Calling all blueberry lovers for this super simple 4-ingredient Blueberry Jam Recipe (made with no added pectin)! This powerful antioxidant berry is simmered with zero refined sugar and perfect to top on pancakes, fresh toast or serve on happy hour cheese and crackers! Takes about 10 minutes to whip up!
Homemade blueberry jam is so simple to make and made without adding pectin or preservatives! Use fresh or frozen blueberries and add the jam to toast, this healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal Bake, Chia and Hemp Seed Superfood Oatmeal, or this Strawberry Granola Crumble in place of strawberries.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: Just rinse the berries
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: About 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 42kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet-tart whole blueberries with a bright squeeze of lemon
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, simpler than my strawberry jam, no canning required
Quick Answer
In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to a simmer and mash the blueberries with a potato masher until they release their juices. Let it simmer uncovered until thickened, about 7-10 minutes, then cool and refrigerate in a glass container for up to 3 weeks.
Jump to:
The other day I was at the gym chatting with my friend Lucy about healthy dessert recipes. She was heading to a kindergarten party for her son and wanted to bring a healthy dessert dish with fruit. That conversation (thank you Lucy!) struck my creativity to share this amazing blueberry jam recipe that I make all the time for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the kiddos! A jam made with no pectin. Just whole fruit jam!
I have a giant bag of organic blueberries in my freezer now from Costco, only about $14 per 4 pound bag... FOR ORGANIC! We use frozen blueberries all the time for homemade jam, blueberry ice cream, blueberry sauce over pancakes, blueberry muffins, and healthy smoothie recipes.
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- No pectin required. Simmering slightly frees the juices from the blueberries, which naturally thickens the jam until it is spreadable.
- Lemon juice brightens and preserves. A half teaspoon balances the sweetness and helps the jam keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
- Berry size changes the timing. Smaller wild blueberries need less cooking time, while full-bodied plump blueberries take slightly longer to thicken.
- The potato masher is the secret tool. Mashing while simmering squishes the berries so they release their juices evenly.
- Low glycemic sweeteners work beautifully. Xylitol or coconut sugar keep the sugar load low, or use Stevia for a sugar free blueberry jam.
- That white powder on fresh blueberries is natural. Blueberries, grapes, and certain plums produce a waxy, silvery-white bloom that acts as a barrier against insects and bacteria and seals in the fruit's moisture. Completely safe to eat!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 4 ingredients, 10 minutes. Blueberries, a little sugar, lemon and salt. That is the whole list.
- Zero refined sugar. I use xylitol or coconut sugar for its low glycemic index.
- Fresh or frozen berries work. Even frozen blueberries are bursting with flavor and turn into gorgeous jam for muffins, custards and crumbles.
- Kid-lunch gold. Make a giant batch and have almost a month's worth of spreadable homemade jam for healthy PB&J school lunches!
Key Ingredients
- Blueberries - 2 cups fresh or frozen. Blueberries are a super fruit, high in fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and phytonutrients.
- Sugar - 3 tablespoons of xylitol or coconut sugar for a low glycemic index, or Stevia for a sugar free jam.
- Lemon juice - a half teaspoon acts as an acid and brightens the berries.
- Pinch of salt - wakes up all the flavors.
As always, please see recipe card below for full ingredient list.
Substitutions and Variations
- Other berries work too! Use the same method for blackberry jam, raspberry jam or strawberry jam without pectin.
- Sweeten it your way. Xylitol, coconut sugar, or Stevia for a fully sugar free version.
- Can it for the pantry. Homemade blueberry jam can be canned and stored. We love fresh preserving foods for a later time in our Ball Mason jars.
How to Make Blueberry Jam Without Pectin
Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
1Combine. In a medium saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
2Simmer and mash. Turn the heat down to low-medium to simmer and mash the blueberries with a potato masher until the berries are squished and have released their juices.
3Thicken. Let it simmer uncovered, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Simmer until slightly thick in consistency, not watery.
4Cool and store. Let the jam cool, then transfer to an airtight glass container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Freeze your own blueberries for jam. Rinse fresh berries in a colander, remove stems, and let them dry on a towel. Pat dry, arrange on a towel-lined baking sheet so they don't stick, freeze about 4 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag with the air pushed out.
- Watch the consistency, not the clock. Berry sizes and water content vary, so simmer until slightly thick rather than exactly 10 minutes.
- Smaller berries cook faster. Wild blueberries need less time than plump full-bodied ones.
- Make a school-lunch batch. A giant batch gives you almost a month of spreadable jam for healthy PB&J's. Nothing processed, just all natural homemade deliciousness!
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Spread it on toast and pancakes, spoon it over vegan banana ice cream, or serve it on happy hour cheese and crackers. It is the star of the show in my peanut butter and jelly oatmeal bake and swirled into chia and hemp seed oatmeal.
Breakfast pairings are endless: dollop it on healthy oatmeal muffins, swirl it through high protein oatmeal, or spread it on a slice of vegan banana bread. Blueberry jam recipes kinda taste like candy that you will want to scoop out of the jar and eat year-round. I am off to grab a scoop right now as a little "night cap"!
Blueberry Jam FAQs
Simmer 2 cups of blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt, mashing with a potato masher as they cook. Simmering slightly frees the juices from the blueberries, which makes the jam thick and spreadable with no added pectin at all.
Yes! Frozen blueberries are bursting with flavor and work beautifully. I keep a big bag of organic frozen blueberries in the freezer and use them for jam, muffins, custards and crumbles all year.
Stored in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator, this blueberry jam keeps for about 3 weeks. For longer storage, the jam can be canned in Ball Mason jars.
I usually use xylitol or coconut sugar for their low glycemic index, and you can use Stevia for a completely sugar free blueberry jam.
Yes, the same no-pectin method makes blackberry jam, raspberry jam or strawberry jam. Just remember smaller berries need less cooking time and plump berries slightly longer.
That silvery-white coating is a natural waxy bloom the fruit produces to protect against insects and bacteria and seal in moisture. It is completely safe to eat and wears away with handling.
Recipes to Use This Homemade Blueberry Jam
I hope you enjoy this Blueberry Jam Recipe! Tried it? I'd love to see your creations! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to rate the recipe in the recipe area and leave a comment below.
Blueberry Jam Recipe Without Pectin
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Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 3 Tablespoons sugar such as Xylitol or coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to low-medium to simmer and mash up the blueberries with a potato masher until the blueberries are squished and released their juices.
- Let it simmer uncovered, until the mixture has thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool then transfer to a glass container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Barbara says
Hi! I made this and love it! I’m making another batch, and part of the batch is for littles, who prefer a puréed consistency. I’m thinking I’ll process the partially thawed blueberries before I cook them, rather than after I’ve made the jam. Do you think this is the best way to proceed? Thank you.
Danielle Fahrenkrug says
Hi Barbara!Thank you for sharing your experience- I am so glad you enjoy this blueberry jam recipe!That will probably work (simmer time may need adjusting), although I have always pureed for my kids after making the jam.
Barbara says
Thanks! I went ahead and puréed and then made the jam. After 24 hours, I put all but one jar in the fridge. I tried it on toast... and it’s too thin! I’m thinking I will defrost all in freezer, and cook all of it longer, until it’s thicker. I did simmer it for the full 10 minutes, and I did try a dollop on a plate I’d put in the freezer. Do you think this may work, or have a different way to fix it? It still tastes great. Thanks! Barbara
Barbara says
I meant to say that after 24 hours in the fridge, after cooling on the counter, I put all but one jar in the freezer. Oops!
Laura Gerken says
My husband and I just finished making blueberry jam from your no-pectin recipe. I didn't know jam could be made with out pectin and such a very little amount of sugar. I had to use refined sugar. But I will shopping for coconut sugar.
This recipe allows the full favor of the berry to shine through!
Thank for sharing-----just so thrilled at the small amount of sugar.
Laura Gerken says
Hi, It is Aug.11, 2019. I hope you see this today. My husband and I just picked 32 lbs. of blueberries. Oh --- so yummy. I'd like to try your jam recipe. Can I use processed sugar. It's what I have on hand right now, I would like to freeze my jam for later enjoyment. The fresh frozen berries will be a real treat this winter.
Thank you,
Laura
Michigan
Danielle | Delightful Mom Food says
Oh fresh is best- yumm!!! Yes, you can use processed sugar:-). Thank you for checking and let me know how it goes!
Brenda says
Can organic cane sugar be used instead? Thank you for such an easy jam recipe!
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Yes, you can use organic can sugar in the jam.
Pat Bowmaster says
You should rename this to Blueberry Jam without ADDITIONAL pectin. All berrys - in fact, all terrestrial plants - have pectin as a component of their cell walls.
Danielle @ Delightful Mom Food says
Thank you Pat for you comment, Great suggestion on changing it to additional pectin due to berries already having it in them. Thank you for taking the time to comment.