holiday jam

🎄🍓🍊 This EASY recipe for Christmas jam requires NO PECTIN and there’s NO CANNING INVOLVED! Sweet strawberries, orange zest, and cranberries create the perfect sweet yet perfectly tart jam that’s perfect for gifting around the holidays! It keeps in the freezer for up to 1 year. Making homemade jam doesn’t get any simpler than this even if you&#039;ve never made jam before!

Christmas Freezer Jam

cranberries

sugar

strawberries berries

orange zest

strawberry Jell-O

To a large saucepan, add the cranberries, sugar, strawberries, orange zest, and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring a lot in the beginning since there is no added liquid and you need to help encourage the fruit to break down and release its natural juice. Tip - Use a high sided saucepan and err on the side of bigger rather than skimping. Jam will sputter and bubble up and it&#39;s less messy and simply easier to have enough &quot;room&quot; in your saucepan.

Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cranberries have burst and the strawberries are soft; stir very frequently and scrape down the sides of the saucepan with a spatula as needed. Tip - If you&#39;re using frozen fruit, you don&#39;t have to thaw it first and can add it straight to the saucepan. However, the cooking time will increase by 10 minutes or so because you&#39;re starting with frozen ingredients.

Optional: Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully blend the mixture using an immersion blender until it reaches your desired consistency. If you&#39;re not doing this, just keep the pan on the heat.

Return the pan to the stove, sprinkle the Jell-O on top, stir it in to combine, and allow the mixture to simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Allow the mixture to sit off the heat (but still in the pan) for about 10 minutes to allow it to thicken slightly. Thickening Tip - Note that jam will continue to thicken as it sits and cools to room temp (step 7 below) so don&#39;t be alarmed if it seems a bit thin or runny now when it&#39;s still quite warm.

Ladle the jam into clean freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1/2-inch of     headspace at the top of each container to allow for expansion during     freezing. If you have a funnel, it may be helpful, too.

Allow the jam cool to room temperature (depending on the temp of your kitchen, this could be 30 minutes or it could be 3 hours), and then seal the containers with lid and place the containers in the freezer. Storage and Gifting Tips - I usually freeze 3 and keep 1 in the fridge (using 8-ounce containers). If you&#39;re gifting this, I would keep place it in decorative jars, and store in the fridge until you&#39;re ready to gift it, up to about a week in advance. However, if you know you&#39;re not gifting it for many weeks, then place it in freezer-safe containers and store it in the freezer until you&#39;re ready to gift it.

When ready to use, thaw the jam in the refrigerator. Once thawed, store it in the refrigerator and consume it within about 2 weeks, noting there are no artificial preservatives added so always use your own judgment.

What would you do if you wanted to can this jam?

This Spiced Christmas Jam blends tart cranberries with sweet strawberries, enhanced by aromatic spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Perfect for holiday breakfasts, desserts, and gifts, this jam offers a delightful balance of sweet and spicy flavors that capture the essence of the season.

Spiced Christmas Jam 

strawberries (6 cups)

cranberries (2 cups)

sugar (5 cups)

pouches liquid fruit pectin (Certro brand, 170 milliliters each)

cinnamon

ginger

allspice

cloves

Puree the strawberries and cranberries in a food processor, working in batches if necessary.

Transfer the pureed fruit to a large saucepan and add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves.

Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the liquid fruit pectin. Return to heat and boil for another minute while stirring constantly.

Skim off any foam that forms on top of the jam.

Ladle the hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace at the top.

Seal the jars with sterilized lids and screw on the bands until just finger-tight.

Process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, making sure the water covers the jars by at least 2 inches.

Remove the jars and allow them to cool for 12 hours before labeling and storing them in a cool, dark place.

This Christmas Jam combines tart cranberries, sweet strawberries, and festive spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for a rich, flavorful holiday spread. Perfect for gifting, breakfast, or dessert, this easy homemade jam captures the warmth and cheer of the season in every spoonful.

Delicious and Cozy Homemade Christmas Jam Recipe

cranberries (about 6 cups)

strawberries,

brown sugar

nutmeg

Prep the fruit

Wash the cranberries and strawberries. Hull and chop the strawberries, or pulse them in a food processor for a smoother texture.

Cook with sugar

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine cranberries, strawberries, and brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries start to pop.

Add spices

Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Let the mixture simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.

Blend (optional)

Use an immersion blender for a smooth consistency, or leave chunky for a rustic texture.

Cool and store

Allow jam to cool slightly before transferring to sterilized jars. Seal and refrigerate once cooled.

Serve and enjoy

Spread on toast, swirl into yogurt, or use as a glaze for holiday meats and desserts.

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Christmas Freezer Jam

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Top 3 holiday jam recipes from across the web

The most viewed holiday jam recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Christmas Freezer Jam

Spiced Christmas Jam

Delicious and Cozy Homemade Christm...

The most viewed holiday jam recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine