Fragrant, bright, and perfectly sweet kumquat marmalade is what your yogurt, biscuits and toast are asking for. This easy recipe is Paleo and Whole30 friendly sweetened with dates and a little maple syrup to perfectly balance the tart, tangy, and powerful little kumquat. I love using kumquats in this recipe instead of oranges because of the thin and delicate skin. It has a beautiful taste and texture, not to mention all the health benefits from eating the whole fruit.

I chose to made this refrigerator marmalade with a little gelatin to help it set so you don’t have to save and boil the seeds, which saves time and a lot of wonder on if you extracted enough pectin from them.  This year my family has already gone through two full jars adding this tantalizing marmalade to their sandwiches, wraps, grilled chicken, yogurt and ice cream!  It is so good, you will be finding ways to eat it!

Why Kumquats are So Good For You!

We all know and love this beautiful tart and sour fruit, but did you know that they are packed with antioxidants and have lots of benefits for your health!

Kumquats contain vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress.  But what does that mean? Free radicals are the byproducts produced by the body from its normal metabolic function and environmental exposure to pollution, smoke, and chemicals [1].  A buildup of free radicals in the body leads to oxidative stress, which in turn leads to chronic symptoms and disease. 

Antioxidants combat free radicals by neutralizing them (literally paring with an extra electron to neutralize the charge) and reducing oxidative stress.  And did you know that when you eat the whole fruit including the pith, peel and oils, you get the benefits of antioxidants like Limonene, which is found to support gall bladder health.

There are more benefits to eating the whole kumquat, they are full of fiber to support a healthy and optimized digestive tract! They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber:

• Insoluble fiber: Works to keep things moving along and helps with toxin and waste elimination.
• Soluble fiber [2]: The soluble fiber in kumquats is pectin, and it works to support a healthy microbiome, supports healthy blood sugar regulation, and

There are so many easy ways to enjoy kumquats:

• Add them to water
• Add them to chutney’s
• Add them to salads or sandwiches
• Use them in desserts
• Gently boil them and make a tea

So grab some kumquats and let’s get cooking!

Kumquat Marmalade Ingredients

Makes approximately 16 ounces.

3/4 lb Fresh Kumquats (about 2 cups), deseeded and chopped

3 Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup*

Pinch of Fine Sea Salt

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Filtered Water

2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Beef Gelatin

*Omit for Whole30

How to Make Kumquat Marmalade

1.  Rinse your kumquats really well under cool water. 

2.  Halve the kumquats lengthwise and then halve them again lengthwise to make 4 wedges. Remove the seeds and discard.

3.  Add the kumquats, maple syrup, sea salt, 1/4 cup of filtered water, and lemon juice to a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat

4.  Bring the marmalade to a low boil and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes until the fruit has softened and the marmalade has reduced some.

5.  In a small bowl add 1 Tablespoon of filtered water and the gelatin.  Mix well for 30-seconds to combine.  By dissolving the gelatin into the water first and allowing it to bloom, the gelatin will dissolve more evenly.

6.  Remove the marmalade from the heat and set on a cool burner.

7.  Immediately add the gelatin to the marmalade and mix well. 

8.  Transfer to a clean jar and cool to room temp, refrigerate at least 2 hours before enjoying.

Enjoy!

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FAQs

Q: What other sugar can I use in this?

A: You can experiment with other whole food sweeteners like honey, molasses, date sugar, or coconut sugar.  I would avoid heavily refine white/caster sugar.

Q: Why is marmalade called “marmalade” and not preserves?

A: Marmalades are whole fruit preserves that are made with citrus fruits like oranges and kumquats.

Q: Other than toast, what do I use marmalade for?

A: The sky is the limit!

• Use it to baste chicken
• Add it to a marinade for chicken or fish
• Add it to unsweetened yogurt
• Spread it over fresh baked brie and serve with crackers
• Add it to smoothies as a whole food sweetener

If you like this recipe, check these out!

Buttermilk Sourdough Biscuits: Flakey, buttery and tender scratch biscuits that are on the table in less than 30-minutes.  This bright and delicious marmalade was made for these biscuits!

Paleo Raspberry Jam: Sweet succulent raspberries in a simple and delicious Paleo friendly refrigerator jam!  Soooo good on everything from toast, sandwiches, topped on ice cream or mixed into unsweetened yogurt!

Aronia and Blueberry Chia Jam:  One of my favorite easy jams packed with sweet berries, protein rich chia seeds, and tons of antioxidants! I love love love this jam mixed in with yogurt and topped with my blueberry vanilla granola!

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