Spiced Christmas Jam
This homemade Christmas jam blends tart cranberries, sweet strawberries, along with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Perfect for spreading on toast, pairing with baked treats, or adding to a charcuterie board, it’s a cozy condiment that also makes a beautiful homemade gift.
4 1/2 Pint Jars
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Fresh Cranberries
- 6 cups Fresh Strawberries
- 1 Orange zested
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground All Spice
- ½ tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 Fresh Vanilla Bean or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 tbsp Fruit Pectin
- 3 cups Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Rinse cranberries under cold water and set aside in colander to drain. Wash strawberries, remove stems, cut in half, and set aside.
- Wash jars and lids in warm soapy water. Set lids and bands aside.
- Place jars only in large pot with hot water until ready to use. Note: You will use this pot to water seal the jars so ensure that the pot is deep enough to cover the jars by one inch. When you remove the jars to fill them, begin boiling the water for the water bath.
- Remove seeds from vanilla bean by slicing open lengthwise but do not cut through to the other side. Open vanilla bean and use a metal spoon to scrap out the seeds. Set aside.
- In a food processor pulse cranberries 10-12 times until berries begin to break down. Place cranberries in a large pot. Add strawberries to the food processor and pulse 10-12 times until berries are broken down.
- Add strawberries to the pot with cranberries and begin heating over medium high heat on the stove until simmering. Simmer for five minutes.
- Lower heat to medium and add the spices, orange zest, vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extra), and pectin. Stir until mixed. Slowly pour in sugar and bring jam to a rolling boil, stirring frequently, until jam reaches approximately 220°F using an instant read thermometer and continues to boil even when stirred. The jam should be a thick consistency at this point that covers the back of a wooden spoon. If it is not thick, continue boiling until desired consistency is reached.
- Remove jam from heat and remove any foam from the top of the jam using a small spoon. Ladle jam into hot jars leaving ¼ inch space at the top of each jar. Wipe the edges of the top of the jar with a wet towel or paper towel to remove any jam residue along the edges.
- Place lids and bands on jars and tighten fingertip tight only.
- To the large pot of boiling water add the filled jars. Cover with lid and boil for 12 minutes.
- Carefully remove jars from boiling water using tongs and place on a towel on the counter and allow to sit undisturbed for 12 hours. Check jars after sitting for one hour by pressing the center of lid. If the jar did not seal you will be able to press down on the center and feel it pop back up when pressed. If this happens this jar should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 7 days. Fully sealed, unopened jam jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to twelve months.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries and cranberries for the best flavor.
- Zest only the bright orange part of the peel, avoid the bitter white pith beneath.
- If using vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, add it after removing the jam from the heat to preserve its full flavor.
- Make sure your mixture comes to a full boil and maintains it for the pectin to activate and thicken the jam.
- To test if your batch of jam is ready, place a small dollop on a chilled plate. If it thickens and wrinkles when pushed with your finger it’s done.
- Removing the foam from the top of the jam improves its texture and appearance.
- Warm jars in hot water before filling them to prevent cracking. The water bath should cover the jars by at least an inch for proper sealing.
- After cooling, ensure lids are sealed by pressing the center. A sealed lid won’t pop back up when pressed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 1/2 pintCalories: 37kcalCarbohydrates: 10gSodium: 1mgSugar: 9g
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