Low Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam + Video
The fruity taste of strawberries really shines in this low-sugar strawberry freezer jam made easy in the microwave. Plus tips + tricks for setting jam!
One of the supermarkets in my area had a ridiculously good deal on strawberries. $3.99 per flat! For those who don’t know, a flat is 8 pounds of strawberries! I needed some fruit for a party I was having, but there was plenty to spare, so I decided to make some freezer jam.
Low-Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
I searched for a good recipe, and found some I liked, but was shocked about the amount of sugar in almost every recipe I found. I wanted a low-sugar strawberry freezer jam, so I decided to try and make it with less sugar.
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At first, it was unsuccessful, which I am sure had nothing to do with the sugar and I will tell you why in a minute.
I ended up with jam that separated as soon as I poured it into my jars: fruit on top and liquid on bottom. I knew it wasn’t going to set, so I added more Pectin and re-heated my mixture, and it worked great.
The Science of Sugar and Pectin in Jam
Sugar draws liquid from fruits, which is also known as maceration.
When my low-sugar strawberry freezer jam was still runny after my first attempt, the fact that I used less sugar had nothing to do with it. After all, I had used less sugar, so hypothetically, there wouldn’t have been as much liquid drawn from the fruit, right?
Maybe or maybe not, but none of that mattered anyway because the sugar is not going to make a jam more thick or less thin; it’s not a thickening agent. The Pectin is the key thickener in jams.
Fruits naturally have Pectin, but the riper the fruit, the less Pectin the fruit naturally has. Strawberries are already lower on the Pectin spectrum.
Heat makes Pectin form into a gel. So when I added more Pectin and re-heated my mixture, the heat helped the Pectin gel up and it worked beautifully.
Tips and Tricks to Setting Jam
I am pretty confident in saying, if you have runny jam, extra Pectin (start with 1 Tbsp more) AND Heat will fix your problem.
Here is some Pectin, fruit, and jam science facts for you:
“When dissolved and let cool, Pectin forms invisible strands that hold liquid in. Acid (such as lemon juice) helps draw even more Pectin out of fruit when it is heated. Water is attracted to sugar. Adding sugar causes some water to be drawn to the sugar molecules, leaving the Pectin molecules free to more easily get at and bind with each other, setting the preserve.” (Source: http://www.cooksinfo.com/pectin)
So now that you know why you might be having problems with strawberry jam setting, you can go ahead and try this recipe! I hope it brings you success!
Ingredients for Low-Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
For this low-sugar strawberry freezer jam recipe you need four ingredients.
- Fresh Strawberries
- Lemon Juice
- Low/No Sugar Pectin
- Granulated Sugar
How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam
To make the strawberry freezer jam, you will:
- Crush the strawberries by pulsing them in a food processor or blender. Do not purée completely.
- Stir in the lemon juice and pectin. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Add the sugar and stir until mostly dissolved.
- Heat in microwave on high for 10 minutes until boiling and foamy.
How to Tell if Your Freezer Jam will Set
Once the jam has boiled sufficiently, the best way to tell if it will set is looking at the mixture from the side.
It’s best if you use a clear bowl to cook it in. You can also look through the container you will be storing the jam in, as long as it is clear.
If the mixture has a consistent texture of fruit and liquid throughout, it should set properly.
If the mixture separates into liquid on bottom and fruit on top, you will need to add additional pectin (1 Tablespoon) and bring the mixture back to a boil. Then check it again.
Filling the Jars
- Once the jam mixture looks consistent, skim the foam off the top and discard it.
- Use a ladle and funnel to fill jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space for expansion.
- Immediately top with lids and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours to cool down before placing in the freezer.
Will this Recipe Work with Other Fruits?
Yes! Just keep in mind the natural pectin in the fruit you are using and adjust the pectin as needed. Check out this pectin chart to help you. We’ve tried this recipe with strawberries and peaches.
How to Store Freezer Jam
You can store this un-processed strawberry freezer jam in the fridge up to 3 weeks or in the freezer up to 1 year.
It’s best to use a freezer-safe container. Here are some options:
- Glass Mason Jars – are freezer safe as-is. I prefer to use the 8 oz jars, or half-pint size. The mini 4 oz jars are so cute and great for gifting. Stick with brand names here, Ball or Kerr have been around for years and make quality products.
- Plastic Lids – You can use the lids and bands that typically come with the glass mason jars, but since you are not canning this strawberry freezer jam, I prefer to use these screw on plastic lids that come in regular or wide mouth.
- Plastic Jars – If freezing glass makes you nervous, try these Ball Plastic Freezer Jars or these Screw Lid Freezer Containers.
NOTE: Be sure to add the date to the jar so you know when you made it. ( I write the date with a sharpie onto some masking tape attached to the lid.)
More Strawberry Recipes
Looking for more ways to use a lot of strawberries? Try these strawberry recipes:
- Strawberry Crisp
- Strawberry Cream Pie
- Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
- Strawberry Bars
- Strawberry Delight
Low-Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 4 cups (.91 kg) crushed strawberries, (about 2 lbs strawberries)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 to 4 Tablespoons Ball Low or No Sugar Needed Pectin, (equivalent to about 1 box Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar Needed Pectin)
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
Equipment
Instructions
- Wash, hull and crush strawberries in a LARGE (10 to 14-cup) microwaveable bowl to equal 4 cups. You may use a potato masher, food chopper, or food processor to crush the strawberries; do not puree–leave slightly chunky. Add lemon juice and Pectin. Mix well. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Add sugar; stir until mostly dissolved. Heat in the microwave on high for 10 minutes until boiling and foamy. (Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over.) Remove and stir one last time. Mixture will still be thin.
- Skim the foam off the top, then pour jam into clean freezer containers leaving ½-inch head space for expansion. Your jam should look consistently chunky throughout the jar after it is poured into the jars. If the fruit has risen to the top and the liquid remains at the bottom, pour the fruit back into the bowl, add one additional Tablespoon of Pectin and heat again until boiling and foamy.
- Immediately top with lids and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours to cool down before placing in the freezer.
Video
Notes
- If you can't find low/no sugar pectin, you may substitute 6-8 Tbsp Ball Classic Pectin.
- To store the jam: Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.
- To use freezer jam: Pull from the freezer, allow to thaw in the fridge, and use like store-bought jam. (The freezer is for storing purposes, since the jam was not canned in a hot water bath.)
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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*Originally published 5/7/13. Photos updated March 2022.
My daughter Eliza taught me how to make this recipe for jam. We are so pleased that the sugar to berry ratio is so low. Today I made it on my own – it is easy and quick – and the result is fantastic!!! I had 3 pint jars full! I love how the reduced sugar allows the strawberry taste to be front and center! Thanks Amber! Our best to you and Kyle and your sweet ones!
Hi Rebecca! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe and thanks for the well wishes!
This is the third time I’ve made this jam and it’s wonderful! It actually tastes like strawberries! So quick and easy. My family absolutely loves it!
Thanks for sharing your review Mesa! I’m glad to hear you are enjoying this recipe!
Delicious! First time to make jam and I followed the recipe exactly except I cut back the lemon juice to 1.5 TBSP. It turned out great! I have another big bag of strawberries left and I might even try it with just 1 c. of sugar because my berries are fresh out of the patch and pretty sweet already. Excellent recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks for your review!
I have made this freezer jam many times and it turns out perfect every time. I really like that you can taste the strawberries and not just “sugar”. I cook mine on top of stove with no problems.
I’m so glad that you are enjoying this recipe Lori! Thanks for your comment!
I used the same proportions to make this recipe with blueberries and it wasn’t too thick. I only slightly squished my berries so that the juice squished out because we like it chunkier. There were squished but intact berries throughout.
For blueberries, a pectin chart shows they have more pectin than strawberries. No need to add less in the recipe? I was also wondering about the skins of the blueberries. That may sound silly, but should it be chunky with the skins or won’t that happen after mashing and cooking? Planning to try tonight.
You can absolutely use less added pectin since the blueberries naturally have more in the fruit itself. If for some reason it doesn’t thicken, you can always add more pectin and bring the mixture to a boil again. As for the skins of the blueberries, it will be chunky. The skin holds the pectin and blueberry flavor. Mashing it or pureeing it, might help some.
I made this recipe with black cherries and it came out great. I found I had to add 2T water because my cherries weren’t as juicy as strawberries. Hope this helps.
I looked everywhere online for low sugar cherry freezer jam but couldn’t find anything. I decided to give this recipe a try. Used black cherries and followed your recipe using one package of sure jell original. I found I had to add two tbsp water but it all came out great! Had to follow your advice about adding 1 T more pectin and reboiling but it worked out great. I’m over the moon with my cherry freezer jam, it’s sweet / tart, just like I wanted. Thank you!
That’s great! So glad you could tweak this recipe with the cherries!
Just remember it’s going to take longer if you double the recipe. Mine did not boil in 10 minutes. Also factor in the strength of your microwave. Thank you for the 3 min hard boil suggestion.
Yes, thanks for pointing that out!
Last summer I stumbled upon your recipe and made several batches of strawberry. Using the same ratios of crushed fruit and pectin also made blueberry and peach. My previously non-jam eating kids finished it all up over the winter and begged me to make more as fruit came into season this summer! I almost cried when I couldn’t find your recipe when it was jam making time. It’s now safely pinned, printed, and saved. I’m excited to make all of the above flavors again and try plum this year, too!
I’m so glad you were able to find the recipe again and that it’s working out with so many different fruits! Yum! Thanks for your comment Kris!