This Christmas jam recipe is the perfect way to capture the festive flavors of the season in a jar. A delightful blend of cranberries and strawberries, warmly spiced with cinnamon and cloves, this jam is a holiday tradition waiting to happen. It’s simple to make and perfect for gifting or enjoying on a quiet winter morning. Get ready to create a delicious, homemade treat that will brighten your holiday table.
What is Christmas Jam?
Christmas jam is a festive condiment that beautifully combines the sweet and tart flavors of seasonal fruits with warm holiday spices. While recipes vary, the most common base includes cranberries and strawberries, creating a vibrant ruby-red color reminiscent of Christmas ornaments. The addition of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice infuses the jam with the quintessential aroma of the holidays, making it a truly special treat.
Why You’ll Love This Festive Recipe
- Incredibly Flavorful: The balance of sweet strawberries and tart cranberries with warm spices is simply irresistible. It’s a unique flavor you’ll crave all year.
- Perfect for Gifting: Poured into decorative jars with a ribbon, this homemade jam becomes a thoughtful and delicious gift for friends, family, and neighbors.
- Versatile Use: This isn’t just for toast! Use it as a glaze for meats, a topping for cheesecake, or a mix-in for yogurt. We’ll explore more serving ideas below. For a truly decadent dessert, try swirling it into our Pecan Pie Cheesecake.
- Simple to Make: With clear, step-by-step instructions, even beginner jam-makers can achieve perfect results.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Christmas jam recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients to create its signature festive flavor. The combination of fruits and spices is key to achieving that perfect holiday taste.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries provide the tart backbone and beautiful color of the jam.
- Strawberries: These add a lovely sweetness and depth that complements the cranberries perfectly.
- Granulated Sugar: Essential for sweetness, preservation, and helping the jam set.
- Pectin: We use powdered pectin to ensure a reliable set, giving the jam a perfect, spreadable consistency.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice brightens the flavors and helps the pectin to work its magic.
- Holiday Spices: A blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of allspice gives the jam its characteristic “Christmas” flavor.
Essential Equipment for Making Jam
You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to make jam, but a few key items will make the process much smoother and safer, especially if you plan on canning for long-term storage.
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven: A heavy-bottomed pot is crucial to prevent scorching while the jam simmers.
- Canning Jars and Lids: You’ll need 8-ounce half-pint jars with new two-piece lids.
- Water Bath Canner or Large Stockpot: If you’re preserving the jam, a canner or a deep stockpot with a rack is necessary for safe processing.
- Jar Lifter, Funnel, and Ladle: These tools make transferring hot jam into jars safe and mess-free.
How to Make Christmas Jam: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps to create your own delicious Christmas jam recipe. This process is straightforward and yields a wonderfully festive and flavorful preserve.
Step 1: Prepare Your Sterilize Jars and Lids
Before you begin, wash your jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. To sterilize the jars, place them on a rack in your water bath canner, cover with water, and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the jars in the hot water until you are ready to fill them.
Step 2: Combine and Cook the Fruit
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the cranberries, chopped strawberries, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have popped and the fruit has softened.
Step 3: Add Pectin, Spices, and Sugar
Stir the powdered pectin and spices into the fruit mixture until fully dissolved. Bring it to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add all of the sugar at once and stir constantly. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly one minute.
Step 4: Can the Jam
Remove the jam from the heat and skim off any foam from the top. Carefully ladle the hot jam into the sterilized jars, leaving a ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean, center the lids on top, and screw on the bands until they are fingertip-tight. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Once processed, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars rest for 5 minutes before removing them to a towel-lined counter to cool completely for 24 hours.
Tips for the Perfect Christmas Jam Recipe
- Don’t Reduce the Sugar: The amount of sugar is crucial for a proper set and safe preservation. Altering it can affect the final consistency and shelf-life.
- Use New Lids: Always use new lids when canning to ensure a proper seal. Bands can be reused, but the flat lids are for one-time use only.
- Check for a Seal: After the jars have cooled for 24 hours, press on the center of each lid. If it doesn’t flex, the jar is sealed. If it pops back, the jar did not seal and should be refrigerated and used within a few weeks.
- Let It Rest: It can take up to 48 hours for jam to fully set. Be patient before judging the consistency. If you’re looking for another simple and satisfying recipe, our Sausage and Cheese Butter Swim Biscuits are a fantastic savory option.
Flavor Variations to Try
While this classic Christmas jam recipe is delicious as is, feel free to experiment with other flavors. Try adding a splash of orange liqueur, a hint of fresh ginger, or substitute raspberries for the strawberries for a different twist. For another festive treat, our No-Bake Christmas Cheesecake Bites are always a crowd-pleaser.
How to Serve Your Christmas Jam
This jam is wonderfully versatile. Serve it classically on toast, scones, or biscuits. It’s also an excellent topping for vanilla ice cream, a filling for thumbprint cookies, or a glaze for roasted chicken or pork. For a simple yet elegant appetizer, spoon it over a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. It’s also a fantastic companion to savory dishes, like our Boursin Chicken.
Gifting Your Homemade Jam
A jar of homemade Christmas jam is a heartfelt gift. To make it extra special, tie a festive ribbon around the lid and add a custom tag with the name of the jam and the date it was made. You could even include a small wooden spoon or a package of scone mix for a complete gift basket.
Storing Your Christmas Jam
Properly sealed and processed jars of jam can be stored in a cool, dark place like a pantry for up to 18 months. Once a jar is opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator and will last for several weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries and strawberries for this recipe. If using frozen fruit, there’s no need to thaw it first; simply add it to the pot and proceed with the instructions. The cooking time may be slightly longer.
Yes, this recipe is designed to be used with powdered pectin. Pectin is what helps the jam set to a proper, spreadable consistency. Without it, you would need to cook the jam for a much longer time and add more sugar, which would change the final flavor and texture.
If properly canned and sealed using a water bath method, the jam can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. Once a jar is opened, it should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-4 weeks.
Christmas Jam is incredibly versatile! It’s wonderful on toast, biscuits, and scones. You can also use it as a glaze for pork or chicken, a topping for cheesecake or ice cream, or serve it over a block of cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer.
Christmas Jam is typically made from a combination of festive fruits and spices. Our recipe features a delicious blend of tart cranberries, sweet strawberries, cinnamon, and cloves, which gives it a vibrant red color and a warm, spiced flavor perfect for the holidays.
The Perfect Holiday Treat
This Christmas Jam Recipe is more than just a preserve; it’s a jar of holiday cheer. The process of making it fills your home with festive aromas, and the result is a delicious, versatile condiment that brings a special touch to any meal. We hope you enjoy making and sharing this recipe. We’d love to see your creations and hear how you’re using your jam! Share your photos and stories with us on Pinterest.
Christmas Jam Recipe
Christmas Jam Recipe (The Only One You'll Need)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Place jars on a rack in a water bath canner, cover with water, and boil for 10 minutes. Keep jars in hot water until ready to use.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine cranberries, chopped strawberries, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cranberries have popped and fruit is soft.
- Stir in the powdered pectin and spices until fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
- Add all of the sugar at once, stirring constantly. Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute.
- Remove jam from heat and skim any foam. Ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and bands until fingertip-tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Let jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Place on a towel-lined counter and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours. Check seals.
Notes
Always use new lids to ensure a proper seal for long-term storage.
The jam may take up to 48 hours to fully set, so be patient.
