank you for your response! The consistency of the gel doesn’t bother me because it is still delicious on cream cheese & I know it will be great as a marinade, extra flavor in soups, etc. As long as the PH is low enough for it to be shelf stable and no safety risks. I know I am not suppose to alter canning recipes but I think if I add more sugar for the fruit pectin I will also add apple cider vinegar & a little citric acid. Then water bath the jars. Again if you see anything wrong with this plan please let me know.
Okay, that should be good.
Would you know if it would be safe to use Regular Fruit Pectin instead of the low or no sugar? It’s all I can find in the stores. I assume the sugar would have to be Adjusted. I was thinking about 4 extra cups? Just want to make sure the PH would still be OK. Dont want anything growing in my jars.
It’s not really a safety issue, Patty, since this is more of a jam, but a gelling issue. The recipe wouldn’t gel with a regular fruit pectin as written and I don’t know how much you’d need to add to get it to gel. You can experiment and if it doesn’t gel, you will have a nice marinade for meats. 🙂
Can I use regular pectin? How much sugar do I add?
Sounds delish, cannot wait time try
No, since this recipe has been tested with honey and apple juice, only the low sugar pectin will work!
Hi There!
I really want to make a whole batch of this jam, but my question is–> if I can them do I have to keep them in the fridge or can I keep them in a dark space with no direct sunlight? If you could let me know that would be great!
Yes, if they are canned in a boiling water canner according to the directions, they are safe on a shelf and not refrigerated!
This sounds delicious! The recipe notes that you don’t have to can it, it will keep in the refrigerator. If I don’t want to can it what steps do I leave out. Do I still use the pectin?
The only steps you’d leave out are the canning steps. 🙂
The pectin is there to thicken it.
Um … that should read “…thoughts?” and not merely end, hanging like it does in space, leaving people to wonder about what’s coming next. 😉
🙂
Do you think this will work for any kind of onion?
I ordered yellow onions from the store for curbside pickup, but they gave me red onions instead. I do have some yellow and thought I might mix the two. Any thoughts
Yes! Any onions work for this – I’ve used red in the past, too. Mixing would be an option, too.
Can you use low sugar Sure Jell? If so, how much? Thanks!
That’s what the recipe calls for, Wendy! If you don’t have the flex batch, use a whole box as written. 🙂
Hi Jami,
My neighbor just gifted me with onions from his garden so I am excited to try this recipe with them. I followed the flex pectin link you posted and I would like to verify the amount used. Your recipe calls for 3 T and states it equals one box but the description for the pectin says 6 T = 1 box. Thank you for your help!
Hmmm, I pulled out the container of Ball Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin I have and it states on the back that 3T equals 1 box. What brand do you have?
I don’t have the pectin yet, I was planning to purchase the one from the first link you provided: https://www.amazon.com/Ball-Real-Fruit-No-Sugar-Needed-Pectin/dp/B004U8R0QA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1536539359&sr=8-1&keywords=ball+low+sugar+pectin&linkCode=sl1&tag=anorecot-20&linkId=cc793cda05099f2db8a1c7b4ebe14bce The description there says “6 tablespoons = 1 box of other pectin brands.” I’m just wondering if the link still directs to the same product?
Well, that’s curious, isn’t it? It’s the exact label of the one in my cupboard that says 3 TB = 1 box, so all I can say is they have it wrong in the description. Not sure what else it could be!
I made this yesterday, and jars are all packed up and beautiful! This was the first thing I have canned on my own ever!! Thank you so much for a lovely recipe!
My only issue is that I wound up with some condensation inside, and that it only made 5 and a half jars. The half is in the fridge, but I’m unsure whether I can shelf-store the others.
Smells so good, and the little taste I’ve had so far was wonderful!
Good for you, Julianne, I’m glad you tried it! As long as the lids are sealed – check by grabbing the edges with your fingers and gently trying to pry them off, they shouldn’t come off – then they are good to store at room temperature.
A half-pint difference is not unusual when canning – I wouldn’t worry about it.
They had sealed perfectly.
The condensation disappeared after a while.
We opened one up today; a month and two and a half weeks later, and ate it with some grilled cheese sandwiches. Absolutely delicious!!
Thanks again. I’ll definitely be sharing this recipe and using it again.
Great! Thanks so much for following up, Julianne!!
I made this yesterday and it did not gel. Here is how I might have messed up. I doubled the recipe, used pint jars, and processed for 20 minutes since I was using pints. I also used Ball’s classic pectin, real fruit pectin. Would any of these keep it from gelling? Do you know how or if I can reprocess this and save this batch?
Yes, it’s not recommended to every double recipes where you are attempting to get a gel. The more volume can affect gelling. And this was made to work with the low sugar since there’s honey and apple juice in the recipe instead of the regular amounts of white sugar, so that would affect it, too.
Do you know of any method I can use to save the above batch?
Hmmm, I’m not sure you can get it to gel now. You could cook it again and see if it does, but with the regular pectin, I’m just not sure. I’d use it as a sauce for glazing meats and vegetables and just leave it, probably.
I would empty jars & re-cook to a simmer, then add a slurry of cornstarch mixed with a little water. Cook a few minutes until thickened, then re-can & process again. At least you wouldn’t have to throw it out ..
Most cornstarch isn’t suitable for home canning. It is recommended that you use only Clear Jel which has been formulated to be safe and effective for home preserving. Not the fruit glaze Clear Jel either. Where I live it can only be found online.
Yes, you are right Jesse, it’s not safe to add thickeners to recipes that aren’t tested for it. It changes the viscosity and the ability for the heat to thoroughly heat the product for safe canning.
Hello! I am wondering about the chosen canning method for this recipe: what makes it safe for boiling water canning? It has been my understanding that vegetables require pressure canning even if it is acidified. Would love to know, thanks!
This is similar to other types of vegetable ‘jams’ like jalapeno jelly, or zucchini jam. The added vinegar makes it safe, as does added vinegar in pickled recipes and salsas (technically vegetables with added acid). As well as plain tomatoes with added citric acid or lemon juice. So yes, there are cases where you can safely water bath can vegetables with added acidity. 🙂
Thank you very much, Jami!
My family is vegan, do you think it would be ok to substitute the honey in the recipe for maple syrup? I really want to make this.
I think you should be able to, though I’m not sure about the flavor. You could also use sugar, which wouldn’t impart any flavor.
Hello there
Ok so I made the marmalade and placed it in the jars but my water bath wasn’t deep enough to cover the lids so I just sealed the jars and left them on the counter last night. I noticed that the lid seems to be sealed.. is this possible? Is this still safe? I am going to use them for Christmas so if all else fails just leave them in the fridge?
Thanks so much
No, that is not considered a safe seal, Katie, so it would be best to store them in the refrigerator. They’ll be fine there for months!
Ok I will put them in there today… hope it’s still good even tho it’s been a couple days out now
Thanks
Yes, that should be fine!
I wanted to see the tutorial on how exactly you are cutting the onions, but it isn’t here – can you help me?
Thank you!
Sure! I simply cut the top and bottom off an onion, set the onion up on one of the cut ends and cut it in half and then peel each half. Then take each half and lay it cut side down and make about 1/4-inch slices (this is the part that’s shown in the photo).
Hope that makes sense!
Thank you for your reply! When I go to your site via pinterest I don’t see any pictures, but today when I clicked the link via email all the pictures were there!
Odd – sorry about that!
Made it several time and it is the go to on what can we what can we bring to a party, gathering or happy hour. It is our number one canned item that friends and family ask for (our pickles are a close second). The last batch we made we went all organic and the flavor was so fresh and intense it was like fall in a jar! Thanks for sharing the recipe, tips and suggested uses. We have tried them all an our favorite is right from the jar with our favorite cheese and crackers. Mark and Dennis
Gosh, I’m SO happy to read this! Thank you for taking the time and rating the recipe. I’ve been using my garden onions lately and I agree – wonderful flavor. 🙂
I don’t have a canner I live in UK can u advise pls
You can use any large stock pot that will cover the jars by at least one inch with water and allow room for boiling. You’ll need some kind of rack on the bottom to keep the jars up. Hope that helps.
I made this last night and it’s SO GOOD! It took my grilled cheese to a whole new level! However, I didnt get it to set, as it’s a little on the runny side. I did manage to get a good seal, so are they still shelf stable? Or should I put them in the fridge just to be safe? Thanks!
As long as they’re sealed, they’re safe on a shelf no matter the consistency. Glad you enjoyed this – I love that idea for grilled cheese, too!
Hi. I really want to make this onion marmalade but I’m in the uk and can’t get low or no sugar pectin.
Amazon only sell it in pack for £37. I cannot pay that. Is there something else I can use please?
I think you can make it with this pectin, Sue, using the lower sugar option they say it has now:
http://www.freshpreservinguk.co.uk/products/jam-setting-mixes
Hope that works for you!
Hi! I was wondering when the recipe says ground mustard, are we talking about the mustard like sandwich condiment? Or are we talking about ground mustard seeds? Thank you!
Ground mustard powder from the seeds. 🙂