Just Four Ingredients And One Hour Of Your Time
This old-fashioned Christmas jam combines strawberries, cranberries, sugar, and pectin into jewel-toned jars of holiday flavor. In about an hour you can turn simple ingredients into a bright, sweet-tart spread that evokes Christmas morning. It’s an ideal homemade gift and a lovely addition to thumbprint cookies, hot rolls, or breakfast toast.
The recipe works equally well with fresh or frozen fruit. If fresh strawberries are expensive or out of season, frozen unsweetened strawberries and frozen cranberries give excellent results. Using frozen fruit makes this jam accessible year-round and still yields that vibrant crimson color and lively flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Jam
This recipe is straightforward and dependable, producing a rich, festive jam that’s great to share. Here are a few reasons it’s a winner:
- Only four core ingredients—simple and foolproof.
- A bright sweet-and-tart profile from strawberries and cranberries.
- Stable when properly processed, perfect for gifting or pantry storage.
What You Need To Know Before Your Jam Session
Call it a “jam session” and enjoy the process, but plan ahead. Read the instructions through before you begin and set out all equipment and ingredients so you won’t be rushing mid-recipe. Once the fruit is in the pot and the process begins, it’s best to move steadily through the steps.
Gather basic canning supplies—jars, lids, rings, a jar lifter, a canning funnel, and a large, tall stockpot for cooking. A second deep pot is needed for a boiling water bath if you plan to store jars long term. Sterilize jars by running them through a hot dishwasher cycle, then keep the lids warm in very hot water until ready to use. Lay out a clean, damp cloth for wiping rims and a thick towel for cooling filled jars.
Half-pint jars are a convenient size for jam (about one cup each). They’re practical for gifts and easy to use. If your water is hard, add a splash of vinegar to the water in the boiling-water pot to reduce mineral buildup on jars.
How To Make This Gorgeous Christmas Jam
For this recipe you will need one 12-ounce bag of cranberries (about 3 cups) and 3 cups of frozen unsweetened strawberries. Make sure the strawberries are unsweetened. Begin by thawing the frozen strawberries in a large, tall pot over very low heat so they soften and can be mashed to your desired texture.
Once the strawberries are softened and partially mashed, add the cranberries and cook until they begin to pop and release juice. Measure six cups of granulated sugar and set it aside—it’s important to add the sugar all at once later in the process. When the fruit mixture reaches a rolling boil, stir in one 1.75-ounce box of powdered pectin and a teaspoon of butter if you like; the butter helps reduce surface foam but is optional.
Bring the fruit and pectin mixture back to a boil, then add all the sugar at once. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture reaches a vigorous boil that can’t be stirred down. At that point, set a timer and boil for exactly one minute while stirring constantly. Use a long-handled spoon and protect your stirring hand if needed—the jam will be very hot.
After the one-minute boil, remove the pot from the heat and set it on a heatproof surface. Use a canning funnel and ladle to fill prepared jars, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, check for any chips or nicks on the jar lip, then place lids and rings and tighten by hand.
The Final Step To A Successful Christmas Jam Session
Process filled jars in a boiling water bath for ten minutes for long-term storage. After processing, carefully remove jars with a jar lifter to a rack or a thick towel and leave them undisturbed until completely cool. You’ll hear the lids “ping” as they seal. If a jar does not seal, refrigerate it and use within about a month.
Please Don’t Try This At Home (Doubling Warning)
Do not double this recipe in a single pot to save time. Trying to double the batch in a typical home pot often prevents the jam from reaching the proper setting temperature efficiently, which can result in overcooked, burnt, or poorly set jam. If you want more, make a second batch after the first one finishes; you don’t need to wash the pot between batches if you’re moving straight to a different flavor.
Making jam is rewarding—you can see and count each finished jar, and the results make thoughtful gifts for friends and family. If you enjoy canning, try other flavors like apricot, peach, or orange marmalade for variety. Homemade preserves are a simple, heartfelt way to share real food from your kitchen.
PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD
Christmas Jam
A vivid, sweet-tart jam from strawberries and cranberries. Easy for beginners and perfect for holiday gifts or a festive breakfast spread.
15 minutes
15 minutes
10 minutes
40 minutes
Ingredients
- One 12-ounce bag of cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- 3 cups of frozen unsweetened strawberries
- One 1.75-ounce box powdered pectin
- 6 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp butter (optional, to reduce foam)
Instructions
- Prepare equipment and workspace. Read the recipe through and set out jars, lids, funnel, jar lifter, towels, and a second pot for the water bath.
- Choose a tall stockpot for cooking the jam. If using frozen fruit, gently thaw and mash the strawberries in the pot over low heat.
- Start a second deep pot of water for the boiling water bath; it should be able to cover jars by at least one inch. Keep lids warm in very hot water. Add a splash of vinegar to the water if you have hard water.
- Combine thawed/mashable strawberries, cranberries, and powdered pectin in the stockpot. Add the butter if using. Bring to a full boil.
- When boiling, add all the sugar at once. Continue to boil and stir until the mixture reaches a vigorous boil that cannot be stirred down.
- Once at an un-stirrable boil, set a timer and boil for one full minute while stirring constantly. The jam will be extremely hot—use a long spoon and protect your hand.
- Remove the pot from heat and place it on a heatproof surface. Ladle jam into prepared jars using the canning funnel, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Wipe rims, check for nicks, apply lids and rings, and tighten by hand.
- Process jars in the boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove with a jar lifter to a rack or towel and let sit undisturbed until fully cool. Listen for the lids to seal.
- If any jar fails to seal, refrigerate and use within about a month.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 64 servings (1 tbsp or similar serving measurement varies)
Calories: 83 per serving
Total Fat: 0g
Sodium: 3mg
Carbohydrates: 21g
Sugar: 19g
I enjoy making jam and jelly because the process produces tangible, shareable results. Jars of homemade jam make thoughtful gifts for people who are hard to buy for, and experimenting with different fruits keeps canning interesting. Try apricot jam, peach jam, or a classic orange marmalade when you want variety.
If a post inspires you, leaving a review or comment can really help. Happy canning!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.