This easy, 4-ingredient strawberry chia seed jam is the perfect healthy alternative to conventional, store-bought jam! It's quick and easy to make, contains less sugar, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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This recipe is made without pectin or refined sugar, using chia seeds as the thickener and real maple syrup as the sweetener instead. This strawberry chia seed jam pairs perfectly with homemade almond butter, vegan cream cheese, or just your favorite toasted bread!
Ingredients
- Strawberries: I used frozen but you can of course use fresh.
- Chia Seeds: These will act as our thickener! Traditional jams contain a crap ton of sugar or pectin in order to achieve that classic thickness/gel-like consistency of jam. NOT TODAY MY FRIENDS, NOT TODAY.
- Lemon Juice: To add a bit of tang!
- Maple Syrup: Totally optional, but this will be our natural sweetener.
INSTRUCTIONS
- To a pot, add frozen strawberries and cook over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the berries are bubbling and have broken down. Use a masher or fork to mash the strawberries down to your desired consistency. I left mine a bit chunky!
- Add the lemon juice and maple syrup, stir to combine, then taste and adjust to your preference.
- Add the chia seeds and stir to combine, cooking for another minute or two.
- Remove from heat, allowing the jam to thicken and set.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is truly yummy as is, but here are a few variations you can try!
- Use a different fruit! This recipe works with nearly any juicy fruit or berry. My favorite and my top suggestions are blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries! Because some fruits are sweeter or more tart than others, so you may want to add lemon juice or your sweetener slowly and increase as desired.
- Swap maple syrup with agave or leave it out entirely.
- Add in some extras! Vanilla extract is sooo yummy in here, highly recommend adding a ½ teaspoon. You could also add a spice, like cinnamon!
Quick Tips
- Stir often, especially during step 1 to prevent the bottom of the jam/berries from sticking and burning.
- Add more chia seeds if it's too runny. BUT before you do that, make sure the jam has completely cooled and set. If it's still really runny, you may want to add it back to the pot and add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.
- Add the lemon juice and maple syrup in increments, tasting each time! This will allow you to control how tangy or sweet the jam is and adjust to your liking.
FAQ
Store your leftover jam in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. I also store mine in mason jars.
Yes! You can freeze this homemade jam in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let it defrost completely before use.
Chia jam is a great alternative to conventional jams but I would not recommend canning it. As mentioned above, this jam is only good for up to a week. Because the jam is made with chia seeds and not pectin or sugar, it doesn't preserve the same way conventional jams do.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups frozen strawberries sliced
- 3 tablespoon (42 g) chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon (45 g) maple syrup optional
Instructions
- To a pot, add frozen strawberries and cook over medium-high heat. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the berries are bubbling and have broken down. Use a masher or fork to mash the strawberries down to your desired consistency.2 ½ cups frozen strawberries
- Add the lemon juice and maple syrup, stir to combine, then taste and adjust to your preference.1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- Add the chia seeds and stir to combine, cooking for another minute or two.3 tablespoon chia seeds
- Remove from heat, allowing the jam to thicken and set.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
Lauren says
Sooo yummy! I've made blueberry chia jam as well using this recipe!