Homemade blueberry-cherry jam is easy to make from scratch with only 3 ingredients (no added sugar or pectin)! It's healthy, not too sweet, and super delicious smeared on sourdough toast with peanut butter, drizzled over a stack of pancakes or stirred into a yogurt parfait. Any way you use it, this small-batch berry jam is super versatile and bursting with fruity summer flavors!
Keep reading for the few simple steps to make fresh homemade berry jam. Plus tips for making a fruit compote, two methods for thickening the jam (stovetop and chia seeds), how to store it and suggestions for serving.
Why You'll Love this Sugar-free Berry Jam
- quick and easy to make from scratch with fresh or frozen berries
- healthy - made without additives, no refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup added
- made with super clean, healthy, fresh ingredients
- inexpensive and convenient pantry essential
- better than store-bought jam
- super adaptable and customizable - choose the type of fruit and sweetness level
- two methods for thickening: stovetop (made without pectin) or chia seed jam thickener
- small-batch jam recipe - versatile, make a new flavor using in-season fruit every few weeks
- no canning required! - this blueberry cherry jam recipe keeps well in the refrigerator or freezer
Tips for Making Easy Homemade Jam
When summer fruit is abundant, it's the perfect opportunity to make fresh berry jam. It's so simple, so delicious, and so versatile.
Pro Tip: freeze all the fresh, in-season, summer berries you can for making jam, fruit compotes, hand pies, and smoothies all year long!
Fruit - choose any combination of fruit you enjoy (4 cups).
Thickening the Jam - use the stovetop method (without pectin) or chia seed method.
Softer fruit (raspberry, blackberry, blueberry) breaks down and thickens more quickly while firmer fruit (cherry, cranberry, strawberry) takes a bit longer to break down. Slicing the larger/harder fruit helps speed up the process.
When making homemade jam without pectin, it takes a bit of time. The fruit is simmered (slow boil) until the liquid is cooked out and the fruit becomes thick, concentrated, and jammy. The length of time will depend on the type of fruit you choose (on average 15-30 minutes).
Chia Seed Jam Option - add ~2 tbsp of chia seeds to the cooked fruit once it has the texture you prefer (~ 10 minutes if using soft raspberries or blueberries). Stir in completely, remove from heat, and let cool before transferring to a jar.
With a few easy steps, and a bit of patience, you can be enjoying healthy, homemade summer fruit jam that's bursting with natural fruit flavor in no time. No special equipment or ingredients required!
More Ways to Enjoy Healthy Sugar-free Jam
These deep purple pools of blueberry-cherry jam make a gorgeous breakfast paired with creamy peanut butter on crunchy sourdough toast topped with fresh berries and dairy-free chocolate ganache drizzle. When you're feeling kind of fancy, this combo is pure heavenly bliss and it's so pretty.
Fresh Fruit Compote - to make fruit compote, take the berries off the stove before they get too jammy (about 5 minutes earlier) so it's a bit looser, not so thick.
Swirl into a vegan breakfast bowl or on porridge.
Layer a breakfast parfait with vegan yogurt, healthy granola, and fresh berries.
Spoon onto a fluffy tender biscuit with a dollop of whipped chantilly cream.
Drizzle over this sensational vegan banana bread!
Fill pastry pop tarts and hand pies with compote and a drizzle of frosting.
How to Store Refrigerator Jam
Fridge - because this jam isn't canned, store in the fridge in a lidded jar for several weeks.
Freezer - store in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
Did you make this Easy Homemade Blueberry-Cherry Jam?
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Easy Small-Batch Cherry Berry Jam
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INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups cherries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2-4 tbsp juice from half a lemon
- 1-3 tbsp maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
preparing the cherries (or use 4 cups of any fresh/frozen fruit)
- Slice clean cherries into 4 pieces, discarding the stems and pits.
cooking (preserving) the jam
- Place the cherries and blueberries in a medium saucepan with lemon juice (or any juice: 2 tbsp - 4 tbsp), and maple syrup over medium-high heat.
- Bring up to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer (slow boil) for 15 - 30 minutes gently pressing the fruit with a masher or the back of a large slotted spoon. Stir frequently.
- The fruit will continue to breakdown and reduce on the stove (it thickens more as it cools). Leave on the heat until close to desired thickness is achieved. This could take more or less time depending on the choice of fruit.
how to tell if the jam is set?
- The jam will look thicker/heavier, the liquid will not be watery/loose anymore.
- Place a small amount of jam on a plate in the freezer for a few minutes, if it starts to gel, it is ready. If not, continue to cook for a few more minutes.
- Some fruit takes 30 minutes or more to reduce - it depends on the size and type of fruit, how juicy it is, and how hot your stove is.
- Pro Tip: After you've made this jam a few times, you will instinctively know when it's ready!
taste test
- Taste and adjust sweetness and tartness levels as desired for personal preference.
chia seed jam option
- If using the chia seed thickening method, stir them in (~2 tbsp) once the fruit is broken down.
jarring the jam
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Transfer cooled jam to a glass jar with a lid and store in the fridge or a freezer-friendly container and store in the freezer.
NOTES
This recipe is from simplyceecee.co food blog. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.
Originally posted August 2018, revised June 2021 with updated photos and recipe tips.
Kenneth
It works very well for me
simplyceecee
Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy!
Eb
TX, great recipe, I'm just upset I didn't pick more cherries.
I looked for something simple and not much sugars to use cherries picked from the backyard tree, (added 1 pint blueberries). It took my 2 * 12 yrs teens longer to pit the cherries than thickening the jam (15-20 minutes total, 7 minutes since adding the chia). The girls had no issue following it and they love the taste and we had no issues offering it to a borderline diabetic friend.
I was afraid it won't be sweet enough but it requires the lemon juice for sourness.
Tracy Halasz
Fantastic to hear! It's so much fun to get the kids in the kitchen too! Happy you enjoyed it!
Dee
I made this a bit loose to serve over angelfood cake. It was so pretty I decided to use it in a parfait. Delicious is an understatement. It was sublime.I used blueberries. Cherries. And cranberry all frozen.Not a maple fan I substituted prickly pear syrup my sister makes from fruits near our home in Tucson. The ruby red and sweet cactus nectar adds a depth to the jam or compote. For parfait layer cake...jam and whipped cream winding up with cream scattered with a few fresh berries
Tracy Halasz
We enjoy it looser over dessert and morning porridge and parfaits as well. Thanks for the review! The prickly pear syrup sounds delicious.
Karoline Beninger
I am a jam freak. I like sour cherry and blueberry the best. This jam is so delicious and easy to make. It is so delicious on everything! Thanks for saving my pancreas from processing all that sugar.
simplyceecee
Ha Ha! Thanks, Karoline. I'm happy you are enjoying the jam! It's good on pancakes and oatmeal too!
Kim
I just made a Cherry Blueberry "Jam" from the fruit I picked at my friend's house next door; however, it doesn't seem to be thickening at all. I was so excited to have found a recipe that didn't have gobs of sugar in it. Tastes good though; so there's that... Will swirl it into my yogurt!
Tracy Halasz
Shoot! So sorry ... I made it this week again and it took a bit longer because of the fruit I used. What fruit did you use? How long did you reduce it for?
Dee
Perhaps the fruit was less ripe requiring a longer cook time. You could also added grated apple to the fruit which will help it set. I like mine loose so call it a compote. Good luck.
Karoline Beninger
Just made the jam again with my Granddaughters this time. They took a small jar for their teachers! We made raspberry, blueberry. It is so delicious and I looked at a lot of other recipes that seemed so complicated. This is super easy and very delicious. 🙏 thank you
Tracy Halasz
Sounds wonderful - thank you for sharing. The teachers will be so happy too!