Description
This easy homemade jam recipe uses just fresh fruit, sugar, and lemon juice—no pectin needed! Perfect for beginners and delicious on everything from toast to cakes.
Ingredients
Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or peaches)
Granulated sugar
Lemon juice
Optional: vanilla extract, cinnamon, or herbs like basil or thyme
Instructions
1. Wash and hull or pit your fruit; chop if needed.
2. In a saucepan, combine fruit, sugar, and lemon juice. Mash slightly.
3. Simmer over medium heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring often.
4. Test thickness with a cold plate (wrinkle test).
5. Cool slightly and transfer to clean jars.
6. Store in fridge or process for long-term storage.
Notes
Jam thickens as it cools, so don’t overcook.
Use ripe (not overripe) fruit for best flavor and consistency.
Lemon juice helps preserve and set the jam naturally.
Frozen fruit works—just thaw and drain first.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Condiments, Spreads
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg