Christmas jam is a thick fruit preserve made from a blend of tart cranberries, sweet strawberries, and blueberries. The mixture is cooked down with orange juice, sugar, and a blend of winter spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It takes less than an hour of active cooking and yields enough jars to stock your pantry or share with friends.
Making your own fruit preserves at home gives you control over the texture and the balance of spices. The natural pectin in the cranberries helps the mixture thicken without the need for commercial pectin. Water bath canning ensures the jars are shelf-stable for months.
Why this works
- Using an immersion blender allows you to control the final texture, leaving it chunky or making it smooth.
- Cooking the cranberries until they pop releases their natural pectin, which sets the mixture as it cools.
- Processing the filled jars in a water bath canner creates a vacuum seal for long-term pantry storage.
Ingredients you'll need
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen whole cranberries work for this recipe. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw them first.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries add sweetness to balance the tart cranberries. Hull and chop them evenly so they break down easily.
- Orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice provides a brighter flavor, but bottled juice is fine.
- Sugar: Standard granulated cane sugar sweetens the fruit and acts as a preservative for canning.
- Spices: Check your ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves for freshness to ensure a strong flavor.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to make it
Step 1: Prep the fruit
Wash all the berries under cold running water. Hull and chop the strawberries into small pieces so they cook at the same rate as the cranberries and blueberries.
Step 2: Cook the mixture
Combine the berries, sugar, orange juice, zest, and spices in a very large pot. Heat the mixture until it boils and the cranberries start popping, then mash or blend the fruit.
Step 3: Can the jars
Ladle the hot preserves into clean glass jars. Process them in a boiling water bath to create a tight seal for storage.
Serve it with
Serve this sweet and tart spread over toast, biscuits, or alongside a warm slice of Christmas Breakfast Casserole. It also pairs well with Christmas Cookies on a holiday dessert board.
Storage and reheating
Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry for up to one year. Once opened, keep the jar in the refrigerator for up to one month. This recipe is not recommended for freezing in glass jars due to the risk of breakage.
FAQ
Do I need to add pectin to this recipe?
No, cranberries are naturally high in pectin, which helps the mixture thicken on its own as it cools.
Can I skip the water bath canning step?
Yes, if you prefer not to can the jars, you can store them in the refrigerator, but they must be eaten within a month.
Can I use frozen berries instead of fresh?
Frozen cranberries, strawberries, and blueberries will work just as well as fresh. You do not need to thaw them before cooking.
