Making homemade strawberry jam has never been easier, only requires 3 ingredients, and no sugar needed. You will not believe how easy it is to make strawberry chia jam for a healthy jam option!
What was your favorite school lunch when you were a kid? Mine was a PB&J sandwich! Nothing beats a classic, am I right? Heck — I still enjoy a PB&J almost weekly.
Sweet and savory at the same time, soft with just a little bit of crunch, ugh, I’m getting hungry already! Bet you thought you couldn’t enjoy this old fave in a clean eating lifestyle. Use a thick slice of whole wheat bread or even a brown rice cake, layered with natural peanut butter and a healthy dollop of this homemade strawberry jam. All the goodness.
Problem with most jams out there — even the healthier ones at the store — is the insane amount of sugar that gets added to the jam. I mean…WHY? There’s no need for all that added sugar. I mean, we’re talking about sweet fruit already, am I right?
Let’s bring back those happy, carefree days without a trace of guilt. It’s all about making healthier choices!
Ever since I’ve made my Strawberry Chia Jam for the first time, not only can I not stop eating PB&Js, but I keep adding the jam into everything! Every dessert is better with a spoonful of this fruity deliciousness.
This Strawberry Chia Jam is just perfect for these summer days and so easy to make, seriously. We’ll be skipping the unnecessary sugar and using chia seeds to thicken the jam and just a touch raw honey or pure maple syrup to make it perfect!
HOW TO MAKE JAM
There’s nothing easier than making summer strawberry jam! For realz. Making homemade jam doesn’t require any special equipment or fancy ingredients. All you need is your favorite fruit. In this case, we’ll be using fresh strawberries, but you can choose any other fruit, such as peaches, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries… You name it, you can jam it! 🙂
Just follow these super easy steps for how to make jam:
- Add the strawberries to a saucepan and set over medium heat.
- Cook until the strawberries break down and become liquidly, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Mash the fruit with the back of a spatula or a potato masher. You can make it as smooth or as lumpy as you’d like here for the texture of the jam.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the honey. Taste, and add more honey, as needed, for additional sweetness. If vegan, use pure maple syrup instead of raw honey.
- Add the chia seeds, and stir to combine.
- Let stand 5-10 minutes, or until thickened. The jam will continue to thicken, especially once refrigerated, but if you’d like a thicker consistency, particularly with very high-liquid fruits, you can stir in more chia seeds 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Once the jam has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to a jar or sealable mason jar.
I prefer to make homemade jam with fresh fruit, but when in need, frozen works, too. Once you’ve got your fruit, all you need to do is chop it up and cook it to break it down. Then, use a potato masher or a spoon to break down the fruit into small pieces.
How Long To Cook Chia Seed Jam
The cooking time depends on the kind of fruit you choose to make the jam. Some fruits take longer to break down and become syrupy. Typically, though, it shouldn’t take more than 8-10 minutes over medium high heat in a sauce pan to cook down the fresh fruit.
Then, just remove it from the heat, add in the chia seeds and any sweetener, and let it set. No more cooking required!
How To Sweeten Jam Without Sugar
This is my favorite thing about making homemade chia jam: no need to load it with tons of sugar! In fact, you don’t even need to add any sugar at all, as the fruit contains fructose which is naturally sweet. If your fruit just isn’t quite sweet enough once you taste it, you can sweeten it some with either raw honey or pure maple syrup (this also keeps it vegan). The jam will be sweet and delicious and without the unnecessary calories and processed sugar!
How To Store Homemade Jam
This chia jam will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, if stored in an air-tight container. I use these adorbs glass jars or mason jars for great jam jar options. The jam will thicken further and become more set once it’s completely chilled. The jam can also be frozen for up to 3 months — just thaw in the fridge before using.
HOW TO MAKE JAM WITH CHIA SEEDS
Want to make a healthy version of your favorite berry jam that’s low carb and still deliciously thick and spreadable? Skip the sugar (and the pectin) and add in chia seeds! The gelling power of chia seeds will turn your mashed fruit into a delicious spreadable jam in a matter of minutes.
Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 and protein — a powerful combo which makes them a real energy-booster and a perfect healthy option to add into your homemade chia jam recipe.
If you’re looking for more fruits to make chia seed jam, here are some great options:
- raspberries
- blueberries
- peaches
- blackberries
- grapes
- apples
- rhubarb
Okay, be right back — gonna be making ALL the jam.
To make jam with chia seeds, all you need to do is stir in chia seeds to the already cooked fruit and let it stand for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. If you’d like a thicker consistency, stir in more chia seeds, 1 tablespoon at the time, until you’re happy with the final result
Are you ready? Let’s jam! <– See what I just did right there? I’ll be here all week 😉
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, diced
- 1 tbsp raw honey, as needed for sweetness (use pure maple syrup if vegan)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds, plus more as needed, to thicken
-
Add the strawberries to a saucepan and set over medium heat.
-
Cook until the strawberries break down and become liquidly, about 5 to 10 minutes.
-
Mash the fruit with the back of a spatula or a potato masher. You can make it as smooth or as lumpy as you'd like here for the texture of the jam.
-
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the honey. Taste, and add more honey, as needed, for additional sweetness. If vegan, use pure maple syrup instead of raw honey.
-
Add the chia seeds, and stir to combine.
-
Let stand 5-10 minutes, or until thickened. The jam will continue to thicken, especially once refrigerated, but if you'd like a thicker consistency, particularly with very high-liquid fruits, you can stir in more chia seeds 1 tablespoon at a time.
Recipe Video
This chia jam will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, if stored in an air-tight container. The jam will thicken further and become more set once it's completely chilled. The jam can also be frozen for up to 3 months -- just thaw in the fridge before using.
This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.
Do you need to pre-soak the chia seeds before making this recipe?
Do I cut then measure the strawberries or measure whole berries, then dice them up?
Measure the diced strawberries 🙂
Have you tried ‘preserving’ this jam, so it is shelf stable, doesnt require refrigeration or freezing? ‘Canning’ it in glass jars in hot water bath or pressure canning?
Thoughts on using Stevia or other sweetener substitute?
Hi … When making Chia Strawberry jam do I need to ground the Chia seeds.
Louise
I tried this for the first time last weekend and I am so impressed at how easy and yummy it is. I had to share it with my friends at Wehl. Thanks so much!
Lacey the recipe making idea is very cool for the children as well as adults. The main thing I liked the recipe for its quick and healthy ingredients like strawberries, honey, chia seeds. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing the information with us. Excellent! waiting for your new post-Lacey.