Description
This homemade Christmas Jam is a festive, flavorful spread made with fresh cranberries, strawberries, and warm holiday spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Slow-cooked to perfection, it offers a perfectly textured, sweet-tart jam ideal for holiday breakfasts, gifts, or savory pairings.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 24 oz. fresh cranberries (about 6 cups)
- 16 oz. fresh strawberries
Spices
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
Sweetener
- 2 cups brown sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Rinse the fresh cranberries and strawberries thoroughly to remove any debris. Hull and quarter the strawberries if large for even cooking.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Place cranberries, strawberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger into the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook: Set the slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 4 hours. Keep the lid closed during cooking to allow the fruit to soften and release natural pectin, which helps the jam set.
- Blend the Jam: After cooking, transfer the contents carefully into a blender or use an immersion blender. Pulse gently until a jam-like consistency forms. Avoid overblending to prevent turning the mixture into cranberry butter.
- Cool and Thicken: Pour the jam into a container and allow it to cool. The jam will thicken as it cools due to the natural pectin in cranberries.
- Store: Once cooled, store the jam in sterilized jars or airtight containers, and refrigerate. It will keep well for up to two weeks or can be frozen for longer storage.
Notes
- Do not open the slow cooker lid during cooking to ensure proper setting.
- If you prefer a chunkier texture, pulse the blender less.
- This jam pairs wonderfully with toasted bread, cheese boards, or as a glaze for meats.
- Use brown sugar to add a deeper molasses flavor compared to white sugar.
- For longer preservation, process jars in a water bath for canning or freeze the jam.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Jam, Spread, Condiment
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American, Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons (30g)
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0.1g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Christmas jam, cranberry jam, strawberry jam, holiday spread, slow cooker jam, festive recipe
