Christmas Jam Recipe
27 Comments Dec 02, 2022
Updated Jun 20, 2025
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If you’re looking for the perfect homemade jam filled with tasty holiday spices, then this Christmas Jam is a must-try.
Also known as Amish Christmas jam, this sweet treat is typically made with fresh fruit and spices. If you live near an Amish community, then you can grab a few jars from one of their shops. If not, you can try making this homemade jam, especially with this easy recipe.
The Ingredients
- Cranberries: You can find fresh cranberries at your local grocery store during the late fall and early winter season.
- Strawberries: Fresh strawberries help mellow out some of the sweet tart flavor from the cranberries.
- Spices: Ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg are classic wintertime seasonings that make this spiced jam irresistible.
- Brown Sugar: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to this strawberry cranberry jam.
How to make Christmas Jam
- Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cook on high while the flavors blend and your kitchen starts to smell amazing.
- Blend carefully until you get a jam-like texture—don’t overdo it.
- Pour into jars and let it cool; it will thicken naturally as it sets.
How to serve
- Christmas jam always tastes amazing served on toast, biscuits, or any bread of your choice.
- A dollop can also be put onto Greek yogurt, oatmeal, or served in the middle of a charcuterie board.
- Serving a bit on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream also sounds delicious. Add a touch of fresh orange zest for even more holiday flavor.
- Pour over a brick of cream cheese and serve with crackers at your holiday party.
Sarah’s Tips & Variations
Frozen fruit can be used as an alternative if fresh fruit is unavailable.
This recipe does not have pectin for cranberries naturally have pectin in them which is what causes the jam to thicken up while it cools.
If you do not have brown sugar on hand, you can use white sugar at a 1:1 ratio.
Featured Comment
Made the jam today and it is wonderful for Christmas. Used frozen strawberries and fresh cranberries following the recipe as is. Great taste and texture. Will use Christmas morning on scones with clotted cream and of course share some of it with family. Thank you for this recipe.
– greta
Christmas Jam Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 24 oz. fresh cranberries, (about 6 cups)
- 16 oz. fresh strawberries
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 cups brown sugar
Instructions
- Add everything to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- When the cooking time is up, add the contents from the slow cooker into a blender. Pulse until a jam forms. DO NOT OVER BLEND OR YOU WILL MAKE CRANBERRY BUTTER. You can use an immersion blender if you choose.
- The jam will thicken a lot while it cools, don't fret. Cranberries have pectin in them.
- Let cool before storing.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Storing Tips
This is not a canning recipe. Canning recipes typically call for a few extra ingredients (lemon juice) and steps (hot jars).
Make sure it has cooled down and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze. If freezing, be sure to leave an inch of room at the top of the jars for the jam will expand as it freezes.
Decorate your prepared jars with festive ribbon and jam sticker if you can. Perfect gift idea for the holiday season. Be sure to tell your recipient that the jam needs to be refrigerated or frozen.
More Slow Cooker Jams and Sauces
Banana Jam and Slow Cooker Applesauce are sweet, simple spreads perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Warm Berry Compote and Cranberry Apple Butter bring rich, seasonal flavor to toast, waffles, or ice cream.
Slow Cooker Apple Butter, Pumpkin Butter, and Blueberry Butter are smooth, spiced, and great for gifting or enjoying by the spoonful.
Delicious and easy
Love this, I put it over cream cheese with Wheat thins.
Great idea, I will be trying that.
Very tart. Next time I would double the sugar.
Making this today, but instead of cranberries I’ll be using cherries and 1/2 can of cranberry sauce. I’ll be adding liquid pectin since I’m not using cranberries and I’ll probably reduce the cloves to 1/8 teaspoon. I’ll update once I have a finished product.
Hi, Patti. Cherries also have pectin so you probably didn’t need to add any. I’m trying this today so we’ll see how it turns out.
Made this for Christmas presents for my coworkers and family. I tweaked the recipe adding more brown sugar, used frozen strawberries adding more of those and used 1/8 tsp cloves. I ended up making this into a butter rather than jam, got a little crazy with the immersion blender, but it ended up being so tasty! My kids indulged in a jar the first night! Thank you so much for sharing! I have made 2 batches already and will continue to make more! So simple and makes the whole house smell wonderful!
Delicious. And so easy. Made as shown except used 1/4tsp cloves not 1/2tsp because that isn’t a favorite. My combo was just great! With a little butter on a warm English muffin it’s heaven. Put in refrig for 2 days & it thickened to perfect consistency. Made to give as Christmas gifts in pretty jars. Thank you. p.s. I used frozen strawberries & they worked fine.