No Pectin Strawberry Jam made with fresh berries, sugar and lemon juice for a truly delightful homemade jam full of flavor! Making strawberry freezer jam has never been easier or more delicious!
Everyone loves this no pectin strawberry jam! It’s been pinned over 10,000 times; be sure to read the 5 ⭐️ reviews below!
My family absolutely adores the bright, fresh flavor of homemade strawberry jam. I make at least 1 batch each year and I don’t even freeze it- we eat it that quickly! I guess it does help that I have 5 kids, right?! I love this recipe because it calls for ingredients I usually have on hand.
It’s even actually better if you use store-bought lemon juice because the acidity level is more consistent! Win, right?! So grab some fresh strawberries now when they’re inexpensive and perfectly sweet, then make yourself some homemade jam.
Highlights of our Strawberry Freezer Jam recipe
- It doesn’t take a ton of time to make it. Seriously, in just a few steps, you could be well on your way to fresh jam!
- Just 3 ingredients! Fresh strawberries are preferred, as well as some sugar and lemon juice. That’s it!
- OMG the flavor. It’s amazing. Super bright, sweet with a hint of tart. It really is lovely.
Ingredients for Strawberry Freezer Jam (without Pectin)
Here’s what you’ll need to make this strawberry jam:
—Fresh Strawberries: the more ripe, the better! Ripe strawberries are the sweetest!
—Sugar: about 3/4 cups of sugar for each cup of berries. You can use less if your berries are perfectly ripe and sweet!
—Lemon juice: 2 TBSP lemon juice per cup of berries. This brightens the flavor a bit and inhibits bacteria growth.
Tips for making freezer jam without pectin
You can see the full instructions for how to make strawberry freezer jam below, but here are some tips for success:
- Make sure berries are smashed enough to release the natural pectin! I like to use a potato masher or a Chop Stir for about half the berries. The other half, I use a hand blender to blend strawberries to a finer consistency.
- Even very ripe berries will need some sugar! If you want a more jam-like consistency, as opposed to a strawberry syrup, you’ll need to add 1 ½ cups of sugar for each 2 cups of berries.
- Cook it long enough so that some of the water in the berries evaporates. The heat along with the sugar will help the berries to thicken and you’ll have your freezer jam!
- Freezer jam means it needs to store in the freezer! I keep a half pint of jam out for use to use immediately, then store the rest in the freezer.
Can I Cook Strawberry Jam Longer to Make it Thicker?
Yes! By boiling the strawberry jam longer than the recommended 15-20 minutes, you continue to cook out the water in the berries, which makes your jam thicker. Remember that cool jam will set thicker than hot jam, so keep that in mind. Don’t boil it too long!
Help! My freezer jam didn’t set! What did I do wrong?
I’ve been making jam for years and years and I’ve decided that sometimes, jam just doesn’t set. I mean, it makes sense that berries sometimes have a higher water content than other times. The good news is, you can fix it!
First, remember that freezer jam is often softer and needs 24-48 hours to properly set. If you’ve waited that time and you still don’t like how thin your jam is, place jam back in a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp cornstarch. Whisk together and add to jam that’s just barely come to a boil. Boil another 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit the 24-48 hours again.
Remember too, that even if your jam is a little thin, it still tastes great! Sometimes it happens to me and I don’t even bother to fix it. We just use a spoon when spreading jam to make sandwiches.
Easy No-Pectin Strawberry Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups strawberries rinsed & quartered
- 3 cups sugar* about 3/4 cups of sugar for each cup of berries
- ½ cup lemon juice 2 TBSP lemon juice per cup of berries
Instructions
- Smash cut strawberries with a potato masher or Chop Stir. Or use a hand blender to blend strawberries to your desired consistency.
- Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place on medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer to glass canning jars, leaving 1/2″ of space from the top of the jar for expansion when frozen. (You’re welcome to use any other jar or container you’d like!) Cool to set.
- Place one jar in the fridge to use immediately and place the other jar in the freezer. Will keep for 4-6 weeks in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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How Can you make Freezer Jam without Pectin?
Fruit naturally contains pectin! By using fresh, ripe berries and adding some sugar and heat to assist in bringing out the natural pectin, you can make jam in about 30 minutes with just a few ingredients.
Why do you put lemon juice in strawberry jam?
Lemon juice plays two parts in a strawberry jam recipe. First, it prohibits bacteria growth, so your jam lasts longer. Second, it is a natural pectin booster. Fresh berries have pectin that’s released when we heat the jam. However it’s not able to help the jam set without the addition of an acid, enter lemon juice! Neat, huh? And so tasty!
Can you use frozen fruit to make jam?
Yes! You absolutely can use non-sweetened frozen fruit to make jam. Just run it under warm water to thaw, then cut into chunks and proceed with the recipe. Frozen fruit usually gives off a bit more water than fresh fruit, so you may have to add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
Can I use other berries or fruit to make jam with no pectin?
Yes, you can! Keep in mind that depending on what fruit you choose, you’ll have to adjust cooking times and the amounts of fruit you need. Ripe peaches will need less sugar than not-the-ripest peaches. You’ll need more fruit to make a blackberry jam than you would a raspberry jam, since blackberries have less water content.
Love making Homemade Jam? So do we!
- Make more freezer jam with no pectin in this simple Blueberry Jam recipe.
- I’ve made this Raspberry Peach freezer jam for years; it’s got such delightful flavor!
- Nana’s Spiced Peach Jam is an annual thing at our house!
Simple Breads to Serve with your Jam
Need some easy breads to serve your jam on? I’ve got you covered!
- These No Yeast Dinner Rolls are a cross between a soft biscuit & a yeasted roll. They’re increadible and whip up super fast!
- These 30 Minute Dinner Rolls have yeast but still come together quick.
- No Knead Artisan bread is always a good idea.
- Have you ever tried making your own English Muffins? They’re delicious!
Homemade Strawberry Jam made with just 3 ingredients and NO store-bought PECTIN. Making strawberry freezer jam has never been easier or more delicious!
Michelle Perrine says
This recipe is my new go to! For the last 2 years, I’ve made it and given it away as gifts. People love it! I gave a jar to my neighbor and they used it a topping for vanilla ice cream. It’s just wonderful!
Jessica says
So glad to hear Michelle!
Becky says
It’s great. Add some lemon zest and you get the lemon strawberry flavor that’s even better!
I’m going to try to use less sugar next time and see how this turns out.
Jessica says
oooh I love the idea of adding lemon zest!! YUM.
kimberly k johnston says
i was wondering if i could use a sugar substitue. im diabetic so i cant have all that sugar
Jessica says
I’m not sure how it’d set with a sugar substitute, but it’s worth a shot. It might have less of a jam texture and more of a fruity sauce.
Jenna says
How many cups of crushed strawberries do you think would come from 4 cups quartered? I’m asking becase I have leftover crushed from a pie I made and would like to use it.
Jessica says
Maybe around 3 cups