All three are made up of fruit and sugar to create a sweet spread you can use on toast or in baked goods, but the consistency of them is all different. So, I will break it down for you. Jelly is the most smooth and is made from fruit juice, which is how it achieves its smooth consistency. Jam is made from crushed or chopped fruit. And preserves are made from chunks of fruit, therefore leaving more pieces of fruit in the finished product. I usually make preserves or jam, as those are easy to make with fresh fruit on hand and less effort. I decided to make Apricot Jam today because the apricots are larger and I didn't want super large pieces in it (as would have been the case with preserves) as I want to make Apricot Thumbprint Cookies with this jam!