Raspberry Jam Recipe: Easy Homemade Preserves
Raspberries are the flavor of summer. Use this simple canned raspberry jam recipe to preserve that sweet berry flavor and enjoy it all year. This recipe uses less sugar than traditional jam recipes and really lets the sweet raspberry flavor come through. This jam is a favorite at our house.
I used to make freezer jam with regular pectin from the grocery store. It always bothered me that those recipes on the pectin box called for more sugar than fruit! The jam was ok, but it just seemed too sweet, and I didn’t feel great about all the sugar and added lemon juice.
A few years ago, I discovered Pomona’s pectin. This pectin uses calcium water to gel the homemade jam, so you can use less sugar in your recipes. Less sugar means the delicious fresh fruit flavor isn’t overwhelmed by a ridiculous amount of sugar. Raspberries are already sweet, so using a little bit of sugar and Pomona’s pectin creates a wonderful jam filled with delicious berry flavor.
This homemade raspberry jam recipe will soon become your favorite!
Tips for Canning Raspberry Jam
This is a simple hot water bath canning recipe with only 5 ingredients. If you are new to canning, this recipe would be a great place to start!
I like to can jam in pint jars for my family of 5, but if you want to can in smaller half pint jars, you can use this same recipe!
Ingredients:
Raspberries: You can use fresh or frozen raspberries in this recipe with wonderful results. Just make sure you use ripe berries and remove any stems or damaged parts. I always rinse my raspberries before using them and spin them dry with a salad spinner.
Water: This raspberry jam recipe uses a small amount of water to help the raspberries cook down without scorching them.
Calcium Water: A small packet of calcium is included in each box of Pomona’s pectin. Mix this powder with water and then add the appropriate amount to this recipe. Just follow the detailed instructions included with the Pomona’s pectin to mix up the calcium water.
Sugar: This raspberry jam recipe only uses 1 1/2 cups of white sugar for every 4 cups of cooked raspberries. That’s a jam sugar ratio I can live with! Delicious raspberry jam without too much sugar.
Pomona’s Pectin Powder: This is the fruit pectin that makes this recipe possible. You can buy a 6 pack of this special pectin here.
Tools:
How to Make Canned Raspberry Jam Recipe
Preparing Jars
Wash pint jars and bands in hot soapy water and gather lids. Place upside down on a kitchen towel until ready to fill with raspberry jam.
Heat up the Canner
Fill your waterbath canner about half full of water and set on the stovetop to boil. It can take some time to get the water to a full rolling boil, so it saves time if you let it heat up while you make the jam.
Preparing the Raspberry Jam
Carefully pick through the fresh raspberries and remove any stems, leaves, or damaged berries. Rinse fresh berries in cold water and spin dry in a salad spinner.
Combine raspberries with 3/4 water in a large stockpot or large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to medium heat, and simmer with the lid on for 2 minutes. The raspberries need to release their juices. You can mash the raspberries with the potato masher during this step, but I often just stir with a wooden spoon. It is ok if the raspberries break into pieces. Removed from the heat.
Measure 12 cups of the cooked raspberries and return this amount to the large stockpot. Add the calcium water and mix well.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and pectin powder. Mix well and set aside.
Bring the raspberry mixture back to a full boil over high heat. Add in the sugar-pectin mixture slowly while stirring to incorporate. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin and sugar and bring back to a full boil. Once the preserves reach a full boil, remove the pan from the heat.
Canning the Raspberry Jam
Turn each washed glass jar right-side up on the kitchen towel and ladle hot jam into each jar leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place jar lids and screw bands fingertip tight.
Lower jam-filled jars into the boiling water canner using the jar lifter. Make sure the jars are covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of water. Place the lid on the canner and return to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes (adjust cooking time for altitude if needed).
After processing time, turn off the heat and allow canner to sit untouched for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove jars with the jar lifter and place jars on a clean kitchen towel. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. After at least 12 hours, remove jar bands and check to make sure jars have sealed.
This canned raspberry jam recipe allows you to store your jam on the pantry shelves for up to 2 years! Available freezer space is always minimal at our house, so the ability to store raspberry jam jars at room temperature is is a big win over raspberry freezer jam.
Elevation Adjustments for Canning Raspberry Jam
Elevation adjustments are as follows:
- 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation: 15 minutes
- 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation: 20 minutes
- Above 6,000 Feet in Elevation: 25 minutes
How to use Canned Raspberry Jam
This easy raspberry jam recipe is wonderful spread on sourdough toast or a freshly baked biscuit. It is also the best thing for topping waffles or pancakes. Raspberry thumbprint cookies are also a great use of these raspberry preserves. This fresh raspberry jam is also wonderful as a topping for vanilla ice cream. And of course, this jam is a favorite for peanut butter sandwiches!
Pin for Later
Raspberry Jam Recipe
This simple canned raspberry jam recipe uses less sugar and Pomona's Universal Pectin to let the delicious raspberry flavor shine through. Enjoy the taste of summer all year long!
Ingredients
- 7 pounds raspberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 6 teaspoons calcium water
- 4 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 teaspoons Pomona's pectin powder
Instructions
- Carefully pick through the raspberries and remove any stems, leaves, or damaged berries. Rinse fresh berries in cold water and spin dry in a salad spinner.
- Combine raspberries with 3/4 water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer with the lid on for 2 minutes. The raspberries need to release their juices. It is ok if the raspberries break into pieces. Removed from the heat.
- Measure 12 cups of the cooked raspberries and return this amount to the large stockpot. Add the calcium water and mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar and pectin powder. Mix well and set aside.
- Bring the raspberry mixture back to a full boil over high heat. Add in the sugar-pectin mixture slowly while stirring to incorporate. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin and sugar and bring back to a full boil. Once the preserves reach a full boil, remove the pan from the heat.
- Turn washed jars right-side up on the kitchen towel and ladle hot preserves into each jar leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. Place jar lids and bands. Tighten the bands to fingertip tight.
- Lower jam-filled jars into the boiling water canner using the jar lifter. Make sure the jars are covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of
water. Place the lid on the canner and return to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed).* - After processing time, turn off the heat and allow canner to sit untouched for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove jars with the jar
lifter and place on a clean kitchen towel. Allow jars to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. After at least 12 hours, remove jar
bands and check to make sure jars have sealed. Store at room temperature.**
Notes
*Elevation Adjustments for Canning Raspberry Jam:
- 0 to 1,000 Feet in Elevation: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation: 15 minutes
- 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation: 20 minutes
- Above 6,000 Feet in Elevation: 25 minutes
**This canned raspberry jam recipe can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 years.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 240 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 22Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
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- About the Author
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Halli is a 4th generation gardener. Her great-grandmother had a beautiful garden and orchard and grew all the food to feed her large family. Halli has been growing her own garden for over 20 years. Growing her own food, improving the soil, and feeding her family home-cooked meals are her passions. Halli loves to connect with old, time-honored ways of cooking, gardening, and living.
I love that this recipe has less sugar. Thank you for linking all the products too! I love raspberry jam and this recipe looks amazing.
Homemade jam is the BEST! We love making peach in the summer! Great recipe.🤩
I’m excited to try this recipe! I love that Pomona’s pectin has less sugar. Ty!
This is great, our raspberry bushes are newly producing, I can’t wait to try!
This jam recipe looks so so delicious! I haven’t ever made jam, but this seems simple enough I want to give it a try! Thank you!
This recipe is a great place to start! Thanks for the comment Jessica!