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An easy, no-fail, super-delicious recipe for Blackberry Freezer Jam. Make it when sweet, ripe blackberries are in season and you'll be thanking yourself all year long!
Hesitant to make your own jam? This blackberry freezer jam is a perfect place to start! It's an easy, straightforward recipe that will bring lots of rave reviews. It's fabulous on toast, biscuits, scones, ice cream... you name it! And there's no canning knowledge needed!
So much to love
I love freezer jam for several reasons. First of all, there's no cooking involved so the flavor stays nice and fresh. Second, there's no canning knowledge needed... no sterilizing jars, hot water baths and worries about proper sealing. Once the jam has set for 24 hours, just pop it in the freezer and you're good to go! It will keep that fabulous fresh flavor for up to a year!
In addition to serving it on toast, biscuits, scones, etc., we love to enjoy it with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt. Oh my, it takes breakfast from ordinary to quite extraordinary in seconds!
A few problems...
Freezer jam can have a few "issues" and this Blackberry Freezer Jam is no exception. If you've ever made freezer jam you might have run into one of these two problems:
- Because the jam is not cooked, it can be difficult to dissolve the sugar, resulting in a "grainy" consistency.
- Unlike traditional jam, which is cooked until it reaches the proper thickness, freezer jam is dependent on pectin as a thickening agent, which sometimes doesn't seem to work resulting in a thin, runny jam.
But no worries, we've got the solution to both of these issues. After making freezer jam for over 40 years, I've learned a few little tricks to ensure success and one of them will take care of both of the above problems.
Although the directions on the box of pectin say to, "wait 10 minutes after combining the fruit and sugar" then to add the pectin and lemon juice and stir for 3 minutes. I find that a 10-minute wait does not dissolve the sugar and the jam comes out grainy. After lots of trial and error, I've discovered that a short stint in the microwave helps the sugar to dissolve, yielding perfect un-grainy jam.
The other benefit of the microwave treatment is that when the sugar is well dissolved, the pectin is able to do its job better. So it's a win-win. No grainy texture and a good set!
You can check out the Café Tips section below for a few more tips and tricks to ensure success with this Blackberry Freezer Jam.
Can I reduce the sugar in this jam?
I get this question frequently since we have a lot of jam and jelly recipes, here at The Café. In this particular recipe, there are 4 cups of sugar and 2 cups of crushed berries. That may sound like a lot of sugar but, you have to remember, that you only eat a teaspoon or two of jam at a time. The sugar acts as a sweetener and a preservative as well as helping with the set of the sam.
So, the answer to the above question is no, if you want to ensure success. That being said, there are low sugar and no sugar pectins available however you would need to use the a recipe that's created for this type of pectin, not this Blackberry Freezer Jam recipe.
Do I have to use the seeds?
You can strain the crushed blackberries in this recipe for a seedless version but you will need to start with a lot more blackberries to yield the two cups of prepared fruit. But, we've got another recipe for Blackberry Jelly (pictured below) that's actually a much easier way to make seedless blackberry jam. Check it out here!
Who doesn't love a gift from the kitchen?
This Blackberry Freezer Jam also makes a wonderful gift from the kitchen. Who wouldn't love to receive a jar of delicious homemade jam? Pair it with a loaf of our No-Knead Pull-Apart Brioche (pictured in this post) or this super-easy, crazy-delicious Brioche Bread, a plate of biscuits or a carton of gourmet ice cream and you'll be labeled a rock star!
And to make your gifts look really pretty and professional, we're offering a free printable PDF of the labels pictured in this post. If you'd like to receive them, just let us know in the comment section below and we'll email you the PDF with instructions on how to use it.
Don't wait! Pick up some blackberries and take the time (less than 30 minutes) to make a batch of this DELICIOUS Blackberry Freezer Jam. You'll be thanking yourself for months to come... Well, if it lasts that long!
Cafe Tips for making this Blackberry Freezer Jam
- If you're purchasing blackberries from the supermarket in the little plastic cartons, you'll need 5-6 small ½-pint cartons, depending on how many of the seeds you want to discard.
- Use a dry measuring cup to measure the crushed blackberries and level it off with a flat-edge knife, just like you would when measuring flour. If you've prepared too much of the crushed fruit, don't be tempted to add it to the pot. Use any extra on your yogurt or ice cream or oatmeal. It's important to stick with the measurements given to ensure success. (This goes for the sugar too. To read more about that, check the post up above.) Changing proportions of fruit and/or sugar can interfere with the setting of the jam and be the cause for too runny or too thick consistencies.
- Blackberry jam can be very "seedy". You can adjust the level of seeds by straining some of the crushed blackberries through a fine-mesh strainer. I like to strain out about half of the seeds. You will need extra berries if you do discard some of the seeds as you want the prepared fruit to equal 2 cups.
- To strain out some of the seeds, you'll need a fine-mesh strainer. These strainers are reasonably priced and are great for anything you would use a regular strainer for. They're really handy when you want to make a really smooth, lump-free sauce or juice, too.
- Although I prefer to make this Blackberry Freezer Jam with seasonal fruit, it can also be made with grocery store blackberries or frozen fruit during the off-season.
- This recipe calls for liquid pectin. I use Certo. Certo is available at most larger grocery stores in the same area as the canning jars. If you can't find it, check at the front desk. Different stores carry it in different areas. You can also find it online.
- Liquid and powdered pectin are NOT interchangeable. If you can't find the liquid pectin, you'll need to follow the directions and proportions on the powdered pectin box, not this recipe.
- Be sure to stir the jam for 3 full minutes after adding the lemon juice and pectin. Making sure the pectin is well incorporated helps the jam to set well.
- After this blackberry freezer jam has been sitting in the jars for an hour or two, you may notice that the fruit has risen to the top. No problem! Just give each jar a stir and the fruit will redistribute and stay in place.
- Don't worry if you check your jam in the freezer and it has a whitish cast. That's just because it's frozen. Once thawed, the deep, beautiful color will return.
- I love the hexagonal jars pictured above for this Blackberry Freezer Jam. The labels fit so nicely on these jars, although you can also use regular smooth-glass jelly jars with good results too. The labels won't adhere well to jelly jars with imprinted glass sides, but there is also a round label that we will include that will fit on the top of a regular glass jelly jar.
Thought for the day:
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
What we're listening to for inspiration:
An easy, no-fail, super-delicious recipe for Blackberry Freezer Jam. Make it when sweet, ripe blackberries are in season and you'll be thanking yourself all year long!
- 2 cups prepared fruit purchase about 2-2¼ pints fully ripe blackberries
- 4 cups sugar
- 3 ounces Certo liquid pectin (one pouch) (there are two pouches in a box, you just need one)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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Wash jars with hot water or run through the dishwasher and dry. Set aside. Measure the sugar into a medium-size bowl by scooping it up and leveling the top with a flat-sided knife. Set aside.
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Crush blackberries with a potato masher until no large pieces remain. If you prefer fewer seeds in your jam, press half of the crushed mixture through a fine sieve, pressing with the back of a large spoon until most of the juice has been extracted. Combine the juice with the crushed fruit.
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Measure EXACTLY 2 cups of prepared fruit into a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the sugar and stir well to combine.
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Place the blackberry mixture in the microwave on high power for 3 minutes, stirring well halfway through and at the end. Take a small taste of the jam after stirring. If there are still sugar crystals give it another 2-3 minute stint in the microwave.
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Combine the pectin and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir well to combine. Add the pectin mixture to the jam. Set a timer and stir for 3 minutes, continuously.
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Fill prepared containers to within ½ inch of the tops. Wipe off top edges of containers and cover with lids. Let the jam stand at room temperature for 24 hours to complete the set. Jam is now ready to use.
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Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze it for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
See Café tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
Glynis says
Merry Christmas
Please send labels print to my email - love the look of your blackberry jam and jelly
May peace and safety be with you and your family for the New Year
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Glynis! Happy New Year!
Diana Perri says
I would like the printable labels please. I am making this jam tomorrow for the first time. It sounds awesome. Thank you for the labels and jam recipe. Best Regards, Diana Perri
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Diana!
Mary Lake says
I'm making this jam over the weekend. My fiist time, I just hope it turns out. Wish me luck.
Chris Scheuer says
You'll do great, Mary! Let us know how it turns out!
Jill Gilbert says
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve always made it the ‘old fashioned way’ so this will be my first no cook recipe. I’m using fresh blackberries I picked yesterday. Will you please send me the pdf labels. Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Jill! Enjoy!
Wendy says
This looks incredible! I would love the pdf!
Thank you so much for posting this wonderful recipe:)
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Wendy! Sending the labels now.
Tammy says
I used to can jam the old fashioned way with my grandma but this is so much easier when you have only a little spare time. It was wonderful and I even handed some out to friends. They loved it.
I would love the pdf for the labels.
Thank you
Tammy
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Tammy. We will send the labels now.
Gloria says
Do you have labels for homemade bread?
I would like that.
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
We do not have labels for this bread, Gloria.
Linda says
And, yes, please send the pdf for the labels. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure!
Linda says
Chris, this was as easy as your raspberry freeze jam recipe and set up just as well. AND, last week our Johnson City
(TN) Publix had Driscoll blackberries for an amazing 99¢ per container! Thank you for the only method I’ve found that makes for a “set-up” and not runny freezer jam!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear that, Linda!
Betty says
Just picked our fresh blackberries this morning in a back wooded area here in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. I made your strawberry freezer jam a month or so ago and will now only follow your recipes....quite a difference in the outcome of the jam..thank you. I would love to add your labels and appreciate that you do this. Thanks again.
Betty
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad to hear that, Betty! Thanks for letting us know! We will send the labels now.
Cheryl says
Sorry forgot to rate this superb recipe earlie, Chris .
Thank You
Cheryl says
Thank you Chris for this no-fail recipe !
Just made this 2 days ago and it turned out just superb.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know, Cheryl!
Linda J. Demler-Nunes says
I will try this recipe as soon as I can get my hands on some blackberries. We have some nice stands around here in Fresno so I am on my way. I would also like to request the labels. They look very nice. Thank you for your kind heart.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Linda!
B. Baldner says
I appreciate the recipe. We have a bumper crop of blackberries this year. Please send the labels. Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, B! Enjoy!
Terry says
Love that this recipe is made in the microwave. Saves heating up the kitchen! Was fortunate enough to be gifted with some blackberries the other day. Hadn't quite decided what to do with them.
NOW I know!
Would really appreciate the pdf labels.
Thanks so much!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! We will send the labels, Terry.
Judy Ketron says
Chris, thank you for your prompt response, I'm off to find Certo!
Judy Ketron says
I just love Blackberry Jam and am anxious to try this recipe; however, I only have Sure-Jell on hand. Is it an acceptable substitute to use in place of Certo? I also would appreciate your cute Blackberry Jam Labels. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Judy, I'm sorry to say that liquid and powdered pectin are not interchangeable so it would be better to either get some Certo or use the recipe on the Sure-Jell box. We will be happy to send you the labels.
Denise LaGasse says
Please send these great labels!
Merci beaucoup! denise
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Denise, the labels are on the way!
deborah a nelson says
Chris,
I have some frozen blackberries I am going to try this recipe with them. Would you please send me the pdf for the Freezer BlackBerry Jam label? I can’t wait to make some!
Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Debora!
Sue L. says
Dear Chris, Would you please send mr the pdf for the Freezer BlackBerry Jam label? I can’t wait to make some!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Sue!
Leona says
Hi Chris...once again an over the top recipe from you! All I need now to create your perfection is a label for my jars 😊
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Leona! Sending the labels now!
Martha Austin says
Can't wait to try your recipe! Can you use raspberries or a mixture of raspberries and blackberries using this this recipe? I have tried freezer jam in the past and been disappointed with the texture, so your microwave tip sounds like just the ticket to success. Also, please send the labels - wonderful for gifts!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Martha, if you wanted to make raspberry freezer jam, I would use this recipe: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/overnight-raspberry-freezer-jam/
If you wanted to sub some raspberries in this recipe, that will work fine.
Carol says
Please send me the PDF for the labels. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Carol!
Adina Somers says
I would love to have these labels, please!
Chris Scheuer says
Sure, Adina!
Cherryl Gilker says
Blackberry Jam is my favorite. I would love receiving the PDF labels. Thanks for the recipe and your beautiful blog.
Cherryl
Chris Scheuer says
We will send them now, Cherryl!