Strawberry Freezer Jam

Name: Strawberry Freezer Jam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 1455 min
Ingredients: 3 cups granulated sugar; 1.75 ounce box of Sure Jell ((less or no sugar needed recipes)); 1 cup water; 8 cups strawberries ((4 cups crushed berries))

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This homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam recipe is quick and easy to make using fresh strawberries, sugar, water, and either low or no-sugar pectin to create a strawberry jam that will stay fresh in the freezer for a year.

Easiest Homemade Strawberry Jam

Our recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam is super easy to make in 15 minutes as long as you follow my instructions EXACTLY as written or your strawberry jam will set up as syrup instead of a thick, gel-like spread.

No need to add extra berries because you think it will taste better, this may be a reduced-sugar recipe, but it’s still plenty sweet.

Our strawberry jam recipes require no canning skills and are made simply without sterilizing and sealing; just pour the contents into plastic containers, plastic bags, or mason jars to store and freeze your jam.

So stock up now before strawberry season is over because this is one sweet spread you don’t want to be without – it’s so easy to preserve summer produce when prepared as jam and placed in the freezer for year-round freshness.

Why We Love This Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe

Quick and easy to make in 15 minutes.
Only uses 3 ingredients plus water.
Homemade jam is so much better than store bought jelly.
Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free recipe.
No water bath, canning pots or sealing techniques needed (like traditional jam-making methods).
Great for gifting, smearing in a sandwich, topping your toast, or putting on pancakes.

Ingredients

Granulated sugar
Sure Jell: Make sure to use a package of Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin for less or no sugar needed recipes in the pink box.
Water
Strawberries

Substitutions and Additions

Serving Suggestions: Slather your strawberry jam on top of toast, biscuits, or English muffins; mix it in oatmeal, yogurt, or chia pudding; smear it on pancakes, waffles, or french toast; use it as a topping for ice cream, brownies, or your favorite desserts.
Fruit Flavors: You can substitute the strawberries for blueberries, raspberries or peaches to make other delicious fruit flavors of jam.
Swap The Store Bought Spread: Use this fresh strawberry jam in your favorite recipes to replace the store bought jams and jellies. Pull it from your freezer and use it as a filling for Thumbprint Cookies, Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Balls, Strawberry Crisp, and Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.

What is fruit pectin?

Fruit pectin is a thickening agent used in many fruit jellies, jams, and desserts to achieve a certain consistency. It is naturally occurring in many fruits and vegetables, some more than others. For this recipe, I use a powder form.

What is the difference between freezer jam and canned jam?

Unlike traditional canned jam, the fruit in freezer jam is not cooked. Some people even refer to this jam as “No Cook Jam” instead of freezer jam. Because the fruit isn’t cooked, the result is a jam that tastes like fresh berries.

Recommended Tools

Mixing bowl
Measuring tools
Potato masher or food processor
Medium saucepan
Lidded jars

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How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam

Prepare The Produce: Clean and stem the strawberries. Crush with a potato masher or food processor until chunky but not pureed. Set aside.
Cook: Mix the sugar and Sure-Jell in a saucepan, add the water, and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. When a rolling boil is reached, cook for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberries.
Store: Pour the jam into jars and place the lids on top. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before refrigerating or freezing.
Pro Tip: Make sure to leave a little space at the top of each jar for expansion when freezing.

Tip From Our Recipe Developer

The recipe requires approximately 4 pints of berries.
When prepping the berries, I like to wash them and put them in a colander to drain the excess water. Then, I remove the tops and slice them before I mash them. It makes it easier to get the consistency without too much mashing. The berries can be left in large pieces if you prefer a chunkier jam.
When crushing the berries, add a few to the mixing bowl, crush them with a potato masher, and then add another layer. That is a great way to get some more crushed than others.
I like to use recycled and washed jelly jars without labels for storing the freezer jam. They are a perfect size! Some of them even have a decorative lid that is fun if you’re planning to give the jam to a friend or neighbor.

Can I decrease The Amount of sugar I use in this recipe?

For this recipe, I used the Sure-Jell less or no sugar-added fruit pectin. It’s in the pink box. Because ripe strawberries are so sweet on their own, this is a great fruit pectin to use. However, in order for the jam to set, the amount of sugar listed must be used.

If you don’t mind a jam that is a little on the runny side (I like it better this way), the amount of sugar can be decreased. Keep in mind that the jam consistency may not be as pictured.

Storage

To Store: Jam can be stored, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 weeks.
To Freeze: Jam can be frozen for up to 1 year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Should I Store My Jam?

Strawberry freezer jam can be used immediately after the 24-hour cooling period. Because it doesn’t go through the water bath procedure, like in traditional canning, it is not shelf stable. It should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks or frozen for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

Do I Have To Boil My Mixture For A Full Minute?

It is important to bring the sugar and pectin mixture to a rolling boil, meaning there are bubbles across the entire surface of the mixture, and boil for one minute. This is important because this process dissolves the sugar that would otherwise leave the freezer jam grainy. If the sugar is not dissolved, it can also lead to problems with the jam setting.

Why does the jam have to sit on the counter for 24 hours?

It takes a full 24 hours for the fruit pectin to set. If the jam doesn’t set up properly, it will be runny. There is no harm in using it that way and it will still taste delicious.

What do I do if the jam separates?

Sometimes when the jam is setting up, the fruit will come to the top of the jar. As it cools, you can stir it to help the fruit stay distributed and suspended throughout the jam. This can also be remedied by stirring the jam after thawing.

Other Easy Strawberry Recipes

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Strawberry Cool Whip Pie

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

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