Healthy Blueberry Cherry Jam

This homemade mixed berry jam recipe is easy to make from scratch with only 3 ingredients (no refined sugar and no pectin needed). It's all natural, not too sweet, bursting with fruity flavor, and ready in under 20 minutes!

Making homemade jam is a fun (and delicious!) summer activity when berries are abundant. There's nothing better than the taste of homemade jam with peanut butter on a slice of toast, smeared on vegan banana bread or stirred into a yogurt granola bowl for breakfast.

This small batch jam can be made with any fruit (fresh or frozen). My family loves the flavor of cherry blueberry jam; but you can preserve any fruit (or combination of fruit) in this refrigerator jam recipe.

Why You'll Love this Mixed Berry Jam

Super vibrant and fruity, this healthy berry jam recipe is all natural, sugar free, and pectin free. Here's a few more reasons homemade jam is way better than store-bought jam:

• Quick and easy to make from scratch: Very easy jam recipe for beginners!
• Sugar free jam: Made without additives, no refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup only a splash of maple syrup for sweetness.
• Customizable: Choose your favorite combination of fruit and customize it to your level of sweetness.
• Small-batch jam recipe: Make just one jar of jam at a time!
• No canning required!: This is a quick refrigerator jam that skips the hot water bath processing (aka canning).

Homemade Jam Ingredients

You'll need only 3 ingredients for this healthy, cherry, blueberry, cranberry jam:

• Fresh or frozen fruit: Use blueberries, cherries, cranberries, strawberries or raspberries or any combination of fruit.
• Fresh lemon juice: Sub in fresh orange juice if you prefer.
• Sweetener: I like pure maple syrup, but you can use another sweetener of choice.

Want to Learn How to Make Jam?

All homemade jam has the same basic technique: boil fruit, sugar/sweetener, and lemon juice together until thick and jammy - so easy! Let's make a batch together.

1. Start by preparing the fruit, washing, removing pits and stems as necessary. Slice fresh cherries or larger fruit into chunks.
2. Place one or two plates in the freezer for testing the jam later in Step 4.
3. Then combine the fruit, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat and bring the fruit to a boil. As the fruit starts to cook, gently mash it with a potato masher or large slotted spoon to help break down the fruit.

4. Turn the heat to medium-high/high and continue to cook (stirring frequently) as the jam thickens to a gel consistency (~15-20 minutes). Some fruit takes a little longer to reduce. Test for doneness (see below).
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Once cool, transfer the jam to a clean jar and store in the fridge.

A Few Tips

This jam is really easy to make, but here's answers to a few questions you may have:

• Thickening the Jam: You don't need pectin or chia seeds to thicken this refrigerator jam. The type of fruit will impact how long it takes the jam to thicken. Raspberries and blueberries are pretty fast because they are soft. Cherries, strawberries and cranberries take a little longer (not much) to break down. Slicing the large/firm fruit helps speed up the process.
• How do you know when the jam is ready?: Dab a spoonful of jam onto a cold plate that's been in the freezer. Let it cool a moment then swipe your finger through the jam. If the line stays separated, the jam is ready. If it runs back together, cook the jam for a few more minutes then check again.
• Pro Tip: Take the jam off the burner when it's slightly runnier than you like your jam as it thickens up as it cools.

Ways to Use Homemade Jam

My favorite first breakfast is always coffee and crunchy toast with creamy peanut butter, fruity jam and fresh fruit on top. There are more ways to use your tangy sweet berry jam though:

• Serve on sourdough toast with your favorite cream cheese, cherry, blueberry or strawberry jam, fresh oregano, thyme or basil leaves, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Soooo tasty!
• Swirl into a bowl of porridge, overnight oats or a banana berry smoothie bowl.
• Layer into a breakfast parfait with dairy free yogurt, healthy vegan granola, and fresh berries.
• Spoon onto a flaky vegan biscuit topped with chantilly cream and fresh berries.
• Drizzle over incredible vegan banana bread!
• Smeared on a stack of vegan pancakes or waffles.

How to Store Refrigerator Jam

This all natural refrigerator jam has no preservatives so store it as follows:

• In the Fridge in a lidded jar for 3-4 weeks (or as long as it stays fresh).
• In the Freezer in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.

Did you make my Easy Homemade Jam? If you found this 'How to Make Jam' tutorial helpful then please leave a rating and comment below. It helps others who are thinking about making jam from scratch!
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Originally posted August 2018, revised August 2023