Description

This Sweet Christmas Cranberry Jam is a festive blend of fresh strawberries and tart cranberries, enhanced with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or as a gift, this homemade jam is cooked on the stovetop and preserved through traditional canning methods to ensure rich flavor and long-lasting freshness.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruits

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

Sweeteners and Additives

5 cups sugar (around 2 1/2 pounds)
2 sachets liquid fruit pectin (2 pouches of Certo brand, 170 ml each)

Spices

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

Instructions

Puree the Berries: Begin by pureeing the strawberries and cranberries in your food processor. Whether the berries are fresh or frozen, the process remains the same. You may need to do this in batches depending on your food processor’s size. Once pureed, transfer the mixture to a large saucepan.
Add Sugar and Spices: Measure and add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves into the saucepan with the pureed berries. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
Boil the Jam: Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a full, rolling boil, meaning continuous bubbling even when stirring. Boil at this stage for one full minute.
Add Pectin and Boil Again: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the liquid fruit pectin evenly. Return the pan to heat, bring the mixture back to a full boil, and continue boiling for another full minute while stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Skim Foam and Fill Jars: Allow the bubbling to settle, then skim off any foam with a spoon or ladle. Ladle the hot jam into prepared, hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal with clean, warm sterilized lids and screw on bands finger-tight without pressing.
Process and Store the Jam: Place the filled jars in a canning pot filled with water covering the jars by two inches. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, and boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jars and place on a heat-proof surface to cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Wipe jars clean, label, and store in a cool, dark cabinet.

Notes

Use fresh or frozen berries according to what’s available; frozen berries might release more liquid but work well.
Ensure jars and lids are properly sterilized to prevent spoilage.
Boiling time after adding pectin is crucial to achieve proper jam set.
Adjust sugar quantity slightly if you prefer a less sweet jam, but this may affect preservation.
Store in a cool, dark place to maintain the jam’s quality.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Jam
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cranberry jam, strawberry cranberry jam, Christmas jam, holiday preserves, stovetop jam, homemade jam