Strawberry Chia Seed Jam with honey and no refined sugar added, a quick and easy small-batch jam that only requires 4 ingredients and no canning needed whatsoever. It's a delicious homemade jam that can be enjoyed on toast or as a sandwhich filling, or to top any pudding of your choice.
Making your own jam might sound old-fashioned and time-consuming, but it's actually a lot easier to make than you'd think, and the whole process is rather satisfying and very rewarding.
True, you can just buy a jar of any jam you can think of from shops, but trust me, it just isn't the same thing. There might be different brands of different quality out there, but I find that most of them are overly sweet and cheap tasting.
Not to mention that making jam can also reduce wastage, if you have lots of fresh fruit around that you won't use immediately and that could otherwise end up in the bin.
You don't even need to worry about canning, although that is really easy to do as well. With a small batch, you can keep the jar in the fridge and consume within days, and it will not get spoiled.
Now, unlike traditional jam recipes, which call for fruit and sugar, this strawberry chia jam does not use refined sugar at all, only honey to give it a nice touch. If the fruit used is ripe and juicy, you really don't need tons of sugar.
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Serving suggestions
And you get a wholesome homemade jam that is perfect for topping your favourite oat porridge, semolina pudding, tapioca pudding or rice pudding.
And if you want to try different fruit to make jam, why not have a look at my preserve recipes, I have lots of jam recipes here, including other 2 variations of straberry jam: strawberry jam with frozen strawberries and straberry and rhubarb jam.
I absolutely love chia seeds, they are so versatile, and make the perfect chia seed pudding too. You can also top the chia seeds pudding with this jam.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- strawberries - I used fresh strawberries, but frozen strawberries will also work
- chia seeds - black variety, but white chia seeds can be used as well
- honey - I used runny honey, but any other honey will do too
- lemon juice - freshly-squeezed, but bottled lemon juice will work too
Why this recipe works
- the chia seeds help set the jam, so there is no need to add refined sugar for that, which makes this jam a lot better for you
- can be used to top your favourite puddings, in baking or to make sandwiches
- it's delicious - it's a very aromatic jam that tastes so good!
- it's quick - the recipe comes together in no time
- no canning needed - it's a small batch, so you don't have to worry about preserving it
- it's soft and it spreads really well, without being too sloppy
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- wash and remove the leafy stem from each strawberry
- cut the strawberries in half of quarter, if they are rather big, and add them to a pan set over a medium heat
- add the honey and lemon juice, and let them simmer stirring occasionally, so that the strawberries can release their juices
- continue to simmer until the strawberries begin to turn soft and mushy, but there is still juice left
- use a potato masher to mash the strawberries to the desired texture - I like the jam to have bits in it, so I don't mash them too well
- remove the pan from the heat, add the chia seeds, and mix well
- allow the jam to cool down, it will set further as it cools down, and the chia seeds will bloom
- transfer the jam to a jar or container, and refrigerate until ready to use
Expert tips
Unlike a traditional jam, this strawberry jam with chia seeds does not need to be cooked for as long, there needs to be some liquid left in the pan so the seeds can absord it and bloom.
There is no need for added pectin, the seeds will help the jam set nicely. Just cook the strawberries for long enough to break down and turn mushy, once they start to bubble away and haf of the liquid released is absorbed, it's done.
No need to add water to the strawberries, they release their juices quickly. It is important to add lemon juice, not only for extra flavour, but because its acidity balances out the sweetness of the fruit.
Other jam recipes
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Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh strawberries ( 3 cups)
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
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Instructions
- Wash and remove the leafy stem from each strawberry.
- Cut the strawberries in half or quarter, depending on their size, and add them to a pan set over a medium heat.
- Add the lemon juice, and leave the strawberries to simmer until their release their juices and start to break down and turn mushy, but they still have liquid left.
- Use a potato masher to mash them down to the desired texture.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the chia seeds and honey, and mix well.
- Allow the jam to cool down completely, the seeds will bloom and set the jam further.
Video
Notes
- Unlike a traditional jam, this strawberry jam with chia seeds does not need to be cooked for as long, there needs to be some liquid left in the pan so the seeds can absord it and bloom.
- There is no need for added pectin, the seeds will help the jam set nicely. Just cook the strawberries for long enough to break down and turn mushy, once they start to bubble away and haf of the liquid released is absorbed, it's done.
- No need to add water to the strawberries, they release their juices quickly. It is important to add lemon juice, not only for extra flavour, but because its acidity balances out the sweetness of the fruit.
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