I know it’s Halloween today…but we’re already getting ready for Christmas! Homemade gifts for the holiday season are some of my favorites to give and receive – especially when they are as delicious as our Christmas Jam!
This simple jam is a sweet-tart mix of strawberries and cranberries (plus sugar and pectin) – and the flavor combination is out of this world! (It’s so good, my husband Jack says he doesn’t want to give any of these jars of jam away this Christmas!)
In addition to this jam being super delicious, one of the best things is that it is super easy to make! Scroll below to our recipe card to watch a video showing how it’s made.
This Christmas Jam also cans very well, so even though Christmas is still a little less than two months away, it will be here before you know it! So you can make this Christmas Jam now before the holiday rush and then you’ll be all ready for gift-giving! It’s also the perfect jam to use in these cookies.
This recipe is from the Tougas Family Farm cookbook (you can see it here). I’ve seen other versions of Christmas Jam online with orange zest or orange peel added, but we liked the simple sweet strawberry-tart cranberry contrast of flavors the best! You can use fresh or frozen strawberries and cranberries (we used a combination of both) – so use whichever is best for you!
And to make your gift-giving even easier – we’re sharing a free printable for the Christmas Jam labels you see in our photos! They are sized for these two inch round labels
Christmas Jam is a simple and delicious treat that everyone on your holiday gift list will love! (And here’s one last helpful tip – this Christmas Jam is a delicious alternative to cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving! If your guests don’t like the tart flavors of cranberry sauce, they will probably love this jam instead!)
Please note: You must DOWNLOAD THE LABELS FIRST before you will be able to print them.
Prep Time:
Yield:
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PinDescription
If you are planning to can this jam, have your sterilized jars, rims, bands and canning tools ready and sterilized ahead of time.
Ingredients
- 2 packages (20 ounces each) frozen whole strawberries (fresh strawberries may also be substituted)
- 1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries
- 5 pounds sugar (This is not a typo – 5 pounds is the correct amount. Some readers have told us that they successfully used less sugar when making this jam.)
- 2 pouches (3-ounces each) liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the strawberries and cranberries – you can process them to a finely chopped texture for a completely smooth jam, or leave some fruit partially chopped for a chunkier jam.
- Pour the processed fruit into a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add sugar and over medium high heat, bring the fruit and sugar mixture to a full rolling boil.
- Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove the pot from the heat and add the pectin, stirring to mix completely.
- Allow the jam to cool for 5 minutes, then skim off the foam on the top.
- Ladle the hot jam mixture into sterile half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims clean, cover with hot lids and screw on the jar bands.
- Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath. (Read more how to’s here).
- Makes about 14 half-pint jars. Recipe may be halved.
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Pasta Frolla Christmas Jam Cookies
What beautiful jam! What a great gift. Love how it works from Thanksgiving to Christmas, I think I’m skipping Halloween too today! (Sorry kids!!) but it’s rainy here and dragging out a 2 and 4 year old doesn’t seem fun to me. I love how you can use fresh or frozen berries, flexible cooking works for me!!
Thanks Laura! (I was worried it was too soon to post a ‘Christmas’ recipe but this really is a great Fall recipe especially with fresh cranberries at the market!) Happy Halloween!
Hi,
This jam combination sounds like it would be awesome. Unfortunately when I saw the ingredients called for 5 lbs of sugar it freaked me out. I’m new to jam making having only made strawberry and blueberry jams this summer. The recipes I used were “low sugar” recipes and they came out great. Just wondering, have you ever tried using less sugar in this recipe, and if so, how did it turn out? Thanks!
Hi Lori – I felt the same way when I saw the recipe – but I think it needs at least some of the sugar since there are unsweetened cranberries in the recipe! I haven’t tried it with less sugar – but you probably could get away with at least some reduction (as long as the pectin still has enough sugar to react with). If you try it with less – please let us know how it comes out – I’d love to know!! Thanks – Martha
Unless your using low or no sugar Certo, I wouldn’t cut back the sugar. I cut it back and the jam didn’t jell.
★★★★
The recipe sounds delicious. I too was a little freaked out when I read the recipe called for 5 lbs of sugar. What would be the least I could use for it to still taste good and be “lighter”. Thanks!
Sharon
Hi Sharon – We’ve only made the jam as written so I’d only be guessing by suggesting a lesser amount of sugar! Sorry I can’t be more help!
I made this jam with 4 lbs of sugar – not much of a reduction, but still… It turned out amazing.
Thanks Renay!
Dumb question: In step 5 you say to cook for 5 mins after you’ve removed it from the heat. Is that residual heat, or did you put it back on the burner? Thanks! I’m making a batch this weekend.
Hi Barbara – not a dumb question!! It should read cool for 5 minutes – thank you for catching that typo and I will fix it right away!!
What are pounds in kilos or grams plz and ounces
Hi Nicole – Here’s a link to a great online calculator – hope this helps! http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/pounds-conversion.htm
Hi! Quick question…do you thaw the frozen fruit before processing? Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Beth – No – Just throw the frozen fruit into the food processor still frozen (I think it chops up a lot better frozen…) Hope you enjoy the recipe!
have only made frozen jam before, thought I would make this for my grandchildren for Christmas it looks like it separated when I took them out of the hot water bath is this normal?
Hi Betty – The jam will firm up as it cools in the jars. But if it looks completely separated you might need to boil it some more and/or add more pectin.
Just wondering if adding some sort of spices would help? Like cloves or cinnamon?
That’s completely up to you Jennifer – feel free to add any spices or ingredients you’d like!
Such a wonderful gift idea! Pinned!
Hi, I am having such a difficult time downloading your precious Christmas Jam label…It comes up however no picture just a blank circle….Would it be possible to send me another link through my email? I just love thIS cutesie label. Thank you, Joan
Hi Joan – Yes – I will send it to you shortly! Martha
I too am having downloading the label. Could you send please.
All set – I’ve just sent them!
Can you give a clue as to how many cups of strawberries this requires. I have home-frozen berries and it’s hard to figure 20 ounces since I don’t have a scale.
Hi Melissa – Without having some strawberries on hand to measure in cups, I’d estimate about 6 cups of larger whole strawberries. If your homegrown strawberries are on the smaller size (so they fit into a measuring cup more tightly), I’d cut back to 4-5 cups. Hope that helps.
I’m glad I saw this. Ill be making this for my friends. After the jam is done and processed, how long can it sit out/last? Ive only ever made freezer jam and want to can it next time, so in this recipe processing is the “canning” part?
Hi Andia – You don’t have to can this jam…I’d suggest refrigerating it in the jars for no longer than two weeks. I’m not sure how it will work as a freezer jam. Hope that helps!
I just made this for a hostess gift to give at our Bunch Christmas Party. It looks wonderful. I used a gravy skimming cup (the kind with the spout at the bottom) to fill my jars. I was surprised to find that not only did it fill the jars (I used jelly jars – 1/2 cup I think) but the leftover foam was separated and the jelly is clear and beautiful. I left the foamy jelly for us! I also used my silicone finger protectors (for ironing) to wipe down the rims with a hot water rag. I actually got away without getting burned this time. Looking forward to trying my new project.
Great idea Julie! Hope you enjoy the jam!
I’d like you to email the labels also.
I am pretty new at jam making and have a question. I have boxed pectin can I use that in place of the liquid?
Thanks so much.
Hi Ida – I will email you the labels shortly! I’ve only used the liquid pectin myself but here is some guidance on using liquid vs powdered pectin: http://food52.com/hotline/2359-is-it-possible-to-substitute-powdered-pectin-for-liquid-pectin-can-you-interchange-them-if-you-add-t
I just made this jam tonight and it was fabulous! We also saved the foamy top for ourselves and canned the rest. I think everyone is going to love this for Christmas! In fact, I may have to make another batch tomorrow so that we have some for ourselves! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Glad you liked it!!
Could you please email me the labels as well. Gonna try this. Thanks so much!
Hi Jamie – Yes – I will be home late this evening so will send to you later tonight or tomorrow- hope that is OK!
Loved this! Made a double batch for the teachers and neighbors this week. I subbed low-sugar pectin and used about 6 cups of sugar for a double batch – turned out great! I like it more on the tart side and this was perfect for me.
Thanks Kate! Glad you found a lower sugar option!
My mother helped me make this today – I have not canned prior to today but she does tomatoes, dilly beans, etc. I am so impressed by the beautiful jars. And, we saved the “foam” to taste and it’s absolutely delicious. I always exchange food gifts with family on Christmas eve and plan to give a jar of this with a package of English muffins (wish I had time to make muffins or bread). What a nice gift!
Thanks Lisa! So glad the recipe worked out for you!
i would like to make this for xmas gifts
Hello. I was wondering if you have to use liquid pectin or not f you can use the powder. Thanks
Hi Lauren – I’ve only made this using liquid pectin. Here is a link you might find helpful: http://food52.com/hotline/2359-is-it-possible-to-substitute-powdered-pectin-for-liquid-pectin-can-you-interchange-them-if-you-add-t
I cannot get the labels to download/print correctly. Can you please email it to me? Thank you.
No problem Michelle – I just emailed them to you!
Hi, how long does this jam normally take to set? I made it yesterday, as directed, and it is very runny. This is the first jam or jelly that I have made that hasn’t set…. I’m not sure what to do because this was intended to be used for gifts.
Hi Kristen – Yes – by now it should definitely be set. I’m not sure what happened – if you made it exactly as written? You could try reheating all of the jam and adding more liquid pectin to see if that helps set it up? I’m sorry you’ve had problems!
Will this recipe work as freezer jam? Could it be frozen instead of canned?
Hi Kathy – I’m sorry – don’t know if this jam has the same properties as freezer jams.
Thank you for sharing. Perfect idea for new gift giving. Looking forward to trying it.
Thanks Pam! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
You can eliminate the foam by adding a tiny bit of butter to the cooking jam mixture towards the end!
Thanks for the tip Theresa! I’m going to try that the next time we make this jam!
I’ve made this same recipe for many, many years…it’s awesome! Everyone returns their jars for more, it’s that GOOD! I’ve yet to have time this year to make, so it’ll be after Christmas or maybe this week when I get the chance to make it. However, everyone will forgive me for being late with their favorite Christmas present!
Thanks Alaine!
Martha, how kind to share the recipe and the labels with us. I truly appreciate it! Will make it this week to give as gifts to family I didn’t see over Christmas…:-)
I hope you all enjoy the jam Marion!
i made one batch of your Christmas jam and gave it as gifts to family and friends. Everyone loved it. I’m freezing cranberries now so I can make more next spring when local strawberries are available again. I only wish I had kept some for myself. Thanks for the recipe and the cute labels. They made the gifts even more special.
Thanks Debbie! So glad you all enjoyed the recipe as much as we do! Happy New Year!
Omg my grandson just loves this jam. Every time I go to visit he asks me if I brought some. So today I’m making him is very own jars. He is going to be super excited. This is such a great recipe and easy as well. Thanks from a excited grandma.
You’re a very sweet grandma Julie! So glad you are all enjoying the recipe!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! We made Christmas Jam using fresh Florida strawberries. We made a half recipe and used 7 cups of sugar. Had the left overs with chicken tonight. WONDERFUL!
Thanks Paula! So glad you are enjoying the jam as much as we do! (We eat it year round…not just at Christmas!)
Does this really use 5 pounds of sugar? Can it be made as freezer jam?
Hi Linda – Yes – 5 pounds is correct (it makes a fairly large batch). If you read through the comments, I believe another reader successfully made it using less sugar. I haven’t made this as a freezer jam – please let us know how it comes out if you try it!
What is the shelf life for this great lookin recipe?
Hi Cyndy – Assuming that you’ve canned it correctly – I’d say 6-12 months. We have some jars that we canned back in December and recently opened and they are still perfectly good!
Okay…my night is ruined!!!! For what I was GOING to do!! I have to rush out to the store and get everything to make this ASAP!!! I was hoping to find a recipe to use my pomegranates in. Such as, like a topping, with strawberry’s, cranberry’s, raspberry, blueberry’s and of course the juice
from my pomegranates. Any of the above mixture I think would be terrific. Im going to make your recipe, then try it with the pomegranate juice and maybe raspberry and blueberry’s in a batch. To use like on top of ice cream, or french toast, or cheesecake topping. If you have any great ideas…(which I’m sure you do!) PRETTY PLEASE LET ME KNOW? Im doing your batch tonight, tomorrow or next the rest. Thank you so much for posting this…sounds DELISH!
Hi Taylor! This recipe is definitely a jam – not really a looser spread for cheesecake (although it would be delicious on cheesecake!). You could definitely try swapping out some of the strawberries and cranberries for pomegranate or other berries in this recipe – please let us know how it comes out!
Pomegranates make a wonderful jelly also. I used to make pomegranate jelly for Christmas gifts when I lived in California and had a pomegranate bush.
Sounds wonderful Teri! Thanks for the suggestion!
Is that the right amount of sugar cause 5 pounds seems alot lol
Yes – it’s correct! Feel free to read through some of the other comments. We had some readers reduce the amount of sugar last year.
Can regular pectin be used instead of liquid pectin?
Hi Linda – I’ve only made this using liquid pectin. Here is a link you might find helpful: http://food52.com/hotline/2359-is-it-possible-to-substitute-powdered-pectin-for-liquid-pectin-can-you-interchange-them-if-you-add-t
I made this last year and we loved it! Gave it as Christmas gifts and plan to again this year. My son is a diabetic though and I usually make my jams with the low sugar pectin. Do you have a low sugar recipe for this?
Hi Melissa – I’m sorry I don’t. We’ve only made the recipe as written in the post but if you scan through the comments, there are some readers who made the recipe with less sugar. Hope that helps!
hi..if liquid pectin is not avalaible what else can I use? And in what quantity?
Here is a link you might find helpful: http://food52.com/hotline/2359-is-it-possible-to-substitute-powdered-pectin-for-liquid-pectin-can-you-interchange-them-if-you-add-t
Hello! I just finished making this but it is really watery. I followed all instructions. Does it thicken up or should I cook it more?
I am making the Christmas Jam for my coworkers…is there any way I could purchase the Christmas labels from you?
Hi Emma – No…but there is a link in the recipe for a free download so you can print the labels at home!
Hi,
Thank you for the Christmas Jam receipe. It was fun and easy to make and very good. I’m sure all my friends will love getting a jar. The jam is a good combo of tart and sweet. Even though it called for 5 lbs of sugar it wasn’t too sweet.
Thank you,
Kathy and Kandice
You’re very welcome Kathy and Kandice! So glad you enjoyed the recipe as much as we do – and I hope your friends will love it as well. Have a wonderful holiday!
Would you mind emailing me link for the labels as well? Is it available in pdf? Thanks so much!
Hi Rose – I just sent them – yes – the template is a PDF.
Made this yumminess this morning! So excited. Is it acceptable to can & then process at a later time? For example, can in the morning, process at night? Totally new to canning. If I don’t process, it’ll keep for a couple weeks in the fridge, correct? Thanks so much!
Hi Devin – If you haven’t canned it right away, then yes – it can be stored refrigerator for a few weeks. However, you really want to process the jam while hot in sterilized jars right away. I’m afraid if you jar the jam without following the proper sterilization methods, then process it later, the jam won’t be sterile. I would really encourage you to read up on water bath processing on the Ball Canning website: http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started
Hi! This looks great, I’m making it today. I’m planning on some half pint jars and some pints. How long should I process the pint jars? This is only my second time canning and I’m still getting the hang of it. Thank you!
Hi Margaret – Could I suggest that you check out the Ball Canning website for canning guidance? I’ve only canned half-pint jars for 10 minutes and I’m not a canning expert otherwise. Here is the link: http://www.freshpreserving.com/
Thank you! Looks like it’s the same amount of time to process. They’re in the canner now. My three year old is so excited, keeps asking if it’s ready yet. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
This is so great! Husband and toddler approved! I can’t wait to give some out for Christmas! Thank you again so much for this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed the jam Margaret! Merry Christmas!
just made your jam, turned out so great we love it!! i used 4 lbs of sugar instead of 5 & also used powdered pectin & it set up just fine. i also tried to print out the labels but it didn’t work for me either, they printed out black & the holly leaf was missing? other than that very pleased
Oh no – thanks for letting me know about the labels. I will see if I can trouble shoot the issue on my end. In the meantime, I will email you the labels to print!
Going to make this along with my green jalapeno jelly and put a jar of each in little basket for christmas…
What a great idea Evelyn! Love it!
Do you use raw or cookies cranberries
Hi Dee – this recipe uses raw (fresh or frozen) cranberries.
How long will this last canned with a good seal and not refrigerated?
Hi Penny – We just finished eating our last canned jar made year around Christmas and it was perfectly good – assuming that it is canned correctly, it should last at least a year.
Thank you! I can’t wait to try this :o)
Could you put different printable labels on your site this is a really cute idea for canned gifts
Thanks Cindy! Here is one more that we’ve done: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/mandarin-marmalade/ – we hope to do more in the future!
Made this jam yesterday! Awesome!!!! My family loved it and I am making more tomorrow! Thank you for sharing
So glad you (all) enjoyed the jam Janie! Have a wonderful holiday season!
Hi…..I made this jam today, and it is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as directed, but I only got 10 – 1/2 pt. jars. I’m wondering why? I was hoping to get at least 13 out of the recipe. Anyone else not get 14 jars? Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Candace – I’ll leave your comment here to see if anyone else saw a different yield than what we had when we make the jam. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Could you PLEASE email me your labels adorable! Thank for sharing💝
Hi Bobbi – I just emailed them to you. Enjoy!
We made your cranberry pistachio biscotti, cranberry brownies and strawberry cranberry jam a couple of days ago at our club for our upcoming Edibles Mkt. They are all delicious tasting. However the jam did not set up! The ratio of sugar to fruit seemed too high and we did reduce the sugar. The result was plenty sweet enough, but the jam has not set up. We are thinking of rebranding it as waffle and pancake topping! I did some research about why this had happened as our ratio of fruit to sugar was still well within the average for jam recipes. One article I read said that the pectin jell you recommended has changed it’s formulation and does not work as well any more. Any suggestions for fixing the “jam”? Thanks
Hi Pauline – I can’t tell from your email how much you reduced the sugar by – but I’m guessing that is the culprit. We made a batch of this jam recently using the liquid pectin (and exactly as written) and had no issues; I haven’t read anything about a pectin formula change but it’s possible. Anyway, you could try reboiling the jam and adding more sugar and pectin to mixture. I’m sorry a reduced sugar version didn’t work out for you!
I know this is an old post, but any chance you could email the labels to me? This will be a perfect gift for my family and friends!
Hi Cassie – I just emailed them to you!
Hi! I made two batches of this jelly over the weekend. I got 14 half pint jars both times (and a tad left over that I put in a bowl for immediate use). I make jelly every year to give as gifts. This one is a keeper! Here are a couple of tips. I used a digital kitchen scale to measure out 40 oz of strawberries. Also, if you add a tablespoon of butter to the jam as it is boiling, you won’t get any foam. I love the cute labels! What size labels do you suggest buying? I know they usually have a code or something like to to enter into the computer before printing. Thank you!
Thanks for the suggestions Kelly – so glad you enjoy the recipe! Any 2-inch round labels should work – these are the ones from Avery that we used to design the template: http://amzn.to/2hB6iYi
Hi Martha
What name brand pectin did you use?
Hi Anna – We use the Certo/Sure-Jell liquid pectin.
Thanks for getting back to me. Am looking forward to making your jam.
Merry Christmas and a Great New Year
hhhhHi I love this recipe I cannot wait to try it I would love to get your labels for the jam e mailed to me if that is possible this would make a great Christmas gift
Hi Joan – I just tried emailing it to you at hholmes@voyager.net and it came back as undeliverable – saying this email address doesn’t exist. Would you please provide the correct email address? Thanks!
Sso sorry that I gave you the wrong address I guess I got a little excited thank you so much
Hi is there a reason why the pectin was added last. All my recipes for jams/jellies you add pectin with fruit bring to a rolling boil then add sugar return to boil , boil 5 minutes then ladle into jars? I’ve messed up before and added sugar first and pectin last and mine didn’t set so is there a difference with this recipe? Could it be because you’re using liquid pectin instead of powder? Thanks for your help
Hi Amber – Yes – liquid pectin is usually added at the end. This is a very helpful article about swapping liquid vs dry pectin in recipes: http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/canning-101-how-to-substitute-pectin/ – hope this helps!
Please email the template for Christmas Jam labels.
Thanks
All set Jane – they’ve been emailed to you.
I don’t have a scale, can you send me the recipe in cups/ounces instead of pounds ?
Hi Mary-Gail – Berries (especially strawberries) vary in size so a cup of large strawberries will yield less than a cup of smaller strawberries that can be packed inside the cup measure. To ensure that your jam comes out correctly with the right proportion of fruit to pectin and other ingredients, measuring by weight rather than volume is best. Home scales are very inexpensive (our was $15) but if you don’t want to buy them, as you go to buy your ingredients, you could also weigh the fruit in the produce aisle scale to make sure you have enough. Hope that helps.
Can you substitute dried cranberries in this jam recipe
No Barbara – Fresh or frozen should be used. (I don’t think attempting to reconstitute the dried cranberries will work.)
Hi! This sounds heavenly!! Ive already thought of some tweaks to personalize it. I do hsve a quedtion. I use Ball classic powder pectin, do you know compared to the liquid how much I’d need to use?
Hi Katherine – Here’s an article I’ve found online that discusses how to swap powdered pectin in for liquid – Hope this helps! https://food52.com/hotline/2359-is-it-possible-to-substitute-powdered-pectin-for-liquid-pectin-can-you-interchange-them-if-you-add-t
I tried the recipe and My Christmas Jan came out running I followed the ingredients to a T can someone tell me what went wrong
Hi Andrea – I’m sorry to hear that you had problems with the recipe. Although it sounds like you followed the recipe, did you make any substitutions or reduce/eliminate any ingredients? Did you bring the jam to a full rolling boil? It’s so hard to tell what went wrong without being in your kitchen with you! To salvage things, you could try reheating all of the jam again on the stove and adding more pectin. Hope that works for you!
Thanks for the recipe! Can you please email me the printable. Thank you so much
All set Tammy – I just emailed them to you! Enjoy!
Can we use Splenda instead of sugar, and used raspberries instead of strawberries
Hi Jane – I don’t believe the jam will set up using Splenda – the pectin does need some sugar to interact with so the jam firms up. I’ve never tried making this with raspberries so I can’t say for sure how it will come out.
Is it really 5 lbs of sugar, or should it be cups?
Hi Tara – It really is 5 pounds of sugar.
Could you please email me the labels?
All set Tara – I just sent them.
with the amount of natural pectin in the cranberries this could also be done the old fashioned way by cooking it til it thickens. I would go a cup of sugar to a cup of fruit. I am going to make this.
If you try the recipe without the pectin, please let us know how it comes out!
Would you please email me the Christmas JaMonday Labels
All set Diana – I just sent them to your gmail account
I was wondering why the liquid pectin, can you use the powdered kind?
Hi Sharon – We’ve only made this recipe ourselves with the liquid pectin. My understanding is that liquid pectin is typically used when it is added at the end of a recipe, after the fruit has boiled. (Powdered pectin will need to be added earlier in the cooking process.) I personally find the liquid pectin easier. Hope that helps!
HELP! Tried and tried but could not get the adorable Christmas Jam labels. I see that you have solved the same problem others had by emailing them to the individuals. Please send them to me as well. Giving these as gifts to Christmas visitors sounds like such a wonderful idea. I plan to do just that. Thank you!
All set Fran – I just sent them to you!
I will be making this for gifts this year. I’m teaching my grandchildren his to make jams and jellies. This one sounds great!
Thanks Rebecca – We love that you are teaching your grandchildren how to make jams and jellies! We hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do!
Hi Laura,
I know this post is old, but I just found it and would love to make these for gifts this year. I have several questions as a newbie to this kind of thing and I’m hoping you can help me. Sorry if these are silly!
What do I need to do to sterilize the mason jars before filling?
When it says to top with “hot lids”, I’m not sure I understand how to be sure the lids are hot?
What is the best way to fill the jars – a funnel?
Thank you so much for your help!!!
Stefanie
Hi Stefanie – Not silly questions at all – since you haven’t canned before, I’d suggest reading information on Ball Canning’s website – they explain the Water Bath Canning method well here: http://www.freshpreserving.com/waterbath-canning.html (You’ll sterilize the jars in a pot of boiling water, we also dip our lids in the hot water – so that is the “hot lids” we refer to in our recipe.) There are funnels (see here: http://amzn.to/2h26de8) as well as jar lifters (see here: http://amzn.to/2yI38aP) that are helpful tools to have when canning. Hope that helps!
Thank you! I don’t see in the video that you use a rack to process the jars – is this not necessary? I’m hoping I can get away with just purchasing an accessory kit. Thanks! Stefanie
No – we didn’t use a rack in the bottom of our pot. From a safety standpoint it may be best to do so…
I love this recipe and trying it IN THE MORNING. BUT, I also have some raspberries and grapes in my freezer, will they work too?
Hi Sandie – We’ve had a few readers tell us that they have added raspberries and it came out great. I’m not sure about the grapes! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made 2 batches last year to give away as gifts, this year I will make at least 3. Yesterday I found cranberries at Walmart so jam time it is!
★★★★★
So glad everyone on your gift list is enjoying the jam! 🙂
This looks fabulous. Can you substitute the cranberries with raspberries? Just wondering if the recipe would stay the same.
Hi Lisa – We haven’t swapped in raspberries ourselves, but we’ve had some followers on Facebook comment that they have successfully swapped in raspberries. Unfortunately I don’t know what proportions they used or if they made any other changes to the recipe. Sorry I can’t help more but if you try it, please report back!
I haven’t made this yet but I am going to! Would love the link for the labels!
Hi Marilyn – The link to download the labels is right in the post.
If I made this today, how would I keep it for Christmas gifts. Does it need to be kept in the refrigerator or can it be kept on a shelf until time to give away? And how long is the shelf/refrigerator life?
Hi Joann – If you can the jam (following the proper steps for the waterbath canning method) – the jars will keep up to a year. (Here is a link to the method: https://www.freshpreserving.com/waterbath-canning.html ) Once you’ve opened the jar of jam, keep it refrigerated for up to a month. If you choose not to can the jam, you will need to keep it refrigerated. It makes a large batch so we’d definitely recommend canning the filled jars.
This sounds so good. I can’t have seeds do you think I could follow this recipe and just send it through a cheese cloth? And maybe make 1/2 batch?
Sure Carol – you can strain the seeds and cut the recipe in half!
Hi! Would these ship well? I’d like to send some to out of state friends and family.
Hi Stefanie – Assuming that you’ve canned the jars properly and pack the jars well so the glass doesn’t break – they should be fine to ship. You may want to ask the post office or UPS (or however you ship them) for packing tips.
Awesome. Thank you!
Will these ship ok? I would like to send to family and friends out of state!
Also, would it be possible to double the recipe, so I don’t have to do two different batches? This will be my first time, so I’m not sure how it will turn out if I double!
Hi Stefanie – You can double the recipe if you have a pot that is large enough! (It makes a big batch.)
Thank you for answering all my questions!
The Christmas Jam looks so yummy.
I’m going to make this and give this for Xmas gifts.
Thank you Jeannie! We hope you all enjoy the jam as much as we do!
Hi I can’t seem to find the link for the printable labels. Would it be possible for u to send me the link via email? This looks so yummy, looking forward to making it. I recently made a blueberry/strawberry jam and it was great. But I’m thinking with the tartness of the cranberries yours will be delicious.
Thank you
All set Lora – I just sent them to your email address.
This looks really good but has to much sugar for my diabetic family. Is there a no sugar added recipe?
I’m sorry Barbara – we haven’t tried making this recipe as a sugar-free version.
can you use stevia for this recipe
Hi Annie – We’ve only made this recipe as written. Pectin needs sugar to interact with to thicken the jam so I don’t believe you can swap in stevia instead of the sugar.
Could you please sent me the labels for Christmas Jam to my email
I’ve just sent them to your email address Bonnie
made with my sister will let you know how it is and need your lables didnt work for me please
All set Mary – I’ve just emailed them to you.
omg i thought just like you all so much sugar but let me tell you this we made 40 1/2 pint jars last night and we had it on some toast this morning and let me tell you this it was delis so worth making thank you Martha for shearing with us and thank you for the labels will be making more jelly again before Christmas for sure
★★★★★
Wow Mary! That is a lot of jam! So glad you enjoyed it!
Recipe looks wonderful and I plan to make for gifts. I printed the recipe ok but I can’t print the labels. I get the labels to show up when I open your file but they don’t print. I get pages showing the pix of the jar of jam stating that printable labels are available. Please help.
Thank you.
Louise
PS I plan to make 1/2 recipe. Seeing as all ingredients can be easily halved, shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi Louise – I just sent you the labels via email as a Word document. (Online – you need to download the file before trying to print.) Yes – you easily half the recipe. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Your idea is so cute! I do have a question for you. I would like to get a Cricut, hopefully from Santa, but I don’t know what model to request. I’ve never worked with anything like that before so I could truly be called a novice.
Your thoughts and ideas would be appreciated.
Hi Beth – I don’t own a Cricut so I’m afraid I can’t give you any advice on that. We used some craft scissors with scalloped blades (found at Target) to make the gift tags shown in the photo. Hope that helps!
Good Mornin’! Can I use Splenda instead of sugar?
Hi Dave – We’ve only made this recipe as written. Pectin needs sugar to interact with to thicken the jam so I don’t believe you can swap in Splenda instead of the sugar.
I would like to know on the Christmas jam if I can substitute the sugar with a sugar substitute. I am diabetic but this jam sounds delicious. Thank you for any help you can give me. Sincerely Virginia Decarlo.
Hi Virginia – Unfortunately we’ve only made the recipe as written so I don’t have any advice with reducing the sugar. I do know that the pectin in the jam needs some sugar to interact with so I don’t think you can swap in a sugar substitute completely. I’m sorry I can’t be more help.
Hi! I just love and appreciate the amount of work you have put into this site! Thank you very much for this wonderful gift idea. I am having issues with getting the labels though. Can you send me a different way to pull them up?
Thank you!
You’re very welcome Rhonda – Thank you for the kind words! I’ve just emailed the labels to you. Happy Holidays!
Would you please email me the darling Christmas jam labels. Can’t seem to download them. Thank you!!
All set Bobbie – I just sent them to your email address.
Hi Martha. I’m sorry but could you please email the labels again. I didn’t get the email, unless it came in my junk folder and I usually just delete all at same time. I will watch for it now.Thank you
I just sent them again Bobbie!
This will be our first attemp at canning. Do we need to increase the cooking time and processing time based on our elevation? We’re at 4200 feet.
Hi Shawna – The Ball Canning website is a great resource for canning questions – here you go: https://www.freshpreserving.com/altitude-adjusting.html Good luck!
I was wondering if I could use sure-jel instead of the gel ? As I have plenty of sure-gel and my local go to lace for canning is out.And I so want tomake this jam. Thankyou.
Hi Betty – Is the Sure-Jel powdered pectin? If so – this article might be helpful for using the powdered instead of the liquid pectin: http://foodinjars.com/2013/07/canning-101-how-to-substitute-pectin/
Hope this helps!
Can you please send me the label in my email. Excited to try this recipe!
All set Michele – I’ve just sent them to your email.
I don’t normally do “tweak” things but the first thing I thought of when I saw this was to add some pomegranates-either the juice or take the time to use fresh-crushed and strained. And of course, reduce the sugar!
Sounds delicious Sharon! Let us know how it comes out!
I’m going to try this this week. Was wondering how long is shelf life or must it be kept in refrigerator?
Hi Terry – As long as you follow proper canning techniques (water bath) when putting the jam in the jars, you should be able to store the jars unrefrigerated for up to a year (if it lasts that long). If you don’t can, then yes – the jam will need to be kept refrigerated and will last a few weeks. The recipe makes a large batch so you probably want to plan to can the jars. Enjoy!
I love this idea and want to make these for Christmas gifts but can’t get the label download to work for some reason. Would it be possible for you to send the labels to me by email? Thanks so much.
All set Diana – I just emailed them to you!
I accidentally deleted my email. Would you be able to email the labels again? Thank you so much
I just sent them again Bobbie.
Put my spin on it with reduced merlot and the zest & juice from oranges.
Sounds delicious Karla!
Hi Martha, this looks amazing. I am going to make this tomorrow. Going to make as written. Also going to try cooking the cranberries first til they burst then running strawberries and cranberries thru a food mill then finishing it off. Any reason this wouldn’t work? Also having trouble printing the labels. Could you email a pdf version? Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Hui there….assume the the frozen strawberries are unsweetened? Thanks
Correct, unsweetened.
Hi there! This recipe looks wonderful! I do like the idea of putting some lemon zest in. It will be a nice addition. I am hoping to make the jam this weekend but was wondering if the jars will be ok unrefrigerated until I give them out?
Hi Kimberly – You need to follow proper canning methods (water bath method) if you plan to keep the jam jars unrefrigerated. The Ball Canning website is a great resource: https://www.freshpreserving.com/waterbath-canning.html
Looking forward to trying this wonderful recipe! Could you please email the labels? Many thanks and Merry Christmas!
All set Lizzie – I just emailed them to you.
Made the jam and it’s delicious!! Can you email me the labels as well??
Thanks so much!!
Thanks Dawn! I just emailed the labels to you.
Not looking like it is going to set up for me. Fingers crossed it does. If not how would I go about trying to fix it or would just starting again be the way to go? I hate the thought of having to start over.
Hi Rebecca – It should thicken more as it cools. But – we’re discovering that some of the folks who are writing to us having issues with the jam not setting up have swapped in other fruits or used powdered pectin instead of the liquid pectin…I’m not sure if that is what you did? Either way, if it doesn’t firm up as it cools, I’d suggest reheating the jam to a boil again and adding some more pectin. (Powdered pectin needs to be boiled in the jam to work, liquid pectin can be added toward the end.) Hope that helps!
This recipe is delicious and easy to make. I only used 4 lbs. of sugar and added 2 tsp of butter to keep it from foaming and it came out perfect! I also processed it in my electric pressure cooker.
★★★★★
Thanks Lisa!
Just discovering this recipe when looking for ideas on homemade Christmas gifts. Would you think orange zest would work in this recipe?
Hi Sheila – Although we haven’t tried adding it ourselves, we had another reader comment that they added orange zest too – and they thought it was a delicious addition! Enjoy!
Help! I am making this for my daughter to give out at Christmas to some people. I can not get the labels to print. Could you please email them to me? I would so appreciate it. Thank you!
All set Emily – I just emailed them to you.
Hi Martha,
Just made the jam and waiting for it to set. I’m really excited! I followed the recipe and it yielded 24 – 4oz jars and 4 – 8oz jars!
I’m now trying to print the labels on Avery 22817 label paper, and I cannot get the labels centered or to print properly. Would you be able to assist with this?
Thank You,
Stefanie
Hi Stephanie! I’m sorry you are having issues with the labels – I think the alignment of every printer is a little different. I found that the labels lined up better using one of our printers at home vs another at our home, so you could try a different printer. (I realize this might not be option if you only have one printer.) Otherwise – The labels are in a Word document so you might be able to nudge the spacing of the labels that aren’t aligning correctly with the Avery template we used. I hope that helps!
Does this recipe really call for 5 lbs. of sugar? Seem excessive.
Hi Paula – Yes – the original recipe we shared used 5 pounds of sugar. Feel free to browse the comments – come of our readers reported that they were successful in reducing the sugar. (Others may have reduced it so much that the jam didn’t firm up.) We’ve only made the recipe as written so I can’t give you any advice if you prefer to reduce the amount of sugar.
Could you please post the Avery label number. I have tried 2 different ones, 22807 and 22827 and the 4 labels on the left of the page are off the circle. Also if you use low sugar or no sugar pectin, it will jell up with half the sugar. Thanks
Hi Becky – We used 22807. I’m guessing there may be an alignment issue with your printer? You could try going into the word document and adding some spaces to see if that helps the alignment as it prints?
Hi, I was thinking of making with raspberries, would you think anything would change as far as ingredients?
Hi Marie – I’ve only made the recipe as written but some of the other readers who left comments either here below the post or on our Facebook page have successfully added raspberries. I believe many of them strained the seeds before canning, but I don’t know if they adjusted any other ingredients. I’m sorry I can’t be more help.
Could you PLEASE email me your adorable labels! Thanks for sharing💝
All set Jolene – I just emailed them to you!
Please email me labels for marmalade an christmas jam, they are both sooooo nummy, thank you, Jayne
★★★★
All set Jayne – I just emailed them to you
I just love the look of the label at the top-what kind of paper did you use and then did you use a punch? Which size? Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Hi Karen – To make those labels, I just put the sticker labels on some red scrapbook paper (lightweight card stock) and then used scissors with a scallop edge (like this one: http://amzn.to/2Bw0FSc) to cut the edge around it. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I would love to make this jam but I think I would like to use fresh strawberries instead of frozen. I’m not sure if I would need to use a different amount or still use the 20ozs.
Thank you and thanks for posting. Deb
Hi Deb – You would use the same amount regardless of whether you are using fresh or frozen. Enjoy!
I just made this, couldn’t find 20 ounce bags of strawberries so I used 16 ounce bags, I also just used one small bag of ocean spray fresh cranberries which was about a pound and a 4lb bag of sugar because I could not find a 5lb one. The jam turned out amazing. I am going to purchase extra bags of cranberries to freeze. It yielded 10 half pint jars.
★★★★★
Thanks Jan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I’m trying to print the labels but am unable to. What can be the problem?
★★★★
Hi Betty – You have to download the file onto your computer and then print from there. If you still can’t print, please email back and I will forward the Word document to you.
Do you know if I can substitute some of the sugar with stevia in the raw? Thank you
Hi Lisa – We’ve only made the recipe as written, but if you try it with Stevia swapped in, please let us know how it comes out! (You might need to use a low-sugar pectin.)
Is 5 pounds of sugar right? That seems like a lot!
Yes – 5 pounds is correct if you are making the full recipe
jam is delicious wonderful.
great gifts.
Could not print labels.
thanks,
Hi Patricia – You need to download the file before attempting to print the labels. If you still can’t print, please email me back and I will email you the Word document.
This is totally a wonderful, delicious and easy jam to make!
I made this for Christmas gifts and everyone loved it.
I only suggest to add a pad of butter while boiling, it takes most of the foam that gathers on the top go away.
★★★★★
Thanks Alice! Great suggestion!
Can I replace cranberrys with frozen cherries? I can’t find cranberries anywhere right now, fresh or frozen.
Hi Whitley – We haven’t tried making this with frozen cherries – but I suspect it will work! Please let us know how it comes out!
Do you know if this can be frozen? I’m thinking of vacuuming sealing small bags for gifts with a pretty jar. Would this work?
I’m sorry Lori – we’ve only canned the jam. The original recipe we followed did not specify that this was safe from freezing. Sorry I can’t be more help!
Hello – I am hoping that you still read your messages as I have a question that ma seem silly to you but for a newbee like me, I have to ask. Is this jam to be stored in the freezer or can it go into a cold room. If you can let me know I would appreciate it. Can you reply to my email as well as I have a funny feeling I wont find the answer in here LOL
Thank you in advance
Margaret
Hi Margaret – We always check for new comments 🙂 and no such thing as a silly question! As long as you’ve canned the jam correctly using the water bath method and have a tight seal, it can be stored in your pantry or cabinet without refrigeration. (It would not be safe to store a glass jar of this jam in the freezer!) We’ve only canned this ourselves in jars, but if you do want to try freezing it, it should be frozen in zipper seal plastic bags. Hope that helps! Martha
I cannot get Christmas Jam labels to print
Hi Penny – You need to download the document before attempting to print. If you still can’t get it to work, please let me know and I will email the document to you.
I know this has been addressed in some of the comments, but is it really 5 POUNDS of sugar or 5 CUPS? I have had people tell me the 5 pounds is a misprint and it should be 5 cups.
The original recipe from Tougas Family Farm called for 5 pounds of sugar – some readers have told us that they’ve been successful using less than that.
Hi , can you use dried cranberries??
Hi Debbie – No – fresh or frozen cranberries should be used for this recipe. While it’s still a little early to find the fresh cranberries at the supermarket, check the frozen fruit case – we’ve found frozen berries there all year round. Hope that helps!
Just discovered you site and the Christmas jam recipe. It, and the other recipes, look wonderful and I am fired up to get jammin’. Are the printable Christmas Jam labels still available? Many thanks, and keep up the creative work! Debs
Hi Deb – We’re glad you found us! The labels are always available – just click on the link in the post to view/download them (you have to download before attempting to print). Enjoy!
Am sooooexcited about making your lovely Christmas Jam!!!!!
We hope you love it Mary!
Hi do you take orders for your holiday jam? I would like to order some from you if you do for a physician party we are having. Sincerely, Bridgette
Hi Bridgette – I’m sorry, we don’t. We share the recipe so our readers can make it at home. (It’s easy to do!) We hope you’ll give it a try.
Awesome idea what great gift Idea
Thanks Margaret!
I can’t wait to try this new jam recipe
Hope you love it Robin!
5 Pounds of Sugar? Gowza.
Does this really make 14 half pints? I’ve been looking for something with a large quantities for the craft fair.
Yes Linda!
I make this every year in October while there are still fresh strawberries, and give them as Christmas gifts. It is the only time I make and give them, that way the people I give them to can’t wait to get it again the next year….Oh, and I don’t use the 5lbs of sugar…..I use around 3.5 lbs, and it is just perfect.
★★★★★
Thanks Donna – We do get a lot of questions about that 5 pounds of sugar so great to know it’s just as good with less. Thanks for taking the time to write to us today!
In making the Christmas Jam, do I have to use liquid pectin?
Hi Linda – I’ve only made this jam using the liquid pectin – it is added at the end, after the fruit has cooked and is easiest to use. From what I understand, powdered pectin would need to be added earlier in the cooking process. I haven’t tried using powdered pectin myself so unfortunately, I don’t have any advice as to how much powdered pectin you would need to use as a swap for the liquid – if you do a Google search there are lots of different online articles giving advice on how to adapt recipes for powdered pectin use. Hope that helps!
Hello Lady Martha,
I’m very excited to make this Christmas Jam. I think I’m going to put a slight spin on it by adding some wine to it. Maybe a Merlot….. what do you think and how much should I add? Cause also email me your labeled?
What an interesting idea Angie! This recipe makes a large pot of jam – maybe start with a 1/4 cup and add more to taste? (I’d be cautious about adding too much – not sure how it will effect the pectin and jelling of the jam). I will email the labels to you later today once I can access the original file at home – did you have issues with downloading them from the link in the post?
I’ve not made jam for years, but in retirement now find the time for such pleasures. I’m going to make this to take to my children’s families when I visit for the holidays. Just want to double check on the five lbs of sugar. I know jam takes a lot but this seems pretty heavy. So, five pounds and not five cups, right? I look forward to getting deeper into your recipes as they look very good~
Thanks Georgia – Yes – 5 pounds is correct per the original recipe. I’ve had some other readers comment that they have successfully cut back on the sugar without impacting the effectiveness of the pectin. Hope that helps!
Hi there – thanks so much for this recipe. I hope to make it this weekend. I am a little worried about the sugar but I read some comments and it seems I might be able to reduce it a little…can you please email me the labels? The link is not live on the blog post. Many thanks, Deb
Hi Deb – I just checked all of the links to the labels – they are working/clickable. You do need to download the file (it’s safe) before trying to print. Yes – we’ve had several readers reduce the sugar in the recipe. Hope that helps!
Can you freeze this jam?
Hi Veronica – I don’t know – I’ve never tried freezing it, only canning it as written in the recipe. If you try it, let us know!
Hi, so glad you still reply to questions. I do not have a quisenart to chop the fruit, not do I have a blender (teenagers broke it lol) what should I do I desperately want to make this and I already bought the ingredients but didn’t read the recipe before purchasing them. Help help help 😁
Hi Valerie – Do you have a potato masher? I’d let all of the fruit defrost (assuming you buy frozen strawberries) in a bowl or use all fresh strawberries and cranberries – then mash them up in a bowl saving the juices. Depending on how finely you can mash the fruit, your jam might be a little chunkier, but it will still be delicious! Hope that helps!
My Mama made this jam several years ago and gave it to my brother and me as part of our Christmas presents. We all fell in love with it!! My brother passed away in 2007 and my Mama passed away just last year. I’ve never canned anything in my life but I wanted to make this jam in memory of both of them!! I made it a couple of days ago and it turned out wonderful!! I will recommend that after the berries have started to warm up, before adding the sugar, I highly recommend that the mixture be put through a fine mesh strainer!! It makes the jam real smooth!! No one wants to eat crunchy jam!! In loving memory of my Mama, Sandy, and my brother Dean!!
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Thanks for the suggestion Michele – and what wonderful memories! So glad you wrote to us today!
I am having a hard time downloading the Labels. Would you be able to email me the pdf? I am trying to convert them from 2″ labels to 2 1/2″ labels. Thank you!
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All set Meghan – I sent you the Word document so you can edit as needed. Enjoy!
Made this last Christmas and gave it to family and friends, everyone liked it an several asked for the recipe. ? Should I cold pack to insure a good seal?
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Hi Tim – No – you definitely want to can the jam while hot placing it into clean sterilized jars, then use the water bath method to can.
Hello, I am in the process of making this jam now 🙂
Could you email me the labels please? I can’t get them to print out correctly. When I download it, I wants to print on 2 pages.
Thanks so much!
All set Becky – I just emailed the labels to you.
I made this last year. It was Amazing! I plan on making it again this year. I substitute using cherries instead strawberries….yummm.
★★★★★
Sounds delicious Lynn! Thanks for the suggestion!
Can you freeze this jam instead of processing it?
Hi Esther – This isn’t a freezer jam recipe – I’m not sure what would happen if you tried freezing it.
could you please tell me how many cups to make 5 pounds
Hi Colleen – We typically buy Domino brand sugar and their website calculates 5 pounds of sugar as 11 1/4 cups. Hope that helps!
I have only used Sure Jel to make jelly! Can I use use it instead of the liquid pectin?
Hi Ruth – I’m sure you can, but there will likely be some adjustments you’ll need to make. Without testing it myself, I can’t say for sure what changes you need to make, especially since I don’t know which specific Sure Jel product (powdered, low sugar, etc) you want to use. I’m sorry I can’t be more help, but I can assume you that the liquid pectin is very easy to use!
Martha—YES! What a wonderful recipe! I am fairly new to canning and I loved your recipe and your pictures are so helpful! One quick note—I cannot print (or download) your label! Would you be able to email it to me? It is the perfect little tag!! :o)
All set Tina – I just emailed them to you!
Thanks for the recipe, I wanted to share my 2 scents re: powdered pectin. I bought the ball instant pectin in a jar before realizing this called for Liquid. The back of the jar says “6 TBS powdered = One Box of Pectin.” But I wanted to make sure that that one liquid pouch=1box=6 TBSPs
I halved the recipe, because this was my first time making jam, and I was also using 4 oz jars. I found an almost identical recipe elsewhere that said it is ok to half the recipe. https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/christmas-jam/
The ball powdered pectin says for every 1 1/3 cup fruit to use 1 ½ TBSP pectin and 1 cup sugar for the low sugar recipe (or 1 2/3 for the full sugar recipe)
Halfling the recipe left me with about 5 cups of fruit once it was processed. Which means I would use 1.5 TBSP x4, or 6 TBSPs pectin, and 4 cups of sugar. 4 cups of sugar weights just about 2.5 lbs so everything in this recipe verifies what is on the pectin instructions, and vis versa.
However, the only change I had to make is the powdered pectin is added to the fruit at the beginning per the package instructions, before it reaches a boil. Not at the end. My jam came out great, a little sweet for my taste, but it will make great Christmas gifts as planned.
Hope this helps some other jam newbie like me.
Thank you so much Emma!
Should the jam be kept refrigerated after it’s canned?
Hi Jamie – As long as you have canned it correctly and it has a tight seal, there’s not need to keep it refrigerated until you open the jar.