This quick and simple Raspberry Freezer Jam brings the vibrant taste of summer to your table in just 30 minutes. A perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors, this no-fuss recipe lets you capture fresh raspberry goodness without complex canning methods.
Packed with vitamin C and natural fruit flavor, it’s an ideal spread for morning toast, afternoon scones, or a delightful filling for homemade pastries. The best part? You’ll have jars of this jewel-toned preserves ready to enjoy long after berry season ends.
Ingredients For Raspberry Freezer Jam
- Fresh Raspberries: 6 cups, fresh and ripe for optimal flavor
- Granulated Sugar: 5 1/4 cups, measured precisely
- Sure Jell Fruit Pectin: 1 box, available at local stores
- Water: 3/4 cup, room temperature
- Storage Containers: Clean glass or plastic jars with fitted lids
Instructions
- Prepare Containers: Clean and rinse your storage containers thoroughly. This recipe yields 7-8 cups of jam.
- Berry Preparation: Gently mash raspberries in a large bowl, maintaining some texture without completely crushing them.
- Measure Berries: Measure exactly 3 cups of mashed berries and transfer to a separate large bowl.
- Sugar Integration: Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, stirring until completely dissolved. Total 5 1/4 cups.
- Rest Period: Let mixture stand for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
- Pectin Preparation: Combine pectin and water in a saucepan, bring to a rolling boil for one minute while stirring.
- Final Mixing: Stir hot pectin into berry mixture until sugar completely dissolves and mixture is no longer grainy.
- Storage: Pour into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing.
- Preservation: Keeps for 3 weeks in refrigerator or up to one year in freezer.
Storage Tips
This freezer jam keeps beautifully in glass or plastic containers! Pop it in your fridge for up to 3 weeks of berry-sweet goodness, or store it in the freezer for up to a whole year.
Just remember to leave that important ½ inch of space at the top of your containers – the jam needs room to expand as it freezes. When you’re ready to use it, simply move a container from the freezer to the fridge and let it thaw naturally.
Variations & Tips
Want to mix things up? Try using a blend of raspberries and blackberries for an amazing mixed berry jam! You can also cut the sugar down to 4½ cups if you prefer a slightly less sweet spread. Just remember – the most important thing is using firm, ripe berries.
If they’re too soft or overripe, your jam might end up runny. A little tip from my kitchen: if your berries are very tart, letting them sit with the sugar for an extra 5 minutes helps balance the flavors perfectly.
Serving Suggestions
Oh, the wonderful ways to enjoy this bright, fresh jam! Spread it thick on warm toast, English muffins, or freshly baked scones. It makes the most amazing PB&J sandwiches you’ve ever tasted! For breakfast, swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, or use it as a topping for waffles and pancakes.
My favorite afternoon treat? A dollop of this gorgeous jam on cream cheese with crackers. It’s also lovely spooned over vanilla ice cream for a quick dessert!
Raspberry Freezer Jam
Equipment
- glass or plastic jars with lids
- Large Bowl
- small saucepan
Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh raspberries fresh and ripe
- 5 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin found at your local grocery store, walmart, or online
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Use firm, ripe berries for the best flavor and set. (You don’t want to use overripe berries or the jam may be too soft and runny.)
- Wash and rinse glass or plastic containers. How many you use depends on how big they are. This recipe makes about 7-8 cups of jam.
- Add berries to a large bowl and lightly mash them. Be careful not to over mash them—hey should still look fairly chunky, but not like whole berries.
- Measure out exactly 3 cups of mashed berries and pour them into a separate large bowl.
- Gradually stir in 1 cup of the sugar to the mashed berries, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Repeat, adding just one cup of sugar at a time and then mixing, until you use up the remaining 4 ¼ cups of sugar.
- Let stand for 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, stir together pectin with ¾ cup water. Bring to a rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop when stirred) over medium-high heat, stirring often. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
- Stir pectin into the berries mixture. Continue stirring the mixture until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.
- Pour jam into containers, leaving 1/2in of space at the top of the container, for expansion. Cover with lid and allow jam to rest at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing.
- Jam will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to one year.
