What freezer jam is
Freezer jam is made with fresh crushed fruit, sugar and pectin, and it is stored in the freezer rather than in a pantry. Because the fruit is barely cooked, the flavor and color stay close to fresh berries. The trade-off is storage: it is not shelf-stable, and you need room in the fridge and freezer.
Freezer jam versus canned jam. Canned jam is cooked, packed in jars and processed in a boiling water canner so it can be stored at room temperature. Freezer jam skips the canner and keeps its quality by being kept cold. It tends to taste fresher and a bit looser in texture. If you want pantry jars, see our Ball-style raspberry jam. For the basics of how jam works, see the beginner’s guide.
Choose the right pectin
Pectin products are not interchangeable, and this is the most common source of freezer jam failures.
- Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin (original powdered) has a freezer jam recipe on its box. In that recipe, the pectin is stirred into a small amount of water and boiled for one minute, then stirred into the sugared fruit. So the jam is “no-cook” for the fruit, though not for the pectin.
- Instant or freezer jam pectin is designed to set without any heating, and it is stirred straight into the fruit and sugar.
- Regular powdered pectin made for cooked jam will not set properly if it is simply stirred in cold.
- Low or no-sugar pectins have their own freezer jam directions.
Always follow the recipe in your own box. The amounts below are a typical Sure-Jell-style freezer recipe for reference only, and the manufacturer’s current instructions take priority.
Ingredients (reference)
- 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries (about 4 cups whole berries)
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 box (1.75 oz) Sure-Jell Premium Fruit Pectin
This makes about 5 cups. The sugar level in this version is high, as sugar is part of how this pectin sets. Reducing it requires a different pectin.
Steps
- Wash, hull and crush the berries completely, a cup at a time. Measure exactly 2 cups of crushed fruit into a large bowl.
- Stir in the sugar and let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
- In a small saucepan, mix the water and pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot pectin mixture over the fruit and stir for 3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and is no longer grainy.
- Ladle into clean, freezer-safe containers, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace for expansion. Use containers made for freezing, and wipe the rims before closing.
- Follow the package instructions for letting the jam stand before it goes into the freezer. Sure-Jell directions typically have a standing period so the jam can set at room temperature before storage; check the box for the time.
A lower-sugar version
Some recipe developers use instant pectin and about half as much sugar as a regular freezer jam. For example, one published version uses 2 quarts of strawberries (about 5 cups crushed), 2 cups of sugar and 6 tablespoons of Ball instant pectin, stirred together for 3 minutes. Quantities for instant pectin vary by brand, so use the table or recipe on the pectin you buy. If you want to explore reduced-sugar options in general, read our guide to sugar-free jam.
Storage
- Freezer. Freezer jam is commonly kept for up to about a year. Check the package for the manufacturer’s guidance.
- Refrigerator. Once thawed or opened, keep it in the fridge and use it within the time on the package, which is typically a few weeks. Thaw frozen jam in the fridge, not on the counter.
- Do not refreeze thawed jam.
- Label containers with the date.
- Discard jam that smells off or shows mold.
What if the freezer jam is runny?
- Wait first. Many freezer jams take time to finish setting, up to about a day at room temperature according to many pectin instructions, and a little longer in the fridge.
- Check the pectin type, amounts and mixing time. Not stirring long enough, or using the wrong pectin, are frequent causes.
- Can you add more pectin? Some recipe writers suggest remaking the batch with additional pectin, and the pectin makers have specific remake instructions for some products. Check your box for these before you try, because adding pectin without following a method can leave grainy clumps. A simpler fix is to use the jam as a sauce over ice cream, yogurt or pancakes.
- Adding sugar can thicken the jam in some recipes, but it changes the balance; this is only a solution for products that are written for it.
Is Ball freezer jam pectin discontinued?
I could not confirm this. Availability of specific Ball and Sure-Jell products changes by season, region and retailer, and manufacturers do rebrand and discontinue lines. Check the product’s current page on the brand’s website or ask your retailer. If a particular product is unavailable, choose another pectin that lists freezer jam on the label and follow its directions rather than swapping pectin in a recipe written for a different one.
What can I use instead of sugar?
Sugar is part of the gel for many pectins, so it cannot be removed arbitrarily. Options include low or no-sugar-needed pectins, which are made to gel with less sugar, and Pomona’s pectin, which relies on calcium. Honey, agave or other sweeteners may be allowed in set amounts by some pectin instructions; follow the label.
Other fruits
Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and peaches are commonly made into freezer jam. Each pectin box lists fruit-specific amounts, so use that rather than a strawberry ratio. Wash fruit well, since it is not cooked.
Serving ideas
Stir into yogurt, spread on toast, swirl into oatmeal or use on pancakes, or spoon it over freezer French toast (more in our jam breakfast recipes). More ideas are in our beginner’s guide to jam.