Merry Christmas Jam with Strawberries and Cranberries

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This Merry Christmas jam is a ruby-red holiday spread made with sweet strawberries, tart cranberries, white sugar and a splash of orange juice. Christmas jam tastes like the season in every spoonful: bright, fruity and just tangy enough to keep you reaching for another piece of toast.

You need only four ingredients and no boxed pectin, because cranberries are naturally rich in it. Make a batch for holiday breakfasts, fill a few jars for gifts and keep one in the fridge for yourself.

Why You’ll Love This Christmas Jam

• Just 4 ingredients: strawberries, cranberries, white sugar and orange juice.
• No pectin needed: cranberries help the jam set on their own.
• Fresh or frozen fruit: make it any time of year.
• Beautiful color: a deep, glossy red that looks festive on any table.
• Perfect gift: a jar with a ribbon is a thoughtful homemade present.
• Small batch: about 5 half-pint jars, easy to store in the fridge or freezer.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Every ingredient has a job in this strawberry cranberry jam, so measure carefully and do not cut the sugar.

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped: bring sweetness and body. Fresh or frozen both work; thaw frozen berries and keep the juice.
• 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen: add tartness, color and natural pectin. No need to thaw frozen cranberries.
• 4 cups white sugar: sweetens, helps the jam gel and keeps it fresh longer. Reducing it can leave the jam runny.
• 1/2 cup orange juice: fresh or bottled juice adds a bright citrus note and the liquid needed to start cooking.
• Optional: a cinnamon stick or a pinch of ground cinnamon for warm spice, or pectin if you want a firmer set (see the notes).

How to Make Christmas Jam

Homemade Christmas jam is classic stovetop jam making. Put a small plate in the freezer before you start; you will use it to test the set.

Step 1: Combine the Fruit

1. Add the strawberries, cranberries, white sugar and orange juice to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Use a pot that holds at least 4 times the volume of the fruit, because jam foams up as it boils.
2. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Step 2: Cook Until the Cranberries Pop

1. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the cranberries burst, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Lightly mash the fruit with a potato masher if you like a smoother jam.

Step 3: Boil to the Gel Point

1. Bring the jam to a full rolling boil, one that does not stop bubbling when you stir.
2. Keep boiling, stirring constantly so the bottom does not scorch, until it reaches 220°F on a candy thermometer at sea level, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Subtract about 2°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation.
3. Do the cold-plate wrinkle test: drop a little jam on the frozen plate, return it to the freezer for 1 minute, then push it with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, it is ready. If not, boil 2 more minutes and test again.

Step 4: Skim and Jar

1. Remove the pot from the heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
2. Ladle the hot jam into clean jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, add lids and let cool.

For shelf-stable Christmas jam, process the filled jars in a boiling water bath using tested times and altitude adjustments from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. If you skip processing, treat it as refrigerator or freezer jam.

Expert Tips for the Best Christmas Jam

• Use a wide, heavy pot: more surface area means faster cooking and a brighter color.
• Do not double the batch: large batches take longer to reach the gel point and may not set well.
• Trust the thermometer and the plate: use both checks for the most reliable set.
• Stir constantly at the end: sugary jam scorches quickly once it thickens.
• Remember it thickens as it cools: jam that looks loose in the pot often sets firm in the jar overnight.
• Keep the fruit chopped small: even pieces cook evenly and spread nicely.
• Warm the jars: filling warm, clean jars with hot jam helps prevent the glass from cracking.

Christmas Jam vs Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is cooked briefly with less sugar, so it stays soft and saucy and is meant to be eaten within a few days next to turkey or ham.

Christmas jam is boiled to the gel point with plenty of sugar, which gives it a spreadable set and a much longer life in the fridge. The strawberries also make it sweeter and fruitier, more like a breakfast jam than a side dish. That said, a spoonful of this jam makes a delicious glaze for ham or a quick dip for meatballs.

Variations

• Spiced: add a cinnamon stick while cooking and remove it before jarring.
• Raspberry swap: replace up to 1 cup of the strawberries with raspberries.
• Orange zest: stir in 1 teaspoon of finely grated zest for a stronger citrus flavor.
• Smooth jam: blend the cooked fruit briefly with an immersion blender before the final boil.
• Firmer set: use pectin and follow the timing on its package insert.

What to Serve With Christmas Jam

Spread it on warm biscuits, toast, English muffins or scones for a festive holiday breakfast. Swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, spoon it over pancakes, or set it out with soft cheese and crackers on a holiday board.

It is also a lovely filling for thumbprint cookies and a sweet partner for Christmas gooey butter cookies on a cookie tray. Spoon a little over warm old-fashioned bread pudding, or serve a jar alongside a plate of pecan pie crescents when guests drop by.

Make Ahead and Freezing

Make ahead: Christmas jam is ideal for early holiday prep. Make it in November and it will be ready for gifting and Christmas morning.

Gifting: tie a ribbon and a handwritten tag around each jar and add a note that says to keep it refrigerated unless it was processed in a water bath. Pair a jar of Christmas jam with a loaf of homemade bread or a tin of old-fashioned fruitcake cookies for a simple, heartfelt present.

Freezing: leave at least 1/2 inch of headspace in freezer-safe jars or containers, cool completely, then freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir before using.

Storage

Refrigerator jam that has not been processed keeps for about 3 weeks in a covered jar. Keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and always use a clean spoon.

Jars processed in a boiling water bath that sealed properly can be stored in a cool, dark pantry. Refrigerate them after opening and use within about 3 weeks. If a lid did not seal, store that jar in the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are quick answers to the questions readers ask most often about making jam at home for the holidays.

Do I need pectin for Christmas jam?

No. Cranberries contain plenty of natural pectin, so this Christmas jam sets with just sugar and a good boil. Add pectin only if you prefer a very firm jam.

Can I use frozen strawberries and cranberries?

Yes. Thaw the strawberries and keep their juice. Frozen cranberries can go straight into the pot; the jam may take a few extra minutes to reach 220°F.

Why is my jam runny?

It most likely did not reach the gel point. Pour it back into the pot, return it to a rolling boil and repeat the cold-plate test.

Can I reduce the sugar?

Sugar helps the jam set and keep, so cutting it gives a softer, shorter-lived jam. For less sugar, use a pectin made for low-sugar jam and follow its directions.

How long does homemade Christmas jam last?

About 3 weeks in the refrigerator, up to 1 year in the freezer, and longer in the pantry when processed in a water bath and properly sealed.

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