Marmalade

A preserve made from citrus fruit, usually oranges, cooked with sugar and cut or shredded peel so it has a bright, slightly bitter flavor.

Marmalade: An open jar of orange marmalade with visible thin strips of peel, a spoonful on a small plate, a whole orange beside it
  • Fillings, creams, frostings and sauces
  • Portugal

Marmalade differs from other jams because it uses the whole fruit, peel included. The peel and the pith hold plenty of natural pectin, which helps the preserve set. Bitter oranges are the classic choice, but lemons, grapefruit, limes and sweet oranges are all used, alone or mixed.

The word comes from the Portuguese marmelo, meaning quince, since early versions were thick quince pastes. Marmalade is spread on toast, stirred into cake batters and glazes, and brushed over fruit tarts for shine.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Preserving Citrus, UC Cooperative Extension Master Food Preservers of Amador/Calaveras Counties