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! 😉
MY OTHER RECIPES
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
