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–+ servings
a jar of jam on a kitchen table.
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4.92 from 34 votes

Small Batch Refrigerator Jam

This small batch refrigerator jam is made from scratch with just 2 ingredients, enough for one small jar with no pectin or canning needed.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: blueberry jam, blueberry refrigerator jam, fridge jam, homemade jam, jam, jam without pectin, refrigerator jam, refrigerator jelly, small batch jam, strawberry jam, strawberry refrigerator jam
Servings: 12 servings (1 tablespoon each)
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pint blueberries or 2 cups of chopped strawberries
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Add the blueberries (or strawberries) and sugar to a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the fruit begins to simmer.
  • Mash the fruit with a potato masher or the back of a fork to break it down.
  • When the mixture comes to a boil, stir often so the sugar dissolves and the fruit softens evenly.
  • Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the jam thickens and a spoon dragged across the bottom of the pan leaves a brief trail.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and let the jam cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.
  • Transfer the cooled jam to a clean glass jar.

Video

Notes

Use a small saucepan: A 1-quart saucepan is the right size for this batch. There's so little fruit that a large pan spreads it too thin, and the edges cook down before the center does. The small pan keeps everything at an even depth so it thickens evenly.
Cut strawberries to an even size: If you're using strawberries, chop them into similar-sized pieces so they break down at the same rate. Blueberries are small enough to skip this.
Keep the heat at medium and stir the bottom: A small batch of sugary fruit can catch on the bottom of the pan, so cook over medium heat and stir along the bottom often.
Expect a soft set: This jam stays looser than store-bought since there's no added pectin. Cook it to a soft, spoonable thickness and stop there. Cooking it longer to firm it up can turn it sticky once it cools.
 
If doubling the recipe use a 2-quart saucepan.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 13IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 2mg

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