Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe – No Canning Required

When it comes to making jam, it doesn’t get any easier than this Strawberry Freezer Jam recipe. It’s simple to make and doesn’t require any special canning equipment.

In fact, it is one of those recipes that I always recommend for those who have little experience in the kitchen. However, even experienced home cooks love this recipe because it takes little time to prepare, especially during the busy garden season.

Not only does it taste so much better than store bought jam, you also have full control over the flavor and sweetness level. When you buy jam from the store, you don’t know how much sugar is in it or what the quality of the fruit was to begin with.

With this recipe, you can pick your berries right from your garden, u-pick farm, Farmer’s market or use store-bought berries and still get a delicious result. Plus, it doesn’t require any special equipment beyond some containers or jars that are safe for freezing.

You don’t even need to heat up your kitchen which is a huge bonus during the hot summer months. It’s an easy way to preserve the taste of fresh strawberries without the need for complicated canning methods.

If you’ve never tried making your own freezer jam, you’re in for a real treat because it’s simple, quick, and incredibly rewarding. Let me walk you through exactly how I make it from start to finish so you can fill your freezer with fresh jam this year.

Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The recipe I’m sharing makes about 5 cups of jam, but if you want more, it’s easy to double or even triple the ingredients.

• 8 cups of mounded strawberries (about 2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 1/2 tablespoons Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar

Strawberries

Let’s start with the most important part – the strawberries. You’ll need about 8 mounded cups of strawberries which equals around 2 pounds of whole berries.

If you can get fresh-picked strawberries, they will always give you the best flavor, but store-bought strawberries will work just fine too. When I pick berries from our garden or get them at the Farmer’s market, they are sweeter than the ones from the grocery store, and that can make a big difference when it comes to how much sugar you’ll need.

Lemon Juice

For the lemon juice, you have a choice. Since we are freezing this strawberry freezer jam and not canning it, you can use either fresh squeezed or bottled lemon juice. I usually recommend bottled lemon juice for consistency because the strength and flavor of fresh lemons can vary a lot.

Using bottled juice ensures your jam will turn out the same every time. The lemon juice adds a slight fresh flavor and it also helps preserve the color and freshness of the strawberries.

Instant Pectin

Next up is the thickening agent. I use Ball RealFruit Instant Pectin for this recipe. It’s what helps the jam set without needing to cook it. However you can use any fruit pectin made for no-cook freezer jam.

You can usually find it right near the mason jars and canning supplies at most grocery stores. If you’re planning to make jam during strawberry season, I suggest grabbing the pectin early because sometimes it sells out quickly.

This type of pectin is specifically made for freezer jam, so make sure you pick the right kind. If you try using regular pectin, the jam will not set properly. And if you prefer to not use pectin at all, make my Strawberry Honey Jam instead.

Sugar

Now let’s talk about the sugar. Even though strawberry freezer jam uses less sugar compared to traditional cooked jam recipes, you still need enough to help the jam set and to bring out the natural sweetness of the strawberries.

The good news is, if you have super sweet berries, you might not need the full amount the recipe calls for. I always taste a few berries before deciding exactly how much sugar to add.

Sometimes farm-fresh strawberries are so sweet that I can cut back and only use 1 cup. On the other hand, if I’m using store-bought berries that aren’t as ripe, I stick closer to the full amount.

How to Make Strawberry Freezer Jam

Once you have all your ingredients ready, it’s time to get started. First, clean your strawberries and remove the stems. I like using a strawberry huller because it saves more of the fruit, but a small paring knife works just as well.

After the stems are removed, cut each berry into 4 to 6 pieces depending on their size. Then work in small batches and crush the strawberries using a potato masher or a pastry cutter.

As you crush them, you’ll notice they start to release their juices and shrink down. By the time you finish, you should have about 4 cups of crushed strawberries.

After crushing the berries, stir in the lemon juice until it’s well mixed. Then set the mixture aside while you prepare the pectin and sugar.

In a separate medium-size bowl, combine the RealFruit Instant Pectin with the sugar and stir them together well. Once mixed, add the pectin-sugar mixture into the bowl of crushed strawberries.

Stir everything together for about 3 minutes. It’s important to stir continuously during this step because it helps the pectin activate and prevents clumps from forming in the jam.

Storing Your Freezer Jam

Now it’s time to store your strawberry freezer jam. You can use freezer-safe mason jars or plastic containers.

If you choose mason jars, make sure they are designed for freezing. Not all glass jars are made to handle the expansion that happens when the jam freezes. Look for jars with straight sides and tempered glass.

The label on the box should tell you if they’re freezer-safe. Plastic containers are a good option too and can sometimes feel a little less risky if you’re worried about jars breaking.

No matter what container you use, don’t fill them all the way to the top. Leave about 1/2-1 inch of headspace to allow the jam to expand as it freezes. If you fill them too full, the jam can push the lid off or even crack the container.

After filling your jars or containers, let them sit uncovered on the counter for about 30 minutes. This helps the jam thicken a bit more before you seal them. Once they’ve rested, you can put the lids on and move the containers to the freezer or refrigerator.

How Long Will Freezer Jam Last?

You might be wondering if you have to freeze the jam before you can use it. The good news is that you don’t.

You can eat the jam fresh right after you make it. Just store it in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks. If you freeze it, the jam will last up to a year as long as it’s stored in a sealed, air-tight container.

When you’re ready to use a frozen jar, just move it to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.

Can You Use Frozen Strawberries?

If you don’t have access to fresh strawberries or if they’re out of season, you can use frozen strawberries instead. Just substitute the fresh berries with 6 cups of frozen ones.

Let them thaw for about 3-4 hours at room temperature, then pulse them in a food processor 8-10 times until they are broken into small pieces. From there, just follow the same steps with the sugar, pectin, and lemon juice.

It’s a great way to enjoy strawberry freezer jam even when berries aren’t in season.

Making a Lower Sugar Version

For anyone wondering about using a sugar substitute, yes, you can make strawberry freezer jam with Splenda. The taste will be a little different but still delicious.

I found that using 1 to 1 1/4 cups of Splenda instead of the full 1 1/2 cups of sugar gives a better flavor balance. It’s nice to know you can make a lower-sugar version if you prefer.

Making strawberry freezer jam has become a yearly tradition in my kitchen. It’s a simple way to preserve the fresh flavors of summer without all the hassle of traditional canning. Plus, it’s so satisfying to open the freezer months later and pull out a jar of bright, fresh-tasting strawberry jam.

Once you taste the difference, you might never go back to store-bought jam again.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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