Christmas Cranberry Strawberry Jam Recipe
This festive Christmas Jam combines fresh cranberries and strawberries with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Slowly cooked in a slow cooker, this jam offers a perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors with a cozy holiday spice blend, making it an ideal spread for toast, holiday desserts, or gift jars.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 3 cups of jam 1x
- Category: Jam, Condiment, Spread
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits
- 24 oz. fresh cranberries (about 6 cups)
- 16 oz. fresh strawberries
Spices
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
Sweetener
- 2 cups brown sugar
Instructions
- Add Ingredients to Slow Cooker: Combine the fresh cranberries, strawberries, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and brown sugar into the slow cooker. Stir everything together well to evenly distribute the spices and sugar.
- Cook on High: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Make sure not to open the lid during this time to allow the jam to cook evenly and thicken properly.
- Blend the Jam: After 4 hours, transfer the cooked fruit mixture from the slow cooker into a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker. Pulse just enough to form a jam-like consistency, being careful not to over-blend to avoid turning it into cranberry butter.
- Cool and Store: Let the jam cool completely before transferring it into storage containers. The jam will thicken significantly as it cools due to the natural pectin in cranberries. Store in the refrigerator and enjoy as a festive holiday spread.
Notes
- Do not open the slow cooker lid during the 4-hour cooking time to allow proper thickening.
- Pulse gently when blending to prevent over-processing and turning jam into cranberry butter.
- This jam thickens as it cools, so its initial runny texture after cooking is normal.
- Store the jam in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- You can use an immersion blender directly in the slow cooker to reduce cleanup.
Keywords: Christmas Jam, Cranberry Jam, Holiday Jam, Slow Cooker Jam, Festive Spread, Cranberries, Strawberries, Holiday Recipes
