My version of Christmas Jam is a classic cranberry strawberry jam with a little orange and warm spice stirred in, which is exactly what makes it taste like Christmas. This easy Christmas jam recip is the prettiest little jar of holiday cheer you'll ever spoon onto a hot biscuit! Process the jars in a water bath to can it for the pantry or keep it easy as freezer jam, whichever suits your holiday schedule!
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One bag of cranberries, one container of strawberries, a box of pectin, a little orange zest and a shortcut sprinkle of apple pie spice are all it takes, and it cooks in about 12 minutes on the stovetop. Frozen strawberries can also be used! Cranberries are already loaded with natural pectin, so the jam sets up thick and glossy, and the strawberries mellow out all that tartness.
I've been canning up jams and jellies most of my life, and come December, I want my kitchen smelling like orange zest and cinnamon. I developed and tested this Christmas spice jam recipe so it works with one whole package of cranberries and one container of strawberries, which means no weighing, no measuring, and no half-bags of berries rolling around the fridge.
Strawberry Cranberry Jam earns a spot in my favorite canning and jam recipes.
It makes the sweetest homemade gift (see what I did there), which is the reason I love it so much during the holiday season. Tie a ribbon around a jar and tuck it into a basket with a batch of Cranberry Orange Cookies, and you've got teacher gifts, hostess gifts and church-friend gifts handled. Need more jars for gift giving? The recipe doubles easily.
If you love homemade jam as much as I do, you'll want to try my Easy Strawberry Freezer Jam, Persimmon Jam and Easy Peach Pepper Jelly, too!
Shortcuts
- Let the food processor do the chopping. A few quick pulses in a food processor or pull string food chopper takes care of the strawberries and cranberries in seconds. Pulsing the cranberries before cooking also means you won't have to transfer hot jam to a blender later.
- Skip chopping the cranberries altogether. Whole cranberries pop open as they cook and break down on their own. If you like your jam super smooth, give it a quick whirl with an immersion blender; otherwise, a little cranberry texture is perfectly fine.
- Reach for apple pie spice. It combines cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice in one jar, so you save money and time measuring. Walmart's Great Value brand and McCormick both sell it.
Ingredients to Make Christmas Jam
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Strawberries – One 16-ounce container of fresh strawberries, washed and hulled, or 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, thaw them first so they cook evenly.
- Cranberries – One 12-ounce bag (about 3 cups) of fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen. They're the star of this jam and bring plenty of natural pectin, so stock up in November while they're in season.
- Powdered pectin – One 1.75-ounce box of Sure-Jell Original pectin. Make sure you grab the original (pink box), not the low- or no-sugar version, because the sugar amount here is built for the original.
- Water – Just ½ cup to help the pectin dissolve and keep the fruit from sticking as it comes to a boil.
- Orange zest – 1½ teaspoons, from about one medium orange. Zest only the bright orange layer; the white pith underneath is bitter.
- Apple pie spice – ¾ teaspoon gives the jam its cozy, Christmasy warmth without overpowering the fruit. See Substitutions below to make your own.
- Granulated sugar – 4 cups. It seems like a lot, but sugar is what helps the pectin set and keeps the jam safe for canning, so don't cut it back with this pectin.
Substitutions & Variations
- Homemade apple pie spice: To make about ¾ teaspoon, combine ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger and ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice (or cloves).
- Pumpkin pie spice: Use the same amount in place of apple pie spice. The blend is a little different, with more ginger and clove, but it's still delicious.
- Liquid pectin: You can use one pouch of Certo liquid pectin instead of Sure-Jell powder. Liquid pectin is added after the sugar comes to a full boil, so follow the timing on the Certo package. Using liquid pectin might give you slightly softer jam.
- No pectin: Cranberries are naturally loaded with pectin, so you can leave it out and simply cook the jam longer (a lot longer) until it thickens. Keep in mind it will firm up more as it cools.
- Frozen fruit: Frozen strawberries and cranberries work just as well as fresh. Thaw them first.
How to Make Easy Christmas Jam
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Prep the jars. For refrigerator or freezer jam, wash 6 or 7 half-pint (or 3 pint) jars, lids and bands in hot, soapy water. For a Christmas jam recipe for canning, fill a large stockpot or canner with water, set a canning rack in the bottom, and boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize them. Turn them upside down on a clean towel while you make the jam.
- Chop the fruit. Hull the strawberries and pulse them in a food processor and place in an 8 quart Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Pulse the cranberries until chopped and add them to the pot.
- Cook the fruit and pectin. Stir in the powdered pectin, water and orange zest. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a boil. It will be thick, and that slow cook is what breaks down the cranberries and releases their natural pectin.
- Heat the canner pot. Meanwhile, bring your big pot of water back up to a boil if you're canning the jam.
- Add the sugar and spice. Stir in the sugar and apple pie spice. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Bring it back to a full rolling boil (one you can't stir down) and boil for 1 minute.
- Skim and fill. Remove the jam pot from the heat and skim off any foam, along with any cranberry seeds that float to the top. Ladle the hot jam into jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace for canning, wipe the rims clean, and screw on the lids and bands.
- For refrigerator or freezer jam: Fill the jars to within ½ inch headspace. Let the jars stand 24 hours to cool and set up completely. It's ready to eat as soon as it sets. See storage times below.
- For shelf-stable jam (water bath canning): Put a canning rack or round metal baking/cooling rack in the bottom of the pot (Best done before water comes to a boil.) Lower the filled jars slowly into the boiling water with a canning jar lifter. There should be at least 1 inch of water covering the jars. Once it's boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes for half-pint and pint jars. Lift the jars out with the jar lifter and set them on a kitchen towel to cool. You'll hear a distinct pop as they seal, and the lids will be flat, not raised. Let the jam sit at least 24 hours, and up to 2 days, to completely set and allow the lids to seal.
Little nugget: This recipe for Christmas jam keeps thickening as it cools, so don't panic if it looks loose in the pot. Spoon a dab onto a plate you've chilled in the freezer; if it wrinkles when you nudge it with your finger, you're good to go.
Pro Tips
- Know your spices. Apple pie spice is cinnamon-forward with nutmeg and allspice, so it reads warm and mellow. Pumpkin pie spice usually adds ginger and cloves, which gives it a little more bite. Either one works, but they are different!
- Use a big pot. An 8-quart Dutch oven might look like overkill, but jam bubbles up fiercely once the sugar goes in. A roomy pot keeps it from boiling over and scorching on your stovetop.
- Don't double inside one pot. The recipe doubles easily for gift giving, but make two separate batches rather than one giant one. Pectin jams set most reliably in smaller batches because they come to a boil faster and cook more evenly.
- Adjust for altitude. The 10-minute water bath time is for elevations up to 1,000 feet. If you live higher than that, add 1 minute for every additional 1,000 feet so your jars seal safely.
What to Serve with Cranberry Strawberry Jam
Christmas brunch calls for a basket of warm No Knead Yeast Rolls with homemade butter and a jar of this Christmas jam passed around the table! You can also spoon it over Double-Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls, or drizzled over Bread and Butter Pudding with Panettone.
For parties, pour it over a block of cream cheese or a wheel of baked brie and serve with crackers and my Cheese Wafers with Pecans. It's also the secret to the best leftover turkey sandwich, swirled into yogurt, or used as a glaze for ham and pork tenderloin!
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store refrigerator jam in airtight jars for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.
- Freezer: Freeze in freezer-safe jars or containers, leaving room at the top for expansion, for up to 1 year.
- Thawing: Let frozen jam thaw overnight in the refrigerator, not on the countertop.
- Shelf-stable (canned): Properly sealed jars keep in a cool, dark pantry for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening and use within 3 weeks.
- Unsealed jars: If a lid doesn't pop down after 24 hours, store that jar in the fridge and enjoy it first.
Kathleen Answers Your Questions
Christmas jam is a spiced jam usually made with cranberries and strawberries, often with a little orange and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It tastes like the holidays in a jar and makes a wonderful homemade gift.
Absolutely. Skip the water bath and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
The most common culprits are not reaching a full rolling boil or cutting back the sugar. Give it the full 24 to 48 hours to firm up, since cranberry and strawberry jam keeps thickening as it cools.
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Christmas Jam (Canned or Freezer)
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Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) container fresh strawberries or 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries
- 1 (12 ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups) (thawed if frozen)
- 1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered Sure Jell Original pectin
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoons orange zest
- ¾ teaspoon apple pie spice* See SUBSTITUTIONS on how to make your own
- 4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
For Freezer Jam:
- Wash 6 or 7 half pint or 3 pint jars and the lids and screw-on bands with soapy water. (One time I got a little over 3 cups yield.)
For canning:
- Wash the jars, lids, and rings. Fill a large stockpot or canner pot up with water and bring to a boil. Place a canning rack or small round metal cooling rack in the bottom. Boil the jars for 10 minutes to sterilize them. Turn them upside down on a clean towel while you make the jam.
Prep the Jam:
- Wash the strawberries and remove the green hulls. Pulse them in a food processor or chop them. Add the strawberries to an 8 quart Dutch oven or heavy bottom pan.
- Pulse the cranberries in the food processor to chop them.Tip: You can also chop the strawberries and cranberries with a chef’s knife on a cutting board or pulse in a blender.
- Add the cranberries to the pan along with the strawberries and stir in the pectin, water, orange zest. Stir well. Cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often, until mixture comes to a boil. It will be thick. It needs this slow cooking to cook down the cranberries and release their natural pectin.
- Meanwhile, bring your large pot of water back up to a boil to process the jars for canning.
- Add the sugar and apple pie spice (or spices) to the cranberry mixture and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture back up to a rolling boil (can't stir down) and boil, stirring occasionally, and boil for 1 minute.
- Remove the cranberry mixture from the heat and skim off any foam that may appear. Sometimes, I’ll skim off the cranberry seeds that rise to the top.
- Fill jars with hot jelly mixture. Wipe rims of jars clean. Seal lids with screw on jar rings.
For Refrigerator or Freezer Jelly
- Let stand 24 hours to cool and completely set up. The jam is ready to eat as soon as it sets up. Store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks or in the freezer up to 1 year.
- Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, not on the countertop, after freezing.
For Shelf Stable Jelly (Water Bath Canning Method)
- Note: You can do this process in batches with a smaller canning pot for boiling water. Just be sure it is deep enough to cover the jars by 1 inch.
- Place a canning rack or small round cookie cooling rack in the bottom of the very large pot. Bring the water up to a boil while the jam is cooking. Lower the filled jars slowly into the boiling water with a canning jar lifter. They grip the jars much better than regular tongs.
- There should be 1 inch of water above the jars.
- Tip: Place the lid on the pot to bring it back to a boil faster. Once boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes for half pint and pint jars.
- Remove the jars carefully with a canning jar lifter. They grip the jars much better than regular tongs. Place jars on a kitchen towel to cool and set up completely.
- You will know the jars have sealed when you hear a distinct pop and the lid is flat, not raised on top. Wait at least 24 hours up to 2 days for the jam to completely set.
- Yield: about 3 cups
Notes
- Literally dump everything in a 6 to 8 quart Crockpot except for the Sure Jell pectin and only add 3 cups of the sugar, stirring well. NOTE: If you don’t start with chopped strawberries and cranberries, you will need to use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender or food processor after cooking.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or LOW for 7 to 8 hours. If possible, after 1 hour, quickly open the lid and stir the mixture to help incorporate the sugar and dissolve. No worries if you are at work and can’t do this step.
- Use an immersion blender, if you have one, to blend the mixture just until you don’t see any chunks of . Do not over mix. If your jam is too thin, turn the slow cooker on HIGH and cook with the lid off, stirring often, until desired thickness. Keep in mind, it will thicken as it cools.
- Pectin: Use Sure-Jell Original (pink box), not the low- or no-sugar kind. The 4 cups of sugar is what helps this pectin set, so don’t reduce it.
- Liquid pectin: You can use 1 pouch of Certo liquid pectin instead. Add it after the sugar comes to a full rolling boil, following the timing on the package.
- Frozen fruit: Thaw frozen strawberries and cranberries before cooking, and keep any juices in the pot.
- Homemade apple pie spice: For ¾ teaspoon, mix ½ teaspoon cinnamon with ⅛ teaspoon each of nutmeg, ginger and allspice (or cloves). Pumpkin pie spice works too.
- Setting time: The jam keeps thickening as it cools. Allow 24 to 48 hours for it to fully set.
- Altitude: The 10-minute water bath is for elevations up to 1,000 feet. Add 1 minute for each additional 1,000 feet.
- Doubling: For gift giving, make two separate batches rather than one double batch so it sets reliably.
- Storage: Keeps up to 3 weeks refrigerated or up to 1 year frozen; thaw overnight in the fridge. Sealed canned jars keep up to 1 year in a cool, dark pantry; refrigerate after opening.
Nutrition
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
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