Raspberry Jam (with fresh or frozen berries)
Make your own delicious Homemade Raspberry Jam with only 4 ingredients. Make it any time of the year since you can use fresh or frozen raspberries!
4 INGREDIENT RASPBERRY JAM
Making homemade raspberry jam does not have to be difficult! It can be a simple and rewarding process that yields delicious results. You’ll love the sweet and tart flavor of this classic preserve, perfect for spreading on toast or topping off biscuits. With just a few ingredients, you can make raspberry jam in no time! The recipe itself is easy to follow and doesn’t require any special tools. Plus you can use fresh or frozen berries, so you can make this recipe even when it isn’t berry season. Win, win! Plus, I have a secret ingredient that you don’t find in most jam recipes that really takes it over the top!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
I used these specific jars (non affiliated link). But these jars (paid affiliate link) also work. If you use the 11 ounce jars, you’ll get 4 jars of jam. If you use the 8 ounce jars, you will get 6 jars of jam.
Lemon juice acts as a natural preservative and lowers the pH of the jam, helping it to set up better but also cutting a bit of the sweetness.
You don’t have to remove seeds from the jam. My family prefers the texture and there are a lot of health benefits in the seeds of fruit. But if the added seed texture isn’t for you, you can run the jam through a strainer to get rid of the seeds. You’ll want to push the jam through a small mesh strainer using a rubber spatula into a bowl below before putting it in the canning jars.
Absolutely! With fresh fruit you should always wash any fruit before eating it in any way, shape, or form. You don’t need any special fruit wash. Just give them a good rinse with water. You do not need to do this with frozen fruit.
Use this recipe! I don’t use any pectin and you may be wondering why. Well, since raspberries have their own natural pectin, when you combine that with the gelatin in the Jell-O, that is all that is needed to help this jam set up! You can do the same with strawberries and blueberries (just use the corresponding Jell-O flavor.)
This jam will need a few hours in the refrigerator to set up. So if your jam hasn’t thickened, it just needs more time in the fridge. I generally like to give it 24 hours.
I do because it makes for a prettier presentation in the jars. However, don’t break your neck trying to skim ALL of the foam off – it’s impossible. The foam doesn’t taste bad or weird, it’s more about presentation and having a nice clear top on the jam when you first open the jars.
Nope! Your kitchen-your rules! You can alter the amount of sugar and use less if desired.
No! If you are hesitant to use Jell-O then just use Certo brand liquid pectin. Use 1 (3 ounce) pouch Certo liquid fruit pectin instead of the box of Jell-O and increase sugar to 4 cups to help the jam set and to get the same sweetness as you would with the Jell-O.
Adding the flavored Jell-O really makes sure that it turns out delicious, especially when your fruit isn’t as flavorful as it could be. As we all know, fruit can be hit or miss and this really helps that raspberry flavor shine!
Yes, you can preserve this raspberry jam instead of keeping it just as a refrigerator jam. Just make sure to use a water bath canning procedure. Follow directions here.
Yes, you would follow the exact same recipe, just substitute the other type of berry for the raspberries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, etc.) Just try to find the corresponding Jell-O (as close as possible) to the berry.
Store jam in the fridge in the jars for a month in the refrigerator. Jam can also be frozen! It can be stored in the freezer for up to a year in the jars.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- frozen raspberries – I prefer frozen over fresh because frozen berries are picked at the peak of freshness so I am always guaranteed to get the perfect berry, with all the intact nutrients, and I know this recipe will consistently turn out the same every single time.
- sugar – I have never made this with a sugar substitute so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out with cooking on the stove since I’m not familiar with a lot of sugar substitutes. However if you are experienced in this then use what you know will work.
- raspberry Jell-O powder – you can use a sugar free Jell-O.
- fresh lemon juice – I do not like the bottled stuff y’all. I’ll be honest, I think it tastes terrible and fake. I will always go with fresh because I think bottled lemon juice completely throws off the taste. But if you love the taste, then go for it!
HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY JAM
Wash and dry jars with lids. I usually just pop them in the dishwasher.
In a 3.5 quart pot, over medium-high heat, add frozen raspberries, sugar, raspberry Jell-O and lemon juice. Stirring regularly. Once sugar has dissolved (this takes anywhere from 8-10 minutes), take a potato masher and begin mashing all the berries until mostly smooth. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil then turn down to a simmer for about 5-6 minutes.
As it simmers, you’ll notice a light pink foam gathering at the top. Skim off any “foam” from the top of the simmering jam using a spoon.
Skimming the foam off the top is optional but I think it makes for a prettier presentation of the jams in the jars.
Remove from heat and pour into clean jars. I find it easiest to do with a wide mouth funnel (paid affiliate link) (not affiliated)
Wipe the edges of the jar with a clean, slightly damp cloth.
Then screw on the lids. Allow the jars to cool completely on the counter then put into the refrigerator. Mixture fully thickens into a jam consistency after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Homemade Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) bags frozen raspberries
- 3 ½ cups sugar
- 6 ounce box raspberry Jell-O
- 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about the juice from one lemon)
Instructions
- Wash and dry jars with lids.
- In a 3.5 quart pot, over medium-high heat, add 2 (12 ounce) bags frozen raspberries, 3 ½ cups sugar, 6 ounce box raspberry Jell-O and 1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Stirring regularly.
- Once sugar has dissolved (this takes anywhere from 8-10 minutes), take a potato masher and begin mashing all the berries until mostly smooth. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil then turn down to a simmer for about 5-6 minutes.
- As it simmers, you’ll notice a light pink foam gathering at the top. Skim off any “foam” from the top of the simmering jam using a spoon.
- Remove from heat and pour into clean jars. I find it easiest to do with a wide mouth funnel (non-affiliate link)
- Wipe the edges of the jar with a clean, slightly damp cloth. Then screw on the lids. Allow the jars to cool completely on the counter then put into the refrigerator. Mixture fully thickens into a jam consistency after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Notes
- Fresh berries can be used. Substitute frozen berries with 4 cups of fresh raspberries if desired.
- If not using raspberry Jell-O, use 1 (3 ounce) pouch Certo liquid fruit pectin instead and increase sugar to 4 cups.
- It seems like a lot of sugar but it is perfectly balanced. Use less sugar if you prefer.
- This can be made seedless by simply straining the seeds using a fine mesh strainer over a bowl before pouring them into jars. Use the back of the spoon or a rubber spatula and gently push through to make sure you get all the jam without the seeds. Once all the seeds are removed, pour the remaining jam into prepared jars.
- If you use the 11 ounce jars, you’ll get 4 jars of jam. If you use the 8 ounce jars, you will get 6 jars of jam.
- Raspberry jam can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.
- I prefer to skim the foam off the top of the jam because it looks better while in the jars. However, this step is totally optional. It’s impossible to skim all the foam off the top but as long as you get a majority of it, it will look nice in the jars.
- You can also can the raspberry jam using a water bath canning procedure. Follow directions here.
- I created this recipe a very long time ago when a lot of the fruit I bought just didn’t have as much flavor as I would like. Fruit can be unreliable so to make sure you get the perfect batch every time, adding the flavored Jell-O really makes sure that it turns out delicious. This can be done with other fruit like strawberries and blueberries!
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I cannot believe how delicious this is. I have some out as presents and I got so many calls for how I made it. I never in my life would’ve thought of adding jell-o. I have to reiterate what your other commenter said as well. We get into the habit of always making things the way our grannies did so we assume that is the best way and the most delicious way because that is what we grew up with. This is the best raspberry jam I have ever tasted in my life. I agree with the frozen fruit as well. You get much better (and more even) results with them (again, my granny would have never! LOL) Good thing she is not longer with us anymore (God rest her soul) so I won’t have to tell her how much better this recipe is 🙂
Your comment made me laugh! I love it! Thank you for giving this recipe a try. I am absolutely thrilled that you loved it and so did everyone you gave it to!
Hi Brandie, I am a long time jam maker and so were all the women before me. I have always been a purist when it comes to making jellies and jams: fresh fruit, sugar and pectin. That’s it. But I just knew I had to give this recipe a try and I swear to you – EVERYONE wanted to know how I got my jam tasting so amazing. I can’t even tell you how much they raved. No one has ever raved that much over jams I’ve made before. They liked them of course but they did not go out of their way to text me or call me to tell me this is the best thing they’ve ever eaten. I am a new convert – thank you!! Jell-O for the win Ha!
Yay!! Thank you for taking a chance on this one and thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. It really does mean so much to hear that a recipe turned out well!
This raspberry jam is so delicious my mouth waters just thinking about it. I love it on toast and biscuits. You can put it on vanilla ice cream. Oh yeah, this stuff is that good! My dad, who was a raspberry grower and lover would have had this jam in his ice box.
In your instructions you mention that it serves 48 and see that you have used 4 canning jars but was wondering what size jars are those; ………………….pint?
Thank You
Hey Colleen! Sorry it was confusing, I actually answer that question up in the FAQ’s under what jars should I use. 🙂 I also put it in the notes of the recipe card.
thank You. I appreciate your quick response.
Enjoy your week
I made this and it was a hit with my family. My husband and I put it on our toast for breakfast. My son put it on his peanut butter sandwich and said it was delicious. Next time I will try it with frozen strawberries. It was so easy to make. Thanks again Brandie!! We appreciate you!!
I’m so happy you gave it a try! I just love that you can get such a delicious jam from frozen fruits. A lot of people think it must be fresh but it really doesn’t. Fruit is frozen at the peak of freshness so you’re guaranteed to get a perfect batch every time and you really don’t have to keep adjusting the sugar based on tartness or sweetness of the berry because the frozen ones are almost always consistent in taste. Thanks so much!!
Perfection