Easy No-Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam (Low Sugar)
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Easy No-Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam captures fresh strawberry flavor with half the sugar of regular jam, and there’s no stove, no canning, and no water bath to deal with. You mash the berries, whisk sugar together with instant pectin, stir it all for three minutes, and ladle it into jars. Start to finish, it takes under 20 minutes and it keeps in the freezer for up to a year.
Sheila’s Recipe Snapshot
Growing up on the farm, my Dad always planted at least one row of strawberries in the garden, and picking them was usually my job. I didn’t complain. There’s nothing better than a ripe, juicy strawberry warmed in the sun, eaten straight off the vine. I’d help my grandmother prep the berries for jam, though she always made the cooked kind with tons of sugar, we weren’t worried about that sort of thing back then.
This small-batch freezer version skips the cooking altogether and uses a lot less sugar, and to me it tastes just as good. It’s less effort, and letting the fresh strawberry flavor come through instead of getting buried under sugar is the whole point.
Ingredient Notes
- Strawberries | Use fresh and clean strawberries with the stems removed for this simple recipe. Getting some freshly picked berries is even better, but store-bought works too. I would avoid using frozen fruit to prevent the jam from being runny. If preferred, replace the strawberries with another berry, such as raspberries, to make raspberry freezer jam.
- Sugar | This is a low-sugar recipe. However, add more sugar if this factor doesn’t matter to you. Regular recipes call for about four cups rather than two.
- Instant fruit pectin | Pectin is what gives jam its gel-like set, and strawberries don’t have enough on their own. Instant and regular pectin aren’t interchangeable in a no-cook recipe like this one, so reach for instant (freezer jam) pectin. Since this jam is lower in sugar, a low-sugar instant pectin works best; it’s made to set properly with less sugar.
Equipment needed
- Food processor (you can also mash by hand with a potato masher)
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon (or other larger spoon for stirring)
- Ladle
- Half-pint jars (or other freezable containers)
How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam with Instant Pectin
STEP 1 | Mash the berries
Start this jam recipe by mashing the strawberries until little to no pieces of fruit remain. I use a food processor to make this as easy as possible, pulsing just a few times. When mashed, the whole 2 quarts of fresh strawberries should produce about 5 cups.
STEP 2 | Combine the sugar and pectin
In a large bowl, add the two cups of sugar and pectin. Then, whisk them together.
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STEP 3 | Stir the ingredients together
Next, add 5 cups of the crushed berries and stir, stir, stir for three whole minutes! Remember to continuously scrape the bottom and sides to incorporate all the ingredients.
STEP 4 | Store and serve
Finally, ladle the strawberry mixture into freezer-safe containers. Move them to a level spot in your freezer and store them for up to a year. When ready to serve, remove the freezer jars and place them in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
Recipe Success Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Because this is a low-sugar jam recipe, the consistency is less gel-like than other jams. If you want to thicken the jam, you can do a couple of things. The easiest method is to add up to 2 more cups of sugar.
However, you may not want to add more sugar to your low-sugar jam. Instead, consider adding some cornstarch. This is a common thickening agent for jams, soups, sauces, and more. It may also help to add one more tablespoon of pectin.
Use instant pectin, sometimes labeled freezer jam pectin. I use Ball instant pectin. It’s made to set jam without cooking, which is what makes this a no-cook recipe. Regular powdered pectin (like the kind for cooked jams) won’t set properly when it’s just stirred in cold, so it’s not a substitute here. You’ll find instant pectin near the canning supplies at most grocery stores.
If this low-sugar recipe doesn’t put your mind at ease, you may wonder if you can make jam without any sugar at all. The sugar is required to react with the pectin. So, you cannot leave it out entirely. If you’re up for the challenge, try experimenting with honey, cane sugar, agave, or stevia instead of granulated sugar.
Looking for More Homemade Jam Recipes?
If you enjoy making this jam recipe, try my Homemade Blueberry Jam, Hot Cherry Pepper Jelly, and this delicious Pear Vanilla Jam next time.
For more ways to use up fresh strawberries, check out my Grilled Chicken Breast with Strawberry Salsa or these Gluten-Free Strawberry Muffins.
What to Serve with Homemade Strawberry Jam
Smear this delicious strawberry jam on these thin crepe-style pancakes or a slice of buttery Biscuit Bread.
Or why not double the strawberry flavor? You MUST try this delicious strawberry jam on my homemade Strawberry Bread recipe.
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Easy No-Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam (Low Sugar)
Equipment
- Food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Ladle
- 5 Half-pint jars (or other freezable containers)
Ingredients
- 2 qts. fresh strawberries cleaned with stems removed
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons Ball instant (freezer) pectin
Instructions
- Mash the berries (I pulse a few times in a food processor).
- Whisk together sugar and pectin.
- Add 5 cups crushed berries (the whole 2 quarts should yield 5 cups) and stir stir stir for 3 whole minutes. Make sure you are scraping the bottom.
- Ladle into containers and freeze.
Notes
- Remove the stems before crushing. A paring knife works, or use a strawberry huller.
- No food processor? Mash by hand with a potato masher, or use a food chopper.
- Use instant (freezer jam) pectin, not regular powdered pectin, or the jam won’t set.
- For a thicker, more gel-like jam, add more sugar, up to 4 cups total.
- Fresh-picked strawberries are ideal, but store-bought works too.
- Storage: keeps about a year in the freezer, up to a couple of weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
What kind of pectin did you use and the brand please
Normally I use Ball instant pectin.
Wonderful flavor. Really appreciate the lower sugar content. Little loose but so good with sour cream on sourdough french toast. Made this recipe for my 93 year old mother and she loved it.