How to make Strawberry Jam: Want to make a Strawberry Jam with all those strawberries? You must try this Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe with no pectin!
(scroll to the bottom for tip, a printable recipe and a short how to make strawberry jam video)
It’s Secret Recipe Club reveal day! This month, my assigned blog is It’s Yummy to my Tummy. Heather’s blog is packed full of family-friendly recipes, and I found quite a few that were just my style. You definitely need to visit her blog for a few new recipes.
I had my recipe choices narrowed down to 3 (including her raspberry jam) and was having a hard time deciding which one I should make. I ended up taking a last minute trip to the grocery store on Valentine’s day, and once I saw all the gorgeous red strawberries on sale, I knew I wanted to make strawberry jam!
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Have you ever wondered how to make Strawberry Jam? My tried and true strawberry jam recipe adds lemon juice (lemon juice helps the jam set up and will also help prevent the growth of bacteria), so I went with my recipe.
Didn’t the strawberry jam turn out gorgeous! My entire family thought this was the best thing ever.
Simple ideas to use Strawberry Jam
My mind can probably go on forever when thinking of ways to use homemade strawberry jam but some of my favorites are:
- crusty bread with cream cheese
- on top of pancakes or waffles with whipped cream
- over plain or vanilla yogurt
- drizzled over ice cream
- a filler for homemade muffins or cupcakes
- DIY Christmas or hostess gift
How to make strawberry jam
In all reality, this homemade strawberry jam recipe is really, really simple. All you need are three ingredients (strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice) and a bit of time standing on stirring your pot on the stove. In no time at all, you’ll have created a sweet and simple strawberry jam that you’ll be wanting to put on everything.
For the jam I made today, I reduced the amount of sugar since the strawberries were so sweet and added lemon juice. (Lemon juice is naturally high in pectin and will help the jam set.)
Can I freeze strawberry jam?
Yes, you can. The even better news is that you can freeze it right in the jar. Just make certain that you leave some space at the top as it will expand a tiny bit when freezing. This way, you can make several jars in batches and just pull one of the freezer to unthaw when you’re running low.
Can I use this strawberry jam with other fruits?
The cooking process of this jam will work fine with other fruits, but you will need to take into consideration the sweetness level of whatever fruit you are using. If it’s not a very sweet fruit, you may need to increase the amount of sugar that you’re adding during the cooking process.
Why didn’t my strawberry jam set up? (and how to fix it)
There can be varying reasons as to why it didn’t’ set up properly. It might have needed to cook longer or there is the chance that sometimes strawberries don’t have enough natural sugar (it’s the cooking time, sugar and lemon that help it gel) and they just need a little more pectin added. If you followed the directions and it didn’t set up properly, let it sit overnight in the fridge. If that step still doesn’t get it to stiffen up and set, you might try re-cooking it for a bit longer and either adding in a bit of pectin or a bit more sugar and lemon (not much, just give it a taste test.)
Pin this Strawberry Jam Recipe here:
How to make Strawberry Jam: Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe with no pectin
PrintQuick and Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe with no pectin
An Easy Strawberry Jam Recipe with no pectin!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: about 1 3/4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 16 oz strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 tbs lemon juice
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, mix strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Stir over med-low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Increase heat to med-high and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
- Stir frequently mashing the strawberries as you stir, continuing to boil, until jam is thickened and bubbles completely cover the surface of the jam. (about 10 minutes.)
- Transfer jam to a jar and let cool to room temperature.
- Seal jars and store in refrigerator for about 10 days (or freeze)
Notes
Makes about 1 3/4 cups
Additional tips: If you have a candy thermometer when the jam reaches 215 F, it’s ready.
If you want a less chunky jam, you can process fruit in a food processor before cooking or use an immersion blender while fruit cooks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbs
- Calories: 20
- Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 5
- Protein: 0
Keywords: strawberry, jam
Enjoy! What are some of your favorite uses for jam?
Amy says
Bet it tastes like summertime. Looks delicious!
Gregory says
I have no idea why I tried out this recipe! Maybe because it seemed to good to be true. I just made it now and I’m so proud of myself .. and it’s Delicious
Jamie says
🙂
Tracey says
Can i use lemon extract in place of lemon juice?
Jamie says
no, lemon juice has natural pectin and helps the jam set.
Julie says
Best ever! I added a bit of thyme to mine. Less sugar in this recipe is wonderful! It tastes incredible, balanced, and perfectly sweet. My husband prefers it many times over anything else. I’m making it every 2 weeks now. Many thanks!!!
★★★★★
Jamie says
thank you!
Chris says
I would like a jar please…yum! How can anyone resist a good strawberry recipe? 🙂 Great pick!
Chris (melecotte.com)
Rebecca Jones says
Does it have to be refrigerated?
Jamie says
yes.
Judy says
Omg just made this it is so yummy won’t last long in the fridge I’ll be gone
Deanna - Teaspoon of Spice says
Simply beautiful – I'm all about quick and easy homemade jam and strawberry is definitely one of my favs.
Kris Coplan says
How do I 'pin" this recipe?
Jamie says
Do you have the pin it button installed for your browser? If not, here is where you can get it: https://help.pinterest.com/entries/22997343-Add-the-Pin-It-button
If you have this, you can pin almost anything from anywhere.
There's some sort of bug in my coding that is keeping the pin it button from appearing automatically and I have to remember to add the button manually. (Thanks for the reminder, ha ah… I'll add it now and you can pin the recipe with the button.) I've emailed the pinterest help desk, but they have just ignored me…
Lisa {Authentic Suburban Gourmet } says
I always make Jam the old fashioned way and this is a must try when I have not time. Looks delish and great pick for SRC this month!
Camilla Mann says
This looks delicious – and easy! Thanks for sharing with the SRC.
Chelsy Ethridge says
I will take a dozen jars of this goodness please 🙂
Heather says
Thanks for featuring my jam recipe! This indeed is pretty delicious and will often catch myself eating it right from the jar! The flavor goes well with just about anything
teaandscones says
That jam does look wonderful. I cannot believe it is THAT easy.
SayNotSweetAnne says
Oh this looks so good! It it really does seem simple! How do you come up with this stuff?!
cinnamonfreud says
This sounds great! I always want to make my own jam but don't have pectin, so I love that you have the recipe without it. Yum!
gentlejoy says
That jam looks WONDERFUL!!! We love strawberry jam and need to make more of it. 🙂 Thank you for sharing this. Gentle Joy
Kelley @ TheGrantLife.com says
Jamie this looks so good! I was just wondering what to do with the 3 packs of strawberries I bought this weekend! I will be trying this asap. Im sharing all over social media too.. yum!!
Maria says
Your strawberry jam looks so good, and I love how simple the recipe is! I can't wait for fresh strawberries this year, so I can try making some!!! 🙂
Sarah says
That looks awful yummy!!! Found you through Craft-O-Maniac's link party
girlathomeblog says
This looks soooo good! My family loves strawberry jam on toast, nothing beats it! I can't wait to try this. I've pinned it so I have it!
Ricki Potter says
If I make this in bulk in glass mason jars, is it safe to freeze it in those jars? Otherwise if I allow the heat to seal those jars, can they be left in the pantry? Either way, what are my time limits (freezer & shelf). Thanks! We went picking this past weekend and I am so excited to try this!!!
Jamie says
Hi Ricki, I'm on a trip this week, but I know this info is in my ball canning book. When I get home, I'll look it up and post it, In the meantime, check the ball canning website, they may have it there too.
~Jamie
Sarah Peterson says
This jam was excellent! My kids enjoyed making it and we used it up right away! I found this on Pinterest for my Pinterest Challenge!
Thanks for sharing!
Lori says
Do I need to do the jar thing as if I was canning ?
Jamie says
Not sure what you mean? But you should definitely use clean/sterilized jars and keep them in the fridge.
Lou Ann says
Can this beput on a shelf when cooled off
Jamie says
If you follow the directions for canning, you can store it on the shelf.
Germaine says
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Jamie says
Definitely!
crn says
As a healthier substitute for those that are sugar sensitive has anyone substituted fruit juice for the sugar? I am thinking that would result in a spread similar to the Polaner all fruit jams. Just wondering if anyone has had success / failure with this before I try it.
Jamie says
not sure how that would work out and fruit juice is full of sugar too. I have successfully used Swerve as a sugar substitute. (http://amzn.to/2kKlK22 – I have even seen it at my local Safeway and other health food stores.)
Wendy Armitage says
Hi can i put this through the sieve to get the jam to be clear without any of the lumpy bits that get stuck in my teeth?
Jamie says
definitely
Cheyenne says
Wow this is the best jam I’ve ever made. I’m never buying the premade stuff again. Would this recipe work for making boysenberry jam, just replacing the amount of strawberries with boysenberries?
Jamie says
Definitely, you may need more sugar depending on the sweetness of your berries. Just give it a taste test and let us know how it turns out!
Molly says
I made this last night and followed directions completely. But my jam did not set up and is still very runny. Any tips to fix or correct? Maybe I didn’t let it boil long enough? I should add I made a large batch, 8lbs of strawberries. I am very willing to open every jar and dump it back in the pan to cook longer if that would help becAuse it really tastes SO good but its too runny for toast. Please help!
Jamie says
yes, probably needed to cook longer.
Gina says
What can be done if it tastes like it’s burnt?
Jamie says
If you burned the strawberries, I doubt you can fix it.
V Wood says
This is the jam I always make. I add half of the normal amount of pectin just to make it a bit stiffer. I have put this in my freezer in small glass jars without problems. Well….. there was a problem of wanting it RIGHT NOW and having to wait till it thawed.
Myra says
This recipe is fantastic! Perfect consistency, the fruity flavor of the strawberries shines and is not overwhelmingly sweet. So simple to make! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Bethany says
Hi there! Does this have to be sealed if using right away? Just wondered if I can put it in a jar in the fridge without sealing first 🙂 thanks!
Jamie says
You don’t need to seal it if you plan on using it up in the next week or so (and store it in the fridge)
Camila says
Hi, would lime work instead of lemon?
Jamie says
You COULD use lime but will produce different results.
Lime has less pectin than lemon and the combo of the sugar and natural pectin in the lemon is what helps it gel. So in theory using lime might produce a runnier jam. Also lime has a more “intrusive” flavor – not bad, just more distinctive. (personally, I do not care for lime, but everyone is different.) Of course, I have never tried it with lime and this is all just “theory.” If you use enough added sugar, you won’t taste the lime anyway and the jam will totally gel. (Because sugar is magic, lol.)
Come back and let us know if you try it.
Stephanie Reynolds says
Super bummed. I followed this recipe to a T and it was runny. Tasty but runny. Definitely not jam.
Jamie says
It’s hard to say why it did not gel up properly. It might have needed to cook longer. Sometimes strawberries don’t have enough natural sugar (it’s the cooking time, sugar and lemon that help it gel) and they just need a little pectin.
I recommend letting it sit overnight in the fridge, if it does not stiffen up more, you might try re-cooking it for longer and either adding a bit of pectin ar a bit more sugar and lemon (not much, just give it a taste test.)
Karen says
Just made this jam and it is awesome! I used a candy thermometer, like you said, and took it to 215 degrees, perfection. This recipe is a keeper. Now I want to use this recipe just with peaches.
★★★★★
Jamie says
so glad it worked for you!
Margie says
So u can put it on the shelf instead of fridge
Jamie says
Only if you properly can it, otherwise it needs to go in the fridge or freezer.
Carmen says
Can you use a hot water bath to Can it?
Jamie says
Yes!
Alli says
Has anyone else used this recipe with other fruit? I have 20 lbs of nectarines coming and want to make jam
Rachel Wood says
I was wondering the same or can you mix fruits
Janet says
Could you use honey instead of sugar?
Jamie says
I don’t know, you might be able to Google that question. If you do you might need pectin.
Chele says
Made a batch because I had a ton of strawberries in the fridge. This recipe is so easy and delicious! May neighbors weren’t quite sure what to think of the female mechanic next door bringing them homemade jam!
★★★★★
Lindsay says
Just finished making this jam and it is delicious. I will be maling some more for sure. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Natalie says
My son and husband love this paired it with my homemade whole wheat and oat bread it was delicious thank you for this easy recipe
Elsie Mellema says
I cooked it for about 40 minutes. It just won’t reach 215F. I just wasn’t sure if I was doing something wrong
Jamie says
Hmm…could be a couple of things. You might need more sugar ( Maybe your strawberries didn’t have enough natural sugar) or more lemon juice.(has natural pectin) You might need to just turn up the heat… it’s hard to know without being there. I googled why won’t my jam reach 215 and I found 2 articles with some great information. Here they are: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/jam-reaching-220-degrees-dsvw-vd~1951674 and https://www.nigella.com/ask/how-do-i-know-if-my-jam-has-reached-setting-point.
Good luck.
Melissa says
Made it tonight. It was delicious. It was my first time and so I thought I would try it before I attempted canning. I will definitely be making it again, canning it and giving it as gifts!
Nicole says
Thank you for posting!!! This recipe is DELICIOUS!!!
★★★★★
Jean Gillet says
This recipe is awesome; thank you so much for sharing it. I made 3 half-pint jars in 45 minutes this AM, using a generous pound of fresh strawberries, about 2/3 cup drained crushed canned pineapple, a full cup of sugar and 3 T. lemon juice. I cut up the berries and mashed them with a potato masher, and followed your directions for boiling time and temp. I used a candy thermometer to ensure the correct temp. I prepared the jars for freezer/refrigerator storage since I did not have enough time to water-bath process, but would have processed them for 10 minutes as Ball’s “canning Bible” suggests. The jam set up well and is delicious! I needed to use the berries up today and had no pectin, so your recipe was perfect. I will definitely be using it again!
★★★★★
Jamie says
What is so awesome!! Thank you for stopping by with a comment. I love the idea of adding pineapple. We are heading out to our local strawberry farm this weekend and I am excited to get some fresh strawberries.
Jolene Carrera says
This is great! Came out better than I expected. (I’ve never made any jams or jelly’s before).
I used my candy thermometer and let it boil forever, because the temp wasn’t going past 150*, I took it out and put a new one in I had bought recently, I’m glad I did, because the old one was not working correctly!! (Trashed it LOL) Got it up to temp, cooled a bit then put into my quart mason jar. ( hadI doubled the recipe since I had 2 lbs of fresh strawberries that were in sale at Sprouts last weekend). Even added a little lemon zest too. Thanks for such an easy, I mean easy recipe for Strawberry jam! Can’t wait for hubby to try it. 🙂 Oh and yes, it set up and it’s still warm on the counter.
★★★★★
Jamie says
I love it! I bought strawberries at sprouts last week too, lol! (made a trifle- it was amazing) Sent the hubby back yesterday for more (double ad wednesday) so I can make it one more time and get it photographed for the blog.