This Christmas Jam is a delicious, sweet-tart blend of cranberries, strawberries, oranges, and seasonal spices that are sure to please your palate. Perfect for canning up and giving away as a thoughtful, homemade gift this season!
I love the flavors associated with the Christmas season. From sweet, delicious homemade candies and chocolates to the sweet-tart flavor of cranberries and spices. There's nothing quite like it.
A few years ago, we purchased some Christmas Jam from a local farmer's market. We brought it home not quite knowing what to expect and were blown away by how delicious it was. I was never able to locate the merchant again to buy more, but I did start to experiment and perfect my own recipe.
And, after several trials and errors, I think I've finally found the one. The best, most simple blend of Christmas flavors anyone could ask for.
This jam is super easy. And that's saying a lot coming from someone who isn't all that great at making jam (I just haven't had enough practice, yet). It's also incredibly delicious and even better than that jam I purchased from the farmer's market years ago.
Since this jam cans up so well, it will keep for a long while and is a fantastic homemade Christmas gift idea. The longer it sits, the better it tastes, so there's no harm in making it up in October and giving it away in December.
I don't know about you, but I'm a fan of practical, thoughtful gifts for Christmas. Sure, you can buy anyone something, but nothing quite says "I was really thinking of you and I love you" like a homemade gift.
Especially when that gift is a jar of this delicious Christmas jam.
But, be forewarned. It's so good, you're going to want to keep it all to yourself!!
You can use fresh or frozen fruit in this recipe, so don't feel like you've got to buy strawberries out of season to eat this stuff. You don't.
If you do choose to use frozen fruit, you'll need to make sure you let it thaw completely before you start making it. The added water content may make it take just a tad longer to cook down, even after you've thawed the fruit, but it will taste essentially the same.
I know I've been known to forget and leave cranberries sitting in the freezer for longer than I intended. This recipe is the perfect use for those!
Tips for Making The Perfect Christmas Jam
- You can omit the pectin in this recipe. I use the pectin when I make mine, but it isn't completely necessary. Cranberries and orange peels are naturally high in pectin. If you omit it, it will simply take a tad longer to reach gel stage.
- You can substitute honey for the sugar in this recipe. If you do, you'll want to use a little less and either omit the pectin or use low sugar pectin in its place. It will change the flavor slightly, but it's not super noticeable, in my opinion.
- If your Christmas Jam hasn't gelled, it simply needs to cook longer.
- A simple way to check for gelling is to place a clean, dry, cool spoon into your syrup. Pull it out and when the jam starts dripping off in sheets (two drops at a time forming a sort of “sheet”) it is gelled and ready for canning.
- If you overcook it (i.e. it's too thick), you can bring some port or apple juice to a boil and slowly add it to the jam until it's the consistency you want.
- If you undercook the jam (it's runny after you open up a jar), you can fix it! Simply combine the canned jam (a jar or two at a time) with 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of juice or port wine, ½ Tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of powdered pectin per half pint of jam and bringing it to a hard boil and allowing it to hard boil for 1 minute. Then, remove it from the heat, test for the gel stage and jar it up and process it like you did before.
- You can safely store it for up to 1 year on the shelf as long as it is properly sealed.
Tools I Used to Make Christmas Jam
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📖 Recipe
Christmas Jam
This delicious, festive Christmas jam is the perfect blend of holiday goodies and perfect for gift giving.
Ingredients
- 12 Oz Cranberries (fresh or frozen, thaw first if frozen)
- 1 Orange, peeled and sectioned
- 2 teaspoon Orange Zest, from the peel
- 16 Oz Fresh or FrozenStrawberries (thaw if you use frozen)
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- 4 Cup Sugar, pure cane is best
- 1 - 1.75 Oz Package Powder Fruit Pectin
- ½ Cup Water
Instructions
- Wash jars, lids, and rings. Fill jars ⅔rds full of water and place in water-bath canner. Fill with water. Put canner on stove over medium-high heat to sterilize jars while you make the jam.
- Place lids in a small saucepan covered with water. Boil over medium-high heat while you make the jam. Set rings to the side, they don't need sterilized.
- Place cranberries and sectioned orange into a blender. You just want them coarsely chopped. My blender has a food chop option, and I use that.
- Add in the strawberries, orange zest and spices. Stir a bit in the blender to make sure they get mixed a little. Blend until everything is chopped fine. You don't want it pureed.
- Stir fruit mixture and water together in a 5 qt stock pot.
- Stir in fruit pectin and add your ½ teaspoon of butter (this reduces foaming).
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stir constantly.
- Add sugar to the mixture. Return to full rolling boil. Boil exactly 1 minute.
- Remove from heat. Using a metal spoon, skim off any foam.
- Immediately ladle hot jam into prepared jars. Leaving ¼" headspace.
- Wipe rims and threads. Center lid. Place ring on just finger tight. Place jars back in canner.
- When all the jars are filled, fill canner with water until jars are covered with 2".
- Cover canner. Bring to a boil. Process for 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat. Uncover canner. Allow jars to sit for 5 minutes.
- Remove jars to a towel-lined counter and leave undisturbed for 24 hours before checking seal.
- Check for proper seal. If any didn't seal, place in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
96Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 37Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 0g
Maxine says
Says stir in fruit mixture and water. How much water?
Danielle McCoy says
Oh my goodness, thanks for catching that. I completely omitted it in the recipe! Haha. It's 1/2 cup of water and I'm changing the recipe to reflect that now!
Maxine says
Will add the water to the next batch. Worked out ok without it .. Love the taste. Thanks for posting.
Neva Elliott says
Where did you get your jars with the cork top?
Danielle McCoy says
You can find cork lid jars at hobby lobby and you can find just cork lids (and a handful of jars with cork lids) on amazon :).
Heidi says
How many jars will this recipe make
Danielle McCoy says
This recipe yields 6 half-pint jars.
Lucy says
I’m making this in the Uk, and I’m not sure what 4c sugar is? I’ve got ham sugar, but I’m not sure how much to use.
Thanks
Danielle McCoy says
Hi, Lucy. 1 Cup is 8 ounces, so you'd need 32 ounces. I looked it up and it says it's also 250 mL so that would be 1,000 mL. I'm not entirely sure how sugar is measured, there :), but I hope this helps. To use jam sugar, you'll use it ounce for ounce in place of the sugar called for in the recipe but you will omit the pectin.
Brandi says
It would be called caster sugar in the UK. Just granulated sugar.
Louise says
Can I use raspberries instead of strawberries?
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Louise... I don't see why not.
Beverly says
@Louise,
I've substituted both raspberries & blueberries for the strawberries... both worked fine & tasted delicious!
Kelly Estes says
It is also delicious using frozen cherries instead of strawberries.
Danielle McCoy says
What a great idea!
jeanbutler says
Liquid or powder pectin?
Danielle McCoy says
Powder. I'll fix that, thank you!
Theresa says
Will this recipe work with less sugar using the less sugar pectin? I prefer the fruit to shine and not as much sweetness as “full sugar” jam (pectin). I also think I would leave out the berries and just use the cranberries and orange, would I use cup for cup replacing cranberry for strawberries?
Danielle McCoy says
You're welcome to try it, but since it isn't the same recipe I can't guarantee it will set.
Dawn says
@Theresa, as long as you are using the lower sugar pectin it will be gone to use less sugar.
Tammy says
@Theresa, I just made this for the first time, and only made 1/2 batch. Instead of the 2 cups sugar called for, I used 1/2 cup and it was fabulous. I even forgot the water lol.
Alicia says
New to canning. Like this cranberry/strawberry recipe. Love the presentation of the corked jar,however, can you process this jam with a corked lid? Confused on this issue. Thank you
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Alicia,
No, you cannot process it with a corked lid. It's just for presentations sake. You must use a canning jar, canning lid, and a canning ring 🙂 and it has to be stored with just the sealed canning lid on it. Sorry for the confusion :(.
Lisa Chappell says
I bought liquid pectin before the recipe was changed to powdered pectin. Can I use it?
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Lisa,
Absolutely. I can't guarantee the ratio will be the same, but you can use it. You can also entirely omit it and it will still gel, it will just take a little longer.
Nicole says
Thank you for coming up with a recipe that isn’t a disguising amount of sugar. I still only did 3.5 cups and I substituted orange juice for water and didn’t do the orange and it was amazing!
Danielle McCoy says
I'm so glad you liked it! The orange juice is a great idea :).
Tina says
@Nicole, hi I know this is an old post but did u still use the orange zest or only orange juice for both orange and orange zest replacement? Ty
Cathy says
A lovely jam! And a great giveaway! Thanks!
Danielle McCoy says
Thanks Cathy! Glad you enjoyed it.
Carole says
When do you add your orange zest?
Danielle McCoy says
Sorry, fixing now. I add it when I add the strawberries and spices.
Vicki says
@Nicole, thank you for the idea to use orange juice instead of water. I’m going to try this with honey (reduce the amount from 4c of sugar) and no pectin. I’ll post my results!
Sara says
I made this this evening and it's amazing! I can't wait to gift these! I think next time, though, I'm going to use my food processor. Part of my mixture was still whole and part was nearly pureed. I used frozen strawberries that I had to thaw briefly. I poured the liquid from them into my measuring cup in place of some of the water.
Jennifer says
My first ever jam making experiment, and I couldn't ask for better. Our new holiday tradition!
Sabrina says
I want to make jam for Christmas morning breakfast, but I've never canned before. Do I have to "can" it? Can I just make it a couple of days before and store in any glass container?
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Sabrina, you can absolutely make it a day or two in advance. Store it in the refrigerator and I'd use it up within a week or so. Canning simply makes the jam shelf stable and isn't required. But, it does have to be refrigerated if it isn't canned. Hope that helps.
Victoria says
I tried this recipe and it was amazing! I used a blood orange and it came out great(: it was my first time jamming and I felt the recipe was very easy to follow! Thank you!
Diane Kruger says
This jam is so unique. The taste combines sweet and tart sends my taste buds wanting more.
This is my second batch I made and I bought a small piece of Christmas print to add charm to my gift giving with my jars. Very big hit!
I put some orange juice in mine which heightened the taste.
Very easy, fun and enjoyable to make!
Lisa says
Can you substitute raspberries for strawberries? I have a lot of raspberries and wold love to use them in this recipe.
Danielle McCoy says
Absolutely :).
Lisa Hill says
I am new to canning, and I'm a little confused about the butter. It is not listed in the ingredient list. Do I use salted or unsalted butter? I'm looking forward to trying this recipe!
Danielle McCoy says
The butter simply cuts down on the foam when you're cooking down the jam. It isn't necessary, it can just help so it doesn't foam as much. You can use salted or unsalted or omit it altogether :).
Kimberly L says
@Danielle McCoy, You should update your ingredient list to include everything you're using in the instructions.
Danielle McCoy says
The ingredient list does include everything I'm using.
Debbie says
I’ve started making jam for Christmas gifts for friends and family. Can’t start to early. When I found yours, I just had to make. Since I made one jam already with cranberries and strawberries; I decided to replace the cranberries with raspberries and replace water with orange juice. It tastes great, but I think next batch I’ll up the spices. Thanks for sharing.
Sarina says
When you thaw the frozen fruit do they have to be completely thawed or still frozen?
Danielle McCoy says
Thaw it completely.
Nat says
May be a silly question but I really like the sound of this jam to make as Xmas gifts, but where u say 1/4 t do u mean tea spoon? Many thanks
Danielle McCoy says
I do! I need to go through and edit to write the words out. The small t's are teaspoon.
Kate says
Hey! When you say 1 packet of pectin is it 2.75 or 3? I have envelopes of both and I want to make sure it works.
Danielle McCoy says
2.75 🙂
Linda says
I’m in Canada, my pectin package says 57g. Is that the correct amount?
Danielle McCoy says
Pectin here is 49g per packet.
Brittany says
Hi! I don't see butter listed in the ingredients list, though it's in the instructions. I'm excited to make this for family Christmas baskets this year!
Danielle McCoy says
Hi Brittany! When making jams and jellies, a lot of people use just a tad of butter (1/2 teaspoon) simply to reduce foaming. It doesn't affect the safety of the recipe for canning and it isn't necessary, just an optional ingredient to make the jam a little more smooth so you aren't having to skim off much, if any, foam. Hope that helps!
Lnda says
Could you use mandarin oranges in the jam ? Made a batch the other day delicious !!
Danielle McCoy says
I would think so, though I've never tried it. I don't see why it would be an issue.
Nikki says
Just made this and it is absolutely fantastic. The list of ingredients was exciting enough, but the taste? Ah-mazing! I can't think of a more perfect homemade gift. Thank you so much for posting! 😃
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoyed it! It's definitely a favorite of ours!
Stephanie says
Can this jam be frozen rather than go through the canning process?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can freeze it.
Jim says
What is your opinion to use 1/2 cup of fresh apple cider instead of water and maybe 3 cups of sugar as the cider is so sweet?
Danielle McCoy says
You could try that... I'm not sure how it will set.
Anne Winchester says
Oh-MY-GOSH this is amazing!!!! A Christmas staple this year!!
Thank you ☺️
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you like it! It's definitely a favorite of ours!
Judy Longcor says
Can you just freeze the jam and not can it?
Danielle McCoy says
You sure can!
Joy Spurgeon says
Fantastic! I just added a touch of ginger and cardamom. We will also be serving it as a condiment or glaze for meat (pork, turkey).
Danielle McCoy says
Perfect! Sounds like a delicious addition.
Danae says
My son and I made a batch this morning. I think this is my favorite jam ever! Thank you for this lovely recipe.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoyed it!
paul shiprack says
can you double this recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes.
Linda Lambert says
Can I double the recipe and have it jell right?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes
Lindsey Tyler says
Hi,
I have been having a hard time finding the pectin you used. I do have some Ball Real Fruit Freezer Pectin. How can I make this work with your recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
You cannot use freezer pectin for this recipe. However, you can omit the pectin and boil a bit longer and it will gel just fine. I make it without pectin often.
Shelly says
How many jars can you get from this recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
It should yield 6 half pint jars as listed on the recipe.
Mary Alyson Atkins says
Hi! First time using a canner - if we go through the process as described and it seals properly, should it still be used up within 2 weeks of opening (stored in the fridge)?
Danielle McCoy says
Typically, you should use home canned jellies with normal amounts of sugar (like this recipe) within a month, but if it's not smelling yeasty, you can keep it a bit longer.
Donna Slagle says
I just made this in my Ball Jam and Jelly maker. It’s in the canner now, but looks and smells amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
Danielle McCoy says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Tonia Winn says
@Donna Slagle, Hi Donna! I have the Ball jelly maker too. Did you follow the recipe exactly for the jam maker or did you have to adjust the amounts any. Thanks!
Ginny says
I am assuming that you take the orange out of the pith(?). Or do you just put the whole thing in there
Thanks!
Danielle McCoy says
Yes. I remove the pith when I peel it.
Sandy Phillips says
I made today for Christmas gifts. It tastes really Christmasy. Thanks for the helpful hints. Looks great and taste better.
Danielle McCoy says
Glad you like it! It really does make great Christmas gifts... if we don't eat it all first LOL.
Tamara says
Is the 16 oz of strawberries by volume or by weight?
Danielle McCoy says
Weight
Heather says
Looks delicious! Can I double the recipe and it will still turn out ok?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can double it.
Katie says
This was my first time making and canning jam. This jam was better than I had ever imagined. I did have to reduce the sugar content and the type of pectin used, due to diabetes , but everything stayed the same. I love how the fruit and spices compliment each other instead of one over powering the other. Thank you so much for this recipe. I will be making it for years to come.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Margie says
@Katie, I see you said you reduced the sugar and I'm making some for gifts for some you are diabetic. What amount did you use and did it jell well? Thanks.
Danielle McCoy says
Margie, you can reduce the sugar to 1-2 cups if you'd like, but use Pamona's pectin or low sugar pectin in place of the regular powdered fruit pectin in order to achieve the proper set.
Jim says
I have some frozen sweet cherries, what is your opinion to use half cherries and half strawberries?
I did use 1/2 fresh apple cider in place of the water and the jam did set using Pomona Pectin. As far as taste I have nothing to compare it to.
Danielle McCoy says
You could try it? I would sub the berries for another berry, personally. I'm not sure how the cherries would do flavor wise....
Kay says
I am unable to find frozen cranberries in any of our stores. Can I use dried??? About how many cups is 16 oz of strawberries?? Your site rocks. So glad I found it
Danielle McCoy says
You can't, you need fresh or frozen. There won't be enough juice in dried cranberries. As for how many cups... roughly 2 1/2 to 3 cups.
Jan says
This jam was very tasty. It wasn't overpowering with the spices. It wasn't too sweet. There is a very pleasant taste of tart & sweet together with a hint of orange and spice. A very nice recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Danielle McCoy says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Melissa says
Do you have to cook the fruit down before adding th pectin? I made jam for the first time recently & the recipe said to cook fruit down for 20 mins then add sugar & pectin & cook additional 30 mins, so I'm curious why this one seems to need to cook so much less. The other jam I made was cherry, not sure if that matters. It did seem a bit thicker than I expected, will cooking it less make it more like store bought jam consistency?
Danielle McCoy says
No, you don't cook it down. A lot of the fruit in this is high in natural pectin.
Menolly says
I'm allergic to strawberries, can I substitute with more cranberries? Also, can I double/triple it? Thank you!
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can but it will be very tart. You can double it.
Madison says
Is there an alternative method to canning the jam? I don't have a canner but I do have a very tall pot?!
Danielle McCoy says
You can freeze it
Melanie says
How long is the shelf life?
Danielle McCoy says
12-18 months.
Frances says
Can the Christmas Jam be frozen as opposed to canning?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, it can be frozen.
Theresa says
How much does this mak
Danielle McCoy says
6 half pints
Haley says
How long am I suppose to boil the fruit mixture with water before adding the sugar?
Danielle McCoy says
You only bring it to a boil, you boil for one full minute after adding the sugar.
Barbara L says
Hi Danielle,
The recipe says Servings 96. Serving size 1.
96 what? teaspoons or tablespoons? This sounds delicious. I'd like to experiment with reducing the sugar, do you think that would work, if the fruit was sweet enough? I haven't made jam before, but we like things tart. My go to recipe for cranberry sauce is 2 bags of cranberries and 2 oranges, peel and all. Just blend them into a relish. If too tart and OJ concentrate. You either love it or hate it. My kids love it and use it as jam on toast if there is any left after Thanksgiving.
Barbara
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, a typical serving size of jam is one tablespoon. You can definitely try reducing the sugar, but you'll need to use low-sugar pectin or Pomona's pectin instead of regular powdered pectin. You can find low-sugar powdered pectin at the store with regular pectin (in the canning aisle). Pomona's isn't carried anywhere near me, but it can be purchased online. Either of those versions will work with lower sugar, but Pomona's is kind of fickle to work with in my experience, so you may be better off just purchasing low-sugar pectin.
Jennifer says
I made 2 batches of the jam the taste is amazing. My only problem is I only got 4 pints each time. Not sure why.
Danielle McCoy says
Hmmm... maybe you cooked it down a little more than I typically do. I always get 6 jars full.
Mojo says
@Danielle McCoy, Jennifer got 4 PINTS - you 6 HALF PINTS, or in other words about 3 pints....
Danielle McCoy says
I didn't even catch that, read right over it LOL.
Melissa says
I want to make this for all of my extended family for a cute Christmas gift, can I double or triple this recipe? Would I need to double or triple the amount of pectin?
Danielle McCoy says
It can be doubled, I wouldn't try tripling it, I would make a separate batch. You will double all of the ingredients, including the pectin. It may need to cook slightly longer to set up, so just watch it carefully.
Ellen says
Can I double this recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can, but it may take a little longer to set.
Jan says
I made this and everyone so far has loved it! One said "it tastes like Christmas".
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you all enjoyed it!
Sue says
How many tablespoons in your package of pectin? I want to make sure I am using same size package.
Danielle McCoy says
1.75 OZ package
Geri says
This sounds absolutely amazing and I'm going to make this for Christmas gifts. How many 1/2 pints jars does the recipe yield. Would just like to know how many "pretty" jelly jars to buy.
Danielle McCoy says
It should yield 6 half pints.
Victoria says
I just wanted to say, I've been making this recipe for many years now, every Christmas. I love giving it out as homemade gifts, and I love eating it! Hehe.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you like it, Victoria!
Eva says
The best jam ever! I used frozen blueberries instead of strawberries, I also didn't have all spice so I used cardamom. Saving this recipe forever. Thanks for sharing!
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoy it!!
Nancy says
A question: Could raspberries be used instead of strawberries?
Danielle McCoy says
Sure thing!
Jennifer Monson says
Delicious. I make it frequently, using frozen cranberries I stock up on over the holidays. I use frozen cherries instead of the strawberries.
Danielle McCoy says
Yum
Beverly says
I have made this delicious jam with both fresh & frozen fruit and it turns out perfect every time! I have also substituted both blueberries & raspberries for the strawberries and they are also quite tasty! I have made no other changes to this recipe... it is perfect as is!
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you like it, Beverly!
Joy says
I was recently introduced to christmas jam and enjoyed it so much i made 4 batches to give as gifts over the holidays. Friends are still calling me for the recipe! I followed the suggestion of the author and did not use pectin— it turned out just fine! It is a wonderful, not too sweet jam, that incorporates many of the flavors we associate with the holidays. What makes it outstanding is the combination of fruit and addition of spices. Without the strawberries and oranges it would just be cranberry sauce. Thank you for your easy-to-follow directions.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you and yours enjoyed it, Joy!
Juanita says
I made this delicious recipe and I had to make another batch. This recipe is indeed a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Juanita! It is one of our favorites for sure!
Michael Collins says
I buy powdered fruit pectin in bulk how many onces is 1 package.
Danielle McCoy says
1.75 OZ
Melissa says
I bought Sure Jell Less Sugar/No Sugar Added powdered pectin. By how much should I reduce the sugar?
Danielle McCoy says
I would recommend using 1-2 cups total. Your yield will be slightly less.
Daphne says
Hi, I’ve made this jam before and it was a great hit! I’m making it today and ended up adding the sugar before the pectin! Do you think it will be ok?
Danielle McCoy says
Oh no! So the reason behind adding the pectin before the sugar is because pectin takes a long time to dissolve and this allows it to dissolve and incorporate much better. I'm going to say it's probably going to wind up being syrup and not set properly, it'll still be tasty, but it probably won't set to jam consistency. If you boil it slightly longer, sometimes that can help, but you have to watch it and keep checking it for proper gel. I'm sorry :(.
Vicki says
I’m gonna make this recipe today. But I need 24-1/2 pints. Can I ,, X-4 this recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
I don't recommend doing it like that, it won't set properly. You'll have to make 4 separate batches, though they could all be canned together. You may be able to double it, but that would be questionable.
Lisa says
Is this for the full sugar pectin (yellow box) or the low sugar pectin (pink box)? The taste is great but mine didn't set up
Danielle McCoy says
Full sugar pectin.
Fran says
Can you use pint jars instead?
Danielle McCoy says
No, you have to use half pints
Beverly says
How many half pints does this make?
Danielle McCoy says
This will make 6 half pint jars as listed at the top of the recipe card :).
Meghan says
I made this! And it is *phenomenal*! It’s more Christmas than Thanksgiving with the oranges and spices.
Changes I made: I did triple the recipe, used frozen strawberries, did not add water, changed the proportion of spices (1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cloves, and 3/4 allspice for the triple batch), and used 140 gm of Ball Classic pectin. That made a dozen 12-oz jars for processing with two 12-oz “fridge jam” jars left over. My blender was no way going to “chop” the fruit; so, I pulsed in my food processor in batches and with the strawberries getting a separate treatment to avoid mushing them completely.
Danielle McCoy says
Awesome, Meghan. Glad it turned out with tripling it! Yes, you can definitely use your food processor. I usually just use my immersion blender in the pot to chop things up a bit now that I have one, but a food processor works just as well. Glad you enjoy it!
Karen says
Can I use substitute sugar. Diabetes.
Danielle McCoy says
You can try to use no sugar pectin and Splenda in lesser amounts (you can try half or keep it equal, it's up to you). I can't guarantee the outcome as I've never tried it personally, but many others have used it successfully in other jam recipes.
Andrea says
Hello, if you're using frozen strawberries, do you drain them after thawing? Or could I leave it and just omit the water? It looks like strawberry juice and I'd hate to dump all that flavor out.
Danielle McCoy says
You can keep it and omit the water or substitute it for part of the water if you'd like. The recipe is pretty adaptable.
Tammy says
In your in recipe does "t" stand for teaspoon or tablespoon?
Danielle McCoy says
Teaspoon. Tablespoon is typically denoted with a capital "T"
Sadie says
I could only find low sugar pectin. How would I need to alter the sugar in this recipe in order for it to set properly? I don’t want it to affect the taste that much!
Danielle McCoy says
You need to reduce the sugar by 25-50%. I'd probably do 2 cups to around 2 1/2 cups. It won't be as sweet, but many people have reduced the sugar (with the low sugar pectin) and commented excellent results and flavor. You can always play with the amount of sugar a bit. Hope this helps!
Kit says
Is ‘t’ tablespoons or teaspoons?
Danielle McCoy says
teaspoons
EllenFreeman says
Can you please modify the recipe because just the t is co bf using as a measurement. Is that a TSP or a TBSP? Thank you.
Danielle McCoy says
Sorry, it's a teaspoon, small 't' denotes teaspoons and no one measures things in a quarter tablespoon. I did modify it, however.
Nick says
I just made a batch of this tonight to give people as Christmas gifts. I tasted some of the left over; it was delicious. I know people will love it. I doubled the recipe to make 12 8-oz jars, but only got 9. Perhaps I let it reduce too much? Either way, I am pleased and excited to give out the jam. Great recipe!
Danielle McCoy says
It may have reduced a little too much, your fruit could have had less water content as well, there are a few variables that can affect yield. Glad you like it, Merry Christmas!
Susan says
I made a batch right before Christmas to give out to friends. Such a hit! The recipe is spot on and the flavors are awesome. Our daughter even used the jam to make thumbprint cookies. I just made another batch today and won't label them Christmas jam - I'll call it berry jam and give out in the spring. Thanks for sharing!
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, this is perfect for thumbprint cookies and calling it berry jam is a great idea for spring! So glad you like it :).
Debbie says
If I want to use fresh strawberries, how many cups of mashed berries would I need?
Danielle McCoy says
If you're using fresh, you still need 16 ounces, which is the equivalent to two cups.
Laura says
Hi Danielle,
A friend of mine shared your recipe with me and I'm looking forward to make this jam. I do have a question regarding the spices. The 1/4 tsp of Allspice is it ground or whole?
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you for your question! The 1/4 teaspoon of allspice in the recipe is ground allspice. I hope you enjoy making the jam! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Happy cooking!
Lisa G says
Could you please clarify the type of Allspice: ground or whole? Thanks!
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you for asking! The allspice in the recipe is ground allspice. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Scott says
This is amazing jam and a great recipe! It's not overly sugary and has a robust flavor, especially with the orange. It's a party in a jar. I had to make a second batch this evening because I couldn't wait to share it and gave the remaining 5 jars to good friends and family. Makes 6 half-pints with just a few ounces left over to eat after cooking.
Thanks!
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you liked it! Thank you so much for your kind words and review!
Tammy says
This jam was my absolute favorite. I have tried about 4 different flavors this yr. All test batches. But this was the best! I only used 1/2 cup sugar for half batch instead of the 1 cup recommended. And used low to no sugar powdered pectin. I only got 2 and 1/4 jars. but thats ok. It will be a full batch next time. Thank you!
PS... I did forget the 1/4 cup of water but I am sure it will be fine since i didnt use much pectin {1/2 tb}
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you like it, Tammy!
Laura says
Interesting recipe. I make a similar one each year for the shop. I like your idea of adding strawberries. Nice addition for colour and texture. I'm an artisanal jam maker, writing recipes, etc. This would also make a good charcuterie jam. Always great to see new ideas.
Judy says
I do NOT have a canner. My mother always sterilized her jars and lids then put jelly/jam into jars and let sit. I do not remember her using any kind of water bath after putting jelly in jars. She just sit jars aside for a couple of days. Is this OK?
Danielle McCoy says
No, that is not okay or safe. You don't need a canner, a large pot with a lid and a kitchen towel to put in the bottom of it (to keep the jars from being directly on the bottom of the pan) will work just fine. Just make sure the tops of the jars are covered with water, bring it to a boil, put a lid on it and process.
Ami says
OMG. Christmas in a jar! You can taste each fruit and the spices are just enough. My new homemade jam for gifting. A very easy to follow and delicious recipe!
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled to hear that the Christmas jam turned out well and that it's become your go-to for gifting. It really is the perfect blend of flavors, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Nicole says
Made some the other day hut it hasnt set as firm as I'd like it to. It passed the saucer test and was past 'jam' on my Thermometer.
CanI just leave it as a soft set jam? It shouldnt effect the shelf life should it?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can leave it as a soft set jam
Kait says
Hi!! Can this be Frozen instead of canned? I have too many littles to can right now, but really want to make this! Thanks!
Danielle McCoy says
Absolutely! Just make sure you leave about an inch of headspace to allow it to expand and cool it before putting it in the freezer. Use feezer safe containers and you're good to go!
Becky says
Hi did you just measure whole strawberries into a 2 cup measuring cup to get 16 ounces or is it 16 ounces of chopped strawberries?
Danielle McCoy says
I just used a pound of whole strawberries by weight, not volume.
Laura says
I am making this jam right now! Oh my gosh! Delicious! I made the recipe as is 😊!
Danielle McCoy says
Awesome! So glad you like it!
Ann says
Can this recipe be made in a slow cooker?
Danielle McCoy says
I would imagine you can. However, I've never made it in the slow cooker so I wouldn't know how to direct you to do so.
jay says
I just made a batch of your wonderful jam and did not use pectin as cranberries are quite tart. I cooked it a bit longer and used the ‘frozen plate” test to determine proper consistency before canning. Worked like a charm. Thanks for sharing this marvelous recipe.
Danielle McCoy says
I'm so glad to hear that the "frozen plate" test worked for you! Cranberries do have that perfect tartness and lots of natural pectin. It's great that you adjusted the recipe to suit your needs. Thanks for sharing your experience—I'm so happy you enjoyed the jam! 🌿🍓
Lisa says
Can this recipe be doubled?
Danielle McCoy says
Yes, you can absolutely double the recipe! Just be sure to adjust your cooking time and keep an eye on the consistency as it may take a little longer to reach the right thickness. Happy canning! 😊🍓
Shannon says
Yum!! This was my first time attempting jelly and canning. Recipe was very easy to follow, even for a beginner. The jam is so tasty and I can’t wait to give jars away as gifts! I doubled the recipe (still did each batch separately in the blender since I couldn’t fit a double batch in at once) and got 14 jars filled. Will definitely be making this each year.
Danielle McCoy says
Awesome! So glad you found it helpful and that you enjoy it! Happy canning!
Kim says
I am excited to try this recipe. Can you make it seedless by straining the hot jam before placing into the jars?
Danielle McCoy says
You can if you'd like, just keep in mind the only seeds are the strawberry seeds so you'll need a pretty fine mesh.
Aubri says
New to canning here: how could I make this a ‘low sugar’ recipe?
Danielle McCoy says
You can reduce the sugar or even omit it and use low sugar or no sugar pectin in place of the regular powder pectin. You'll keep all the other measurements the same, with reduced sugar.
Dawn says
I followed all the steps and now I just have to wait 24 hours, but the jam still seems quite liquidy in the jars. Will they set as they sit out?
Danielle McCoy says
Thank you for trying out the Christmas Jam recipe! It’s normal for the jam to seem a bit liquidy right after canning. As it cools and sits over the next 24-48 hours, it should thicken and set. If it still seems too runny after that, it could be due to the pectin not activating fully (this can sometimes happen if the mixture didn’t boil long enough or if the fruit ratio was slightly off). If needed, you can always reprocess the jam by adding a little more pectin and boiling again. Let me know how it turns out—I’m here to help!
Jackie says
How many jars of jam does this make and what size jars.
Danielle McCoy says
Thanks for your question! The recipe makes approximately 6 half-pint (8-ounce) jars.
Jeff K says
So I just made this tonight. Put the fruit together in the wrong order and only had 2 1/4 cups of granulated sugar so I added 1/2 cup of powered sugar and it came out great.. Plenty sweet enough for me and it tastes great. Thanks.
Danielle McCoy says
So glad you like it!
Hannah Holthaus says
Can I double this recipe with it turning out right?
Danielle McCoy says
You can try... I haven't personally doubled it, I always make separate batches. However, it should be okay doubled.
Lise says
It’s like Christmas in a jar! Love,love,love it!
Danielle McCoy says
So glad!