Name: Cherry marmalade - Raw and Healthy
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 30 fresh or frozen cherries (pitted); 1 large Navel orange (juiced and zested (should give you about 1/2 cup of juice)); 2 1/2 tbsp ground chia seeds (see note); 2 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup (or to taste)

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This cherry marmalade is so easy to make! It requires only 4 ingredients and will be your new favorite healthy spread for quick, but tasty breakfasts. The sweet cherries pair so beautifully with the zesty orange flavor while the chia seeds do all the work to reach that almost jelly like texture that spreads perfectly. Use fresh or frozen cherries!

There are 2 slices of bread on a plate topped with vegan cream cheese and homemade cherry marmalade. On the side, there is a pale hand towel, a cup of coffee and a small bowl with more of the fruit spread.

I often find myself craving tart flavors in the morning. I'll make this strawberry and rhubarb oatmeal bowl regularly when the fruits are in season, but was looking for something with a similar flavor profile that I can reach for all year long.

This cherry and orange spread will definitely be perfect to suit that craving. I have seen my dad add large dollops of orange jelly on his toasts in the morning and realized I needed to give the marmalade idea a try.

There are 2 slices of bread on a plate that are spread with vegan cream cheese and cherry marmalade. On the side on the plate, there is a spoon with some of the spread. You can also see a cup of coffee and a pale hand towel on the side of the plate.

But store-bought marmalades are so overly sweet and bitter! And making homemade marmalade the classic way takes some time and still requires a large amount of sugar.

So, here is my marmalade version: healthier and smoother in bitterness flavors with a delicious sweet cherry variation.

There are 2 slices of bread topped with cream cheese and a homemade cherry marmalade and you can see a hand holding a spoon that is pouring more of the fruit spread. Also in the background, there is a cup of coffee, a pale hand towel and a small bowl with more of the marmalade.

What you will need to make this cherry marmalade

4 ingredients, that's all!

Orange: You will need one large orange for the whole marmalade, which is much less than what you need for a classic marmalade recipe. Choose a Navel orange, if possible, for its extra sweet taste and juicy flesh.
Cherries: Sweet and bright red cherries are so delicious in this spread! Use fresh cherries when they are in season or otherwise grab a bag of frozen ones. Their unique sweet taste helps tamper the bitterness from the orange zest and balances the flavors.
Chia seeds: You won't need any pectin for this recipe! Just like in this blueberry chia jam, with a little resting time, the chia seeds thicken the mixture into a jam consistency, no cooking required. You will get tons of omega-3 and fiber in bonus.
Liquid sweetener: You won't need much added sweetener since the orange and the cherries are already sweet enough.

Making marmalade is complicated, isn't it?

Not in this case. This is a fuss free, small batch, quick and healthy marmalade. It might not follow the rules of the making of a classic marmalade, but the flavors of that fruit spread is close enough and so addictive!

To make it, you will simply combine the ingredients using a food processor to a smooth texture and let it set in the fridge overnight if possible.

If in a pinch, you can let it rest only for 2 hours, but I recommend you plan ahead and make it the day before you want to enjoy it. Allowing the jam to rest overnight won't only make sure it reaches a nice thicker texture, but will also helps develop a stronger flavor.

There is a small white bowl containing a red jelly mixture being mixed with orange zest (you can see a spoon stirring)

The texture of this marmalade is closer to the one of a regular jam when using already ground chia seeds.

To do this, blend a larger batch (about 1 cup) of whole chia seeds into your blender until you reach a flour looking mixture, then store in a air-tight container in the fridge.

What to do with all that ground chia seed? Bake with it! When a recipe ask for an egg, replace it with a chia egg. Works especially well for making vegan strawberry muffins, chia buckwheat bread, cakes and vegan oatmeal chocolate cookies.

1 Chia egg = 1 tbsp ground chia seed + 3 tbsp water + resting time of 10 minutes.

How to eat this cherry marmalade

This spread is delicious simply on toasted homemade whole-grain bread, but you should also try it combined with vegan cream cheese.

Swap the sugary and processed store bought jam for this one when making peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches. Also great over vegan date scones or to fill vegan thumbprint cookies.

Or, top a simple breakfast oatmeal bowl with this spread to make your meal so much tastier. Try in this matcha and chocolate oatmeal!

Other chia seed recipes you might like

I hope you will love this Cherry marmalade recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let us know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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