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
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
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!
Karyn says
I just made this, but used red raspberries because my hubby got a case for $5.00 and they needed to be used asap.
I didn’t set out to change anything, but I ran out of lemons, so I added some lime juice.
It’s amazing, it smells good, looks good and of course it tastes really, really good.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. It’s a keeper.
Alison says
Thank you Karyn! So glad you could put those raspberries to use!
Aaron Wickert says
My Girlfriend Sarah Flint Made This Me And Her For Our Toast On Saturday Morning For Breakfast
Jessica says
Awesome!!
Sue Hogan says
How many jars does this make? When you use sure jell it makes about 6 jars.
Jessica says
This one makes 4 pints
Raymond Stedman says
your recipe for no pectin strawberry jam doesn’t have how much strawberries for the sugar and lemon juice, can you help me out, receiving 19 baskets of strawberries from local grower this weekend.
ray
Jessica says
It says in the recipe “4 cups cut strawberries”
Heather says
Mine is super runny 🙁
Jessica says
Did you try cooking it longer, like instructed?
Paula says
Once you have refrigerated the jam can you reheat it to make the jam thicker? Very runny.
Jessica says
You can return it to the pot and boil it again, yes! I’ve done this too!
Brenda E says
I’m confused about the amount of lemon juice: 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 TBSP lemon juice per cup of berries. Do you really use 1/2 cup +2 tablespoons? And are you referring to fresh lemon juice or the bottle kind?
Jessica says
You use 1/2 cup lemon juice. (About 2 TBSP per cup of berries.) You can use fresh or bottled.
Phillip says
After cooking the berries do you put them in a water bath or do you let cool then put straight in the fridge?
Nicole says
Let the jam cool and then keep sealed and stored in the fridge
Steve says
I have made atrawberry jam this way very often. I allow the sugar to soak (“mascerate”) in the cut berries for a while before I chop them up with a potato masher. Mascerating draws the juices out.
I zest the lemons directly into the berries before cooking, then throw the spent rinds into the pot, to make use of the pectin in the skins. I fish the skins out before bottling the jam.
This basic recipe works well with any berry- raspberry, blackberry, blueberry. Adjust sugar levels to taste.
Any citrus juice will work instead if lemon (well, maybe not grapefruit…).
Nicole says
Thanks for sharing that helpful info steve!
Bobbie says
Will the strawberry jam still set up if I use less sugar?
Jessica says
It likely will not set, unless you boil it quite a bit… and you run the risk of making strawberry candy. 😉
Barbara Kyte says
I made this for my diabetic husband and used Splenda instead of sugar. It worked so well! Can I do it with peaches?
Nicole says
I don’t see why not!
Sarah says
Could you use frozen strawberries to make this??
Jessica says
I’ve never used frozen strawberries, my only thought is that you will likely have to boil it longer to reduce the water content a bit further. : )
Karen says
I have a family member who has an issue with refined sugar. Have you had anyone make it with a raw sugar?
Nicole says
Im not sure how raw sugar would work, but I do believe splenda has a few sugar options that may work well with this recipe. You could also cook down the strawberries and simply add in sweeteners a little at a time until the jam tastes good to your tastes.
Patsy Wheeler says
For those that make this and their jam doesn’t set up, use it for pancake syrup. Believe me, it will not last long!
Nicole says
That’s such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Rebekah says
Could there be a problem with storing the extra jar in the freezer? I’ve had liquids and foods ruined because the glass jar cracked in the freezer! Guess I could use a small plastic container with a tight fitting lid instead? BPA free of course! And I remember my Grandmother freezing fruits etc in small Tupperware containers with lids back in the 1970’s etc!
Nicole says
some jars actually hold up well to being frozen so i think it would depend on which jar you used. Personally I think a plastic tupperare container could be safer
Janney says
Rebekah, when you use a glass jar, leave about an inch of room at the top of the jar, the jam will have room to expand when it freezes & the jar will not crack.
Terra says
I like to can my regular jams as I don’t have alot of leftover freezer space. Could I can this like a normal jelly or jam?
Nicole says
No, this recipe has not been properly tested and is therefore not safe to can.
Chrys says
I’m making it right now and it’s still runny after 30 mins cooking.
Nicole says
Aw im sorry to hear that
Rhona says
This came out great. I only had a cup of mashed berries; used 3/4 cup sugar; and juice of a good sized lemon wedge. 15 minutes later I had jam. Thanks!
Nicole says
that sounds tasty
Susan says
Just made this for the first time.
Had LOTS of strawberries that needed to
be used before they went bad….
Very simple recipe!! Can’t comment on
the taste yet, as I JUST poured them into
the jars!!!
Very excited to see if it sets well🙏🏻
Jessica says
It’s a soft set, but the flavor makes up for it. I hope you love it!
Judy says
Thank you for a great strawberry jam recipe. Mine were nice and juicy and sweet so I did cut back not the sugar a bit. I have four containers in the freezer and one we saved in the refrigerator. It is a bit thinner but the taste makes up for it.
Jessica says
Glad you liked it Judy! If you cook it just a bit longer, it thickens!
Julie Lehrman says
Flavor was great, but the recipe called for too much sugar, and I also added a little cornstarch at the end because it wasn’t setting up. This was an easy fix, and next time I’ll cut the sugar in half.
Jessica says
Try cooking it for longer to get it to set more.
Kristalee says
Pure liquid. Not sure where I went wrong but I have no problem doing jam with raspberries. Strawberries and I don’t seem to agree with eachother I have yet to have a batch set and have been doing it every year for 5 years 🙁
Jessica says
TRy cooking it longer!
Britney says
I reduced the sugar by almost half and used up some strawberries that were about to go bad any second lol. Cooked for closer to 25-30mins and turned out perfect and thickened up nicely once cooled. Thank you so much for sharing this!!