This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy homemade raspberry jam recipe puts store-bought jam to shame! Made with four simple ingredients and no pectin, this recipe makes a perfectly balanced sweet-tart jam, preserving the flavor of summer. It’s excellent on toast, swirled into homemade yogurt, or used as a topping in baked brie.
When you pick raspberries the way my clan does, the abundance of fruit leads to an array of aspirational raspberry-laden recipes, like my raspberry scones and raspberry crumb cake. In the end, though, it’s my easy raspberry jam recipe that beckons and takes over the lion’s share of fruit.
It’s the very best way to hold onto raspberry season a little longer. Just like with my strawberry jam, one spoonful instantly takes me back to warm days, golden days with long light and long evenings. In my mind, on my palate, and maybe most of all in my heart, one taste and I’m right there again with the people I love, among rows of raspberry bushes waaay out in the farmland, in our happy place up north in Michigan.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and instructions!
- Raspberries: You can use fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries. I like using fresh berries that have just been picked, and I don’t wash them so they will maintain their aromatic flavor. Just sort them out carefully.
- Granulated sugar: You can add more than what the recipe calls for, depending on how sweet you like your jam. If it seems like a lot of sugar, note that I find the sugar-fruit balance excellent in the end result. You can still enjoy the tart and fresh flavor of the raspberries.
- Lemon: Use the juice of a small lemon. Although you could substitute it with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice from a bottle, nothing is better than the flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Rose water: This is my secret ingredient and what makes this recipe distinctly different from every other raspberry jam recipe out there. Rose water isn’t traditional in jam, but it adds a subtle floral note that amplifies the raspberry flavor rather than competing with it. I add just a half teaspoon, enough to make you wonder what that something is. Learn more about how to use rose water in your cooking.
How to Make Raspberry Jam
Before you begin: Macerate the raspberries by combining them with the sugar and lemon juice and letting the mixture sit for 15-30 minutes. This draws out the natural juice and deepens the flavor before you even turn on the stove. Use a potato masher to gently break the berries down.
- Cook. Transfer the macerated berry mixture to a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a full boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
- Check for doneness. After about 10-15 minutes, test the set: place a small spoonful on a cold plate (pop one in the freezer before you start) and push it with your finger. If it wrinkles and holds its shape, it’s ready. You can also use an instant-read thermometer. The jam is done when it reaches 220°F (104°C). It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Flavor. Stir in the rose water a little at a time, tasting as you go.
- Store. Ladle the hot jam into clean jars and store in the refrigerator, or process and seal for longer shelf life (see storage section below).
How to Thicken Raspberry Jam
Jams are generally thickened by adding pectin, a type of starch that naturally occurs in fruits and vegetables. Raspberries are a low-pectin fruit, meaning raspberry jam won’t thicken a lot on its own, which is why I add the juice of a lemon, a high-pectin fruit, to thicken it up. If you like a thicker jam, additional pectin is necessary.
You can peel and grate an apple and add it to the pot with the berries for more pectin. Raspberries have a strong flavor, so they shouldn’t be overpowered by the apple. You can also add pectin powder while cooking and thicken the jam this way instead. The thickening occurs most visibly after the jam cools in the jar.
Why Is My Raspberry Jam Too Runny?
The most common reason is pulling the jam off the heat too early. Remember that jam always looks thinner in the hot pot than it will after cooling. It thickens significantly as it comes to room temperature. If your cooled jam is still looser than you’d like, pour it back into the pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to help it thicken. Take care not to scorch the bottom of the pan (as in: stir and stir!).
Ways to Use Raspberry Jam
This jam mixture is so good, I’m often tempted to eat it straight from the jar with a spoon. However, the uses for it are practically endless. If you’re looking for inspiration, try it:
- Spread generously on toast, biscuits, or pita bread.
- Swirled into plain homemade yogurt or labneh for an easy breakfast.
- Dolloped on top of baked brie as a gorgeous appetizer.
- Layered into thumbprint cookies or jam bars, like my strawberry jam bars.
- Spooned over vanilla ice cream or panna cotta.
- Gifted in pretty jars. Tie a ribbon around the lid, and you have an instant hostess gift!
How to Store
You can store the jam in the refrigerator in airtight jars for at least a month (I’ve had jam go a full year in the refrigerator). This is my preferred method because I always make small batches.
You can also freeze the jam in glass jars or lidded plastic containers. They will keep in the freezer for at least 6 months.
To process jars for shelf life and store them at room temperature: Once you ladle the raspberry jam into sterilized jars and top with sterilized lids, bring a pot of water to a gentle boil and lower the sealed jars into the pot. The boiling water should cover the jars by an inch.
Process (cook) for 10 minutes, turn the heat off, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before taking them out and letting them come to room temperature. Be sure the lids are flat and not domed. If domed, store the jars in the refrigerator. Store the canned jars in a cool, dark place for at least one year. Once you open the jar, you will need to refrigerate it.
Raspberry Jam Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Medium Heavy-Bottomed Pot
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds raspberries
- 3¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon rose water
Instructions
- Combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium heavy-bottomed pot, stirring well to break up the berries and create juice.
- Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
- Add the rose water and taste, adding more if you like. The rose water is meant to enhance the raspberry flavor rather than have a strong presence itself.
- Ladle the preserves into sterilized jars and top with the lids. Keep these preserves in the refrigerator for a couple of months, or process and seal in a hot water bath for shelf life.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. After cooking, pour the jam through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth before ladling it into jars. For a full seedless version, see my raspberry rose jelly.
You can reduce it slightly, but keep in mind that sugar does more than sweeten. The sugar helps the jam set and acts as a preservative. I’d recommend reducing by no more than a quarter of the total amount, and expect a slightly looser, less shelf-stable result.
This recipe uses roughly a 1:1 ratio by weight, which is the classic jam ratio. It sounds like a lot of sugar, but the tartness of raspberries holds up to it beautifully.
“Pectin” was a dirty word in my mothers kitchen! She cooked her jellies until they were nearly firm and shook her head at those who took the easy way!
Love your food
Thank you so very much! Welcome here!
Can’t wait to try this easy recipe!
I just made a small batch of this jam it is SO divine! Spooning over soft-serve ice cream….
Love this
Thank you Matt! I do too!
Is it okay to strain the seeds out before pouring into jars?
Yes, check out my Raspberry Jelly recipe here!
Yum