Small Batch Refrigerator Jam
The process of making small batch refrigerator jam is incredibly easy, quick, and versatile for any fruit or flavor combination. Use this base recipe to make strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, peach, or other delicious flavors of jam!
Overview
Skill Level: Beginner
This simple recipe for refrigerator jam is a template to use for any fruit combination! This recipe works well with both fresh and frozen fruit and makes a small batch meant to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Homemade jam not only elevates your toast game but is delicious topped over yogurt, ice cream, or used as cake filling.
Quick Jam Flavor Ideas
- Blueberry + Ginger
- Strawberry + Basil + Lemon
- Raspberry + Mint
- Blackberry + Cinnamon
- Peach + Blueberry
Simple ingredients in homemade jam
Fresh or frozen fruits: Have fun with it! Choose your favorite fruits that are in season or use a combination of fruits. No need to thaw the fruit if using frozen.
Water: The water in this recipe will boil off giving time for the sugar to melt and dissolve before burning.
Granulated sugar: The sugar as well as the liquid from the fruit come together to make a syrup. As the mixture cooks, the moisture begins to evaporate and the sugar syrup will thicken.
Salt: A pinch of salt, although optional, is recommended to balance out the sweetness in the fruit and added sugar.
Lemon Juice: In addition to adding some flavor, the acidity of lemon juice helps the natural pectin released from the fruit to set. This gives it a jammy consistency.
How to make refrigerator jam
Start by preparing the fruits. Rinse them thoroughly and remove the stems and pits. If using larger fruits like strawberries or peaches, slice into smaller chunks. If using smaller fruits like blueberries or raspberries, leave them whole.
Place the fruit, lemon juice, sugar, water, and a pinch of salt into a medium saucepan. Stir together and heat on low until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up to medium and let it boil gently.
Mash the larger pieces of fruit with the back of a spoon or potato masher depending on your preference. I like a slightly chunkier jam.
Gently boil for about 20-25 minutes until all of the juices have thickened, stirring occasionally. At first, you’ll notice a lot of bubbles and foam as the water boils off. As it continues to cook, the water will evaporate causing the mixture to thicken.
A good way to test if it’s ready is by spooning a bit of jam onto a plate and freezing it for about 2 minutes. Push the jam around on the plate: if it has a gelatinous jammy consistency, it is ready. If it’s still liquid then continue cooking.
Remove the saucepan from the pan and let cool completely. Transfer the jam to an airtight container and refrigerate.
TIPS, TRICKS, AND TECHNIQUES
- Be careful not to overcook the fruit during this process. The mixture will seem too thin, but will thicken up as it cools.
- Boiling sugar is incredibly hot. Use caution when stirring to not splatter the mixture.
- If you want to add fresh herbs into your jam, such as basil, mint, or thyme, do it during the last few minutes of the cooking process to retain their bright flavor.
STORAGE
Refrigerator: Homemade jam made without pectin can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Freezer: When freezing, be sure to leave enough room at the top of the container to allow the jam to expand when frozen. Freeze for up to 3 months. Move to the refrigerator to thaw for at least 2 hours.
FAQ
Do I need to add pectin?
Pectin is a natural component found in most fruits and plants. Different fruits contain varying levels of pectin. It’s what gives jam its thickness.
Some jam and jelly recipes call for commercial pectin to be added to the fruit mixture before cooking. It helps to speed up the cooking process and will preserve it for longer. There are pros and cons of making jam with commercial pectin but to make a simple jam suitable for home use, I often do without.
WHAT ARE SOME USES FOR HOMEMADE JAM?
Homemade jam can be used in so many different ways besides spreading over toast! I love to make homemade parfaits by combining yogurt, jam, and granola.
Some other great uses include: cake filling, pop tart filling, swirled into ice cream, topped over warm pancakes, and the star ingredient in nostalgic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JAM AND JELLY?
Jam and jelly are commonly used interchangeably but there are some differences. Jams are made by smashing whole fruits leaving in the seeds and small chunks of fruit. Jellies are made with fruit juices, are entirely smooth and more gelatinous, and don’t contain fruit chunks.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like to try these other delicious recipes.
- Orange Cranberry Jam (a twist on the Thanksgiving staple)
- Fresh Berry Sauce (use to top pancakes, ice cream, cakes, and more)
- Homemade Clotted Cream (faux clotted cream)
Small Batch Refrigerator Jam
This recipe is for a small batch of refrigerator jam made without pectin. Use this base recipe to make strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, or other flavors of jam!
Ingredients
- 448 grams (1 pound) fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, or peaches all work well)
- 60 grams (¼ cup, 60 milliliters) water
- 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
- large pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
PREP
- Prepare the fruit (448 grams / 1 pound) by washing and removing any stems, peels, or pits if applicable. Roughly chop the fruit into large chunks. Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries can all remain whole.
Make the Jam
- In a saucepan (at least 2 quarts in size) combine the fruit, water (60 grams (¼ cup), granulated sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup), salt (large pinch), and lemon juice (1 tablespoon) over medium heat. Mash the fruit and sugar with a potato masher, fork, or the back of a large spoon. It does not need to be completely mashed depending on how chunky you like your jam.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes until the juices thicken. At about the halfway point, you may need to turn the heat down to low or medium-low. Keep an eye on it so the bottom doesn't burn.
- A good way to test if it's ready is by spooning a bit of jam onto a plate and place it in the freezing it for about 2 minutes. Push the jam around on the plate: if it has a gelatinous jammy consistency, it is ready. If it's still liquid then continue cooking.
- Cool completely then store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 4 months. When freezing, be sure to leave enough room at the top of the container to allow the jam to expand when frozen.
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38 Comments on “Small Batch Refrigerator Jam”
Ha! This is pretty much exactly what I do. I love making small batch jams because I don’t have access to the abundance of fruit to make large batches cost effective. It’s so much better than whatever the store has to offer. Even in winter with organic strawberries at $8/lb, still better.
On another note, I can’t wait for the Superbowl…..for the food of course. I think I’m going to try your pretzels to go along with some “party” food I’m making. I’ll let you know how they turn out!
It’s such a great way to make some quick jam isn’t it?! Please do let me know how you like the pretzels!
Thanks for this. I took my toddler for a program at our local library and they made jam. 1 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon of pectin. But I like this one don’t have to hunt pectin down and lemon juice is a pantry staple…of course the trade off is having to cook it but worth it. They used a Ziploc bag to smash the strawberries and then mixed pectin/sugar then added to strawberries and smashed them more. It was so good! I’ve never liked jam especially without peanut butter but homemade I can eat alone. Your recipes are great I have tried the rosemary snickerdoodle cookie and the spicy chocolate cookie yummm!
Awe, thanks so much, Marita! I love that your local library teaches children (and adults) how to make jam! Keep up the great baking 😉
Thanks so much for this recipe! I just recently got hooked on a blueberry preserve that’s very hard to find. I cannot wait to have my little 4 and 9 year old granddaughters help me make this! We love your recipes! Seems like you read my mind…everything I think about making….bam…there you are with the recipe, lol. You need your own show!
Awe, thank you, Micki! I’m so glad my recipes are hitting the bullseye 😉 Enjoy baking with your granddaughters!
YESSSS.
Love simple recipes like this, and that it doesn’t use pectin!
YES! Total win/win! Thanks, girl.
How many cups of fruit equals one pound needed for this recipe?
Hi Kathy,
Different fruits vary in size greatly therefore I cannot give one volume measurement because it depends on what type of fruit you are using and the size it is. For instance a pound of blueberries will be about 3 1/4 cups while a pound of halved strawberries could be about 4 cups depending on how big they are.
Looking to make this as gifts for my husband’s office staff. How much jam does this recipe yield?
Hi Lisa, one batch of this will yield 12 fl oz. Keep in mind that this method does not make a shelf stable jam. It will need to be refrigerated or frozen! Enjoy!
Plums in late summer make a great jam with rosemary.
Oh that sounds amazing Pam! I’ll have to try that!
Can I cook this in the microwave and for how long?
No, jam needs to be made on the stovetop.
This has been my go-to recipe for our home grown blueberries and strawberries in the summer. I’d like to try it with turbinado sugar. Will it come out the same?
I followed the directions exactl, before I put it in my refrigerator it was cool to touch and after it comes out of my refrigerator it is Rock solid. What can I do?
Is it still spreadable? If not, I suspect too much of the water evaporated in the pan.
Hello, I was wondering if I could strain this after cooking to make jelly. I want to use blackberries, but don’t like the hulls. Thanks!
You can!
Hi – I just made this the afternoon with a couple of peaches and a pluot. It made the house smell so good! It’s an easy recipe and delicious, although it’s a little sweet for me. Would it turn out okay if I used 3/4 of a cup of sugar or even 1/2 a cup? Just curious. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yes you can do that!
Have you ever made this recipe with elderberries. I tried last year but ended up with syrup (oh darn!). Any suggestions. My elderberries are currently frozen
Would Truvia work in this recipe instead of sugar?
Yes, you can use truvia.
Made this with some raspberries from my garden. Had just enough to make this, and it turned out great!
Great job!
Simple recipe that makes for a delicious jam. Great way to save some near-spoiled fruit. I used half the sugar recommended and it was still plenty sweet.
Thanks for sharing!
On vacation and the AirBnB where we were staying had some beautiful blackberry bushes….picked a bunch and made this easy jam.
All I had was the berries, some sugar and, of course, water. So easy and so good.
Thanks!
hello,
A couple of years ago I had made a small batch of blackberry and cinnamon. Loved it. Currently making blueberry but I had a pinch of cinnamon as well, but I was wondering I have mojito mint growing on my balcony and you suggested adding the herb a few minutes at the end ( is that 2, 5 minute at the end) would I place the whole leaf (1 or 2) and not sure if mint would go well with blueberry. And of course removing the leaf(s) before pouring into the jars
thoughts?
I used your recipe to make Blackberry Refrigerator Jam. It turned out fantastic. Thank you. This afternoon I will make Apricot-Ginger jam, using your recipe!
Apricot ginger sounds delicious! Enjoy!
Hello,
Apricots in season, this recipe will work. Thus far I’ve used it blueberries and blackberries; were delicious.
Thank you.
You’re so welcome! Apricot jam sounds perfect.
I use a very similar “recipe” (as in throw whatever I’ve got in the pot “recipe 😉 for making blueberry syrup. I guess its looser than jam but pretty much the same thing.
I’ll add blueberries, any other odd bits of berries lying around that need using, and my favorite with blueberries is pineapple! No, really! Sounds weird but its delicious! Even if its just a couple freezer burned crushed pineapple ice cubes (lol, no that never happened… 😉 Just adds something else you never knew you needed. I also tie up in cheesecloth some cloves, a cinnamon stick, ginger, allspice – if I have it -, maybe an orange peel (ps, store in the freezer if you don’t use these often!). If desired you could even get crazy and slip in a green tea bag or chai tea bag!
Occasionally I may add a few peppercorns and a small slice or large pinch (1/4tsp ish) of turmeric, just because it’s a good place to hide it!
The spice bag is removed before crushing the berries. This is made easier if you leave one side of the twine that the cheesecloth is tied with long so it can be wrapped around the handle of your pan. No search and rescue needed! I pull it out with a slotted spoon and use another to squeeze it between them over the pot to get the goodies out. Then pretty much the rest goes like your instructions. Although I may add some chia seeds (& maybe some rum extract!) after taking off the heat.
Other than on pancakes, etc, one of my favorite ways to use it is mixed with peanut butter in some (soy)milk! I may or may not add oat flour to this if I want it to be a more filling snack. 😀
Is it ok to double this recipe?