Easy Orange Marmalade Recipe

This Easy Orange Marmalade Recipe uses mandarin oranges to deliver a beautiful bright orange color in the marmalade. The marmalade takes less than 30 minutes to make for a delicious fresh spread for your toast. The marmalade has just the right amount of sweetness to balance with the citrus flavors in the mandarin oranges.

There’s nothing quite like homemade marmalade. If you’ve never made it before, this is your sign to give it a try! This easy orange marmalade recipe comes together rather quickly and truly is easy.

I wanted to make this marmalade deliver the bright, tangy, refreshing flavors, while also making a recipe that was super easy to make. For this easy orange marmalade recipe the mandarin oranges are used whole. As they cook, the mandarin orange slices soften into a jammy consistency. This recipe does not require the use of any pectin. I did add a small amount of finely chopped mandarin peel, which does help to thicken the marmalade to the perfect consistency.

Here are a few recipes that would pair perfectly with this orange marmalade recipe. I love this Easy Homemade French Bread or for a delicious breakfast option, this English Muffin Bread recipe. You can also try this Soft Sandwich Bread or Soft Dinner Rolls recipe.

Here’s why you will love this recipe

This recipe is easy to make and can be made in under 30 minutes. The recipe uses fresh, juicy oranges and requires no pectin. The fruit itself acts to thicken the marmalade as it cooks. This recipe is fresh, vibrant and truly delicious.

Ingredients

• seedless mandarin oranges – if you can’t find seedless mandarin oranges, you can use mandarin oranges with the seed in. Just make sure you remove the seeds before cooking the marmalade.
• Peel from 1/2 mandarin orange – the peel adds just enough pectin to thicken the marmalade into the perfect thick, spreadable consistency. The peel also adds a bit of tangy flavor to the marmalade, which makes it delicious.
• lemon juice – lemon juice helps the pectin in the fruit to set up properly, also contributing to the texture and thick, spreadable consistency of the marmalade
• water – water helps to soften the fruit and allow it to release its natural juices while cooking.
• granulated sugar – this easy orange marmalade recipe contains just enough sugar to provide a delicious sweet, but not overly sweet flavor to the marmalade.

Ingredient Notes

What kind of orange should I use?

For this easy orange marmalade recipe you’ll want to use mandarin oranges. The mandarin oranges give the marmalade a beautiful orange color. Further, this easy orange marmalade recipe uses the whole fruit. You’ll want the small pieces of the mandarin orange in this recipe rather than a larger orange segment. The fruit pieces cook over a medium-high heat for roughly 20 minutes, which is enough time to soften the fruit and make it into a jammy consistency. It’s truly delicious!

Does this easy orange marmalade recipe need pectin?

This marmalade does not need pectin. There is a small amount of mandarin rind that is used in this recipe, which provides enough of a pectin source to thicken the marmalade. The rind is chopped very finely, then added to the mixture as it cooks. The rind gets soft and adds a little bit extra tangy flavor to the marmalade.

Here’s how to make this easy orange marmalade recipe: STEP BY STEP

peel off the rind

This recipe uses a small portion of the rind from the mandarin orange. You’ll want to peel the rind off using a vegetable peeler. You don’t want the white part of the rind, as it is more bitter, hence why you use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind.

For the mandarin oranges, use your hands or an orange peeler to remove the rind. You just want the fruit inside of the mandarin oranges.

chop the rind

Chop 1/2 of the rind that you peeled off using the vegetable peeler. Make sure the rind is finely chopped.

time to cook the marmalade

Now, it’s time to cook the marmalade. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cook, stirring frequently for 20 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened.

add to jars

Add the marmalade to jars with lids on. After adding the lid, allow the mixture to fully cool before placing in the refrigerator.

Storage

You can store this marmalade in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FAQ

what is the difference between jam and marmalade?

Marmalades contain the rind/peel of fruit as well as the whole fruit, whereas jams contain just the fruit.

why is lemon juice added to marmalade?

Lemon juice is added for two reasons. First of all, it helps activate the pectin, which thickens the marmalade into the desired consistency. Secondly, the acidic lemon juice helps to balance the flavors of sweetness in the marmalade, making for a well balanced flavor profile.

is marmalade healthy or unhealthy?

Marmalade and jam both contain a high amount of sugar. However, they are high in vitamin C, and tend to be low in fat and sodium. I like to keep the mindset of everything is okay in moderation. It’s important to maintain a balance with all the foods that you consume.

Here are a few recipes that would pair perfectly with this easy orange marmalade recipe!

• Easy Homemade French Bread
• English Muffin Bread
• Soft Sandwich Bread
• Soft Dinner Rolls

Check out my other jam recipes

• Blueberry Jam

Let me know what you thought!

If you make this Easy Orange Marmalade Recipe, let me know what you thought in the ratings and comments below. I absolutely love reading all of your comments! Also, make sure to snap a picture and tag me @simplebakingwithpep on instagram. It truly makes my day to see all of your wonderful creations.

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