Homemade Spiced Holiday Jam – Christmas in a Jar!

Spiced holiday jam is a must-have around the holidays, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The delicious combination of berries and spices (and a whole lot of sugar) pairs well with practically every holiday dish. It’s bound to become your most sought-after condiment of the holiday season.

There is another major benefit to making your own spiced Christmas jam—they make perfect holiday gifts. Use a few of your extras (or make another batch) to gift to family and friends, spreading the holiday spirit. You can also fill tiny jars to place on your dinner table if you’re hosting Christmas dinner as cute party favors.

This jam does need to be canned for long-term storage. But don’t panic if you’ve never tried canning before. It’s easier than you think, and I’ll take you through the whole process here.

The Canning Process

If you’ve never made jam before, there are a couple of things to know about storage. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as spooning the mixture into glass jars and closing the lids.

To store your jams safely without risk, they must be canned properly. Improper canning comes with a long list of icky risks like bacteria, mold, and more, that you don’t want to ruin your entire batch. If you plan on eating all the jam pretty much immediately, storing it in the fridge for a few days is fine. But long-term storage, especially at room temperature, requires canning.

Luckily, the canning process is not as difficult as it sounds. Thanks to the sugar and acid content of this jam recipe, you don’t need any complicated equipment either. All you need is a few canning jars and a pot large enough to submerge them completely in water over a stove.

This process is water bath canning, and it’s the easiest of the canning methods, ideal for beginners. You can also use a pressure canner, but this isn’t a necessity for jam recipes. If you’re starting out, water bath canning requires minimal equipment and is a relatively easy process to follow.

If something does go wrong when you’re canning for the first time, you don’t have to give up on your jam and start again. You can store it in the fridge instead to consume immediately. That does mean you’ll need to come up with a lot more jam-based recipes, but at least your ingredients won’t go to waste.

What You’ll Need

Now, onto the jam itself. The main ingredients in this recipe are the Christmas classics, cranberries and strawberries. You can use other berries if you prefer (I’ve tried a similar recipe with grapes), but I think these are the most festive and easily accessible options.

There are also a few apples for a touch of tartness. If you prefer a citrusy aftertaste, you can replace apples with oranges and orange zest. In this case, I would use only one or two oranges, rather than the three apples this recipe calls for.

The ‘spiced’ part of the holiday jam comes from a few classic ingredients—cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and allspice. Simply smelling this mix will immediately transport you to the Christmas season (you can also use it in a Christmas simmer pot to make your home smell like Christmas). I’ve suspended the spices whole in a bag, but you can also replace those with ground spices if that’s all you have.

The remaining ingredients are lemon juice, sugar (of course), and pectin. Pectin is the ingredient that thickens your jam and gives it the right consistency. As fruit contains natural pectin, it is possible to leave this out. However, you’ll need to cook the jam for much longer, and the texture will be slightly different.

Canning Supplies

If you’ve never tried canning before, you’ll also need to grab some basic canning supplies. It’s important to ensure you have everything you need before you start, so you’re not rushing around looking for missing items as you’re ready to can.

To start, you will need glass jars and lids that are suitable for canning. Smaller jars are best for jams (around 8 oz.), but what size you use is up to you. You’ll also find cans with different designs and shapes—totally a matter of personal preference as to which one you choose.

Next, you need a large pot or a water canning bath. The pot needs to be deep enough for the jars to be completely submerged in water with at least an inch of water above the lids (preferably closer to 3″). Any smaller and your jam will not can properly.

If you don’t have a rack that fits at the bottom of the pot to raise the jars off the bottom, add that to your list. You’ll also need a jar lifter to safely remove the cans from the water bath.

Those are the few must-haves, but there are also some extras, including:

• A ladle for filling
• A wide-mouth funnel to avoid a mess when filling
• A timer for measuring time in the water bath
• Skewer or knife to release trapped air bubbles in the jars
• Clean cotton towels for cooling

The Recipe

Once you’ve got all your ingredients gathered, you’re ready to start cooking! There are just six steps to making a tasty spiced holiday jam you can enjoy throughout Christmas.

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Jars

I like to start every recipe with all the ingredients and materials as planned and prepped as possible. There’s nothing worse than getting stuck between three different tasks at the same time because you forgot to prepare in advance. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 6 whole cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 6 allspice
• 16oz cranberries
• 16oz strawberries
• 3 apples
• 6 cups sugar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 pouches pectin

Gather your spices and tie them into a spice bag (a piece of muslin works well). Chop your strawberries and apples into smaller pieces. You can use fresh or frozen strawberries and cranberries, depending on what you have available.

You also need to sterilize your canning jars. Start by washing and rinsing them thoroughly. Then, submerge the jars in a pot full of boiling water for a couple of minutes. Lift them out using your jar lifter and place on a rack to dry in a clean area.

Step 2: Simmer

Grab your chopped fruits and spice bag and place them into a large pot. Add the water, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat the mixture and let it simmer, continuously checking to ensure it doesn’t overheat. You want the fruits to slowly cook, releasing their delicious flavors, while the spices infuse into the mixture. To speed up the process, mix the fruits in a food processor before adding them to the pot.

Step 3: Strain and Thicken

For a more traditional jam, you don’t need to strain the mix. This also shortens the cooking time, as you can add the pectin straight away. However, I prefer a clear and smooth consistency, so I decided to strain the mixture into another clean pot. Don’t throw away the remaining fruits—they’re great for making holiday sauces.

Next comes the pectin to thicken the jelly. A long cooking time does help release the pectin in the strawberries, but adding extra time helps create the right consistency. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the liquid pectin, stirring vigorously. It should boil completely for another minute before removing from the heat.

Step 4: Pour into Jars

If you’re using a funnel, place it inside the jar and ladle the mixture inside. A funnel helps keep the rim of the jar clean, which is essential for sealing the jar correctly. If the rim or lid is dirty, you’ll encounter issues in the canning process. Leave around ¼ inch of headspace before placing the lids on. There is no need to secure them too tightly; just ensure they are secure.

Step 5: Water Bath Can

Place all your jars on the rack inside the large pot. Fill with water until the water line is two inches above where the jar lids end. Heat the container until the water comes to a boil. Then, once the water is boiling, set a timer for 10 minutes.

Don’t set the timer until the water is definitely boiling—timing is essential to ensure your jams are canned correctly. Small bubbles are not enough here, and patience is key. Keep the pot covered for the full 10 minutes to trap the heat in.

Step 6: Allow to Cool

After 10 minutes is up, use the jar lifter to remove the jams from the water bath. Place them on a heat-proof surface or tray to cool without damaging your countertop. The glass will be extremely hot—make sure you don’t accidentally touch them with your hands.

Now, all there is left to do is wait. Leave the jars out for around 12 hours or overnight to set completely. Once they have cooled completely, add your labels (with the date you made the jam) and store them in your cupboard, ready to use throughout the holiday season.

Using Your Christmas Jam

This tasty recipe is so easy to use in a variety of ways. The obvious choice is classic holiday dishes, but you’re not limited to the basics. I love using spoonfuls of this jam on a charcuterie board, as it tastes amazing with so many cheeses. You can also use it as a sweet syrup for Christmas cocktails, or to decorate the rim of your glasses with sugar or salt. It thins when heated, making a delicious topping for desserts or ice cream.

This recipe makes several jars, possibly more than you can use yourself. They do store well if canned correctly, but they also make wonderful holiday gifts if you want to get rid of a few extras. Add a Christmas bow around the jar with a decorative label and use them as homemade favors at your next holiday that all your guests will love.