How to Make Homemade Raspberry Jam Recipe without Pectin (2024)

A Quick & Easy Homemade Raspberry Jam Recipe done in 15 minutes with only 5 ingredients. This low sugar Raspberry Jam is naturally sweetened with honey and made without Pectin – it’s absolutely delicious!

Easy Homemade Raspberry Jam

One of my sons favorite breakfasts in the morning is plain yogurt with a scoop of raspberry jam.

Now, I’d like to be the mom that makes homemade jam year round and cans them all. But alas, I’m not. Usually I buy the Smuckers brand and call it a day, especially with how fast he goes through those jars. Have you ever looked to see how much sugar is in them? It’s crazy! In just one tablespoon there is 12 grams of sugar! No wonder he likes it so much, it puts him on a sugar high.

Well, I’m putting a stop to the sugar STAT! I am going to start making my own raspberry jam and that’s that! Today’s homemade raspberry jam is naturally sweetened with honey and has just 3 grams of sugar per serving!

With berry season right around the corner and all the fresh spring produce coming in, now is the time to start making all those jams! Raspberry, Strawberry, Peach, Plum… the options are endless! So, let’s start with the basics.

How to make Raspberry Jam with less sugar:

1. Add fresh raspberries, honey and vanilla extract to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in lemon juice.
3. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Scrap the “scum” or froth off the top.
4. Remove from heat and place raspberry jam in an air tight container. Store in the refrigerator.

This is just a basic raspberry jam recipe with preserves (aka seeds). However, most of the time, sugar is used in place of honey. Using the sugar will thicken the jam up a little more but will also add more grams of sugar per serving.

Most jam recipes require you to add pectin to them in order to thicken the sauce.

What is pectin?

Pectin is a natural occurring substance that is present in ripe fruits – such as berries, apples and other fruits. When heated with sugar it can cause a thickening effect. Sometimes pectin is extracted from fruits for use as a thickening agent in jams or jellies.

How to make jam thicker without pectin:

1. Chia Seeds – Chia Seeds have a natural gelatin ability. Adding 1 tablespoon of chia seed to 8 oz of jam will do the trick and thicken your jam or jelly in a natural way.
2. Have Patience – a lot of times you just have to wait and the jam will thicken on it’s own after sitting at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The “wait” allows time for the jam to thicken. Some jams just take longer to set than others. (Strawberry Jam is definitely one of those)
3. Throw it back on the stove – if the jam is still not at your desired thickness, put it back on the stove and cook it a little longer. Cooking out some of the moisture will help thicken the jam naturally.

The Chia Seeds in this recipe give it the optimal thickness and the sweetness level is absolutely perfect in my opinion. After all, you want to taste the tartness and natural flavor from the raspberries, not be lulled into a sugar coma. I love the slight hint of vanilla in this recipe as well. But most importantly it is Cason approved.

In fact, he told me, “mommy you need to make this all the time.” DONE!

I plan on loading up on raspberries when they go on sale so I can make a couple batches of this to freeze.

Can you freeze homemade raspberry jam?

1. Pour homemade jam into containers (glass or plastic). Fill container most of the way full, leaving the last 1/2″ of space on top as room for expansion during the freezing process.
2. Allow the jam to cool completely before storing.
3. Store container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks and in the freezer for up to 1 year.
4. To thaw jam – place in the refrigerator overnight and allow to thaw.

You guys. I know you are going to be completely obsessed with the flavor of this homemade raspberry jam. It literally takes 15 minutes to make and only uses 5 ingredients.

I call that a winning combo! And you’ll feel so much better knowing that the sugar is low and there’s no added ingredients. So do yourself a favor and start making your own jam. You’ll be shocked at how easy and versatile this recipe is!

Bon Appetit friends … and happy weekending!

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Want More Raspberry Recipes?

Almond Oat Raspberry Bar Recipe

Frozen Raspberry Peach Sangria Recipe

Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake Popsicles

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Sliders

5 Minute Healthy Lemon Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

Homemade Raspberry Peach Lemonade

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