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    Home » Dessert » How to make THE BEST Freezer Jam

    Published: Jun 12, 2020 · Modified: May 4, 2021 by Desarae

    How to make THE BEST Freezer Jam

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Once you make this homemade freezer jam you will NEVER GO BACK. I'm telling you, the fresh berry sweetness is unparalleled to any store bought jarred jam. Not to mention homemade freezer jam does not contain the amount of preservatives and dyes store bought may contain. Since there are a couple of different ways to make easy, instant freezer jam I'm showing you how to make it!

    WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE FREEZER JAM?

    I love how easy and simple freezer jam is. You dont have to cook or pressure cook anything. 3 simple ingredentes

    1. strawberries (or your choice of berries)
    2. pectin
    3. sugar

    PRO TIP: I like to make a huge batch of freezer jam when the berries are in season and very inexpensive. Look for about $1 a pound, maybe even less! When berries are at that price grab several pounds and make enough to last you through the summer and winter months.

    A pile of strawberries on a plate to make homemade jam

    WHAT KIND OF PECTIN DO I USE?

    Pectin is a must have for no-cook freezer jam. It is what makes it thicken. There are two popular pectins for you to choose from. Let me tell you the pros between each so you can decide what you want to buy.

    WHERE CAN I BUY PECTIN?

    Most grocery stores carry it year round. Some stores (like Target) will only carry pectin during the summer/fall months with canning in popular. You can usually find the pectin by the canning jars and product. This is typically not in the baking isle, but sometimes it can be. I usually have to ask an associate for where the canning products are! ha ha

    BALL REALFRUIT INSTANT PECTIN VS SURE JELL

    Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin

    This is my go to freezer jam pectin. 

    1. This pectin is defiantly more bang for your buck. If you are doing  large batches I would grab this pectin.
    2. Ball instant pectin calls for less sugar than sure jell.
    3. This instant pectin is a little less thick than sure jell, this is for two reasons a. less sugar and b. the thickener is slightly different.
    4. You can double or triple the recipe

    SURE JELL

    Sure Jell is another great pectin. It comes in boxes, as shown.

     

    1. While you do not need to cook the entire batch of jam you do need to cook the sure jell with some water before adding it to the crushed fruit.
    2. It uses a lot more sugar than other pectins (also helping the jam to be thicker)
    3. PRO: it produces a more thicker, jelly like texture jam than other pectins.
    4. One box yields about 5 cups of jam, (2 cups fresh fruit and 4 cups of sugar per box) It's great if you are making a small batch of jam. You cannot double the recipe.

    HOW TO MAKE THE BEST NO-COOK FREEZER JAM

    PREP YOUR BERRIES

    Start by washing your berries throughly.

    fresh berries in a bowl

    If you are using strawberries cut the green stem and leaves off.

    HOW DO  YOU CRUSH THE STRAWBERRIES

    I use my blender to crush my berries. You can also use a food processor or a hand held crusher. If you like chunks of berries in your jam just pulse to your desired consistency.

    PREPARE YOUR PECTIN

    Follow the direction on the box on preparing the pectin. The ball is as easy as stirring 2 tbs of pectin with 1 ⅔ cup of sugar.  Dump your crushed berries in the bowl and stir.

    TIPS ON DOUBLING THE RECIPE

    If you using sure jell you CANNOT double the recipe. It will not thicken the same. If you are using Ball real fruit you can triple the batch, but don't exceed 6 cups of fruit per batch.

    FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX

    For each pectin you will want to follow the directions on the box when making the jam. Then place the jam in air tight containers after they have rested the appropriate amount of time at room temp.

    OTHER HANDY ITEMS

    I using a funnel when ladling the jam into jars. It really cuts back on the mess!

    I also really like using glass jars. These lids are amazing! and only about $2 at walmart.

    Here are a couple of tips for using glass jars when freezing them.

    1. leave about an inch at the top for the jam to expand.
    2. NEVER run your frozen glass jar under hot water to defrost. Place in fridge or on the counter and let it defrost naturally.

    [show_shopthepost_widget id="2802009"]

    I'll say the VERY best is homemade jam with these dinner rolls. Every sunday and thanksgiving this is what we eat and its the best comfort food in the world. A stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with fresh jam

    OTHER FREEZER JAM FAQ'S

    1. HOW LONG DOES JAM LAST IN THE FREEZER? 

    In an air tight container the jam will last 1 year!

    2. HOW LONG DOES FREEZER JAM LAST IN THE FRIDGE? 

    In an air tight container it will last 2 weeks.

    3. WHAT CAN I DO WITH FREEZER JAM? 

    Spread homemade on pbj's, over ice cream, with nutella...or ...ya know...eat it by the spoonful. Take a Jar to your friend with maybe some homemade french bread. You'll make a lot of friends doing that :)

    DON’T BE SHY!

    If you tried this  recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t be shy! Let us know! Rate the recipe and leave us a comment below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what else we’re getting up to!

    Strawberry freezer jam on a peanut butter sandwiches cut in half and stacked on top of each other.

    Strawberry Freezer Jam

    Homemade Jam is easy, organic,done in minutes! It's a happy healthier option for families! Try this recipe and you'll never go back to store-bought!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 15 servings
    Calories: 40kcal
    Author: Kadee & Desarae

    Ingredients

    • Fresh Berries when on sale
    • Instant Pectin
    • Sugar

    Instructions

    • Puree fruit in blender to desired consistency
    • In separate bowl mix sugar and pectin
    • Add puree fruit to dry ingredients. Stir for 2 minutes.
    • Ladle jam into jars and let sit for 30 minutes.
    • Freeze. When using a jar keep refrigerated.

    Notes

    Check the box of pectin for the amount of fresh berries and sugar you need. Each brand is a bit different.
    Make sure to wash the berries very well before making into jam. I like to cover them with water in a large bowl and let them sit for a few minutes. Then repeat this at least once to ensure they're clean.
    Make freezer jam with any fresh, in-season berry!
    Buy berries on sale especially in the summer for a fresher, yet also more budget-friendly jam.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @OhSoDelicioso or tag #ohsodelicioso!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barb says

      July 11, 2022 at 1:56 pm

      How much pectin do I add to 5 cups mashed strawberries and 2 cups of sugar?

      Reply
      • Kadee says

        July 13, 2022 at 9:11 pm

        We recommend following the quantities listed on the box of the brand of pectin you purchase. They all vary a little.

        Reply
    2. Heather says

      May 28, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      I used ball pectin and my freezer jam is still quite runny after 24 hours. Is there something I can do to fix it?

      Reply
      • Desarae says

        May 30, 2022 at 8:04 pm

        Freezer Jam is more runny than store bought jam. You can mix more pectin in with a small amount of preserves and then stir it into your batch. But if you followed the pectin proportions exactly it is probably correct in its consistency.

        Reply
    3. Dennis says

      June 15, 2021 at 9:21 am

      Can you substitute honey instead of sugar in the Ball instant freezer jam recipe?

      Reply
      • Desarae says

        June 23, 2021 at 9:11 pm

        I would look up a specific recipe using honey in jam. Sugar acts as a preservative for the jam allowing it to stay stable.

        Reply
    4. Emily says

      December 04, 2018 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      I just made some to serve with aebleskivers at a church gathering tonight. My grandma always served them with strawberry freezer jam, so I can’t wait to have some! Thanks for the recipe. I didn’t know it was so easy.

      Reply
    5. Emily Kemp says

      August 23, 2018 at 2:08 am

      5 stars
      I never knew you didn't have to cook jam, this sounds so easy!

      Reply
    6. Jen says

      September 06, 2017 at 4:57 pm

      I always thought it was more complicated! Pinned so i can make it later! Thanks!

      Reply

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