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Here’s a Christmas Jam Recipe in luscious sweet-tart blend of cranberries, strawberries, oranges, and a festively-ready-to-be-made spice that hits you right in the spot. The perfect canning recipe and a thoughtful homemade gift to be made this season!
I am just in love with the Christmas flavors, you know. The rich home-made candies, the intense chocolates, and that sweet, cranberry spice taste-all get my mouth dripping.
We were browsing through the local farmer’s market a few years ago when we came across a vendor who was selling Christmas Jam. I didn’t know what to expect when I brought this beauty home, but wow, it is amazing! Unfortunately, I never could find that vendor again. Therefore, I embarked on experimenting and making my own version.
After countless trials and errors, I finally nailed it! That is the perfect combination of Christmas flavors in this jam, and it is super easy to make – even for some non-expert jam-making person like me! To be honest, it tastes much better than what I bought from the market.
It also cans really well, so it lasts a long time and makes for a fantastic homemade Christmas gift. The best part? The flavors get better the longer it sits. You can whip up a batch in October and it’ll be perfect to give away in December.
I also love to give practical, thoughtful things at Christmas. Sure, buying something is nice, but there’s just something extra special about a homemade gift—it really says, “I thought of you.” And what better treat than a jar of this delicious Christmas jam?
But be warned—it’s so good, you might just want to keep it all to yourself!
You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe, so you don’t have to go searching for strawberries in season. Just thaw frozen fruit first. It might be a tad more watery, but it’s incredibly flavorful!
Why i love Christmas Jam Recipe
Festive Flavors: Cranberries, strawberries, and oranges combined with some warm spices create a very unique taste that just captures the festive mood.
Home-made Goodness: Making Christmas Jam in your own home is like sending your taste buds back into the good old days. This is also a fun project through which you can share with family and friends.
Versatility: It can be spread on toast, added to desserts, or preferably with cheese, Christmas Jam only adds a joyful flavor to the dish.
Thoughtful Gift: A jar of homemade Christmas Jam is always a heartfelt gift. It shows that you cared enough to take out some precious time and efforts in preparing something special for them.
Long Shelf Life: It stays fresh for as long as a year after the proper canning of the jam, so you can enjoy the festive tastes even after the holiday season is gone.
Customizable: The recipe can easily be played around with in order to get it just right, whether less sweet or trying different spices.
Brightens Winter Days: Rich colors and flavors from the jam bring little to the cold, grey days of winter to brighten up your kitchen.
Supports Locality: Using ingredients from local farmers or market is assured freshness and highest quality produce with this and will contribute to your community also.
Family Tradition: Christmas Jam can be cherished for a family tradition and also unites everyone during holidays.
Feel-good factor: It’s just satisfaction to know that you have created something so delectable and healthy right within the kitchen from scratch – a feat to be truly rewarded indeed!
Tips for Making The Perfect Christmas Jam Recipe
You can entirely omit the pectin in this recipe if you wish. While I myself use it, its use is not required. Cranberries and orange peels are pretty naturally high in pectin, so if you leave it out, it just means the jam will take a wee bit longer to jell.
If you prefer using honey instead of sugar, no worries! Just use less honey and omit the pectin or use a low-sugar pectin product. The taste is a bit different, but honestly, most won’t notice.
If your Christmas jam hasn’t gelled yet, not to worry-it just needs a little more cooking time. Check if it is ready by pouring a clean, dry spoon into the syrup; if it drips off in two drops that merge into a sheet, then you are good to can it.
No problem if you overcook the jam, which turns out too thick. Bring a cup of port or apple juice to the boil and stir it slowly into the jam to get to your desired thickness.
On the other hand, if your jam’s too runny in the jar after you’ve opened it, that’s fixable too! For every half-pint of jam mix together 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of juice or port wine, half a tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of powdered pectin. Bring this mixture to a hard boil for one minute then check the gel again before processing it like you did the first time.
FAQs Christmas Jam:
What fruits to use for Christmas Jam?
Cranberries, strawberries, oranges, and sometimes a few seasonal spices are in Christmas Jam. It’s that perfect sweet-tart holiday flavor.
Can I use frozen fruit instead of fresh?
You bet! Fresh or frozen, they will work in both. Just be sure you defrost the frozen fruit entirely before cooking.
Do I need pectin?
Pectin is optional. Both cranberries and orange peel contain pectin, so if you choose to omit it, your jam will just need a little more time to set to the gel stage.
Can I replace the sugar with honey?
Yes! Honey is a great replacement! You will use a little less honey than sugar, and you might want to omit the commercial pectin or use low-sugar pectin, as the flavor will be slightly affected.
What if my jam has not yet set?
If your jam isn’t set, it probably needs to cook a little longer. To test it, place a clean spoon in your jam-if it drips off in sheets, it’s ready.
Can I rescue overcooking or undercooking?
If jam is too thick, add boiling port or apple juice to loosen it up. If it’s too runny, combine a jar of jam with sugar, juice, lemon juice, and pectin and boil for 1 minute.
How do I preserve Christmas Jam recipe?
You may store your jam in clean, sealed jars. Properly canned, it will last up to a year on the shelf.
Is Christmas Jam a good gift?
Absolutely! Christmas Jam makes a thoughtful homemade gift. Just remember to label and date the jars.
How do you like to use Christmas Jam?
Christmas Jam tastes yummy on toast, bagels or pancakes. And it is even fantastic as a dessert filling, or served with cheese and crackers, it is an excellent holiday treat.
Is this recipe suitable for canning?
Yes! This jam will be perfect for canning and would keep well under proper canning conditions.
Christmas Jam
Servings
1
servingsPrep time
20
minutesCooking time
20
minutesCalories
37
kcalIngredients
12 Oz Cranberries (fresh or frozen, thaw first if frozen)
1 Orange, peeled and sectioned
2 tsp Orange Zest, from the peel
16 Oz Fresh or Frozen Strawberries (thaw if you use frozen)
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Allspice
4 Cup Sugar, pure cane is best
1 – 1.75 Oz Package Powder Fruit Pectin
1/2 Cup Water
Directions
- Sterilize the jars, lids, and bands in boiling water. Fill hot jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Place the hot lids and rings on the jar and tighten just until they are finger-tight. Pack the jars into the water bath canner, and add enough water to the canner to cover the jars. Start the stovetop heat to medium-high. Sterilize the jars as you’re preparing the jam.
- Place the jars with their lids into a small saucepan, cover everything with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat while preparing the jam. Do not need to sterilize the rings; simply set them aside for later use.
- Add in the cranberries and segmented orange. You want to coarsely chop them, which is just the right amount for my blender’s “food chop” setting. Add the strawberries, orange zest, and spices to this mix, blending them together quickly before pureeing the mixture to a finer consistency.
- Bring the fruit mixture and water to a boil in a 5-quart stockpot, stirring constantly. Add the fruit pectin and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of butter to prevent excessive foaming. Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
- Add sugar to this and make it return to a full rolling boil. Allow the jam to boil for 1 minute, exactly. Then remove the jam from heat and skim off the formed foam with a metal spoon from the jam.
- Fill the prepared jars with the jam, leaving only 1/4 inch of headspace at the top. Wipe any food particles off the rims and threads of the jars with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel. Place the hot lids on top of the filled jars, then screw the rings on just until they’re finger-tight. Return the jars to the canner.
- Seal the canner lid and bring to a rolling boil. Process the jars 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and slowly remove the canner lid. Allow them to sit there for five minutes.
- Caution: Remove the jars from canner and set them on a towel covered surface on the countertop. Leave them alone for 24 hours before checking seals.
- Be sure to tighten all the jars tightly in order to seal them. If the jars were not sealed properly, just put them in the fridge and consume them within 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
1 servings per container
- Amount Per ServingCalories37
- % Daily Value *
- Total Carbohydrate 1g 1%
- Dietary Fiber 10g 40%
- Sugars 9g
- Protein 9g 18%
