Jam vs. Jelly vs. Preserves vs. Fruit Butter: A Simple Guide

Walk down any pantry aisle and you will see jam, jelly, preserves, and fruit butter side by side. They all begin with fruit and sugar, but how the fruit is handled makes each one its own thing. Here is a simple guide, with examples from our own kitchen.

Jam

Jam is crushed or chopped fruit cooked with sugar until it is thick and spreadable. You get soft bits of fruit throughout, just right for toast and biscuits. Our Mixed Berry Jam and Boysenberry Jam are good examples.

Jelly

Jelly is made from fruit juice rather than the fruit itself, so it is clear, smooth, and firm enough to hold its shape. No pulp, no seeds, just bright fruit flavor.

Preserves

Preserves keep the largest pieces of fruit, sometimes whole, held in a thick syrup or soft gel. If you like big, clear pieces of fruit in your spread, reach for preserves.

Fruit butter

Fruit butter is fruit cooked low and slow until it breaks down into a smooth, thick spread, with no dairy despite the name. It is silky and often lightly spiced. Our Apple-Cider Butter shows how smooth a fruit butter can be.

So which is best?

None of them: it comes down to texture and how you plan to use it. Jam for everyday toast, jelly for a clean smooth spread, preserves for big fruit pieces, and fruit butter for a silky, spoonable finish. We make all four in small batches with local fruit and no artificial preservatives.

Once you have your jar, put it to work: here are 10 ways to use artisan jam beyond toast.

Browse the full jams and preserved foods collection to find your favorite.