Strawberry Raspberry Jam offers a simple, hands-off way to make homemade jam without hovering over a hot stovetop — an ideal method for hot summer days.
With about 15 minutes of prep, you can make a bright, flavorful strawberry raspberry jam in your slow cooker. Use fresh summer berries from the market, a crockpot, and classic pectin for an easy batch you can spread on toast, muffins, or warm scones, or use in baking like brown sugar banana bread.
Making jam at home is a great way to enjoy seasonal fruit and use up berries that are nearing peak ripeness. Summer yields the best strawberries and raspberries, and the slow cooker method keeps your kitchen cool while still producing a tasty preserve.
If you prefer lower sugar, choose a reduced-sugar pectin formulated for low-sugar jams — it lets you cut sugar without compromising the set. If you enjoy crockpot jam recipes, try other combinations like apricot and pineapple for variety.
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What is Crockpot Jam?
Crockpot jam is simply fruit, sugar, and pectin cooked slowly in a slow cooker. It’s an easy alternative to the stovetop method: add the ingredients to the crock, cook for a few hours, and finish by transferring to jars. Depending on how you preserve it, the jam can be refrigerated, frozen, or processed in a boiling water bath for long-term pantry storage.
🍓 Crockpot Jam Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh crushed strawberries — rinse, hull, chop and then crush before measuring
- 2 cups raspberries — rinse as needed; they will break down during cooking
- 5 cups granulated sugar — needed for a proper set with standard pectin; only reduce if using reduced-sugar pectin
- 4 ½ tablespoons pectin (classic or as recommended for the pectin type you choose)
Substitutions and Variations
- Make strawberry-only or raspberry-only jam by omitting the other berry. The same method works for other berries like blueberries or blackberries.
- Add a cinnamon stick while cooking for a warm, spiced note; remove it before jarring.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor and helps preserve the fruit’s color.
🔪 Instructions
Prepare jars and lids by washing and sterilizing (boiling 10 minutes or using a dishwasher sterilize cycle). Then follow these steps.
Step 1: Rinse the berries. Hull and chop the strawberries, then crush them with a masher; raspberries can be left whole. Measure the fruit after preparing it and add the fruit, sugar, and pectin to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Cook on high for 2–3 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes. You want the sugar to dissolve completely and the color to deepen while staying bright red. If it turns brown, it’s overcooked.
Pro Tip: Sterilize jars quickly by running them through a hot dishwasher cycle.
Step 3: Use a ladle to transfer the hot jam into prepared jars.
Step 4: A canning funnel makes filling jars neater and prevents sticky spills on the rims.
Step 5: For shelf-stable jam, process jars in a boiling water bath for about 5 minutes to seal. If you prefer not to water-bath, seal jars and refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Making Strawberry Raspberry Jam on the Stovetop:
If you’d rather use the stove, begin the same way: sterilize jars, rinse and chop fruit, then cook fruit in a large pot over medium heat. Once the fruit releases liquid, stir in pectin and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil, mash the fruit to the texture you prefer, and boil hard for 1–2 minutes. Proceed to jar and process as desired.
Recipe Tips
- This jam is excellent on toast, in pastries, over ice cream, or spooned into yogurt. It also works well as a filling for hand pies or braided breads.
- Accurate measurements are important: standard pectin needs the specified sugar to gel properly. Use reduced-sugar pectin if you want less sugar.
- Check jar seals before storing at room temperature. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated to prevent spoilage.
- Crockpot jam usually sets a bit thinner than stovetop jam because slow cookers rarely reach the 220°F needed for a very firm set. Still, crockpot jam gels nicely and is thicker than freezer jam.
- Let the jam rest 24 hours before refrigerating or freezing so the pectin has time to set. Stir before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Refrigerate homemade jam for up to three weeks. If jars are properly processed in a boiling water bath, they can be stored on the shelf for up to one year. Jars that are not water-bath processed should be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Use quality sealable glass jars like mason jars for pantry, refrigerator, or freezer storage. For freezing, leave about ½ inch of headspace to allow for expansion. Sturdy plastic containers with tight lids also work for freezer storage.
Sterilizing jars is recommended for jam intended for room-temperature storage to reduce the risk of bacterial growth. For jams stored only in the refrigerator or freezer, sterilizing is less critical but still good practice. Skipping sterilization shortens shelf life, as does skipping the water bath.
Crockpot jam is generally thinner than jam cooked on the stovetop because slow cookers rarely reach the 220°F target for a very firm set. However, crockpot jam will still gel and usually has a firmer texture than freezer jam. Cook for 2–3 hours and stir regularly so the sugar dissolves fully without overcooking.
Do not simply cut the sugar called for with regular pectin, as this can prevent proper gelling. Instead, use a pectin designed for low- or no-sugar recipes and follow its instructions to reduce sugar while still achieving a good set.
More Recipes
for Jam Lovers
-
Blueberry Butter
-
Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish Breakfast Braid
-
Strawberry Freezer Jam
-
Braided Sweet Bread with Apricot Filling
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Strawberry Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
- 2 cups raspberries
- 5 cups granulated sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons classic pectin
Instructions
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Sterilize jars and lids by boiling or using a dishwasher sterilize cycle.
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Prepare berries: rinse, hull and chop strawberries, then crush; measure fruit and add to the slow cooker with sugar and pectin.
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Cook on high for 2–3 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes, until sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly.
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Ladle hot jam into prepared jars, secure lids, and let jars sit 24 hours so the pectin sets.
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For shelf storage, process jars in a boiling water bath; otherwise refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to three months.
Notes
- Measure sugar and fruit accurately. Use reduced-sugar pectin for lower-sugar jams to ensure proper gelling.
- Crockpot jam won’t usually reach stovetop temperatures used for a very firm set, so expect a slightly softer texture than stovetop jam but firmer than freezer jam.
- Cook for 2–3 hours and stir regularly to ensure the sugar dissolves and avoid overcooking, which can darken flavor.
- Always confirm jar seals before storing jars at room temperature; unsealed jars should be refrigerated.
- Slow cooker jam is especially convenient during hot weather when you want to avoid heating the kitchen.
Nutrition
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