This blackberry jam can be made at home with simple ingredients, no pectin required. Spread this tasty jam on toast, put it in your summer salad, or mix it into your favorite vanilla ice cream! We share how to make this easy blackberry jam recipe from scratch with fresh or frozen blackberries.
We get tons of blackberries off of our blackberry bushes in the summertime. This year, we were blessed with loads of blackberries, and so we’ve been making every kind of blackberry recipe we can dig up.
One of my favorite blackberry recipes takes me back to being a kid and picking berries off of bushes. Once we gathered a few cupfuls, we would bring them home, rinse them off, and load them into a pot to make jam.
This blackberry jam recipe is one of the easiest recipes you can make, and it only requires a few simple ingredients.
How to make blackberry jam without pectin?
Blackberries naturally contain pectin, so no matter what, your jam will have pectin in it. Normally, jams and jellies are made with added pectin to help the recipe become more jelly-like as it thickens.
The recipe we share below is for a blackberry jam recipe made without added pectin. You can add a thickening agent like cornstarch, but it is not necessary. We’ve also used lemon juice to help with flavor and also thicken the jam.
Can I use frozen blackberries to make jam?
Yes, you can use frozen blackberries to make your jam. Simply place them in a large pot or pan and heat them over very low heat stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and other ingredients once the berries are brought up to a warmer temperature.
How to make blackberry jam without seeds?
Our trick for making blackberry jam without seeds is to first rinse the blackberries in water. Then heat them in a pan with sugar (see the recipe below). Use a cheesecloth to strain out the seeds. You can also mash the berries in a wire mesh strainer, but the seeds can get stuck in the strainer, and make it hard to clean. The strainer works okay, just know you’ll spend a little extra time cleaning your strainer.
Why do I have to add lemon juice when I’m making blackberry jam?
When you mash the blackberries, the natural pectin becomes released from the fruit cells. When lemon juice is added, it lowers the PH of the jam (making it more acidic), allowing the pectin to reform its structure. Adding lemon juice to your blackberry jam ensures that the jam will set (thicken) and become a “jam.”
Lemon juice also helps to add flavor to your blackberry jam (the acid adds flavor). The more lemon juice you add, the more punchy the jam tastes!
How do I make low-sugar blackberry jam?
To make low-sugar blackberry jam, simply use less sugar but cook the berries over the heat longer. A batch of jam with 4-5 cups of berries with 1 cup of sugar may take 30 minutes to cook properly so it thickens.
You can add cornstarch to the low sugar recipe to help thicken the jam faster. Otherwise, be patient until the juices cook down.
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How do I store the blackberry jam?
You can store the freshly made blackberry jam in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 weeks. The blackberry jam can be frozen in batches by storing it in freezer Ziplock bags for up to 6 months. If you are canning the jam, seal your jam in jars by using a simple boiling water bath. Jam stored in sterilized jars and canned properly can be stored for 1-2 years.
We found these cute mini mason jars which are perfect for gift giving!
Ways to use the Blackberry Jam
Our favorite ways to use this easy blackberry jam recipe are on our famous thumbprint cookies as well as spread on top of toast made from homemade bread, pancakes, scones, and muffins.
You might enjoy it on top of ice cream with some fresh berries, as well as spread in between layered cake. Of course there’s always the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich as well!
We love changing up this recipe and adding 1/4 to a 1/2 tsp of cinnamon for flavor.
Here’s the recipe for the Blackberry Jam:
Let us know if you made the blackberry jam in the comments below and share your variations.
Easy Blackberry Jam
Ingredients
Method
- Add blackberries to a large saucepan and heat over low heat. Mash the blackberries with a masher or use a wooden spoon to press the blackberries against the side of the pan.
- Stir in one cup of sugar plus 2 tbsp of lemon juice and continue stirring the blackberries over low heat. The juices may foam, but continue stirring to keep the foam down. In this low sugar recipe, you may use 1 tbsp of blackberry juice mixed with 2 tbsp of cornstarch to help thicken the jam more quickly. You may also add more sugar to thicken the jam (but it will make the jam sweeter). If you desire the low sugar version, patiently cook the juices down. It may take up to 30 minutes to cook the juices down for this low-sugar version.
- The blackberry juices should thicken into a gel. The consistency will look thicker and the jam will appear more glossy. You can test for doneness by putting some jam onto a cold plate to see if it appears to thicken. Let the jam cool before pouring it into a jar. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!