Thick, spreadable and completely sugar free, this homemade blueberry jam is easy to make and does not require any special tools or canning knowledge. In 3 quick steps, you can have sugarless blueberry freezer jam to spread on toast, biscuits or pancakes. Great jam tutorial for beginners!

Blueberries are my jam.

Okay, that sounds cheesy considering the subject of this blog post but I couldn’t help myself.

Really though, blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. They are sweet, sometimes slightly tart and juicy. Their small size makes it easy to pop a handful into your mouth when you want a pick me up or snack. And the little berries pair ever so well with countless dishes. I love tossing them into blueberry pies, crisps, smoothies, topping my yogurt and kefir with them and making a low sugar blueberry sauce to drizzle over waffles at breakfast time.

Growing up, my brother and I used butter and jelly on our morning toast. The breakfast was simple. Just a touch sweet and creaminess. Often the jelly we used was Smucker’s Simply Fruit due to it being sweetened with real fruit and not loads of cane sugar. I never cared much for many jams since they are often made with more sugar than actual fruit.

Little did I know that it was possible to make jams and jellies at home without using an ounce of sugar.

Upon this discovery, I started experimenting with homemade jam recipes. I first started with a date sweetened apple butter. Then I tried a jam recipe made with only fruit juice. Both were a success! This year when my sister in-law made up several batches of strawberry jam with little to no sugar and I knew that I was going to have to preserve several jars of homemade blueberry jam as soon as I could get my hands on some berries.

Just the other day, I picked up 20 pounds of blueberries from an organic blueberry farm. In addition to baking, freezing and much munching, I preserved the delicious berries in this sugar free blueberry freezer jam recipe. The jam is sweetened only by the fresh blueberries and apple juice concentrate. The lemon juice adds a slight tart kick, while the small amount of cinnamon gives the jam a subtle hint of spice and flavor. Pomona’s Pectin is my go-to choice for creating sugarless jams. A batch of this jam can be frozen to eat throughout the fall and winter when blueberries are no longer in season. No canning skills or supplies needed.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are such a tasty, sweet treat. But did you know that they also have many wonderful benefits to the body? Here are just a few:

High in vitamin C
Rich in antioxidants
Full of fiber
Great source of vitamins and minerals
Can help manage hypoglycemia
Potential to rejuvenate pancreas
May help reduce blood pressure
Are nutrient dense and low in calories

What is Pectin?

Pectin is a naturally occurring fiber in all fruits and vegetables. Pomona’s Pectin is made with 100% pure citrus pectin that has been extracted from the dried peel of a lemon, orange or lime.

What is Pomona’s Pectin?

Pomona’s Pectin is a citrus based pectin created to be used in low sugar or sugarless jams and jellies. It is sugar free, non-gmo, preservative free and gluten free. For more helpful hints and tips about Pomona’s Pectin, refer to the information sheet included within the box of pectin.

Where Can I Buy Pomona’s Pectin?

I purchase Pomona’s Pectin from Azure Standard and a local natural food store in my area. Amazon does sell Pomona’s Pectin but it is fairly pricey. If you visit Pomona’s Universal Pectin website, they have a store locator that will help you find a local store near you that carries Pomona’s Pectin.

How Long Does Pomona’s Pectin Last?

As long as the product is kept in a cool, dry place, it will keep indefinitely.

How to Make Calcium Water

To create the calcium water for this sugar free jam recipe, add 1/2 teaspoon of calcium powder (the small packet in the Pomona’s Pectin box) to 1/2 cup of water. Place a lid over the jar and shake well, until the powder has dissolved. The calcium water can be stored in the fridge for about 6 months as long as it doesn’t smell or change color.

How Long Does Freezer Jam Last?

Stored in the freezer the jam can last up to a year or more, if stored properly. Once the jar of jam has been opened, store it in the fridge. The sugarless freezer jam typically lasts about a month.

Can You Use Glass Jars for Freezer Jam?

I find glass mason jars, especially when sealed with a plastic lid, freeze very well! No cracking, breaking or freezer burn. If you do not have a glass jar, technically any high quality freezer-friendly container will work.

Sugar Free Blueberry Jam Recipe

Preserve summer blueberries with this easy to make blueberry jam recipe. Simple, sugarless and sweetened with only fruit, this freezer jam recipe is absolutely delicious on top of freshly baked biscuits.

Makes: 3 half pint jars

Jam Ingredients

2 pounds fresh blueberries
1 cup apple juice concentrate, divided
1 Tbs lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbs calcium water
1/2 Tbs Pomona’s Pectin

How to Make Blueberry Freezer Jam

In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour in the blueberries, 3/4 cup of apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, cinnamon and calcium water. Crush berries with a potato masher. Bring the berries to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.

As the mixture cooks, it will begin to thicken slightly and reduce by about a quarter. Towards the end of cooking, in a small bowl, mix the pectin into the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate. Add to pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until thickened.

Remove pot from heat. Scoop jam in jars and allow to cool to room temperature. Apply lids and freeze.

Do you love blueberries as much as I do? Try my sugar free blueberry crisp recipe.

Yield: 3 half pint jars

Sugar Free Blueberry Freezer Jam

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh blueberries
1 cup apple juice concentrate, divided
1 Tbs lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tbs calcium water
1/2 Tbs Pomona’s Pectin

Instructions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, pour in the blueberries, 3/4 cup of apple juice concentrate, lemon juice, cinnamon and calcium water. Crush berries with a potato masher. Bring the berries to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
As the mixture cooks, it will begin to thicken slightly and reduce by about a quarter. Towards the end of cooking, in a small bowl, mix the pectin into the remaining 1/4 cup apple juice concentrate. Add to pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until thickened.
Remove pot from heat. Scoop jam in jars and allow to cool to room temperature. Apply lids and freeze.