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!
Lacie says
Mine didn’t set up at all and I followed it all. What did I do wrong? How do i fix it. It was way runny
Jessica says
Try cooking it longer.
Jarrod says
it turned out good. the family likes when i make this. i boil it longer than 20mins, caramelize it, hmmm. easy simple recipe for a guy like me. B)
Fran L Bennett says
Use the “runny” jam for strawberry topping on vanilla ice cream.
Bonita says
This was the best strawberry jam I’ve ever had. I did have to use a candy thermometer and cook it to 220 degrees because at the recommended time of 15-20 minutes the jam was not setting up. But was perfect at 220 degrees
Tracy says
This looks incredible! Can I use frozen strawberries and halve the recipe?
Jessica says
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries but you might have to cook it longer since the tend to be more watery once defrosted.
G.G. says
I’ve made this twice and we just love it. My husband has eaten a 4 oz jar by himself with a spoon. Omgosh, I’m very grateful that you showed us how to do this.
Peaches go on sale tomorrow, I’d like to try the same thing. Have you ever made peach jam?
Jessica says
I absolutely ADORE peach jam, but they have to be very ripe/ sweet in order to make it without pectin. Just fyi.
Nikki says
Idk why but my jalapeño jam hardened up.
Nellie says
I’ve never tried jalapeno jam before so I’m not sure either!
Carol says
Can you can this recipe successfully? I want to have some on the shelf and save freezer space.
Jessica says
I’m not sure Carol!
Brenda says
Yes, place jars in a canner and be sure to cover them with at least 4 inches of water, and process for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool
Lynn says
Absolutely delicious. My girls love it on waffles and the 2 year old says “Mmmmmmmm” with every bite! Could I add mint to the mix for a little different rendition?
Nellie says
Mint sounds like a great idea!
Missml10772 says
This was so easy to make! I made one batch using regular sugar & one batch using 4/5ths Truvia & 1/5 regular sugar. * Both were delicious but we actually preferred the batch using Truvia as the one with regular sugar was a little too sweet for us. I will be making this recipe many more times & plan to try different flavors as well. Delicious!!
*Be sure to follow the Truvia directions as it does not take an equivalent amount as regular sugar.
Shelli says
LOVE this recipe! It’s wonderful on toast, yogurt and even banana splits! The first time I made it, it was delicious (although I probably should have cooked it an additional 5 minutes to firm it up a bit more, although I really didn’t care if it was a little thin). The second time, due to my slight food sensitivity to lemon, I decided to try using apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice (I read that you put half the amount, if using vinegar instead of lemon juice). I noticed it foamed up a lot, so I had to watch it VERY carefully. I also cooked it about 25 minutes, and it seems to be a bit thicker. The taste is much sweeter this time, but that could be because these strawberries didn’t taste quite as good as the first batch, so I am noticing the sugar more. NOTE: I would not recommend actually “canning” this for cupboard storage with the vinegar. For safety, I would only can, and store in the cupboard, the lemon juice version. I will be freezing this, and it never lasts long, so it will be fine. All and all, great recipe! Will make it many more times!
Gladys says
How can I fix if the ham is too thick
Jessica says
If the jam is too thick, I’d just leave it- it tends to thin out with time. : )
Deb says
Just tried this and it appears to be thick enough. But When you say “cool to set” what exactly does that mean? How long before placing in fridge or freezer? Should the lid go on the jar right away?
Jessica says
I let the jars sit on my counter for a day. It really only needs a few hours! The sweeter the strawberries, the more the natural pectin and the more set the jam gets. : )
Donna says
Is it possible to use half strawberries half blueberries? Does that change it at all?
Jessica says
It shouldn’t change it, but just make sure your fruit is ripe since that’s where the natural pectin comes from!
Lynn Howes says
When you leave the jars out on the counter should they be lidded? I didn’t lid them and am nervous about making people sick. I left them on the counter for a couple hours until they were cool enough to handle the. I popped them in the fridge/freezer.
Jessica says
I tend to leave mine on the countertop for 24 hours, but yes, I do have a lid on them. Oftentimes they even partially seal from the heat! I think you’ll be fine!
Jammin in NC says
Best strawberry freezer jam I’ve made. Will not use any other recipe ever again. Thank you!!! It was easy and tastes so delicious I’m not sure we’ll need to freeze any. This will go perfectly with your easy homemade bread recipe, which we also love!
Kaylie says
Thank you! So glad you like it as much as you do!
Susan says
Simple and simply delicious. I used raspberries instead of strawberries and the jam came out perfectly.
Alison says
Yes, Raspberry jam is another favorite of ours! I’m so glad it was great for you too!
Alison Harris says
Yes i made jam today. Fiest time wirhout pectin.. Iwas cery nervous, that it wouldn’t set. It came out gteat with amore intense flavour. Love it, will doitthis way again for sure.
drew says
Great recipe! Gonna try w/ guava’s any advice?
Alison says
Hey Drew! I haven’t tried it with guava but let us know how it goes for you!
Kathy says
First time ever making jam. Made both raspberry and strawberry jam. Both came out fantastic, will never again buy jam. I am 66yrs old so never to late to try new things.
I will give it 6 out of 5 star’s. Thank you Kath.
Alison says
Wow thank you so much Kathy! That is high praise! You are absolutely right, it is never to late to learn something new. I hope you enjoy this recipe for a very long time!
Del says
Followed the recipe using raspberries, wild blackberries and Marion berries from our garden. I’m not a big jam eater but this is delicious! Making another batch as I type …
Kim says
Thank you! First time ever making jelly and this was so much fun!
Melanie says
Do you think I could substitute the sugar for local honey? I’m hoping to find a healthier recipe, with the added allergy prevention benefits of local honey. Honey is thick, would it still set the same?
EM says
Do you have to prep your jars – like you would for canning?
Jessica says
I make sure they’re washed and hot- many times I get them to seal without actually doing any canning. It’s not a 2-3 years seal, mind you, but it works!
Ruth says
Can ups ise Date Sugar in place of regular sugar?
Jessica says
I have zero experience with date sugar, so I’m not sure!
Mary Ann Skibinski says
I make freezer strawberry and raspberry jam but with pectin. Now I am going to make your recipe. But I have a question for you,
a couple years ago i made raspberry jam, let it set overnight on the cupboard, I opened a jar and it exploded, can you tell me why
that might have happened. Never had that happen in the 30 years of making it, did nothing different.
Jessica says
I honestly have NO IDEA why it would have exploded like that!! So weird. Maybe the jar itself had a tiny fracture and when the pressure changed from opening it, boom? Extreme jam making! 😉