How to Make 4 Super Simple Fruit Jams Without Sugar

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I am sharing with you how to make four super simple fruit jams without sugar.

They are a delicious treat that you can make in small easy batches. Use fresh or frozen berries, either works great. We are making blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry. These four fruits make excellent fruit jams and syrups for so many things. Belgian Waffles anyone?

Use these links to jump to the section you want.

• Blackberry
• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Blueberry

The only ingredients needed are fruit, lemon juice, and monk fruit sweetener if you want it a bit sweeter. Monk fruit sweetener is a sugar substitute that is low in calories and carbs making it a healthier alternative to white sugar. But feel free to leave it out and enjoy the natural fruit taste.

Many homemade jams and store-bought jams contain too much sugar. My jams tend to be mostly fruit, a bit of citrus, and a hint of sweetness. I don’t use pectin as a thickener and find the texture can be adjusted to your liking. The longer you simmer the fruit mixtures the more water evaporates making them thicker and more concentrated.

Citrus As An Acid In 4 Fruit Jams Without Sugar

All fruit jams need to have an acidic component to brighten the flavors and help preserve them. Lemons and limes are awesome for this, but you could also use any type of vinegar. Simply cut up a lemon and juice it. My hand juicer comes in really handy because I seem to use lemons and limes in almost everything.

Using Monk Fruit Sweetener For 4 Super Simple Fruit Jams Without Sugar

If you are looking for a low-carb alternative to regular sugar then monk fruit sweetener is a great substitution. The brand of monk fruit sweetener I use is a 1:1 ratio. This makes it very easy to use in baking. For a diabetic like me, this can make the difference between enjoying something sweet or not.

How To Make Super Simple Blackberry Jam

What you will need to make blackberry jam…

• 12 ounces of fresh (or frozen) blackberries
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of monk fruit sweetener (optional)

Blackberries were a great price when I made this so I bought a bunch. I used a total of 12 ounces to make this jam.

Put them into a bowl and cover them with cold water and add a splash of vinegar. Swirl around for a minute and transfer them to a saucepan.

Mixing Blackberry Jam Ingredients

Once in the saucepan, add about 1/2 cup of water and set the heat to medium-low. Add in the lemon juice and the sweetener and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and simmer until some of the liquid is absorbed. Mine took 20 minutes.

Simmering Blackberry Jam

After the blackberries have simmered go ahead and mash them up. A handheld masher works fine for a more textured fruit jam or you can use an immersion blender to make it smooth. I generally use my immersion blender for a silky smooth consistency.

How To Remove Blackberry Seeds

Blackberries do have quite large seeds. After you mash or blend them run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Pour it in and press it through with a rubber spatula or the back of a ladle (that works great especially for large batches).

Storing Blackberry Jam

After you have strained the blackberry jam, pour it into a jar and let it sit until room temperature. Then you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Later in the article, I discuss how you can use a water bath canner to make the jam shelf stable. It also freezes well.

YIELD: One 1/2 pint of blackberry jam

How To Make Super Simple Raspberry Jam

What you will need for raspberry jam…

• 6 ounces fresh (or frozen)raspberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of monk fruit sweetener (optional)

Washing Raspberries

Pour the raspberries into a bowl with cool water and add a splash of vinegar. Swirl around for a minute and then transfer the berries to a saucepan.

Mixing Raspberry Jam Ingredients

Combine the raspberries, water, sweetener, and lemon juice and mix them together. Lime juice is a wonderful substitute for lemon. Raspberries and limes go amazingly together. July is when the raspberries are ready to harvest here in Michigan and I usually make a ton of jam and use plenty of citruses.

Simmering Raspberry Jam

Simmer the raspberries for about 20 to 30 minutes until the desired amount of liquid has reduced. You can make it as thick or as thin as you like. Mine took 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Blending Raspberry Jam

The seeds in raspberries are somewhat smaller than blackberries and don’t bother me too much. If you like they can be run through a fine mesh strainer (see blackberry jam above). I usually just use my immersion blender and puree until mostly smooth.

Storing Raspberry Jam

Transfer the beautiful raspberry jam to a jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Pour over homemade yogurt for a real treat! You can also can this using a water bath canner or freeze it.

YIELD: One half pint

How To Make Super Simple Strawberry Jam

What you will need for strawberry jam…

• One pound of fresh (or frozen) strawberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of monk fruit sweetener (optional)

Washing Strawberries

Place your strawberries in a bowl with cool water and a splash of vinegar. Doing this will clean mostly all the dirt and pesticides off. Swirl them around for a minute and transfer the berries to a saucepan.

Cutting Strawberries

Strawberries take a bit of work upfront. After they are good and washed, cut the tops off and then cut them into quarters. They will cook quicker and more evenly if they are cut. And make sure to save all those scraps to add to your freezer bag for homemade broth!

Mixing Strawberry Jam Ingredients

Place your strawberries into a saucepan and mix in the lemon juice and the monk fruit sweetener. Stir well and set the heat to medium-low.

Simmering Strawberry Jam

Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil over medium-low heat and simmer for around 30 minutes. I like to cook strawberries a little longer than other berries to get a thicker consistency.

Blending Strawberries for Jam

Using an immersion blender is a great way to puree cooked strawberries into a decadent and silky sauce. This is definitely a household favorite. My oldest son would drink the whole jar if I’d let him.

After you blend up the berries, transfer the jam to half-pint mason jars or whatever vessel you prefer.

Storing Strawberry Jam

Storing jam is easy. Just transfer it to a jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can also water bath can the strawberry jam (discussed later in this article) or freeze it.

Yield: 3 half pint (or 8oz) jars

How To Make Super Simple Blueberry Jam

What you will need for Blueberry Jam

• 10 ounces of fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of monk fruit sweetener (optional)

Washing Blueberries for Jam

Fill a bowl with cool water and add a splash of vinegar. Add in the blueberries and swirl them around for a minute to clean off any toxins. Scoop the berries out and put them into a medium-sized saucepan.

Mixing Together Ingredients And Simmering Blueberry Jam

Into the saucepan of blueberries, add the lemon juice and monk fruit sweetener. Stir it around and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for around 30 minutes.

Blending The Blueberries For Jam

After 30 minutes of simmering (which by now your house smells incredible) take off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree it until smooth. This will blend up the skins as well. I used to hand mash and then run through a sieve to separate the skins, but an immersion blender does it all. No waste and more volume.

Storing Blueberry Jam

To store fresh blueberry jam, transfer it to jars and put it in the refrigerator. It will last up to two weeks. You can also freeze the jars or run them through a water bath canner.

Yield: Half pint jar (8oz) plus a little extra

You can use an additional pint-size jar for the extra or just go ahead and eat it.

Canning 4 Super Simple Fruit Jams Without Sugar

If you make a larger quantity of jam or would like the jam to be shelf-stable then canning is the way to go. Water bath canning is acceptable for jams because they have higher acidity due in part to the addition of lemon or lime juice. It is important to follow all recommended USDA guidelines for canning jams or anything else.

Each of these four super simple fruit jams without sugar can be canned in a water bath canner. Wash your jars in hot soapy water and use new lids. Leave 1/2 inch headspace when filling the jars with the fruit jam. Make sure the jars of jam and the water are at the same temperatures when putting them together and bring the water to a rolling boil.

These 4 super simple fruit jams without sugar only need to be water bathed for 10 minutes! After 10 minutes, take the canner off the heat and rest for 5 minutes then transfer it to a towel on the counter to cool completely. Label, remove the rings, and store them in your pantry.

Wrapping Up

These 4 super simple fruit jams without sugar are one of the best staples I always keep in my kitchen. They are great for sandwiches, toast, waffles, and pancakes. Swirl into cheesecakes, brownies, and muffins. My kids’ favorite way to eat it is to mix it into homemade yogurt. These fruit jams are sure to brighten up your meals.

Without all the added carbs from sugar, these are a healthier choice for diabetics and anyone looking to cut calories. These are our favorite fruit to use… What other fruits would you enjoy?

As always thanks for taking the time to read our posts here on Inspired Homemaker. Wishing you the best of days.

Cheers,

Sarah

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