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Sweet Christmas Cranberry Jam Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 105 reviews

This Sweet Christmas Cranberry Jam is a festive, homemade treat perfect for holiday breakfasts and gift-giving. Combining fresh or frozen cranberries and strawberries with warm spices and liquid pectin, it offers a delightful balance of tart and sweet flavors. The jam is easy to prepare in under 45 minutes and yields a perfect spreadable consistency every time, making traditional canned cranberry sauce a distant memory.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruit

  • 6 cups fresh or frozen strawberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (approximately 1/2 pound)

Sweetener

  • 5 cups sugar (around 2 1/2 pounds)

Pectin

  • 2 sachets liquid fruit pectin (2 pouches of Certo brand at 170ml each)

Spices

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

  1. Puree the Berries: Puree the strawberries and cranberries together in a food processor, whether fresh or frozen. You may need to work in batches depending on the food processor size. Transfer the pureed fruit mixture to a large saucepan.
  2. Add Sugar and Spices: Add the measured sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves to the saucepan with the pureed berries. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
  3. Boil the Jam: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil—one where bubbles continuously form even while stirring. Boil for one full minute at this stage.
  4. Add Pectin and Boil Again: Remove the pan from heat, stir in the liquid fruit pectin well, then return the saucepan to the heat. Once the jam returns to a full rolling boil, boil for another full minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat afterward.
  5. Skim Foam and Fill Jars: Allow the bubbling to settle, then skim off any foam with a spoon or ladle and discard it. Ladle the hot jam into sterilized hot jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace. Seal jars with sterilized lids and screw bands on finger-tight without pressing too hard.
  6. Process and Store the Jam: Submerge the filled jars in a boiling water bath, ensuring water covers jars by 2 inches. Boil for 10 minutes, then carefully remove jars and place on a heatproof surface to cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Wipe jars clean, label with date, and store in a cool, dark place until ready to use or gift.

Notes

  • Foam that forms during boiling is normal—skim off for clear jam, or leave it for a cloudier texture without affecting safety.
  • Lightly crush berries before cooking to release natural pectin and create texture; do not pulverize fully.
  • Adding spices at the start helps them infuse better with the fruit flavors and prevents raw spice taste.
  • If using powdered pectin, add 2 tablespoons before sugar, not after like liquid pectin.
  • Frozen berries can be added directly to the pot without thawing to maintain texture.
  • For ingredient substitutions, use raspberry if cranberries aren’t available but add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to maintain tartness.
  • Store opened jam in refrigerator and consume within 3-4 weeks for best flavor and safety.

Keywords: Christmas cranberry jam, homemade cranberry sauce, holiday jam recipe, festive jam, cranberry preserves, strawberry cranberry jam, holiday gift jam

Find it online: https://reemcook.com/sweet-christmas-cranberry-jam-recipe/