Instant Pot Spiced Orange Marmalade Recipe

4.91 from 20 votes

This easy recipe for Instant Pot Spiced Orange Marmalade needs only 5 ingredients and can be made quickly using an electric pressure cooker. You’ll love it on your morning toast, or serve it over vanilla ice cream, to top yogurt or warm brie, or even to shake up a delicious cocktail!

Jars of spiced orange marmalade with a spoon and toasted bread.

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Marmalade is a unique form of jam or jelly that contains not only the juice but the peel of the fruit making it an extra flavorful option to use in many different ways.

Traditional marmalade preparations require significant time to blanch and then cook the peel of the fruit on the stovetop until it’s completely soft. When making it in the instant pot, this step is completely taken care of by pressure cooking for just 10 minutes!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You don’t have to babysit the oranges to wait for them to soften. Simply add them to the instant pot along with the sugar and let the pressure cooker do the work for you!
Adding cinnamon and cloves to the oranges makes a simply spiced marmalade that you can add to many different dishes.
This recipe makes an excellent gift for holidays, teachers, friends, or family.
There are absolutely no additives or processed ingredients you’d find in store-bought marmalade making it a much healthier, made from scratch option.
You can pair this instant pot spiced orange marmalade with savory foods such as chicken or pork dishes.

🍳 Tools You’ll Use

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Electric Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot).
Sharp Knife.
Cutting Board.
Spoon.
Jars.

8-Quart Instant Pot

7-IN-1 Functionality – Pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan, and food warmer.

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🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed for the recipe: mandarin oranges, sugar, whole cloves, and cinnamon stick (water not pictured)

This post contains affiliate links. Lana’s Cooking is reader-supported and earns a tiny commission at no extra cost to you when you shop from our links.

Mandarin Oranges – You can use any oranges you prefer, but Mandarins are my favorite in marmalade. If using a variety of oranges with seeds (pits), you’ll need to remove them before the cooking process.
Water – Along with the sugar and juice of the oranges, water helps make up the base of the marmalade.
Sugar – Balances the tangy flavor of the orange and creates the syrupy jelly in the finished marmalade.
Cinnamon Stick – A classic warm spice that pairs excellently with orange.
Whole Cloves – The hearty hint of cloves makes the marmalade great for both sweet and savory dishes.

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Spiced Orange Marmalade

Prepare the Oranges

Mandarin oranges whole and sliced on a cutting board.

Wash and dry the mandarin oranges. Cut each in half from top to bottom. Cut each half into thin slices (no more than 1/4” thick). Retain as much of the pulp and juice as possible in the slicing process.

👉 PRO TIP: You can choose any variety (or mix of varieties) of orange that you prefer. However, if you choose oranges that have seeds (pits), you’ll need to remove them during this step.

Oranges, sugar, water, and spices inside the pressure cooker.

Place the orange slices, pulp, and juice in the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
Add the cinnamon, cloves, water, and 2 1/2 cups sugar. Stir well.

Pressure Cook the Marmalade Mixture

Close and seal the pressure cooker. Select high pressure for 10 minutes.
When the time is up, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release the pressure (this takes about 25 minutes).

Finish Cooking the Marmalade

Open the lid and turn on the sear/saute setting. (Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves if you can find them.) Bring the mixture to a boil and add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. You’ll continue to cook the marmalade mixture until it reaches the jellying point which occurs between 221 to 223 degrees F. Stir occasionally during the cooking to avoid scorching. Note that it can take up to 30 minutes to reach the needed temperature.

Changes in the Mixture During Cooking

You’ll notice a marked difference in the appearance of the mixture while it cooks. It will go from a watery, fast boiling mixture to a thick, syrupy slowly boiling mixture as it approaches the jellying point. I’ve included two videos below so you can see the difference.

At the beginning of the cooking process, the mixture will boil rapidly with lots of small bubbles.

Near the end of the cooking process, the mixture will boil slowly with larger bubbles.

Check for Jellying

There are several ways to test for jellying point. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has thorough information if you’re interested. The most scientific way is with a candy thermometer. You’ll simply check the temperature of the mixture every few minutes to see where you are. I’ve been making jams and jellies for about 35 years, and I prefer the old-fashioned cold plate test.

White plate with a dollop of marmalade (cold plate test for jellying point).

To do a cold plate test, put a couple of saucers or salad plates in your fridge or freezer when you start cooking the marmalade. As the mixture cooks down, test a spoonful occasionally on a cold plate. Let it sit for a minute or so, then check it. If your finger leaves a clear line when you pull it through the marmalade, it’s ready. If not, check it again every five minutes or so.

Ladle into Jars

Three jars of orange marmalade and a canning funnel.

When the marmalade has reached the point where it starts to gel, turn off the heat and stir well.
Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes then ladle into jars. Let the jars sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then refrigerate for storage. Since this recipe is not processed after filling the jars, it should be refrigerated for storage.

Finished Instant Pot Spiced Orange Marmalade in a spoon with jars in the background.

🔀 Variations & Uses

If using your instant pot spiced orange marmalade in a savory dish of fish or chicken, add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flake for a hint of spice.
Use it in a delicious cocktail.
Great on top of baked chicken or grilled pork chops.
For an additional bold flavor, use half brown sugar and half white granulated sugar.
Substitute some of the Mandarin oranges for a few lemons for a beautiful multi-citrus marmalade.
For a seasonal spiced marmalade with a beautiful color, use thinly sliced blood oranges.
Add in a few fresh cranberries for a tangy and tart taste.
Use it inside a decadent grilled cheese.
Spread it on a bagel along with cream cheese.
Add some water to thin it out and make homemade orange marmalade popsicles.
Make a homemade orange marmalade vinaigrette.

❗ Recipe Success Tips

Because this is a marmalade, you’ll want as much pulp and peel of the orange as possible. That is the defining characteristic of marmalade and the essential ingredient that gives it a flavor much bolder than jam.
To avoid bacterial growth, allow the marmalade to cool completely before placing the jars in the fridge.
Since you’re using the skin and peel of the oranges, it’s advisable to wash them beforehand to remove any dirt, impurities, or waxes.
For best results, use a sharp knife or mandolin to thinly slice the oranges. This will help them break down faster during the cooking process.

Three jars of orange marmalade with a spoon and toasted bread on a serving board.

❓ Questions About Instant Pot Orange Marmalade

Why do I need to store the marmalade in the refrigerator?

This is not a “canning” recipe. The jars are not processed in boiling water or under pressure after filling, so the marmalade is not safe for shelf storage. Store the cooled jars in the refrigerator and use within one year.

Do I have to use a thermometer to make marmalade?

That’s up to you! I’ve been successfully canning and preserving for a long time so for me, the cold plate test is more reliable than a thermometer. If you’re just starting out, purchase and use a good food grade thermometer.

What does orange marmalade taste like?

Orange marmalade has a sweet and bold flavor that comes from the essential oils in the peel that is used to make it. Its flavors are perfectly balanced for use in both savory and sweet recipes.

What’s the ratio of fruit to sugar when making marmalade?

The ratio for any jam or marmalade is typically 1:1. Deviating from this ratio may cause the marmalade to not set properly.

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