Homemade Blueberry Jam

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/18/22
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Blueberry jam in glass jars; heaping spoonful of jam on a piece of parchment paper

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Canning: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 6 1/2-pint jars
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
116 Calories
0g Fat
30g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 116
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 34mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Making blueberry jam from scratch is a perfect way to preserve the taste of this sweet and tangy summer fruit. The best blueberries to use for this recipe are those that are just ripe; they will have the best acidity and tannins to give the jam a more complex flavor. If too ripe, the skins can become leathery and add an odd texture. If you don't have access to fresh blueberries, use thawed frozen blueberries.

Although blueberries are high in pectin and could thicken a jam on their own, this recipe uses commercial fruit pectin, a naturally occurring starch used in jams and preserves, to help the jam achieve a thicker texture. Pectin doesn't prolong the shelf life of jams, so if you can't find pectin, skip it altogether, but keep in mind the jam not be as thick as you'd expect.

Carefully follow the canning instructions to preserve the jam and make bigger batches to enjoy its flavor throughout the year. Use this delicious blueberry jam on biscuits, scones, toast, muffins, or as cake or cupcake filling. For this recipe, you'll need six half-pint jars.

"The recipe is a nice introduction to canning jam. The berries broke down well, and the extra whole berries keep a real jam texture. The jam set up wonderfully. It’s not a super-sweet jam, either. Canning takes effort and creates extra dishes, but this recipe finished in just under an hour." —Colleen Graham

Blueberry Jam Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 6 cups blueberries, washed and picked over, divided

  • 4 cups sugar

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 (3-ounce) pouch liquid fruit pectin

Steps to Make It

Prepare Jars for Canning

  1. Prepare a water bath canner and jars. Fill a pot halfway with water and put in the cleaned jars. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

    Canning jars on a metal rack in a large pot filled halfway with water

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Put the lids in a small saucepan, add water, and bring almost to a boil. Lower the heat to very low to keep the lids hot.

    Canning lids and bands being heated in water in a small saucepan

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Jam

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for blueberry jam recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a large pot over medium heat, add about 3/4 of the berries and mash.

    Blueberries being mashed in a large pot with a metal potato masher

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add in the remaining berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil.

    Blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice boiling and being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the pouch of fruit pectin. Stirring constantly, bring back to a boil, and continue boiling for 1 more minute.

    Fruit pectin being stirred into blueberries with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. If necessary, skim off excess foam.

    Excess foam being skimmed off with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Carefully ladle the hot berry mixture into the prepared jars, or use a funnel, leaving enough headroom—1/4 inch is recommended. Be mindful that the jars and jam are very hot.

    Blueberry jam being ladled into canning jars

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. With a clean dampened cloth, wipe the rims of the jars, and gently tap the jars to release any air bubbles.

    Jar rims being wiped clean with a damp cloth

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Place the flat lids on the jars. Firmly close the caps with screw-on rings.

    Flat lids being placed on canning jars and rings being screwed on

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Can the Jam

  1. Arrange the filled jars in the canner and add more water, as needed, so the jars are submerged under at least 1 inch of water.

    Filled canning jars closed with lids placed on metal rack in large pot with water

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Bring to a full boil. Cover and continue boiling for 10 more minutes.

    Water in large pot boiling with the lid on

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Carefully remove the jars and place them on a rack to cool completely.

    Canning jars placed on a metal cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Once cooled, check for seals: The middle part of the caps should have made a popping sound while cooling and will stay down. If any of the jars haven't sealed, refrigerate those jars and use them within a month. Alternatively, pour the jam into a freezer bag or container and use it within a year.

    Flat lids on canning jars being touched with two fingers to check for proper seal

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Label the cooled, sealed jars with the contents and the date.

    Jars with blueberry jam being labeled and dated

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Bottled lemon juice is preferred for canning because it has a consistent acidity that ensures a stable food product.
  • You can sterilize the jars, prep the lids, and make the jam in a pot simultaneously to save time. Keep the canning kettle on the heat while filling the jars so it takes less time to return to a boil.
  • Remember that the canning time doesn't actually start until the water is at a full, rolling boil. Some water bath canners include a thermometer in the lid for convenience, and the time should be adjusted for altitude.
  • Everything from the canner to the jars and lids is hot. Take precaution to avoid burns; use oven mitts when necessary, and a jar lifter. A magnetic lid lifter is also convenient.

How to Store

  • Store your canned unopened jars of blueberry jam in a cool, dark place, and keep for up to a year. You may notice that the jam begins to darken and thin toward the end of that period, so be sure you are using the jam within that time limit.
  • Once you open your jar, it has to be stored in the refrigerator and used within a month.

What's the Difference Between Jelly, Jam, and Preserve?

Although all three products involve sugar and fruit—and pectin in most cases—these three types of preparations utilize fruit differently. Jelly uses fruit juice, so the resulting spread is homogenous in look and texture, which should be firm. Jam works with crushed fruit, so it's less smooth than jelly, softer, and easily spreadable. And preserves use chunks of fruit—like half peaches or quarters of apples or lemons—that are suspended in jelly or syrup.