Canning 101: Freezer Jam (Recipe: Nectarine Raspberry Freezer Jam)

Written by Cheri of Kitchen Simplicity.

Freezer Jam is a great way to break into the preserving scene. The recipes are made in smaller batches, require little to no cooking (which gives them a fresher taste) and need no special canning equipment.

All you need to do is puree or mash some fruit, mix it with sugar and pectin and throw it in the freezer!
There are a several different options for making freezer jam:

  • It can be made with freezer jam pectin, which is simply mixed together with sugar and stirred directly into the mashed or pureed fruit.
  • You can use regular pectin by boiling it with water and stirring it into the sugar/fruit mixture.
  • In some recipes you can even omit the pectin because they are cooked long enough to thicken up such as this Last Minute Strawberry Jam or because the fruit itself contains pectin as the cranberries do in this Grapefruit Cranberry Marmalade. This makes an already easy project that much easier.

Whichever pectin you choose don’t be afraid to get creative with the fruit combinations you use, just follow the fruit/sugar/pectin ratios on the back of the box.

There’s no reason not to make your own jam when it’s this simple and the results are so delicious. Besides, you can’t get these endless combinations at your local grocery store!

Recipe: Nectarine Raspberry Freezer Jam

I prefer using nectarines over peaches in many recipes because there’s no need to peel their thin skin.

  • 3 nectarines, pitted and chopped
  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 (1-3/4oz) package powdered fruit pectin
  1. Puree nectarines and raspberries. Strain through a sieve to remove seeds.
  2. Add sugar and let sit 10 minutes.
  3. Stir water and pectin together in a small saucepan. Boil for 1 minute.
  4. Stir into fruit mixture for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
  5. Divide into storage container and allow to sit, sealed at room temperature until set (up to 24 hours).
  6. Store in the fridge for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

Makes approximately: 5 cups
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Will you be making your own jam this year? What flavour combinations would you like to try?

Photos by Cheri Neufeld

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34 Comments

  1. Can you make freezer jam from frozen fruit?
    I froze a lot of the fruit I had bought… but now I’m thinking I’d like to take some of it and make freezer jam. Will that work? Would it be too wet?

    any idea? thanks!!

    1. I’ve made freezer jam with frozen fruit before with no problems. I would just make sure that the fruit is thawed and drained before using. Good luck!

  2. I am loving this series on canning! I am an avid cook & baker, & have been intimidated by canning. (Really, I was terrified of giving my family food poisoning.) I’ve always wanted to make freezer jam. My question is this: Can freezer jam be stored in a glass jar in the freezer?

    I’d love to make some of the necterine-raspberry this weekend, I just don’t want to clean up a mess if glass is not safe in the freezer. 🙂

    1. I almost always freeze my jam in glass jars. The one pictured above was frozen in that container with no problems. You shouldn’t have any problems as long as you leave a little room at the top for the jam to expand as it freezes. I’ve never had one break on me.

    2. Denise,

      I usually use glass canning jars for freezing once I discoverd the plastic ones shatter when frozen if you drop them on the floor (or they tumble out of an overstocked freezer). Ball suggests only using the tapered glass canning jars where the mouth is wider then the base. Anything with shoulders could break as the jam freezes.

      -Robin

  3. I make freezer jam all the time! It’s quick and easy and I don’t have to get out the canner! I have Kumquat Marmalade and Strawberry in my freezer right now! We love it!

  4. I’m so excited for all of these tutorials. I started making freezer jam early last month with strawberries and it turned out wonderful. I will never buy jam again. Can wait to get started canning.

  5. Mmm! That flavor combination sounds so good! I can’t wait until I’m moved, so I can try out canning. I’m just itching to do it. 🙂

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  7. I made the jam this morning! Of course, I *had* to sample it- OH MY GOODNESS, it was SO YUMMY!!! I ended up cutting the sugar down to 2 c, instead of the 4 c listed. The jars are setting up on my counter now. I ended up getting the crystalized jelly jars from Ball. They were smaller sized, and freezer safe! This recipe is going into my “family favorites cookbook!”

  8. How long does the freezer jam last in the freezer?

    What about after it’s pulled out of the freezer?

    I am planning on making freezer jam for my wedding favors…in the plastic jars with the purple tops; just didn’t know when I should make it so it wouldn’t spoil.

    Thanks!

    1. Hi Crystal! At the bottom of the recipe it says, “Store in the fridge for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.” If you have any other questions just let me know. 🙂

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  10. Does the amount of sugar in the recipe make a difference in how the jam thickens? I made blueberry nectarine jam using your recipe, but I only used a cup of sugar. The blueberries were sweet enough without a lot of sugar. My jam didn’t thicken very much. It tastes great though, so we will just use it as syrup on pancakes or ice cream.

  11. I made my first batch of freezer jam yesterday (peach). I used liquid pectin though. I wonder if one packet of liquid pectin would work here.

  12. I have to limit my sugar intake, just wondering if you can make this or any other kind of jam without any added sugar?

  13. Sounds amazing! I just scored a deal of fresh raspberries from Quebec at the market yesterday, this is just what I was looking for! 🙂
    Thank you for sharing!

  14. A few questions since this is my very first time making jam. This recipe looks the easiest for first timers, but still had questions, Here are they are.

    1) I am using a bag of mixed, FROZEN fruit. What would the measurement/ratio be?

    2) Do you have to sanitize the glass jars first? I was reading other sites on sanitizing steps.

    3) just to clarify, you let the jars filled with the hot jam sit out on the counter at room temperature until it’s set? Approximately 24 hours?

    Thanks!