Quick and Easy 100% All-Fruit Strawberry Jam
or mapleDid you know you can turn these THREE simple ingredients into delicious jam?
Strawberries, apple juice (or apple juice concentrate) and fruit pectin. Fruit pectin is made of fruit, so this is 100% fruit jam. No corn syrup, white sugar, or other un-necessary ingredients, here.
Slather on homemade sourdough toast for this effect (um….does life get better?). Or, use on pancakes, waffles, crepes, PB&J sandwiches, non-dairy yogurt, nice cream, swirl it into brownie batter before baking….ok, I better stop before I need to go buy more strawberries. Although, going back to the little road-side stand where I bought 8 lbs of strawberries would be a rather charming thing to repeat.
Eat up, there is no sugar and hardly any calories!
In May/June strawberries go on sale for at least $1 a pound, and with this recipe in your back pocket you can take advantage and buy up all the strawberry flats. This recipe makes 6 cups of jam and it cost me less than $4 if you break down the amount of pectin and juice I used. You will never find jam that cheap in stores that isn’t primarily made of high fructose corn syrup.
Aside from cheap and healthy, this is a very quick recipe. You could can it if you’re into canning, or just freeze it. Unless you make several batches, you will probably eat it up before you need to freeze it though (it will last in the fridge about 3 weeks).
If your family is used to very sweet jam, you might want to gradually get them used to this less-sweet version by adding some honey or maple syrup to your first batch. Then use thawed apple juice concentrate (from the freezer section of your grocery store), as it will be sweeter than apple juice.
Happy Strawberry Season!
Using a no-sugar pectin, this jam can be made in less than 30 minutes start to finish. It has no added sugar and makes ideal freezer jam or can be canned.
- 3 lbs strawberries
- 1 cup 100% apple juice or thawed apple juice concentrate
- 5 tbsp Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin (I've only used Ball brand)
- maple syrup, honey, or date paste to taste (optional)
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Wash and hull the strawberries. Either mash them with a potato masher, or put them in a food processor until they are coarsely mashed.
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In a large pot, stir together the apple juice, strawberries, and pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add optional sweetener if desired. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary.
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Let cool for about 30 minutes, then pour into individual glass or plastic containers and put in the fridge. If you plan to freeze the jam, don't forget to leave at least an inch at the top for expansion.
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Jam will be fully set within about 2 hours, or it can be used as a syrup immediately.
If your family isn't used to low-sugar jam, use a bit of your favorite natural sweetener. I would start with 1/2 cup and stir it in right after the fruit comes to a boil.
When I went WFPB, I didn’t know what to do for pancake topping. I tried applesauce, which is great, too, but when I discovered I could make sugarless strawberry jam, it made all the difference.
I made this strawberry fruit jam after picking strawberries. This recipe was exactly what I was looking for! I did add the 1/2c. of honey. This spread is fantastic! I need to find more strawberries! I was thrilled that, even though I added the honey it was only 1 WW point for 2 Tablespoons. I wondered if anyone has tried the recipe with blueberries. Mine are starting to ripen. Thanks for this recipe! I share it with anyone who will listen!
I’m so glad it worked well for you! I would think it would work well with blueberries. You could also try this chia seed jam, it’s even easier, and I do use mixed berries for it. https://faithfulplateful.com/easy-chia-jam-no-sweetener-needed/
I made this recipe with blueberries and cut the honey back to 1/3 cup. This is just as awesome as the strawberry. Can’t wait for peach season!
You’re on a roll! Thanks for the feedback!
This is my most used recipe! My most favorite too! I have made strawberry, blueberry, seedless blackberry, and cherry. Each time I add 1/4c honey to a whole batch. That’s a miniscule amount of sweetner per serving. When I made the blackberry I did a half batch. Each time the recipe comes out perfect with little time involved. I’m eagerly anticipating peaches next week! I now have more all fruit in the freezer than the store has jelly and I can eat mine with no guilt!
Awesome! So glad it works so well! Thank you for the info about other fruits.
Has anyone canned this recipe? Are any modifications needed?
I have been asked that before. I’m not much of a canner, so I haven’t tested it. Let me know if you do! I usually just freeze my jams.