If you don't have time to mess around with complicated canning recipes, you'll love this easy strawberry jam without pectin recipe. Make homemade strawberry jam, perfect for toast, biscuits, or even ice cream topping, in minutes!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Make this strawberry jam recipe without pectin in just minutes and use it not just for pancakes, waffles, and toast, but also as a luscious topping over our No Churn Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream, or our Dairy Free Strawberry Ice Cream.
You'll love the simplicity of this old fashioned strawberry freezer jam that is useful as cake filling, ice cream topping, and dolloped on hot scones!
- Easy. Just fresh strawberries, sugar, and some cornstarch.
- Captures Summer in a jar. Yes, it does! And, jars of your fresh strawberry jam will be happily received as gifts during the Winter holidays!
- Versatile. Use on more than toast, though I have to say I am partial to topping my ice cream with this quick no pectin freezer jam, or spreading in on hot scones.
- Uses no pectin. That means you don't have to worry about finding pectin or measuring it correctly. Additionally, this is a great jam or topping for peole that need to avoid pectin.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients For Strawberry Jam without Pectin
- How to Make Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredients For Strawberry Jam without Pectin
Use fresh, seasonal ripe strawberries for the best flavor. You can use frozen strawberries if fresh are out of season though. Wash the berries, and use a berry huller or a paring knife to remove the stems.
This recipe uses a simple method of thickening the jam with cornstarch, which is much easier to find and more affordable.No pectin, no fuss, just deliciousness.
- Strawberries - Fresh, hulled and quartered strawberries.
- Sugar - Regular white granulated sugar.
- Lemon juice - One or two lemons freshly squeezed, or ¼ cup bottled lemon juice.
- Cornstarch
- Water
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Strawberry Jam (No Pectin)
With just a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time, you can have delicious, homemade strawberry jam that will rival anything you can buy at the store.
Cook The Strawberries
- Place the washed, hulled, and quartered strawberries in a 4 quart dutch oven and add the sugar and the lemon juice.
- Mash the berries with a masher and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Turn heat to medium. Mix the water and cornstarch together, then add to the pot of berries.
Add The Cornstarch Slurry
The cornstarch and water slurry act as a thickener, but it's important to make sure it's fully cooked. Stir constantly on medium heat so that there is no burning or sticking.
- Stir constantly, as the pot of strawberries will begin to thicken quickly. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Continue to cook on medium heat until the strawberries are thick enough to coat the spoon.
Cook To Thicken
- Remove strawberry jam from the heat and continue to stir so that it cools down quicker. Jam will thicken even more as it cools.
Transfer To Freezer Safe Jars
- Pour into Mason jars, canning jars (I love Weck jars), or freezer safe plastic containers. Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, or store in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Serving Suggestions
Make this easy strawberry jam recipe without pectin is delicious on toast, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, bagels, and muffins. You can also use it to make sandwiches, pies, cakes, and as a topping for other desserts.
Some great recipes to use this no pectin strawberry jam:
- Green Tea Matcha Scones
- Cracker Barrel Cornbread Muffins
- Raspberry Pancakes
- Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread
- Old Fashioned Crisco Biscuits
- Challah Rolls
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitutions and variations using this strawberry jam recipe without pectin:
- You can substitute other fruits for the strawberries in this recipe. Some good options include raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries.
- You can also add spices or herbs to the jam. Some good options include cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, basil leaves, and mint leaves.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this strawberry jam recipe without pectin.
- Dutch Oven Cook Pot
- 8 oz Rounded Ball Canning Jars You will need four.
- Plastic Freezer Mason Jars My favorite jars for Freezer Jams!
Storage and Reheating
- This easy strawberry jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- It can also be frozen for up to 1 year.
Tips for Success
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- Let the jam cool completely before storing it.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use lime juice or vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Yes, you can use pectin if you want the jam to set more quickly. However, the jam will still be delicious without pectin.
You can tell if your no pectin strawberry freezer jam is done when it reaches the desired thickness.
It takes about 30 minutes to make strawberry freezer jam without pectin.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Jam Without Pectin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cup strawberries washed, hulled, and packed tight. Approx 2 lbs fresh.
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice 1 lemon, squeezed, or bottled juice.
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch mix with water for slurry
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place the washed, hulled, and quartered strawberries in a 4 quart dutch oven and add the sugar and the lemon juice.4 cup strawberries, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup lemon juice
- Mash the berries with a masher and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Turn heat to medium. Mix the water and cornstarch together, then add to the pot of berries.2 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoon water
- Stir constantly, as the pot of strawberries will begin to thicken quickly. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Continue to cook on medium heat until the strawberries are thick enough to coat the spoon.
- Remove strawberry jam from the heat and continue to stir so that it cools down quicker. Jam will thicken even more as it cools.
- Pour into Mason jars, canning jars (I love Weck jars), or freezer safe plastic containers. Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, or store in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- Let the jam cool completely before storing it.
- Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
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