Homemade blueberry jam is a summer staple recipe, this one speaking to the season with warming cloves and cinnamon adding depth to the sweetness of the blueberries. The best part about this blueberry jam recipe is that it uses no sugar, and instead is naturally sweetened with apple cider, lending a delicious flavor without being overly sweet. By summer’s end, you need some homemade blueberry jam canned on your shelf so you can taste the sunshine all year through!
No Sugar Blueberry Jam
I’ve always been a sucker for summer berries, with blueberries being a favorite. Like many fruits and veggies, I always seem to have tons of blueberries ripe all at once and couldn’t possibly eat them all before they go bad!
I could freeze them, sure (and I do), but by turning them into a homemade jam with added spices and flavors they can be enjoyed all year long.
The main inspiration for this no sugar blueberry jam recipe comes from an amazing book called Naturally Sweet Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan of the Food in Jars blog.
This book has recipes for 100(!) different preserves, all made with naturally sweet ingredients rather than refined sugar. It’s a great book that I highly recommend!
How to Make Blueberry Jam
This blueberry jam recipe is super easy to make, it comes out perfectly spiced and so delicious every time. If you’re new to canning, don’t worry! I’ll walk you through the process, this is a great recipe for beginners. All you need is some blueberries and a little time!
Without added sugar in this recipe, the blueberries’ earthy sweet flavor really shines. I love adding the cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg too because it adds a warm autumn flavor that is perfect for this recipe as the season begins to turn over.
Ingredients
- Blueberries – are full of vitamins and minerals and high in antioxidants.
- Apple cider – I used apple cider in this recipe instead of grape juice concentrate that is called for in the book, and it turned out so good! This is a great way to add in-season flavor and a little bit of sweetness without adding sugar.
- Lemon zest and juice – everyone needs some zest in their life! Zest it up for a little acidity for this canning recipe.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves – fresh or ground nutmeg are great, both add a lovely and warm flavor to this earthy jam!
- Pamona’s Pectin – the box will include the pectin and the calcium powder needed for your jam to set perfectly.
About pectin:
Pectin exists naturally in all fruits and veggies in varying amounts. When combined with sweetener, sometimes it’s all you need for a good set to happen.
However, with varying levels of natural pectin and no added sweeteners, you’ll want to use Pamona’s Pectin and calcium powder to ensure a perfectly set jam for this recipe.
Pamona’s Pectin comes with 2 packets, the smaller one with calcium powder is needed to make the calcium solution with water. The larger packet has pectin powder that is added to the apple cider while making this jam.
Do I need to add pectin to blueberry jam even though blueberries have natural pectin?
Blueberries only have minimal pectin, so most no pectin recipes call for using a lot of sugar to get a good set. For this no sugar recipe it’s best to add pectin to have consistent thickening and a really good set jam, no matter what natural sweetener you decide to use.
Prepare the Canner
The very first step is to prepare your boiling water canner for a water bath method. Put the canning rack at the bottom of a large pot, and then heat the jars in simmering water until it’s time to use them.
Make sure to wash the lids in warm soapy water, and have them set aside with the bands so they are ready for use.
Make the Blueberry Jam
First, rinse the blueberries thoroughly and add them to a non-reactive pan, preferably one that is wide with lower sides. Pound the berries with a potato masher until they are good and crushed and juicy.
Add 1 1/2 cups apple cider, lemon zest and juice, spices, and calcium water mixture into the pot with the crushed blueberries.
Heat the pot on high until it is at a rolling boil, then lower the heat to medium-high and stir it on the regular for about 15-20 minutes.
When the blueberry mash begins to thicken and has reduced by about a quarter, whisk the pectin powder into the remaining 1/2 cup of apple cider, and add it to the pot.
Return the heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil and cook for about 1-2 minutes until you see signs of thickening.
Can the Jam
Once the jam is beginning to thicken and has finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat. Use a jar lifter to lift one jar at a time onto a wooden cutting board or a kitchen towel, and ladle the hot jam into the funnel to pour the jam into the prepared jar. Leave about 1/2 inch of headspace and remove any air bubbles (this headspace measuring tool helps!).
Wipe the rim of the jam jar, center a lid on the jar, and apply the band, adjusting to fingertip tight. Place the jar into the boiling water canner, then repeat the process until all of the jars are filled.
Cover the canner with a lid, bring to a full roiling boil, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the pot lid, and let the jars sit inside for 5 minutes.
Use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars, and let them cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check to make sure the lids are all sealed, they should not flex when the center is pressed.
What to Eat Blueberry Jam With
This homemade blueberry jam is unique in that it has no sugar, but I assure you it has deep summer and warm flavors!
Eat this blueberry jam on whole wheat or sourdough toast, add it to plain yogurt, or have it in a sandwich.
This jam also tastes lovely on a lemon scone, or even as a topper on vanilla ice cream. You’ll be so glad you have more of this waiting for you on your canned goods shelf this fall and winter!
Interested in more jam and jelly recipes? Try these:
No-Sugar Blueberry Jam
Ingredients
- 4 lbs blueberries
- 2 cups apple cider (not hard cider) or white grape juice concentrate
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 Tbsp calcium water (from the Pomona's Pectin box)
- 1 Tbsp Pomona's Pectin
Instructions
Prepare the Canner
- Prepare your boiling water canner for a water bath method. Put the canning rack at the bottom of a large pot, and heat the jars in simmering water until it's time to use them. Wash the lids in warm soapy water, and set aside until ready for use.
Make the Blueberry Jam
- Mix the calcium water as per Pamona's Pectin instructions.
- Rinse the blueberries thoroughly and add them to a non-reactive pan (preferably one that is wide with lower sides). Pound the berries with a potato masher until they are fully crushed.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the apple cider, lemon zest and juice, spices, and calcium water mixture into the pot with the crushed blueberries.
- Heat the pot on high until it is at a rolling boil, then lower the heat to medium-high and stir it frequently for about 15-20 minutes.
- When the blueberry mash begins to thicken and has reduced by about a quarter, whisk the pectin powder into the remaining 1/2 cup of apple cider, and add it to the pot.
- Return the heat to high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until you see signs of thickening.
- Once the jam is beginning to thicken and has finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat. Use a jar lifter to place one jar at a time onto a wooden cutting board or kitchen towel, and ladle the hot jam into the funnel to pour the jam into the prepared jar. Leave about 1/2 inch of headspace, and remove any air bubbles.
- Wipe the rim of the jam jar, and center a lid on the jar and apply the band, adjusting to fingertip tight. Place the jar into the boiling water canner, then repeat the process until all of the jars are filled.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the pot lid, and let the jars sit inside for 5 minutes.
- Use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars, and let them cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check to make sure the lids are all sealed, they should not flex when the center is pressed.
Notes
- Pamona’s Pectin comes with 2 packets, the smaller one with calcium powder is needed to make the calcium solution with water. The larger packet has pectin powder that is added to the apple cider while making this jam.
Should this jam be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, since it has no sugar? How long will it keep?
This is a canning recipe, which means it has a shelf life of 18+ months unrefrigerated, on your pantry shelf. If you aren’t canning it, it’ll be good for a week or two refrigerated.
I’ve been looking for a no sugar grape jam recipe. I checked Marisa’s book that you mentioned but her grape recipe uses maple sugar. Do you think your blueberry recipe minus the spices has a chance of working out?
This recipe was not tested with grapes. You will need to find an approved recipe for making sugar-free grape jam.
Thanks for your response
Is there anyway to make this jam using dried blueberries??
Yes, as long as they’re rehydrated first.