Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe – No Canning System Needed!
My kids LOVE to go strawberry picking. Luckily we have a U-pick Farm about 5 minutes from our house so we are there often during berry season. A few weeks ago we loaded up on strawberries. The kids just couldn’t stop and they picked two very full buckets. We had just gotten a ton of strawberries from Costco but I couldn’t say no when we went to pick out flowers and found that the berry season had opened. So we had lots and lots of strawberries. I didn’t want them to go bad so we made Strawberry Freezer Jam.
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I just love taking produce from the garden (or the U-pick field) and making items in bulk like jam. I just wish that I could make more. I wish that I could have a pantry full of homemade jams, jellies, tomato sauces and everything else under the sun. Alas, I don’t have enough hours in the day to do this. And I don’t have a garden big enough to sustain it. Right now, I actually don’t have a garden at all. I have only a few pots. But a few pots (or a trip to the U-pick farm) will do to make strawberry freezer jam.
The thing I like about freezer jam is that you can make it without using a canning system. You just need a few simple supplies and you’ll be good to go. Ready to see how easy this recipe is? Let’s do this.
STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM RECIPE
SUPPLIES
Half Pint sized mason jars
Funnel (this makes pouring MUCH easier)
Food processor (this is the one I use and I love it)
INGREDIENTS
2 pints strawberries
4 cups sugar
1 box Sure Jell fruit pectin
3/4 cup water
Before I get into the directions on how to make this freezer jam, I just want to say that I have only used Sure Jell fruit pectin. These directions require that you use Sure Jell. There are other types of pectin like Ball but I cannot guarantee that it will work with this recipe. Pectin brands are different and require different methods. So… Sure Jell fruit pectin for this recipe, ok?
DIRECTIONS
Wash and rinse your mason jars and lids. Let them dry.
Rinse your strawberries, cut them up and place in the food processor.
Crush the strawberries in the food processor, 1 cup at a time. Do not purée. Leave some strawberry bits.
Place 2 cups crushed strawberries into a bowl.
Add 4 cups sugar to the crushed strawberries and stir until completely mixed. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Place Sure Jell into a saucepan with 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
After the Sure Jell is dissolved in the water, add the mixture to the berries and stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy, about 3 minutes.
Using a funnel, pour jam into mason jars. Fill up to the bottom of the rim, leaving 1/2 inch at the top.
Screw lid on tight. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours until set. Store in fridge in for up to 3 weeks or in freezer for a year (hence the name freezer jam).
Add a cupcake liner to the lid and strawberry freezer jam makes a great gift!
Make sure to add some strawberry recipes to your meal plan this week!
Check out these other amazing Strawberry Recipes!
When do you add the crushed berries and sugar to the Sure Jell and water? Not quite getting that from the recipe and instructions.
Thanks,
Murielle
Oops, I left out that step, didn’t I? Thanks for catching that. After the Sure Jell mixture has boiled for one minute, you can then add it to the crushed berries. I updated the post with the complete directions.
How many half pint jars does this make?
I was able to make 5 jars.
Thanks for this recipe! I just made a double batch and can’t wait to share it with friends. What a cute idea to use the cupcake liners on top of the jars!
Thanks, Amy! I hope you and your friends enjoy it.
Sooo…does it matter what kind of fruit pectin you use? I made your recipe yesterday and it’s still sitting out to set (per your instructions). I used pectin from a neighbor since I didn’t have any, then I bought some today to replace what I borrowed, and realized there are different types. I used Ball brand “Real fruit classic pectin.” Is this going to set? Should I cook it now? What do I do! I made a double batch…and I really don’t want all those strawberries to go to waste!! Thanks!
I used Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin. When using Sure Jell, the only cooking that is necessary is to combine the pectin and the water. I am not familiar with Ball brand pectin so I don’t know if the directions are the same as Sure Jell.
I had a question – I noticed that the listed recipe calls for 1 1/2 pints of berries and later it says 1 1/2 cups of berries. I want to make sure I get it right before
start. Thanks so much!
The pint measurement is the amount of berries that you buy in the store. The cup measurement is the amount that you will have after you puree the berries. I have updated the recipe though because it should be 2 pints and 2 cups.
This jam looks wonderful! I am not a fan of super sweet jams and 4 cups to 1.5 pints of strawberries would be a little too sweet for me. Can I reduce the amount of sugar and still have the jam set?
The directions on the Sure Jell pectin say that reducing the amount of sugar or using no-sugar substitutes will result in the jam not setting properly.
Oooooh! This jam looks scrumptious! I’ve never made jam bfreoe and your way looks easy. I have saved your recipe complete with photos! Thanks for sharing.
Could you use any other kind of berries in the same amount of the strawberries to make this jam? Thank you. I want to make it with blackberries 🙂
You would have to check the directions on the Sure Jell Pectin box. Different fruits require different amounts of fruit/sugar.
Why is it called “freezer” jam – can you keep this on the shelf or do you need to keep in the refrigerator or freezer?
You need to keep it in the freezer or fridge. It will stay good for 6 months in the freezer and 3 weeks after opening in the fridge.
I made 2 batches. One came out perfect! Thanks! The other- the jam is not setting. Do you know what could have caused this- or what I can do to fix it?
Stephanie… I’m not sure why the second batch wouldn’t set if you followed the same directions for both batches.
We are never without a jar of this in the house… thank you for a family staple! The only thing I did different was use a potato masher rather than a food processor, just because I don’t have one. Have you ever tried a peach jam… any idea if it would be the same process?
Hi Heather! I have not tried this with peaches but that sounds delicious. Check the insert in the Sure Jell box to see if there is a peach recipe. Each fruit requires different amounts of sugar/fruit for it to set properly.
What is the reason you boil sure jell and water. My recipe I do not use water, I just use sure jell.
Hi Donna… I followed the directions on the Sure Jell package and it calls for mixing it with water.
Just read your reply about the freezer strawberry jam, the reason I do not use water in my recipe is I use liquid pectin. I just wish I could buy something that does the stirring without having to cook it. If you know of anything please let me know. Thank you so much for your reply.
I had a question. Won’t the glass jars break in the freezer? Everytime I even think about putting a jar in for 20 minutes to chill they crack. So the thought of putting these in a freezer for up to a year seems like it won’t work. Am I doing something wrong? Or is there instructions that I’m missing?
Hi Elizabeth! You need to make sure that the jam is completely cooled before you put it in the freezer. If everything is cooled, the jar should not crack.
I make Freezer Strawberry Jam every year. I mash my strawberries with a potato masher. I have never tried it with my food processor. When I do make the jam, it ends up a little runny. I would like it to be a bit thicker than it is. Do you know of any way to get it a little thicker?
Hi Bev! Sorry, I have never had this problem. I just follow the instructions on the pectin box.