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–+ servings
image of fresh cranberries strawberries brown sugar granulated sugar ground cinnamon ground nutmeg ground cloves ground ginger orange zest lemon juice pectin frozen berries white sugar apple pie spice arranged on white marble kitchen counter with clear glass bowls and rustic brown wooden kitchen sets under soft diffuse daylight
Benjamin

Amish Christmas Jam

A festive, heirloom-quality jam made with fresh cranberries, strawberries, and a blend of winter spices like cinnamon and clove, capturing the rich, warm scent of the holidays for perfect gifting.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 half-pint jars
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Amish
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries thawed if frozen
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen strawberries sliced or roughly chopped
  • 4 cups sugar mixture of granulated and brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger optional
  • 1 packet powdered fruit pectin optional, about 1.5 oz
  • 1 tbsp orange zest from one orang e, optional
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract optional

Equipment

  • Large Non-Reactive Pot
  • Sterilized Jars
  • Immersion Blender (Optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Wash the strawberries and cranberries thoroughly. If using frozen, there is no need to thaw them first. Add the berries to a very large, non-reactive pot (stainless steel).
  2. Stir in all the sugar (granulated and brown), the fresh lemon juice, and all the spices (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and optional ginger). Give it a gentle stir.
  3. Cover the pot and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This maceration draws the juices out using the sugar, reducing cooking time and preventing scorching.
Cooking
  1. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles furiously.
  2. Reduce to medium-low, maintaining a steady simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring frequently until 'it thickens significantly and cranberries pop.
  3. For pectin-free set: Test by placing a small plate in freezer, then a spoon of jam on plate, freeze 2 min, push finger -_DIRS if it wrinkles, it's set.
  4. If using pectin, follow package instructions, typically stirring it in the final 10 minutes and boiling 1 minute.
J Cherryarring
  1. Transfer hot jam to sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, place lids and rings, process for canning immediately if doing water bath.
  2. Cool completely and refrigerate if not canning, or follow high-heat water bath for long-term pantry storage.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 130gProtein: 1g

Notes

The browned sugar adds a molasses depth to the spices. For low-sugar version, use Pomona's pectin and reduce sugar to 2 cups total. Time includes maceration as prep. Jam can be stored in fridge 3-4 weeks or frozen 6 months. If gifting, top jars with festive ribbons.
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