Low Sugar Freezer Jam
Inside: This low-sugar freezer jam recipe is a great way to preserve any extra fruit you may have on hand.
With many people looking to eat healthier, I wanted to come up with a jam recipe that didn’t use a lot of sugar. After some experimenting, I developed this freezer jam recipe that uses less sugar than many traditional jam recipes.
It is the perfect way to use up extra homegrown fruit, even if you don’t have a huge harvest. You can mix it up quickly, with any extra fruit you have on hand to make delicious jam all year long.
If you don’t have any fresh fruit on hand, you can also use an equal amount of frozen fruit. I’ve used both fresh and frozen and they both work equally well.
This freezer jam uses no pectin and simple ingredients so you likely have everything you need in your kitchen already.
Please note that this is a freezer jam recipe. It is NOT suitable for canning and cannot be made shelf stable!
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Flavor Combinations for Low Sugar Freezer Jam
While homemade strawberry freezer jam is the traditional recipe flavor, why stop there? There are so many different flavor combinations you can make using this simple freezer jam recipe.
Because the jam is frozen, not canned, you are welcome to try this low-sugar recipe with any fruits and frozen or fresh berries you would like. Listed below are some freezer jam recipes for you to try.
- Cherry-Lime Jam – Use 12 ounces of cherries and 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated lime zest.
- Blueberry-Lemon Jam – Use 12 ounces of blueberries and 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest.
- Pear-Ginger Jam – Use 12 ounces of peeled, finely chopped pears, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger root.
- Strawberry-Lemon Jam – Use 12 ounces of ripe strawberries and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest. This also works with raspberries, blueberries, and any other extra berries you have on hand. You can even use a mix of different berries.
- Spiced Peach Jam – Use 12 ounces of peaches, and instead of the zest use 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Pineapple-Lime Jam – Use a 12-ounce can of crushed pineapple and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lime zest.
- Strawberry-Pineapple Jam – Use 8 ounces of frozen or fresh strawberries and 4 ounces of crushed pineapple.
Why Use Arrowroot Powder?
I recommend using arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch as the thickening agent. Cornstarch can lose its thickening power in the freezer. Some people also notice a texture change when using cornstarch.
That being said, I’ve made it countless times with cornstarch and never had a problem. Use what you feel will work best for you.
A Few Notes to Make This Recipe Easier
This is a simple recipe that can easily be doubled or tripled if you have more fruit. The best part about this recipe is that since we are not using pectin, you can scale this recipe up into whatever quantity you would like.
If you want the fruit in smaller pieces you can chop the fruit by hand or in a food processor before cooking. You can also use a potato masher while the fruit is cooking to break down the pieces even further.
You can also adjust the amount of sugar to your taste. Since this recipe doesn’t use cups and cups of sugar like most jam recipes, it may not be as sweet as the jam you are used to. However, using less sugar really allows the fruit flavor to shine through and it tastes much fresher than store-bought jams.
This freezer jam recipe can be made while fresh fruit is in season and frozen to give as gifts for Christmas. It makes an especially nice hostess gift with a loaf of homemade bread.
Use a large saucepan, larger than you think you will need. The jam will spatter when it comes to a boil. At that point, you can turn down the heat a bit.
When the jam is done, it will be a bit thinner than other jams. However, it will thicken as it cools, though it may not be quite as firm as other jams. A lot depends on how much juice is in the fruit.
If the jam isn’t thick enough once it cools, you can heat it back up. Then add an additional teaspoon of arrowroot powder to 1 Tablespoon of water in a small bowl and stir that in while boiling for 1 minute.
This recipe makes a small amount so it is a great recipe to experiment with different flavor combinations. Most of the combinations are the perfect size to fit in an 8 oz airtight container with maybe a bit left over to taste.
How to Package Your Jam
This easy freezer jam can be packaged several ways. My preferred method is to use half-pint freezer-safe jars, like Mason jars, but any plastic freezer container will work just fine. I’ve even seen plastic freezer jars that work great for this recipe.
Ways to Use Homemade Jam
To use the freezer jam, thaw a jar of jam in the refrigerator for 24 hours. It is ready to serve. You can store the jam in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
Low sugar freezer jam also makes a great ice cream topping or smear a bit on a graham cracker before adding a roasted marshmallow when making smores.
I also love stirring a small spoonful into plain yogurt for a delicious breakfast treat.
Low Sugar Freezer Jam Recipe
These simple steps will have you making all kinds of flavored jam in no time. You can find a printable copy of this recipe at the bottom of the post.
- 12 ounces of fresh or frozen fruit, chopped into small pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest, (lemon, lime, or orange) or spices, or 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice, optional
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions for Making Low Sugar Freezer Jam
- Combine fruit, zest, spices, or lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook freezer jam over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 6-8 minutes. You can also use a potato masher to help break down the fruit as it cooks.
- While the fruit is cooking, stir together arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
- Stir the arrowroot mixture into the fruit while stirring the fruit constantly. Boil, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Package in clean jars or freezer-safe containers, label, and freeze.
- Makes about 1 cup of jam.
Low-Sugar Freezer Jam
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen fruit
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest, (lemon, lime, orange) or spices, or 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice optional
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Combine fruit, zest, spices, or lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 6-8 minutes. You can also use a potato masher to help break down the fruit as it cooks.
- While fruit is cooking, stir together arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
- Stir arrowroot mixture into fruit while stirring fruit constantly. Boil, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Package in a freezer-safe container, label, and freeze.
- Makes about 1 cup of jam.
Notes
- Cherry-Lime Jam – Use 12 ounces of cherries and 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated lime zest.
- Blueberry-Lemon Jam – Use 12 ounces of blueberries and 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest.
- Pear-Ginger Jam – Use 12 ounces of peeled, finely chopped pears, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger root.
- Strawberry-Lemon Jam – Use 12 ounces of strawberries and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest.
- Spiced Peach Jam – Use 12 ounces of peaches, and instead of the zest use 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Pineapple-Lime Jam – Use a 12 ounce can of crushed pineapple and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lime zest.
- Strawberry-Pineapple Jam – Use 8 ounces strawberries and 4 ounces of crushed pineapple.
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