Strawberry Freezer Jam

By
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
Sean Timberlake
A freelance food writer with a focus on food preservation, brewing, canning, and foraging. He also leads culinary tours in San Francisco and Italy.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/7/21
Strawberry Freezer Jam

The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 80 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
43 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 80
Amount per serving
Calories 43
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 9mg 0%
*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.)

Just because strawberry jam is typically preserved by canning doesn't mean you have to do it that way. Freezer jam—a simple method that combines fresh berries with a pectin solution that's cooked separately and stirred in—is a popular option.

Because the berries never see heat, this jam retains a much fresher strawberry flavor. Mashing rather than pureeing the berries creates a jam with better texture; a puree can take on a gummy set.

This recipe calls for standard dry pectin. There are two major brands, Kraft Sure-Jell and Ball RealFruit. Both work equally well and are interchangeable. Although you might be tempted to scale back the sugar on this recipe, it does more than sweeten; it helps the pectin do its thing. For a lower-sugar jam, you'll need to use a pectin specifically designed for low-sugar recipes.​

Ingredients

  • 1 pound strawberries

  • 4 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 (1 3/4-ounce) packet dry pectin

  • 3/4 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Strawberry Freezer Jam ingredients

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Rinse berries and pat dry. With a paring knife, remove hulls.

    Strawberries in a colander; strawberries with the hulls removed on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Quarter berries or chop coarsely.

    Chopped strawberries on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. Place berries in a medium nonreactive container. Crush berries with a potato masher until broken down but still have some texture. Measure out 2 cups mashed berries; reserve any extra for another use.

    Mashing strawberries in a bowl

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  5. Add sugar to mashed berries and stir to combine thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes. 

    Sugar and strawberries in a bowl

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  6. Combine dry pectin and water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until pectin dissolves completely. (It might be lumpy at first.)

    Dry pectin and water in a small saucepan

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  7. Bring to a full boil for exactly 1 minute and remove from heat. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.

    Pectin mixture in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  8. Pour pectin directly into berry-sugar mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. 

    Pour pectin combined with the berry-sugar mixture in a bowl

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  9. Pour jam into clean half-pint canning jars or plastic containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal jars and let stand for 24 hours.

    Strawberry Freezer Jam poured into jars

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  10. Store in refrigerator for up to one month or in freezer for up to one year. Thawed jam can keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

    Strawberry Freezer Jam in jars

    The Spruce / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Variations

Theoretically, any fruit or vegetable can be turned into freezer jam if you stick to the right proportions of fruit to sugar to pectin to water.

Try using other berries, including raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, even cranberries (although the latter will be tart) with this recipe. These berries won't require coarse chopping because they are already small.

Another option would be to try experimenting with red or green tomatoes and bell peppers to put a delicious vegetable-flavored spin on freezer jam. Your options are limited only by your creativity.