Description

This Crockpot Christmas Jam is a festive, homemade fruit preserve made with fresh cranberries, strawberries, and apples, infused with warm spices and zesty orange. Slow-cooked in a crockpot for 6-8 hours, it develops a rich, thickened texture perfect for spreading on toast or serving alongside holiday dishes.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruits

2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups chopped strawberries
1 cup chopped apples (peeled and cored)

Sweeteners & Flavorings

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
1 packet (1.75 oz) fruit pectin (like Sure-Jell)

Instructions

Prepare the fruits: Rinse the cranberries thoroughly, removing any stems or damaged berries. Chop the strawberries and peeled, cored apples into small pieces to ensure even cooking.
Combine ingredients in crockpot: In the crockpot, mix cranberries, strawberries, chopped apples, sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, orange juice, and orange zest together. Stir to evenly coat the fruit with sugars and spices.
Add fruit pectin: Sprinkle the fruit pectin evenly over the top of the mixture without stirring. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the pectin to dissolve slightly for better thickening.
Stir to combine: Gently stir the mixture until the fruit pectin is fully incorporated and the ingredients are well combined.
Slow cook the jam: Cover with the crockpot lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally, about every hour, until the fruits have broken down and the jam thickens to your liking.
Adjust texture: Check jam consistency and if you prefer a smoother texture, use a potato masher or immersion blender to blend the jam to your desired smoothness.
Cool the jam: Turn off the crockpot and let the jam cool inside for about 30 minutes to slightly set before handling.
Jar the jam: Pour the jam into clean, sterilized jars leaving headspace, seal tightly, and allow to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating.
Enjoy: Your Crockpot Christmas Jam is ready to be enjoyed on toast, with cheese, or as a festive addition to your holiday meals.

Notes

For best results, use fresh, ripe fruits for natural sweetness and flavor.
Ensure jars are properly sterilized to preserve jam longer.
Adjust sugar quantity to taste or substitute with a sugar alternative if desired.
This jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for longer storage.
Stir the jam periodically during cooking to prevent scorching on the sides of the crockpot.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Category: Condiment
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas jam, crockpot jam, slow cooker jam, cranberry jam, strawberry jam, holiday preserves, homemade jam