Easy Strawberry Jam
Our easy strawberry jam is lightly sweetened, packed with strawberries, and uses no pectin. Top your biscuits, toast, or pancakes with this sweet fruit topping!
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If you could take a peek into our fridge, you’d find several jar of fruit preserves, jam, and flavored syrups. We love keeping a variety of toppings for English muffins, toast, pancakes, and even drinks.
This strawberry jam is one that John starting making years ago. The idea was to make a thick strawberry sauce similar a compote that would be good in the fridge for a few days.
He wanted to create something using the ingredients that we already had available and that didn’t take very long. That’s how this strawberry jam came about.
You can use fresh or frozen berries, and it takes about 25 to 30 minutes to make. The ingredients are similar to the ones we use in our strawberry pie recipe.
If you have leftover berries, try our strawberry banana smoothie to finish them up.
Kim’s Jam Making Tips
This recipe doesn’t use pectin. Instead, we thicken the jam with a cornstarch slurry, adding just enough to reach the consistency you like.
Fresh or frozen strawberries. We’ve used both fresh and frozen berries with good results. Frozen are great for year round availability. Fresh taste better overall and help you control the sweetness.
If you use fresh berries: Just be sure to wash, dry, and remove the stems. You may need to add an additional ¼ cup of water (added to the berries, don’t adjust the slurry). It depends on how much liquid they release.
How to Make Strawberry Jam without Pectin
This jam is a lot easier than you may think. There’s no special equipment needed – just a handful of pantry staple ingredients, a medium pot, a sturdy spoon, and a potato masher.
Start by pouring 1 pound of strawberries into a pan. If you’re using frozen berries, don’t worry about thawing them out.
Add the granulated sugar, salt, and ¼ cup of water to the pan. Adjust the heat to medium, cover the pan, and let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes.
It’s important to keep and eye on the jam as it cooks. You’ll need to stir it from time to time to keep the sugar from burning.
As the mixture cooks, the strawberries will break down and create a lot of juice. This is where we use a cornstarch slurry.
Once it gets close to being done, go ahead mix up the cold water and cornstarch until they’re well combined.
Add 1 tablespoon of the slurry, and bring the strawberries to a simmer. Make sure to stir constantly. As the mixture heats up it will begin to thicken.
Add more slurry 1 tablespoon at a time until the jam researches your preferred consistency. Let it boil for another 1 to 2 minutes then remove from heat.
Use a potato masher or spoon to mash the berries. Unless, you prefer whole berries, it’s up to you.
Let the jam cool to room temperature before transferring to a sealable container. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
How to Store Leftover Strawberry Jam
Store leftover jam in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
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Instructions
- Place the strawberries, sugar, salt, and ¼ cup of water in a medium saucepan. If using frozen strawberries, there’s no need to thaw them first.1 pound strawberries¼ cup granulated sugar¼ cup water¼ teaspoon salt
- Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sugar from burning. As the strawberries cook, they’ll soften and release their juices.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup of cold water and cornstarch until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of the slurry to the strawberries and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly.¼ cup water3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Continue adding the slurry 1 tablespoon at a time until the jam reaches your desired consistency. Let the jam boil for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat.
- Use a potato masher or sturdy spoon to mash the strawberries to your preferred texture. Leave some berries whole if desired.
- Let the jam cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a sealable container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You may not need all of the slurry. Use only as much as it takes to get the jam to your desired consistency.
- If using fresh berries, taste them before you start and adjust the sugar if needed.
- This recipe is NOT intended for canning. The jam can stored in a sealed container, in your fridge, for up to 5 days.
I never made Strawberry Jam with cornstarch before, it’s always liquid pectin but man o man, this jam is soo good and it’s not sweet which is the best thing, so it’s gonna be a treat for ppl who cannot have a lot of sugar in their diet. Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you, Walter. We’re glad you enjoyed the strawberry jam. Have a great day!
Would this recipe work for a poke cake
Hi Dan!
Hmmm….that’s a good question. This jam is kind of thick, but it might work ok. You may need to double the recipe depending on how large of a cake you’re making. Have a great rest of your week! 🙂
This looks way too good, and so easy to make!! I love strawberries!
I can’t wait to make this strawberry jam:)
I have never made jam before! You make it seem so easy. I can already imagine all the delicious foods I would put this on!
Oh, that looks so yummy! I love strawberries!
I can’t wait to make this strawberry jam! My kids will love it!