Capture the festive spirit in a jar with this easy Christmas Jam Recipe. It’s a delightful blend of sweet strawberries and tart cranberries, warmed with holiday spices. This recipe is perfect for beginners and makes a wonderful, heartfelt gift for friends and family during the holiday season. Get ready to fill your kitchen with the cozy aroma of Christmas!
We’ve designed this recipe to be as simple as possible, whether you’re making a small batch to enjoy immediately or canning a larger batch for gifting. It’s the perfect spread for your morning toast and a festive addition to any holiday cheeseboard.
What is Christmas Jam?
Christmas Jam is a festive fruit preserve that beautifully combines the signature colors and flavors of the holiday season. It typically features a mix of red fruits like cranberries and strawberries, creating a vibrant, jewel-toned spread. The addition of warm spices like cinnamon and cloves gives it that unmistakable holiday character.
Think of it as the holidays, captured in a jar. It’s sweet, slightly tart, and wonderfully aromatic, making it an incredibly popular homemade gift.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Christmas Jam Recipe
- Incredibly Festive: The beautiful red color and warm spice flavor are pure holiday cheer.
- Simple to Make: With clear, step-by-step instructions, this recipe is accessible even for first-time jam makers.
- Perfect for Gifting: Poured into decorative jars with a ribbon, it becomes a thoughtful and delicious homemade gift.
- Versatile Use: It’s not just for toast! Use it on scones, as a glaze for meats, or served with cheese.
The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients to create its magical flavor.
Key Components
- Strawberries: We use frozen strawberries for convenience and year-round availability. They break down beautifully into a jammy consistency.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries provide the tartness that balances the sweetness and gives the jam its festive flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Essential for sweetness and for helping the jam set properly.
- Pectin: We use powdered pectin to ensure a perfect, spreadable set without fail.
- Holiday Spices: A blend of ground cinnamon and cloves infuses the jam with the warm, comforting taste of Christmas.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the fruit flavors and aids the pectin in setting the jam.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make Christmas Jam
Follow these simple steps to create your own delicious holiday jam.
1. Prepare Your Equipment
If canning, wash your jars, lids, and rings in hot, soapy water. Place the jars on a rack in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer to keep them hot until you’re ready to fill them. Place the lids in a separate small saucepan of hot (not boiling) water.
2. Combine the Ingredients
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the strawberries, cranberries, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and mashing the fruit with a potato masher or the back of a spoon as it cooks down.
3. Add Pectin and Sugar
Stir the pectin into the fruit mixture until it’s fully dissolved. Bring it to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add the entire measure of sugar all at once, stirring constantly. Stir in the cinnamon and cloves. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Fill the Jars
Remove the jam from the heat. Skim off any foam from the surface with a metal spoon. Carefully ladle the hot jam into your prepared hot jars, leaving about 1/4-inch of headspace at the top.
Tips for Perfect Christmas Jam Every Time
Making jam is easy, but these tips will ensure it turns out perfectly.
- Don’t Reduce the Sugar: The amount of sugar is crucial for a proper set when using traditional pectin. Altering it can result in a runny jam.
- Move Quickly: Once the jam is ready, work efficiently to get it into the jars while everything is still hot. This helps ensure a good seal for canning.
- Check Your Seal: After your processed jars have cooled for 12-24 hours, press on the center of the lid. If it doesn’t pop back, it’s sealed. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used first.
Serving Suggestions
This Christmas jam is incredibly versatile. Spread it on a warm slice of Amish White Bread or serve it alongside a festive Blueberry Coffee Cake. It’s also a fantastic accompaniment to a cheese board, pairing beautifully with brie or cream cheese. For a savory twist, use it as a glaze for baked ham or chicken.
Storage and Gifting Information
Properly sealed and processed jars of jam will last in a cool, dark place (like a pantry) for up to 18 months. Once a jar is opened, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. For gifting, tie a festive ribbon around the jar and add a custom label with the name and date. It’s a simple touch that makes the gift even more special.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Christmas Jam Recipe
While this specific recipe is developed for use with powdered pectin to ensure a consistent set, you can find ‘no-pectin’ jam recipes online. They require a much longer cooking time to allow the fruit’s natural pectin and sugar to thicken, which can affect the final flavor and texture.
Absolutely! This recipe is designed to work perfectly with frozen strawberries and cranberries. It’s a great way to make this festive jam any time of year without relying on seasonal fresh fruit.
If properly sealed and processed in a water bath canner, the jam can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 weeks.
It’s delicious on toast, scones, biscuits, or swirled into yogurt. It’s also a wonderful accompaniment to a cheese board with cream cheese or brie, and can even be used as a glaze for ham or chicken.
Christmas jam is typically made from a festive combination of fruits like strawberries and cranberries, granulated sugar, pectin for setting, and warm holiday spices such as cinnamon and cloves.
Discover More Holiday Favorites
We hope you love making and sharing this delightful Christmas Jam Recipe. If you’re looking for more holiday baking inspiration, don’t miss our crowd-pleasing Pecan Pie Cheesecake or this cozy Cinnamon Streusel Bread Recipe (coming soon). Let us know how your jam turns out in the comments below and be sure to share your creations on Pinterest!
Christmas Jam Recipe
Christmas Jam Recipe (The Best for Holiday Gifting!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If canning, prepare your water bath canner and sterilize jars and lids. Keep jars hot until ready to use.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine strawberries, cranberries, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring and mashing the fruit as it cooks.
- Stir in the powdered pectin until fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
- Add all the sugar at once, along with the ground cinnamon and cloves. Stir constantly and return to a full rolling boil.
- Boil for exactly 1 minute, continuing to stir constantly to prevent scorching.
- Remove the jam from the heat and skim any foam from the top. Carefully ladle hot jam into the prepared hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar rims, apply lids, and screw on rings until fingertip-tight. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on a towel for 24 hours. Check seals.
Notes
Don't be tempted to reduce the sugar, as it is essential for the pectin to set correctly.
