This easy homemade Cherry Chia Jam is packed full of cherries and healthy chia seeds to create an easy, low-sugar, vegan jam. You can use any fresh or frozen fruit to create this chia seed jam and it also freezes great!
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*This recipe is sponsored by Dixie Crystals*
Easy Homemade Chia Cherry Jam
Looking for an easy homemade jam that is absolutely delicious, but also healthy? You must try this easy Chia Cherry Jam! It’s easy to whip together, with just a few easy ingredients and about 15 minutes worth of work.
This jam recipe uses fresh or frozen fruit, chia seeds to thicken the jam and very minimal sugar (as little as 1 tablespoon!). Chia seeds have a lot of added health benefits as well with omega-3 fats, antioxidants, and fiber. We add a little fresh lemon juice to help preserve the vibrant color and add a little acid for flavor purposes, but otherwise that’s all you need for this chia seed jam!
This Chia Cherry Jam is not only an easy to make healthy dessert, but it is also absolutely delicious. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
Ingredients
You will only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this Chia Cherry jam!
- Cherries: You can use fresh or frozen fruit of any kind to make easy chia jam! For this recipe I used cherries, but have also made it with blackberries and peaches.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are used as the thickener in this jam, instead of the more traditionally used pectin, gelatin or extra sugar. Chia seeds are a great addition to your diet as they contain natural fiber.
- Dixie Crystals Granulated Sugar: Depending on the natural sweetness of your fruit, you may want to add a little more or less sugar. I like to start with 2 tablespoons and see how it tastes!
- Lemon Juice: A squeeze of a little fresh lemon juice helps with the flavor and preserving the colors of your jam.
- Almond Extract: This ingredient is completely optional and I would only recommend it if making a cherry jam. Almond flavoring helps to make cherry flavors pop, so adding a splash of almond extract makes this jam extra delicious!
How To Make Chia Cherry Jam
This recipe is a breeze to make, on the stove top, with just about 15 minutes worth of work! All you need are your ingredients, a wooden spoon, a sauce pan, and a jar to store your jam in. Let’s get started!
Cook Fruit: You will start by cooking your cherries (or whatever fruit you have chosen to use) in a sauce pan, smashing them with a wooden spoon (or a potato masher) until the fruit is mashed and the mixture is bubbling.
Add In Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the chia seeds, Dixie Crystals granulated sugar, and lemon juice until well combined. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in almond extract, if desired.
Cool: Allow the jam to cool for 10 minutes and then stir it one more time. As the jam cools, it will continue to thicken.
Serve Or Store: Serve jam immediately, or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations
There are so many different fruits that you can use in this recipe to create an easy chia jam! Below are a few of my favorites we have tried over the years:
- Berries: This recipe is amazing with any and all berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc). You can use fresh berries or frozen berries!
- Peaches: (Or anything similar to a peach, like nectarines or apricots.) The chia seeds give a lighter colored jam a speckled appearance, so my kids like to call it polka dot jam!
- Orange: My kids love clementines and when we have a bunch that are starting to not look so great anymore, I make them into jam with chia seeds! You will need to peel your oranges/clementines and add just the fruit segments to the sauce pan.
Why I Love This Chia Seed Jam
- Healthier: This jam is thickened with chia seeds, making it a healthier option. Chia seeds add fiber and you won’t need sugar or other thickeners to help thicken the jam.
- Less Sugar: You are in control of how much sugar you add. I usually add about 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet the fruit I am using is. Compare that to most store bought jams and jellies and this jam has a lot less added sugar!
- Easy: This homemade jam takes only about 15 minutes worth of actual work!
- Fresh Or Frozen Fruit: You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this recipe.
- No Canning Required: You do not have to can this jam! You can store it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it for up to 3 months!
- It’s GOOD: The main reason I love this easy chia seed jam? It’s so delicious!
How To Serve This Chia Cherry Jam:
The most obvious way is straight out of the jar with a spoon! Here are a few more of my favorite ways I serve this jam:
- Toast: Just like in this photo, it’s delicious on toast by itself or with butter or yogurt! I love warm fresh toast spread with some chilled greek yogurt and jam on top!
- Waffles or Pancakes: Instead of syrup, try spreading some jam on top of your waffles or pancakes.
- Yogurt Parfaits: I will often layer this chia seed jam with my favorite granola and some greek yogurt in a jar for an easy breakfast. It’s an easy grab and go breakfast and so delicious!
- Sandwich: Swap out your go to mustard for a delicious sandwich with jam! I love to do turkey, brie, arugula and this jam on a toasted sandwich.
How To Store:
You can store this jam in any container that seals. I like to use a glass jar with a lid, like a mason jar, but you can use any sealable container (even a ziplock bag).
You can refrigerate this chia seed jam for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 3 months! When we go berry picking in the summer, I love to make one giant batch and freeze it for delicious jam anytime!
Chia Cherry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
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Instructions
- In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, cook cherries, smashing with a wooden spoon (or a potato masher) until cherries are mashed and the mixture is bubbling.
- Stir in the chia seeds, granulated sugar and lemon juice until well combined. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in almond extract, if desired.
- Let jam cool for 10 minutes and then stir one more time. As the jam cools, it will continue to thicken.
- Serve jam immediately, or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Looking For More Easy Fruit Recipes?
Love fruit? Me too! I have a ton of fruit recipes that I think you will enjoy.
- Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie
- My Mama’s Banana Pudding
- Reduced Sugar Blackberry Jam
- Easy Blackberry Cobbler
- Watermelon Feta Salad With Mint
- Low Sugar Strawberry Fruit Spread
- Skillet Berry Cobbler
- The Best Lemon Bars
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Can u use a water bath to preserve the jam or must it be frozen??
Sadly no, chia seed jam is known as a “short term jam” and it’s not up for canning.