Thick, sweet, and incredibly spreadable, this Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam is the perfect topping for toast or addition to oatmeal.
How often do you eat jam? Many people have sworn it off due to its high sugar content. And for good reason. Most All jam you find at the grocery store has tons of added sugar, preservatives, and other unhealthy ingredients. So I'm with ya, stay away from that stuff.
BUT that doesn't mean jam isn't delicious. And sometimes you're just feeling like eating some jam (or is that just me?) So what's a girl to do? Make healthy, sugar-free, preservative-free jam, of course!
Jump to:
I first made jam last fall. In the business school at IU all juniors go through a set of classes that help you develop your business skills. As part of the class, we had to create our own business. My team started a jam company. There was, of course, a lot more nuance and technical businessy stuff that went into it. But long story short, I learned a lot about jam. Healthy jam. (Because I wasn't about to start a jam company that added a bunch of preservatives and sugar to its jam.)
My amazing team and I tried a lot of jam that semester. After cooking many batches and doing tons of research, I consider myself an amateur jam expert. (<-- That's an oxymoron, I know.)
Anyways, after that project, I spent the winter looking forward to warm weather and fresh berries to turn into jam. Now that it's full-on blueberry season I'm excited to share this Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam with you!
Ingredients
- Blueberries (of course). Buy the plumpest, freshest berries you can find. The sweeter the berries, the sweeter the jam.
- Lemon Juice. This gives the jam a hint of tartness. But more importantly it acts as a preservative. If you've ever used lemon juice to keep fruit fresh or to prevent half an avocado from going bad then you know what I mean. Without going into all the science, the acidity of the lemon helps the jam last longer.
- Arrowroot Powder. This is the thickener. Arrowroot powder is a starch extracted from plants. It's a completely natural way to help us create that super thick jam texture we know and love.
And that's it! (Besides a bit of water.) It blows my mind that companies throw tons of unnecessary ingredients into their jams when all you need to make delicious Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam is THREE ingredients.
How to make Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam
Now, don't be afraid of making jam. It's not scary at all. Your blender or food processor will do most of the work. Then all you have to do is stir. Here's a step-by-step:
- Wash and dry the blueberries. It's okay if they're not completely dry, the water will evaporate as you cook them.
- Heat the berries, water, lemon juice, and arrowroot powder in a pot for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the blueberry mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until a puree forms. It's okay if there's some skin, it will cook down.
- Place the puree back in the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat so the mixture is bubbling lightly.
- Cook for 40 minutes or so, stirring often. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the pot regularly to ensure the jam doesn't stick. When you can draw a line through the jam without it immediately filling back in, the jam is done! (Note that this does depend on the size of your pot.)
Storage
Once you've cooked the jam, you have two options. You can either let the jam cool and then store it how you'd like OR you can can the jam. I'm not an experienced 'canner' so I don't have tons of tips for you, but you can find good instructions here. Personally, I just let the jam cool and store it in a couple mason jars.
If you choose to can the jam, you can store it in the pantry for several months. If you just let it cool, you'll need to store it in the fridge. With either method, once it's in the fridge it will last a month or two.
You can eat this Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam however you'd like. Toast seems like the classic example. But personally, I like eating jam with my oatmeal. It adds some extra fruity flavor. YUM!
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this delicious, healthy jam. We are grateful for the opportunities that you give us. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam
Ingredients
- 64 Ounces Fresh Blueberries
- ¼ Cup Water
- ¼ Cup Lemon Juice
- 8 Teaspoons Arrowroot Powder
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the blueberries. Pat dry. Add blueberries, water, lemon juice, and arrowroot powder to a saucepan and heat on medium high for 5 minutes.
- Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor. Return to the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Decrease the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, approximately 25-35 minutes. Stir every couple minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the pot to avoid sticking. When you can draw a line through the center of a pan and it doesn't immediately fill back in, the jam is done.
- Store the jam in a mason jar for use within a few months. If you'd like to store the jam longer, you will need to go through the canning process.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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