Learning how to make freezer jam is super easy and perfect for beginners with these tips and tricks for making the perfect freezer jam every time. All you need is a bowl, a whisk, and some time. No cooking is required!
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Freezer jam is one of the all-time easiest ways to make your own homemade jam and fill your pantry with a lovely berry harvest.
It takes 45 minutes —most of which is just waiting and stirring occasionally— and there is NO cooking required. It is wonderful!
I have some very simple tips and tricks for how to make it turn out every single time.
Why You'll Love Learning How to Make Freezer Jam
- Homemade Taste and Fresh Ingredients: Making jam from scratch is great for full control over the ingredients, you get to pick the freshest fruit and the perfect balance of sweetness.
- Customization: A jam recipe can be easily adapted to suit personal preferences, whether it's adjusting the sugar level, experimenting with different fruits, or adding spices like cinnamon or vanilla you can make it your own!
- Family Memories: Jam-making is the perfect time to show your kids a fun homemade recipe or make some jars as gifts for your friends and family this holiday season!
🫐 Berry season is a great time to stock your pantry with homemade items. Berries can be used for jams, jellies, flavored syrups, and so much more!
Recipe Ingredients
- Raspberries
- Lemon Juice — you can also use lime
- Sugar
- MCP Fruit Pectin
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Freezer Jam
Step 1: It is your personal preference on how crushed you like your fruit. I like my jam pretty smooth, so I go to town. I'm not afraid to whip out my immersion blender either!
Step 2: I add mine slowly while whisking so it doesn't clump. Then I get two timers. I set one for 30 minutes and one for 5 minutes. I stir vigorously every 5 minutes for the whole 30 minutes.
Step 3: Stir very well until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 4: A recipe that uses one box of pectin gives me enough jam to fill 4-pint size jars with enough room in the top to let the jam expand. When anything freezes, it expands, so leaving about 1 inch of room in the top of your jar is important.
Step 5: Let set for 24 hours. Freeze or refrigerate after jam as set for 24 hours.
Step 6: I like to keep a few out for immediate use :).
Expert Tips
- Use the Right Fruit-to-Sugar Ratio: Achieving the perfect texture and sweetness in your jam depends on the correct balance between fruit and sugar. Too much sugar can make the jam overly sweet, while too little can result in a runny consistency. Most jam recipes call for a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar.
- Sterilize Jars and Lids Properly: Properly sterilized jars and lids are key to ensuring the safety and longevity of your homemade jam. Before filling jars, wash them thoroughly and then sterilize by boiling or placing them in a hot oven (around 250°F / 120°C for 10 minutes).
- Test for the Right Consistency: The most common mistake when making jam is not testing for the right consistency. To check if your jam is set, do the "plate test." Place a spoonful of jam on a chilled plate, then put it in the freezer for a minute. Run your finger through it — if it wrinkles and holds its shape, it’s ready to be jarred. If it’s still runny, continue cooking for a few more minutes and test again.
Other Delicious Ways to Use Berries
You can use fresh or frozen to make any of these easy (and tasty!) recipes:
- Blackberry Syrup Recipe
- How to Make Blueberry Syrup
- How to Make Strawberry Glaze
- Cranberry Simple Syrup Recipe
More Favorites From Longbourn Farm
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How to Make Freezer Jam | Raspberry Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups raspberries (crushed, see note)
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
- 4 ½ cups sugar
- 1 package MCP Fruit Pectin (About 2 ounces)
Instructions
- Crush berries to desired consistency - do not strain (see note).
- Mix with lemon juice.
- Gradually whisk in pectin.
- Set two timers simultaneously - one for 30 minutes and one for 5 minutes. Mix every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. This ensures that the pectin is completely mixed in.
- After the 30 minutes, whisk in sugar.
- Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Transfer to CLEAN jars.
- Let set for 24 hours.
- Freeze or refrigerate after jam as set for 24 hours.
Notes
- The amount of berries you use can vary slightly, within half of a cup. More variation than that will lead to problems with your jam setting up.
- Fruit (and vegetables) naturally contain pectin, and different kinds of fruit contain differing amounts of pectin. Softer fruit has less pectin, and more firm fruit has more pectin. The way freezer jam is set up is by adding more pectin. The most common reason for freezer jam to not set up is a problem with the pectin to fruit ratio.
- Let the jam cool completely before putting it in the freezer. This prevents condensation from forming inside the containers, which can affect the texture and quality of your jam.
- Freezer jam can be stored in the freezer for up to one year, but it’s best consumed within 6-8 months for optimal flavor.
Jo
Can you use other fruits than raspberries for this freezer jam?
Alli
Follow the directions on the pectin instruction card for the ratios other fruits require.
Donna
Do you cook the pectin with 3/4 c of water and bring to a boil before adding to fruit
Alli
Hi Donna, I use the recipe exactly as it is written in the recipe card so no, I do not boil it.
JoAnn
can frozen berries be substituted fresh for freezer jam?
Alli
I wouldn't recommend this as it will change the liquid ratio in the jam.
RUTH
I just canned some rhubarb and strawberry jam .I did a 10 minute water bath . and have decided I would feel better if I freeze the jam. I know it should sit 24 hrs before it can go in the freezer .My question is because it went thru a water bath canning process can you still freeze it and with out worry of botulism. Will the freezing process make it safe? . I plan to follow your jam recipes using your freezing process. I wish I had found you recipes sooner . Thank you
Alli
Since this is freezer jam and will stay frozen until it's time to use it and then be kept in the fridge, it will be safe from food-borne illness. This isn't a jam recipe to leave out at room temperature. I hope that helps!
Alli
Family favorite recipe 🙂
Heather
When I asked my mom about her fruit combination ratios (like how many peaches to raspberries) she said she just followed the box. I guess I should follow the box more often. Also, thanks for the tip about letting it set - I wonder if that's why mine didn't work out last time. So runny out of the freezer.