Creative Ways to Use Jams, Jellies, and Fruit Preserves

When I first started canning, I made the classic beginner’s mistake: I made way too many jams and jellies.

Don’t get me wrong … opening my pantry door and seeing those beautiful jars lined up was wonderful, but a few months in, I faced a dilemma.

My family doesn’t eat that many biscuits with jam, and we rarely make pies.

I needed to find new ways to use these preserves.

Through my own experiments and amazing suggestions from our community, I’ve discovered several creative ways to use jams and jellies and want to share them with you!

Here are seven fantastic options that go well beyond the usual toast and biscuits.

1. Oatmeal Flavoring

This has become an almost daily use in our household. We eat oatmeal most weekday mornings, and it can get boring fast if you use the same flavoring repeatedly.

Your pantry full of preserves can provide endless variety—from peach crush to blueberry jam, grape jelly to fruit butters.

You can even mix and match different preserves for unique combinations.

2. Yogurt Mix-ins

When we started making our own yogurt three years ago, we discovered another perfect use for our preserves.

We make plain yogurt by the gallon (it’s much more cost-effective than store-bought), and everyone can customize their portion with different preserves.

From pear butter to strawberry jam, the options are endless, and it lets each family member have their preferred flavor.

3. Muffin Making

Since we’ve mostly stopped buying store-bought sweets, homemade muffins have become a staple in our house.

Adding different preserves to a basic muffin mix creates variety and excitement. It’s especially fun for young children because the preserves can naturally color the muffins—purple from blueberry jam or pink from strawberry preserves, without any artificial dyes.

4. Meat Glazes

This brilliant idea came from our community – using fruit preserves as a glaze for meats, especially ham. Blueberry jam makes an excellent glaze, and you can also use preserves in marinades.

Try mixing pineapple preserve with barbecue sauce for chicken, or experiment with strawberry-rhubarb combinations.

The sweet and tangy flavors work wonderfully with various meats.

5. Homemade Salad Dressings

Creating your own fruit-flavored vinaigrettes is simple and delicious.

Start with your choice of oil (we use avocado or olive oil), add vinegar (red wine vinegar is our favorite, but apple cider or white distilled work well), mix in your preferred seasonings, and add a spoonful of fruit preserve.

Raspberry, blueberry, or strawberry preserves all make wonderful additions to homemade dressings.

6. Frozen Yogurt Popsicles

For a healthy summer treat, mix your favorite preserves into plain yogurt and freeze in popsicle molds.

You can make multiple flavors—peach, blueberry, strawberry – providing variety without artificial ingredients.

It’s a refreshing treat that makes good use of both homemade yogurt and preserves.

7. Thumbprint Cookies

These classic cookies are perfect for using various preserves. Make a basic sugar cookie dough, create a well in the center of each cookie, and fill it with different preserves before baking.

The best part is you can make one batch of cookies with multiple flavors – some with blueberry jam, others with peach preserves, and more with strawberry jelly.

These ideas have transformed how I use my preserved fruits throughout the year.

Instead of worrying about having too many jams and jellies, I now see them as versatile ingredients that add variety and flavor to many different dishes.

What creative ways do you use your preserves? Share your ideas in the comments below!