Homemade Less Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam is Simple to Make
My mom has always loved to make freezer jam. I blame her for the fact that I am a total jam snob. Once you’ve had fresh strawberry or raspberry jam, there’s just no going back. You are going to love this Sure-Jell Less Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam!
A few years ago, she decided, against her better judgment, to try the less-sugar recipe instead of the full-sugar recipe. (She was trying not to eat as much sugar at the time and thought, “What the heck? It’s just one batch.”)
To her surprise, it turned out awesome. It still tastes very sweet, and I personally think it tastes just as good, if not a little better, than the full sugar recipe. You can taste the fruit flavor coming through even more with a little extra tartness, which I love. And to top it off, it gives you a nice warm feeling inside to know you are not eating as much sugar. 🙂
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Making your own freezer strawberry jam is super simple. You need sugar, 2 lbs of strawberries, a box of less-sugar Sure-Jell, and some air-tight jars or containers to freeze it in. My mom always just used pint-sized canning jars. I use whatever I’ve got lying around. This time, it was 12-ounce canning jars someone had given me.
I hope you will give the less-sugar recipe a try. We love it!
How to Make Less Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
- First, you prepare your jars and set them aside.
- Next, clean the berries and remove the stems. After all 4 pints of berries are clean, mash them or pulse them in a food processor until they are the consistency you desire. It will turn out to be about 4 cups of smashed or chopped berries.
- Next, measure out the exact amount of sugar into a large saucepan. Stir in 1 box of Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Fruit Pectin.
- Add one cup of water, and while stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the mixture is boiling, boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Quickly add crushed or mashed berries (all four cups), and stir for 1 minute or until thoroughly mixed.
- Pour into prepared containers, leaving at least 1/2 inch space at the top of the container to allow for expansion during freezing.
- Let stand until completely cooled. Put lids on and then leave the containers be for 24 hours before putting them in the freezer.
Tips for Making Homemade Less Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
- I use a strawberry huller to remove the stems. Someone gave it to me, and I love it because it helps reduce waste. It just grabs the little stem and leaves, leaving you more strawberry than a knife does.
- Use a food processor to mash or chop the strawberries until they are the consistency you desire. I like mine very finely chopped.
- The recipe says it makes 6 cups, but it almost always makes 6 1/2 when I do it.
- Jam can be kept in the fridge for up to three weeks or frozen for up to a year.
Cook’s Tools for Making Strawberry Jam:
- Less or No Sugar Fruit Pectin
- Strawberry Huller
- Food Processor
- Masher Kitchen Tool
- Pint Canning Jars
- Canning Tools Set
Serve Less Sugar Strawberry Jam with...
- 4 cups smashed or puréed strawberries (approx. 2 lbs of fresh berries)
- 1 box Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Fruit Pectin
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Prepare and clean your jars. You will need 3-4 pint jars or a combination of jars that will allow for 6-7 cups of jam between them.
- Clean strawberries and remove the stems. Mash or chop them in a food processor until they are the consistency you desire. This should be approximately 4 cups of smashed or chopped berries.
- Next, exactly measure 3 cups of sugar into a large saucepan. Add the box of Sure-Jell Less or No Sugar Recipes Fruit Pectin, and stir well until thoroughly mixed.
- Add 1 cup of water, stir, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat, and quickly stir in the smashed berries (all 4 cups at once) until thoroughly mixed.
- Next, quickly pour into prepared jars, making sure to leave at least ½-inch of space at the top of the container to allow for expansion during freezing.
- Let jars sit without lids until completely cooled.
- Once cooled, clean the tops, add the lids, and then allow jars or containers to sit out for 24 hours before freezing the jam.
- Jam can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or frozen for up to 1 year.
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This is awesome! I am totally sharing it on Facebook!
Thanks Kelly!
Hi Maria – can you make the low sugar where your just cook the pectin and H2O vs pectin, sugar & H2O?
I am not sure, I have never tried that method.
I don’t know how soon you’ll get this. I’ll JUST made this jam! It’s cooling now. I used some strawberries that were very ripe, and I don’t want them to get even older over night if the jars sit out. Can i let them sit in the fridge overnight before freezing?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel,
Now that they are preserved in the pectin they will not continue to ripen so you don’t need to worry about that. I do, however, think it will be fine if you put them in the fridge too, if that makes you more comfortable.
Is it necessary to boil the jars after filling them? I read on another recipe where that needs to be done to create the proper seal. I assume it’s not needed since you didn’t mention that, but I wanted to make sure!
Because it is freezer Jam, they do not have to have a seal. So no, you do not boil them.
Has anyone ever tried using even less sugar in the low sugar recipe? Did it set and did it taste good if they did?
I have heard that it doesn’t set up if you try to use less sugar.
My strawberries are rising to the top of the jar. Can they be stored down as they cool?
Did you crush your strawberries or leave them in large chunks? I find that if the texture isn’t consistent the larger pieces rise to the top. When it is totally done and you open it to actually use…that would be the best time to stir them in.
But the pink box says “ for use in less or no sugar needed recipes”. But not instructions in the box. My regular box had instructions with sugar. 🤷♀️
I don’t know why but they haves stopped putting instructions in the boxes. Hopefully this recipe was helpful to you.
My mom and I accidentally made the low sugar version this summer. It’s the best! We’ Make it this way every time! PS we use fresh picked strawberries:)
YUMMMM!!!!
Did you use regular pectin or low sugar pectin?
I used Low Sugar Pectin.
How can I make low sugar freezer jam with the regular Sure Jel? I have tried the recipe that is in the regular, it never sets up. I was given 12 boxes of the regular and I have wasted 4 on the jam I have tried…and ended up with syrup. Please help…I am wasting too much sugar.
Hi Donna, unfortunately (to my knowledge) you can’t make the low sugar kind with regular sure jel. They have developed a special pectin recipe and sell it desperately. It is in a pink box. It tastes awesome, I like it better then regular (all sugar) jam.
This freezer jam recipe is the best I have ever made!! My husband loves it!!
I had to make the regular recipe because I bought the wrong sure jell(The yellow box) . I didn’t see the pink bx at Walmart. Now I know next time I look. I look forward to trying your recipe soon.
You’ll love it! I am starting to prefer the less sugar, I think it is even better then the regular!
The pink box at Walmart is by the kitchen by the canning supplies
My friend had this issue and asked my help but I am just as puzzled. We live in Tennessee and make strawberry freezer jam yearly. She traveled to Florida to visit and was helping daughter-in-law make strawberry jam. It wouldn’t jell. Used regular sure jell jam recipe. Any suggestions?
I wish I had a suggestion. I don’t know why sometimes they work and other times they don’t.
I found that if I didn’t boil with high heat, it didn’t set up near as well.
Interesting, thank you for sharing.
Is there any way you can use the pink low sugar box and use granulated Splenda? I’ve tried without sugar and I didn’t like it. Thanks for your help!
Hi Denise, I am not sure, I have never used anything but regular sugar.
I made muscadine jelly with Truvia cane sugar blend and it worked great. Spenda should work also.
I made the low sugar strawberry jam. I just poured them into the jars and they are separating with the strawberries all going to the top. What did I do wrong?
The strawberries will do that if they are not thoroughly crushed. The bigger pieces will always settle at the top.
As they cool and thicken, I stir them and it blends well.
I’m hoping when it unfreezes you can just stir it up and the jam pieces will all just distribute evenly?
Did you crush your strawberries or leave them in large chunks? I find that if the texture isn’t consistent the larger pieces rise to the top. Yes, when it unfreezes and you are ready to use, it should work well to just stir it at that point.
When making strawberry freezer jam can honey be substituted for any amount of sugar ?
No, you need to use sugar.
I made this recipe exactly as written. The only difference is I used Ball low or no sugar pectin instead of Sure Jell. The flavor is amazing but it wouldn’t jell. I did a second amount of pectin and it got a little thicker but still won’t stay on a sandwich. Now I’m trying a third amount of pectin. If this doesn’t work we’ll just have thick syrup. :(. At least it still tastes good!
That is a bummer. I haven’t tried the Ball low or no sugar pectin. I like to stick with the Sure Jell brand because I have always had success with it.
This has always been my go to recipe for freezer jam, problem is you can’t find Sure Jell Less anywhere so had to buy Ball brand. Still gonna use this recipe and hope for the best cause Mickigan berries are happening now.
Michigan…typo error.
I followed the recipe on the box (yellow Box) my freezer jam is grainy with sugar. I heated the pectin, berries and sugar to baby formula warmth. Can I set the jars in hot water to help melt
the sugar crystals? Never had this happen before.
Hi Gina, I have never had that happen before either. I am not sure if putting the jars in how water would melt the crystals. It might be worth a shot.
I have used both Sure-Jell pink and yellow and had problems with it jelling Which is better the yellow or the pink
I use the pink because I like that it is low sugar. Both of them should work fine. I have found with jam the the measurements need to be absolutely exact or I have trouble with it jelling. The amount of time in the cooking is also really crucial. I hope your next batch is a success!
The jam turned out excellent. This is my second year making it. Some of the batches separated, but that’s supposed to be okay, right? Others, I puréed the strawberries and it didn’t (though I prefer small chunks of strawberries. Do you have nutritional information for this jam for those watching our calories?
Glad you like the recipe April, I’m sorry but I don’t have nutritional info for my recipes.
I tried this recipe with strawberry/apricot combo. Tastes AMAZING!! We shall see how it sets up. Thanks for the recipe.
Can you use frozen strawberries for this recipe? If so, how many pounds/cups?
Yes, you let them completely thaw and get to room temperature. Smash them up and measure out the amount of cups the recipe calls for.
Are you serious??? This is a full-sugar recipe, not a low- of no-sugar recipe.
Maria’s very serious. She said LESS sugar, not low or no sugar recipe. The original recipe, the yellow box, calls for 1 quart of fruit and 4 cups of sugar. The pink box, with a different pectin formula, calls for 2 quarts of fruit and 3 cups of sugar. My mother-in-love, yes she’s precious, has made the original recipe for years. My husband, our four sons and myself love it. I’ve never heard of the LESS sugar option. Thank you Maria for sharing this with us! I can’t wait to try it and see what my man and our guys think of it! Have a wonderful summer with your family!
P.S. Sometimes the original recipe would separate. We just gave it a stir and enjoyed eating it on one of my mother-in-love’s homemade hot rolls or homemade bread. It’s always been delicious.
Thank you so much Moni, I hope you have a great summer with lots of jam making too!
Actually the full sugar version calls for about double the sugar. This is low sugar.
Can I Process this jam instead of freezing it?
There is a different set of instructions for making the jam for processing.https://reallifedinner.com/less-sugar-cooked-raspberry-jam-recipe/
Typo? Recipe on box says 2 quarts of berries = 2lb 12 oz
Hi Heidi, I apologize for the confusion. You need 4 cups of smashed or pureed strawberries. I have edited the recipe so that it hopefully makes more sense now.
2 pounds of strawberries is not 4 pints. It is 4 cups. Could mess up the jam if you don’t reference other recipes.
Thank you for noticing that, I have fixed it now.
So happy for your recipe. The sure jell this year i purchased does not have the recipe sheets in them anymore very upset. Not everybody has cell phones to scan the Q R Code . First year making the low sugar pectin and it is great. Thank you.
I am so glad this was helpful.
So glad you have this recipe on your site, the sure jel box no longer includes the recipe and website was not easy to navigate. Thank you!!
You are welcome, I am so glad this was helpful.
When I opened my package of Sure Jell less sugar, I was surprised to NOT find paper instructions! These were a life saver, and easy to follow. Thank you!
Woah, that is crazy that the instructions weren’t in the box. Maybe there are expecting everyone to go to their website now. I am glad this was helpful.
Yes, you are a life saver!! Instructions no longer come in the box and I couldn’t find recipes on their website! The box says to go to surejell.com, but that is no longer a web address. I was able to find thesurejell.com, but still, no recipes. I’m so glad I found your site! Thank you for sharing this with us!!
So glad I put it up a few years ago. I would be so sad too not to have this recipe anymore. Freezer jam is a staple at our house.
I just made this with thawed frozen mango, diced small. Also used monk fruit in place of sugar. We like spicy so I added diced habanero and crispy bacon pieces. Fabulous on crackers with cheese. So far so good! Thanks
Yum, That sounds so good!
For as long as I remember, we never had to cook this jam. The result is a much fresher “just picked” taste in the jam. I challenge you to try this method and compare the results 🙂
Hi, Dan. Thanks for the suggestion.