Using just 3 or 4 ingredients you can have a wonderful batch of sugar free strawberry jam. This jam is a healthy alternative that tastes great with toast and biscuits.
Recipe: $2.69 | Per Tbsp: $0.52 | Yields: 52 Tablespoons
We love jams and jellies, and making our own batch of homemade sugar free strawberry jam here and there has been a great summer favorite for a few years now (well, that and our Sugar Free Blueberry Jam).
This homemade jam retains all the natural sweetness of ripe strawberries while bypassing added sugars. Chia seeds, known for their incredible ability to absorb liquid and create a jelly-like texture, work their magic here to give the jam the perfect consistency.
This jam has been great on everything from biscuits to scones, sandwiches and more. I've enjoyed it on our Cherokee Fry Bread, Frozen Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, and this 4 Ingredient Scones. There's really no limit to its uses.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- More uses for fresh fruits. Using fresh berries while they're on sale and in season is a great way to stretch the budget, but even frozen berries will work too!
- It's easier to make than you'd think! Making your own sugarless strawberry jam is truly easy and doesn't require much work at all. Mostly just standing over a pot, watching and stirring.
- You can have a batch in minutes. While it does require a bit of patience to get the jam to the perfect consistency, it actually only takes about 15 minutes.
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Strawberries- You just need 1 pint of freshly washed, hulled, and quartered strawberries.
Chia seeds- Instead of using pectin or other thickeners, we choose chia seeds. If you have a lot of chia seeds on hand be sure to see How to Make Overnight Oats so you can whip up a tasty batch of Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats.
Lemon juice- This is what's needed to help preserve the jam so that it can last about a week or two in the fridge.
Sweetener- You can use maple syrup or honey as a natural sweetener for your jam. I recommend honey, but if you have real maple syrup (not the cheaper flavored corn syrup stuff), it will work great too. (We even use maple syrup in our Maple Syrup Iced Coffee for a delicious sweetener)
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
🔪 Instructions for Sugar Free Strawberry Jam
Step 1: Wash and hull your fresh strawberries before cutting them into quarter-sized pieces.
Step 2: Add your strawberries to a medium-sized saucepan and cook for about 6-8 minutes over medium heat until the berries are pretty soft.
Step 3: Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir.
Step 4: Mash strawberries with a potato masher until your desired level of chunkiness.
Step 5: Stir in the chia seeds and honey before returning the pot to the stove.
Step 6: Cook for about 5 more minutes while stirring consistently to prevent sticking.
Step 7: Set the pan aside, turn off the heat and allow the jam to cool before handling. At this point, you can take a small spoonful and sample the jam to see if you would like to make it sweeter or not.
If so, add in more honey now to get it to where you want it. Don't mind the chia seed texture, as they will soften.
Step 8: Keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using.
🍴 Recipe Tips
- Adjust Chunkiness to Preference- Tailor the texture of your no-sugar strawberry jam to your liking. For a chunkier consistency resembling preserves, mash the strawberries less during preparation.
- Chia Seeds for Thickening- Allowing the chia seeds to sit in the jam facilitates thickening over time. If desired, you can achieve a finer texture by grinding them in a food processor before adding them to the jam.
- Thickening Process- While the jam may appear slightly thin initially, refrigerating it in an airtight container for a few hours will result in a thickened consistency.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Because this chia strawberry jam recipe contains lemon juice your jam will last up to 2 weeks if stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge. You can get it to last up to several months if stored in the freezer, just thaw before using.
Yes, you can make this jam with frozen strawberries, and if you do, you can omit the added water as the frozen berries will have plenty of moisture in them already.
This recipe is not canning friendly. This is what is often referred to as a "freezer jam" meaning that it is meant to be kept stored in your fridge or freezer for up to a few weeks, whereas canned jams can last indefinitely.
❤️ More Delicious Spreads Recipes
If you tried this Sugar Free Strawberry Jam, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Sugar Free Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries ($2.24)
- 1 teaspoon lemon Juice ($0.01)
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds ($0.20)
- 1 Tablespoon honey (or maple syrup) ($0.24)
Instructions
- Wash and hull your fresh strawberries before cutting them into quarter sized pieces.
- Add your strawberries to a medium sized saucepan and cook for about 6-8 minutes over medium heat, until the berries are pretty soft.
- Remove from heat and add in lemon juice. Stir.
- Mash strawberries with a potato masher until your desired level of chunkiness.
- Stir in the chia seeds and honey before returning the pot to the stove.
- Cook for about 5 more minutes while stirring consistently to prevent sticking.
- Set the pan aside, turn off the heat and allow the jam to cool before handling. At this point you can take a small spoonful and sample the jam to see if you would like to make it sweeter or not. Is so, add in more honey now to get it to where you want it. Don't mind the chia seed texture as they will soften.
- Keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using.
Notes
- Customize jam texture by adjusting the level of strawberry mashing for chunky or smooth consistency.
- When using frozen strawberries, skip the additional water, as they provide sufficient moisture.
- Chia seeds, when ground in a food processor, create a finer texture in the jam.
- The jam may appear slightly thin post-cooking but will thicken when refrigerated in an airtight container for a few hours.
- Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, thanks to the lemon juice.
- For extended storage, freeze the jam for several months and thaw when needed.
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