Spiced Christmas Jam (Canning Recipe)
Of all the jams we make, I probably love this one best of all. The strawberries and cranberries balance each other just right, and the kitchen smells lovely, of orange and spices, as it cooks.
Ingredients
- 40 ounces strawberries, crushed (fresh is fine but usually more expensive so I tend to use frozen. If you don’t have a way to measure them by weight, this is approximately 8 cups of whole strawberries, 7 ½ cups of halved strawberries, and 7 cups of sliced strawberries.)
- 1 pound fresh cranberries (usually front and center of the produce section from mid-October through January)
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 2 oranges)
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 pounds granulated sugar
- 2 (3-ounce) pouches liquid fruit pectin (in my opinion, you get a nicer, more spreadable texture in this jam with liquid pectin, but powdered will work)
Equipment
- large saucepan
- 8 half-pint canning jars (with lids and bands)
- Water Bath Canner
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover/headspace tool
- Clean cloth
How to Make
If you’re comfortable with waterbath canning, making this is no big deal. And even if you’ve never canned before, don’t worry. I’ll show you every step.
Making jam isn’t difficult, but you do need to pay attention. Watch for that full rolling boil when the bubbles don’t stop even when you stir. That’s when you start your timer for the crucial one-minute hard boil that makes everything set up.
Step One: Wash Jars
Wash all your jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Fill your water bath canner halfway and get it simmering. You can just plop the clean jars right in there to keep them warm so they don’t crack on you later.
Step Two: Mix the Fruit
Toss your crushed strawberries, cranberries, and lemon juice into a big stainless steel pot. Add the orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves. Give it all a good stir so everything’s coated with the spices.
Step Three: Add Sugar and Pectin
Add ALL the sugar and both pectin pouches at once. Stir like crazy so it doesn’t clump up on you. Bring this whole thing to a rolling boil. I’m talking BUBBLING across the entire surface, and let it boil hard for exactly 1 minute.
Keep stirring the whole time, or it’ll stick and burn.
Step Four: Skim the Foam
Pull it off the heat and use a spoon to skim off the foam on top. It’s not going to hurt anything, but your jam will look cleaner without it.
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Step Five: Fill the Jars
Ladle the hot jam into your jars, leaving about ¼ inch at the top. Use your bubble tool (or a clean knife) to poke out any air bubbles, then check that headspace again. Wipe the jar rims clean – any sticky residue will mess up your seal. Put the lids on and screw the bands on fingertip-tight. Don’t crank them down.
Step Six: Process in Water Bath
Get those jars back in the canner with at least an inch of water covering the tops. Bring it to a gentle boil and process for 10 minutes. When time’s up, turn off the heat, take the lid off, and let them sit in the hot water for 5 minutes.
Step Seven: Cool Down
Pull the jars out with your jar lifter and set them on a towel with some space between them. Now comes the hard part – leave them ALONE for 12-24 hours. You’ll hear them pop as they seal, which is the best sound ever.
Step Eight: Check the Seals
After 24 hours, press down on each lid. If it doesn’t pop back up, you’re good. Label them and store in a cool, dark spot.
Sealed jars should keep for a year in the pantry. Once opened, keep the jar in the fridge and use within 3 weeks.
If you don’t want to can, you can freeze your jam. Frozen jam keeps well for 6 months to a year.
Questions and Troubleshooting
I do not. Five pounds! Cranberries are super tart. If you reduce it, it won’t be the delicious jam you are expecting. You need to balance out the serious tartness of the cranberries. Go eat one plain if you don’t believe me! And it’s a jam; it’s not like you’re eating all four pints of it.
Let it cool completely, pour it into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion, and freeze. It should last up to 6 months in the freezer.
Pop them in the fridge and use them within a few weeks. Alternatively, you can reprocess the jars with new lids within 24 hours.
Nope, you need all that sugar to preserve it, and it’s not too sweet.
Printable Recipe
Christmas Jam for Canning
Equipment
- large saucepan
- 8 half-pint canning jars (with lids and bands)
- Water Bath Canner
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover/headspace tool
- Clean cloth
Ingredients
- 40 ounces frozen unsweetened strawberries, crushed (fresh is fine but usually more expensive)
- 1 pound fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 2 oranges)
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 5 pounds granulated sugar (yes pounds, NOT cups)
- 2 (3-ounce) pouches liquid fruit pectin
Instructions
- Prep jars. Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Then, rinse them thoroughly and keep the jars warm to prevent cracking. To prepare your water bath canner, fill it halfway with water and bring it to a simmer. You can keep your jars in the canner to keep them warm.
- Combine the fruits and juice. Combine the crushed strawberries, cranberries, and lemon juice in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Then, add the orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves, stirring until the mixture is well combined and evenly coated with spices.
- Add the sugar and pectin. Add the sugar and both pouches of pectin all at once to the fruit mixture, stirring well to prevent clumping. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil (bubbling vigorously across the surface) and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
- Skim the foam. Remove the pan from the heat and use a spoon to skim off any foam that has formed on the surface. This will give you smoother jam.
- Fill the jars. Carefully ladle the hot jam into the prepared jars, leaving a ¼ inch headspace at the top. Use a bubble remover tool to release any trapped air bubbles, then re-check the headspace, adjusting if necessary. Then, wipe the rims of the jars with a clean cloth to remove any residue, place the lids on the jars, and screw on the bands to fingertip-tight.
- Process. Place the filled jars in the canner, making sure they are completely covered with water by at least 1 inch. Then, cover the canner and bring the water to a gentle, steady boil. Next, process the jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary. Once done, turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes.
- Cool down. Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a kitchen towel, spaced slightly apart. Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours to make sure proper sealing occurs.
- Check seals. After 24 hours, check each jar’s seal by pressing down on the center of the lid. If the lid doesn’t pop back, the jar is properly sealed. Label your jars with the contents and the date, then store them in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Nutrition
Can I use reconstituted dried cranberries since fresh or frozen are not available
hey Aly I’ve never tried it but honestly i would not. just wait until cranberries are in your store, will for sure be there soon! 🙂
making my first batch of Christmas jam right now hope it turns out good
I ended up with some frozen cranberries. They were bought fresh and thrown in the freezer before they could go bad. would those be ok to use or would that add too much liquid? thanks in advance!
that should be fine!!
I made this with frozen whole strawberries, not realizing my mistake til I was stirring all sugar around. Will it be alright? Will it be safe to eat?
My husband said this jam tastes like Christmas cheer! The recipe turned out perfectly and made 7 half pints.
thank you Renee! Merry Christmas ❤️
just made this recipe, actually measured ALL the ingredients with a kitchen scale and this recipe makes A LOT more than 8 half pints!! Luckily I had jars, but finished with 1 QUART, 5 FULL PINTS and 1 half pint. In addition, it seems like a lot of pectin too…I used SureJel and that amount got really foamy.
This is my second year making this jam and last year went well the second attempt but still a little runny. This time it was mostly liquid and I followed this to a T. Should I just bring all of the fruits and seasonings to a full boil before adding sugar and pectin? Also I could of swore the directions last year said to thaw strawberries before using them. I’m sure I’m missing something here but just wanted to check for some advice.
hi Rebecca! really it’s a matter of just boiling it longer. for frozen strawberries vs thawed it honestly shouldn’t matter. if you aren’t already doing this, I HIGHLY recommend the frozen plate test. put a plate in the freeZer, and when you think the jam is set, put a dollop on the plate. if it running and liquid, it’s NOT set. you want to be a sort of congealed blob that you can poke at. until that happens, you just keep boiling until it sets. more moisture in the berries will make it take longer and it just varies from batch to batch. and finally, sometimes after you think you’ve done all that right, then you process it, and it seems runny, it turns out fine because it continues to set up 1-2 days later.
This recipe is for sure going to be something we repeat! I doubled the recipe and have 29 half pints to gift! So looking forward to sharing this delicious treat with others!
thank you for letting me know Hannah!
This Christmas Jam is the best! I made it last year for gifts (2024) and already have been asked if I’m making it again this year! I had a couple jars left in the freezer and it’s just as good as when I made it last year! It’s a keeper!!
Thanks so much, Pam
hi pam! I am so glad to hear this :). we love it and can’t wait for cranberry time every year.
I just made this, and it is DELICIOUS. It definitely tastes like Christmas! Everyone who gets this as a gift will be pleased! It was easy to make and it made 14 half pint jelly jars for me. My canner only hold 12 so I guess I get to keep some in the fridge to eat myself! Haha! I plan to make a second batch so I can give some to everyone on my Christmas list this year!
Hey Jana, I’m so glad you loved it! It really does taste like Christmas. How perfect that you get to keep a few jars for yourself—such a treat! Your friends and family are going to be so happy to get this as a gift.
Hi, I am so super excited to make this jam. This is gonna be my first time canning anything! Christmas Jam is my favorite jam of all! This recipe looks easy enough so let’s see how it turnes out🙏🙏🙏 or should I say how mine is going to turn out🤣😍
Hey Tammy,
I’m so excited for you! Christmas Jam is such a fun and festive recipe—perfect for your first canning project! Don’t worry, just take it step by step, and I’m sure yours will turn out amazing (and delicious). Let me know how it goes!
I am new to canning and am wondering what kind of liquid pectin you recommend? I would prefer not to use any with additional preservatives. Thanks!
Hey Mary,
For a liquid pectin without preservatives, Pomona’s Universal Pectin is a great choice—it’s preservative-free, sugar-free, and lets you control the sweetness. If you’re okay with some preservatives, Certo Premium Liquid Fruit Pectin is commonly used and easy to find.
For a completely natural option, you can even make your own pectin using apple scraps or citrus peels. This way, you can avoid any additives entirely. Just be sure to follow safe canning practices for the best results!
this made FIIFTEEN jars!
am I crushing both the strawberries and the cranberries? or just the strawberries?
Hi Jessica,
For this recipe, you’ll want to crush both the strawberries and the cranberries. Crushing the cranberries helps them blend better with the strawberries and gives the jam a smoother, more even texture. Just be sure not to overdo it—you still want a bit of texture in the jam. Happy canning, and enjoy that festive flavor!
Is it cloves or ground cloves?
Hi! For the Christmas Jam recipe, it’s ground cloves that you’ll want to use.
Can I use dry pectin?
Hey Denise,
Yes, you can use dry pectin instead of liquid pectin in this Christmas jam recipe! However, since dry pectin behaves a bit differently, you’ll want to add it earlier in the process, typically with the sugar, to ensure it dissolves well and sets properly. Keep in mind that dry pectin often requires a slight increase in liquid, so adjust as needed if the jam thickens too quickly.
Can I cut down on the sugar and use stevia.?
Hi Frances, yes, you can use stevia as a substitute for sugar in the Christmas jam recipe, but be mindful that sugar helps with the texture and setting of the jam. If you reduce the sugar too much, the consistency might not be the same. Consider using a low-sugar pectin to help the jam set properly, and remember to adjust the amount of stevia since it’s much sweeter than sugar.
I’m so excited to try this recipe!
Just curious about the sugar, it says 5 pounds. Is that correct or is it 5 cups?
5 pounds. I know I sounds crazy but cranberries are soooooo tart. 🙂
Could I use frozen cherries instead of strawberries?
hi I have never tried it! I think it might be a little tart. make sure to taste it and add more sugar if needed. let me know 🙂
On the frozen strawberries should the juice be strained and discarded? I have quite a bit of juice in the bag.
hi Rebecca no I’d throw it right in. not a big deal either way 🙂
Can you use dried cranberries instead of fresh cranberries?
no, you really need the juices in fresh and i think the sweetness would be way off.