Thanksgiving Recipes That Use Jam

Jam on the Thanksgiving table usually means a dish of cranberry sauce. But a good jam can do a lot more than that. It glazes the turkey, dresses up the carrots, tops an appetizer, and makes the day-after sandwich worth getting out of bed for.

That's where a bag of freeze-dried jam earns its spot in the pantry. A sealed bag keeps up to 25 years on the shelf, so it's there when the store is out, the roads are bad, or extra guests show up. Mix only what each recipe needs and put the rest back.

Here are six ways to use it from Thursday afternoon to Friday lunch.

How to Mix It for These Recipes

• For spreading and topping: equal parts powder and water. Stir and give it a few seconds.
• For glazes: equal parts powder and water, then stir in the butter or other liquids the recipe calls for.
• For thumbprints and fillings: use a little less water so it's thick and holds its shape.

Once it's mixed, keep it in the fridge. The powder stays on the shelf.

1. Baked Brie with Raspberry Jam

This is the one to make while the turkey's in. It takes about 15 minutes and three ingredients, and it disappears fast.

You'll need

• 1 wheel of brie (8 oz)
• 3 tablespoons Raspberry jam, mixed
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts
• Crackers, sliced apples, or a baguette for serving

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Slice the top rind off the brie and set it in a small oven-safe dish.
3. Spoon the jam over the top and sprinkle on the nuts.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the middle is soft.
5. Serve warm.

Swap it: Blackberry or Plum work just as well. Want it fancier? Wrap the jam-topped brie in a sheet of thawed puff pastry and bake at 400°F until golden.

2. Plum-Glazed Turkey

You don't have to change how you cook your bird. Roast it the way you always do. This glaze goes on at the end and gives it a sticky, deep red finish and a little sweetness that plays nice with the gravy.

You'll need

• 1/2 cup Plum jam, mixed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• Salt and pepper

How to make it

1. Stir the jam, butter, mustard, and thyme together. Season with salt and pepper.
2. During the last 30 to 45 minutes of roasting, brush the glaze over the turkey.
3. Brush on another coat every 15 minutes.
4. If the skin darkens too fast, tent it loosely with foil. Jam has sugar, and sugar browns quick.
5. Let the turkey rest before carving. Any glaze that drips into the pan goes right into your gravy.

Smaller crowd? It works on a bone-in turkey breast too. Blackberry is a good swap if you're out of Plum.

3. Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

If you've only ever had the canned kind, this one's worth the ten minutes. The raspberry rounds out the tart cranberries, and you can make it a few days ahead.

You'll need

• 1 bag (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup Raspberry jam, mixed
• 1/2 cup orange juice or water
• 1/4 cup sugar, more to taste
• A pinch of cinnamon

How to make it

1. Put everything in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring it to a simmer, then turn it down a little.
3. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until most of the berries pop and the sauce thickens.
4. Taste and add sugar if you want it sweeter.
5. Let it cool. It thickens more as it sits.

Leftovers go on the sandwich in recipe 6.

4. Rhubarb-Glazed Carrots

Glazed carrots are usually just butter and brown sugar. A spoonful of jam gives them more to say.

You'll need

• 1 pound carrots, sliced into coins or sticks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons Rhubarb jam, mixed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt, and a pinch of cayenne if you like a little heat
• Chopped parsley for the top

How to make it

1. Boil or steam the carrots until just tender. Drain.
2. Melt the butter in the same pan. Stir in the jam and lemon juice.
3. Add the carrots back and toss over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, until they're shiny and coated.
4. Season with salt and cayenne. Top with parsley.

Swap it: Plum or Strawberry work here too.

5. Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Pie gets all the attention, but a plate of thumbprints next to it never comes home full. They're also easy to make ahead and freeze.

We already have a recipe for these. Grab it here: Jam Thumbprint Cookies.

For Thanksgiving, try a three-flavor plate. Mix a little Raspberry, Blackberry, and Blueberry in three small bowls. Mix it thick so it stays put in the oven.

6. The Day-After Turkey Sandwich

For a lot of us, this is the real reason for the holiday. Sweet jam and salty turkey is a combo that works every time.

You'll need

• A leftover roll or 2 slices of sourdough
• Leftover turkey, sliced or shredded
• A slice of brie, Swiss, or gouda
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Blackberry or Raspberry jam, mixed (or leftover cranberry raspberry sauce)
• A smear of Dijon or mayo
• A handful of arugula or spinach
• A spoonful of leftover stuffing, if there's any left

How to make it

1. Spread jam on one side of the bread and Dijon or mayo on the other.
2. Layer the turkey, cheese, stuffing, and greens.
3. Eat it cold, or warm it in a buttered skillet until the cheese melts.

Stock the Pantry Before the Holiday

Every recipe here is made with REAL fruit. Freeze-drying uses cold and a vacuum instead of heat, so the jam keeps more of the fruit's flavor and nutrition than heat drying does.

One bag covers a lot of cooking. Keep a couple on the shelf and you're set for Thanksgiving, the Christmas cookie plate, and whatever the winter throws at you.

Not sure which flavors to grab? The Sample Pack is three cups, and you pick the flavors. Or shop all flavors. Free shipping on orders over $35.

Make one of these? Tag us on Facebook or Instagram. We'd love to see your table.

Keep Reading

• Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• 12 Ways to Use Freeze-Dried Jam
• Freezer Jam vs. Freeze-Dried Jam: What's the Difference?
• Emergency Pantry Checklist

Sources

• Study comparing freeze-drying and hot-air drying of blueberries, tart cherries, strawberries, and cranberries (2018). PubMed record 29751916.
• Recipe inspiration: Baked Brie with Jam, The Jam Jar Kitchen.
• Recipe inspiration: Roasted Turkey with Plum Glaze, Jackie's Jams.
• Recipe inspiration: Cranberry Raspberry Sauce, Curly Girl Kitchen.
• Recipe inspiration: Company Carrots, Food52.
• Recipe inspiration: Leftover Turkey Sandwich, Show Me the Yummy.