The best homemade strawberry jam that’s easy to make with only four ingredients! Full of fresh sweet berry flavor, it beats out store bought any day.
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Best Strawberry Jam Recipe
One of our favorite family summer traditions is to go strawberry picking and then using the fresh strawberries in homemade jam, strawberry sauce, strawberry rhubarb crisp and strawberry cream pie.
I remember helping my grandma make this homemade strawberry jam recipe as a little girl and when I make this recipe, it brings back memories from my childhood! Grandma always said I was the best “taste tester”, a job I was happy to have! ;)
Ingredients in Strawberry Jam Recipe
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Strawberries: You will need 2 pints of fresh strawberries. Look for bright red berries with no spots or blemishes.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is needed for the jam to set properly.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice acts as a preservative plus the tart taste helps cut the sweetness.
- Powdered fruit pectin: Regular powdered pectin, not instant, is needed to thicken the jam.
- Water
Variations
- Other berries: Make jam with blackberries, try no pectin raspberry jam or make a blueberry jam.
- Rhubarb: Sweet strawberries pair really well with tart rhubarb for a strawberry rhubarb jam.
- Cinnamon: Add just a pinch for warm taste, I love to do this in my freezer peach jam.
- Zest: Up to 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, lime zest or orange zest will give the jam a citrus undertone and also help preserve teh color.
- Preserves: Jam is made with mashed or pureed fruit. Preserves on the other hand contain larger pieces of fruit.
How to Make Strawberry Jam
Place strawberries in a blender with the lemon juice. Pulse the strawberries about 5-10 times.
Pour strawberries into a large bowl and then stir in sugar. Stir for about 2-3 minutes and then let sit for 15 minutes.
Bring fruit pectin and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour mixture into the strawberries, stir and let rest another 2-3 minutes.
Next pour or ladle the homemade jam into sterilized jars (leaving about 1/2 inch from the top) and place lids on.
Tips for Making Homemade Jam
- If you don’t have a blender, you can use a potato masher as well. I use my Blendtec.
- I love to use a strawberry huller for easily prepping the strawberries. Using a straw to push through the bottom to the top of the berry is a great hack to hull as well.
- I love to use mason jars to store this easy strawberry jam recipe. When filling leave about 1/2 inch room from the rims (this ensures they won’t explode in the freezer).
- After 24 hours, test if the jam is ready. Place a small amount on a plate then run your finger through it, if it wrinkles and doesn’t fill the gap, it’s ready. If it’s runny, set up to 48 hours.
Favorite Ways to Use Strawberry Jam
- Spread it on a piece of homemade bread or my English muffins recipe (other favorites are artisan bread, French bread or dinner rolls).
- Add as a topping on breakfast recipes like crepes, pancakes, biscuits or Belgian waffles.
- In baked desserts like strawberry crumb bars, peanut butter and jelly cookies or this strawberry bread recipe.
- As a topping for yogurt, vanilla ice cream or a banana split.
FAQs
While fresh is preferred, you can use frozen thawed strawberries.
If you have measured incorrectly or not boiled your pectin and water mixture long enough, your jam may have trouble setting up properly. Give the jam at least 48 hours to set up and if it’s still a runny consistency you may need to simmer your jam with some additional pectin.
You can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch for every 2 cups of berries or you can also bring the fruit mixture to a full rolling boil on the stove until it thickens or reaches 220°F degrees with a digital thermometer. Be careful not to burn your jam and you may want to skim foam on top of the jam.
Let the jars sit on the counter for 24 hours before storing so the jam sets properly. Seal tightly to prevent mold, then store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer up to a year. This jam is not shelf life friendly since we are not canning it.
More strawberry recipes to enjoy include strawberry crepes, strawberry sour cream cake and this strawberry shortcake with angel food cake!
More Strawberry Recipes
Strawberry Jam Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 5 half-pint containers with lids, , sterilized
Ingredients
- 2 pints fresh strawberries , washed and stems removed
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 1.75 ounces powdered fruit pectin (regular, not instant)
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- In the base of a blender, pulse strawberries and lemon juice 5 to 10 times, or until crushed but with some strawberry pieces still visible.
- Pour the strawberries into a large bowl. Stir in sugar 2 to 3 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Let sit 15 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, stir together the fruit pectin and water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute. Stir into the strawberries and let sit 3 minutes.
- Carefully pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch room at the top, and add lids. Let the jars sit on the counter 24 hours to set. Store in the freezer up to 1 year.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Deb
Can you can this jam
Jamielyn Nye
Yes, just make sure to de-bubble and wipe the rims clean. Then place lids and bands tightly on each jar filled with jam. Cook in boiling water bath for 10 minutes (you may need to adjust for altitude).
Kim
Do you need to boil the jars to sterilize them?
Jamielyn Nye
I typically just wash them, but if it’s your first time using them you might want to.
Wood
Made this and it’s very good but after using it and after a few days it taste good but has taste of granules of sugar ,???
Jamielyn Nye
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Hmmm it’s hard to say without being there, but my guess is you may have not stirred it long enough and let it sit the full 15 minutes before adding the pectin.
Wood
Made this yesterday but does it create liquid after freezing then defrosting it?
Jamielyn Nye
Nope, there shouldn’t be any liquid. We keep in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks after its defrosted :)
Patsy
Just made your jam…its delicious can you just leave jam in fridge or do you have to freeze it? Mine is not real tight firm is that the way it should be?
Taylor @ I Heart Naptime
You can store in the fridge! It will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. Or to make last longer, it will keep in the freezer for up to 1 year. If freezing, make sure to leave about 1/2 inch room from the top so they don’t explode :)
Sue Petzold
I tried making freezer jam three times before. Your recipe restored my confidence. Thanks for making a recipe that actually works! I wasted too many strawberries and sugar and time. I was comforted to hear that the company changed their pectin.
I Heart Naptime
So happy to hear it was a success, Sue! Thank you for your comment and review :)
Phyllis
Made this back in April and it was awesome. Love it!
I Heart Naptime
Glad to hear it was a success, Phyllis!
Marty
You should say this recipe is for “freezer jam”
Linda Treml
Could you maybe use 3 cups strawberries and 1 cup rhubarb?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried, but let me know how it goes if you give it a shot!
Rindy
Is there any way to make this jam shelf stable?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried canning this recipe (it’s meant to be stored in the freezer), so I can’t say for sure until I test it. I’m going to try testing it this summer :)
Joanne
Do you use 4 cups of blended strawberries or 4 cups of strawberries before blended
I Heart Naptime
4 cups (2 pints) fresh strawberries before blended :)
Carole
Can you use other fruits? Raspberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, apricots?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried, but I think it should work! Some berries have seeds, so you may want to pour the mixture into a sieve or fine mesh strainer to remove them. Let me know if you give it a shot!
Jennifer Gibbons
Can you use Splenda instead of sugar?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried, but let me know if you give it a shot!
Mary kay
Do you have any sugar free homemade jam recipes?
I Heart Naptime
Unfortunately I do not :(
Joe
I don’t have much freezer space so I prefer to water Ba’ath my jars for 15 minutes in boiling water.
Then store in my spare room.
Anne Hill
Can you can it so you don’t have to take up freezer space?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried canning this recipe (it’s meant to be stored in the freezer), so I can’t say for sure until I test it. I’m going to try testing it once strawberries are in season :)
Ferrryal
Made it last night & there is a ton of foam on top of the jars, what did I do wrong?
Thank you so much.
Jamielyn Nye
It may have been overcooked slightly. You can skim the foam off the top though.
Audra
Will this work with most any berry?
I Heart Naptime
I haven’t tried, but I think it should work! Some berries have seeds, so you may want to pour the mixture into a sieve or fine mesh strainer to remove them. Let me know if you give it a shot!