Vegetarian Recipes

Strawberry Freezer Jam

There are certain recipes that just feel like home, and this Strawberry Freezer Jam is one of them. It’s been a staple in my family for as long as I can remember and is something I made as a kid on summer afternoons, first with my mom and then, years later, with each of my grandmothers. It comes together quickly with just 5 simple ingredients, and since the berries stay uncooked, the jam keeps its fresh, just-picked flavor. One batch makes enough to enjoy now and stash away for later, and I’m so excited to pass this recipe along to you!

Easy Recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam

This homemade strawberry freezer jam has shown up at just about every big family breakfast I can think of—spread thick on biscuits, waffles, toast—you name it. I make it with fresh strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and fruit pectin, and it’s as easy as mixing the berries and sugar, boiling the pectin, and filling up jars. To this day, one of my favorite ways to enjoy this strawberry jam is straight from the freezer, with its cool, almost slushy texture melting into a warm and fluffy biscuit. Pure comfort. 🤤

Side view of multiple jars of freezer jam.

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Strawberry Freezer Jam

Make your own homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam with fresh berries, sugar, and classic pectin. A quick, no-fuss recipe that’s perfect for beginners.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Total Cost $7.39 recipe / $0.09 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Time to Set 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings, 5x 8oz jars (1 Tbsp each)

Calories 42kcal

Author Jennie Alley

Equipment

Food Processor
Small Saucepan
Large Bowl
5 8 oz Jars or Airtight Containers (Freezer-Safe)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries 16 oz, $2.13*
4 cups granulated sugar 800g, $1.52**
¾ cup water $0.00
1 package fruit pectin 1.75 oz, $3.68
1 Tbsp lemon juice $0.06

Instructions

Gather all of your ingredients.
Rinse and hull the strawberries, then add them to a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.***
Transfer the strawberries to a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir until fully combined. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the sugar begin to dissolve.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the pectin and boil for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Add the pectin mixture and lemon juice to the strawberry-sugar bowl. Stir continuously for 4 minutes until well mixed and the sugar is mostly dissolved.
Divide the jam into clean and freezer-safe 8 oz jars or containers, leaving about ½ inch of headspace to allow for expansion. Cover and let the jars sit at room temperature for 24 hours to set. Store in the freezer for up to 1 year or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks once thawed.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Use ripe, flavorful strawberries for the best taste. Overripe berries can be too soft and underripe ones lack sweetness.

**Don’t reduce the sugar unless you’re using low- or no-sugar pectin. Classic pectin needs the full sugar amount to set properly.

***No food processor? Just mash the berries with a potato masher for a more rustic texture.

Nutrition

how to make Strawberry Freezer Jam step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make strawberry freezer jam.

Gather all of your ingredients.

Chop the strawberries: Rinse 2 cups fresh strawberries, remove the green tops, and add them to your food processor. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can mash the berries well with a potato masher instead).

Coarsely chopped strawberries on a food processor.

Pulse the strawberries well in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Don’t puree the strawberries! There should still be some texture in your finished jam.

Coarsely chopped strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl.

Combine the strawberries and sugar: Add the coarsely chopped or mashed strawberries to a large bowl. Now pour in 4 cups granulated sugar and mix until combined. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberry juices begin to dissolve the sugar.

Boil the pectin: Add ¾ cup water to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir in one package fruit pectin (1.75 oz) and boil it for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the heat once it’s boiled for 1 minute.

Boiled fruit pectin mixture being poured into a bowl of chopped strawberries and sugar.

Make the jam: Carefully pour the fruit pectin mixture into the bowl of sugar and strawberries and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Stir continuously for 4 minutes until well mixed and the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Now divide the jam into five clean 8 oz jars or containers. Make sure your chosen jars/containers are freezer-safe! Leave about ½ inch of headspace at the top of the jars to allow for expansion. Cover and let your strawberry jam sit at room temperature for 24 hours to set. After 24 hours, it’s ready to use! Store it in the fridge for 3 weeks or the freezer for up to a year, and enjoy.

Overhead view of a jar of strawberry freezer jam.

Don’t worry if the jam looks a little soft. Freezer jam doesn’t set as firmly as traditional jam, but that juicy texture is exactly what makes it so good. The jam you’d buy at the store will have been cooked down and preserved for shelf stability, which gives it a thicker, more uniform texture. This freezer strawberry jam is loose enough to melt into a biscuit but thick enough to hold its own on toast.
I’ve provided both the volume and weight of the strawberries, sugar, and fruit pectin. Using oz and grams to measure these ingredients (rather than cups) will give you the most accurate and consistent results.
Use real sugar. I use classic fruit pectin in this recipe, which needs regular granulated sugar to set properly. There are low- or no-sugar pectins out there, but they work a little differently. If you’re using one of those, be sure to follow the directions on the package. I haven’t tested them in this recipe, so I can’t say how well they’ll turn out.
Use a clean, freezer-safe jar. I don’t want your jam to go to waste, so double-check your containers are both clean and safe for freezing. Leave about ½ inch of space at the top, too, as the jam will expand as it freezes.
The sweeter and juicier the berries, the better your jam will taste. Underripe strawberries can make your strawberry freezer jam tart and less flavorful, while overripe berries may turn mushy and dull the fresh flavor. I always go for berries that are deep red and fragrant, with no signs of mold or super soft spots.
Don’t switch out the berries. You can absolutely use other berries to make freezer jam, but different berries can require different amounts of sugar and/or pectin. I would err on the side of caution and stick with fresh strawberries in this particular recipe.

Serving Suggestions

You can treat this easy strawberry freezer jam recipe just like you would any other jam. It’s absolutely delicious spread, swirled, or drizzled on everything from breakfast to dessert. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

Spread onto homemade biscuits, toast, or English muffins (I think these are especially dreamy with butter, this jam, and a sprinkle of sea salt)
Swirl into yogurt, oatmeal, or overnight oats for breakfast
Layer into parfait or use it to make a berry trifle
Mix it into your favorite vinaigrettes or marinades for a fruity addition to your salads or grilled meats
Drizzle it over homemade pancakes or waffles
Use it in just about any baked goods you like! Layer it in a classic vanilla cake, use it in thumbprint cookies, or use it as a filling in jam bars
I also LOVE giving this freezer strawberry jam as a gift. Just pour it into cute little jars, pop on a label or ribbon, and you’ve got an easy homemade gift!

Storage Instructions

Once your homemade jam is set, you can freeze it for up to a year or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Make sure your containers are freezer-safe if you plan to freeze them. Any signs of mold, off smells, or changes in texture mean it’s time to toss it and make a fresh batch.

Overhead view of strawberry syrup in a jar with a spoon.

Homemade Strawberry Syrup

$2.37 recipe / $0.40 serving

Overhead view of homemade lemon curd in a jar with a small silver butter knife stuck inside, lemon slices on the side.

Luscious Homemade Lemon Curd

$1.03 recipe / $0.13 serving

Blueberry Sauce

$3.38 recipe / $0.28 serving

Pumpkin Butter

$4.27 recipe / $0.17 serving

The post Strawberry Freezer Jam appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Vegetarian Recipes

Cherry Blondies

Whenever I’m craving something sweet, but I’m sick of the same old same old, I whip up a batch of these fudgy, chewy, fragrant Cherry Blondies! The creamy white chocolate, tart cherries, and crunchy almonds make this recipe stand out. This is not your typical blondie! I don’t use almond extract too often, but pairing its flavor with cherries and white chocolate is just a no-brainer to me. (But a little goes a long way, so use it sparingly!)

Easy Recipe for Cherry Blondies

Blondies are like brownies, just without the cocoa. Instead, they’re made with brown sugar and vanilla, and have the BEST buttery flavor and chewy texture.

For these cherry blondies, I mix in canned cherry pie filling (it adds a sweet-tart cherry flavor without a lot of fuss or cost), slivered almonds, and white chocolate chips. I also brown the butter first to bring out a nutty, almost toffee-like richness that’s totally worth the extra few minutes. A mix of brown and white sugar strikes the perfect balance of moisture and structure, while a splash of almond extract adds a frangipane-style flavor. Bake them once, and you’ll see why I keep coming back to this combo. 😋

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Cherry Blondies

These easy Cherry Blondies are loaded with white chocolate, almonds, and cherry pie filling for a sweet treat that’s simple to make and hard to resist.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost $5.82 recipe / $0.64 serving

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Chill Time 20

Total Time 1 30

Servings slices

Calories 429kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

8×8” Baking Dish
Parchment Paper
3 Mixing Bowls
Sauce Pan
Hand Mixer

Ingredients

1¾ cups all-purpose flour $0.28
½ tsp baking powder $0.02
¼ tsp salt $0.01
1 large egg $0.29
1 tsp vanilla extract $0.47
½ tsp almond extract $0.15
½ cup cherry pie filling $0.73*
1½ sticks salted butter cut into cubes, $1.48
½ cup granulated sugar $0.19
1 cup brown sugar $0.91
¼ cup white chocolate chips $0.42
¼ cup slivered almonds $0.87

Instructions

Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350℉.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and cherry pie filling. Mix together and set aside.
Cube the butter and melt over medium heat until frothy, whisking once in a while to make sure the milk solids don’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
Once butter is browned, it will have a nutty aroma and darken in color. (Babysit it! Don’t let it burn!) Remove from heat.
Combine browned butter with granulated and brown sugar.
Mix with a hand mixer on low until combined. Then, add the wet cherry mixture and continue to mix until combined.
Finally, gently mix in the dry flour mixture little by little until a batter forms.
Fold in white chocolate and almond slivers.
Transfer batter to greased and line baking dish and add some extra white chocolate and almonds on top, if you have them.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting. The interior may still be a little gooey. These are chewier than your typical brownie! Enjoy.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*The ingredients in a can of cherry pie filling are pretty simple, but I have found the Duncan Hines Comstock brand “Simply Cherry” in a can to have fewer ingredients and no added coloring, so if you see it next to the regular cherry pie filling, you may want to spring for that can instead. You could try making these with fresh cherries, which I skipped because I couldn’t find any at my local grocery store, just make sure you pit them first!

Nutrition

how to make Cherry Blondies step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Gather all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8×8” baking dish with parchment paper. Set this aside for now.

Flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients: Add 1¾ cups flour, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Set this aside.

Cherry pie filling, egg, and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a different mixing bowl, combine 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ tsp almond extract, and ½ cup of cherry pie filling. Set this aside for now as well.

Brown the butter: Add 1½ sticks of cubed salted butter to a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until frothy, being sure to whisk it once in a while to avoid the milk solids from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan. Babysit it, and don’t let it burn! It typically takes about 5-8 minutes for butter to brown.

When the butter is browned, it’ll smell nutty and be darker in color. There will also be flecks of brown throughout (those are toasted milk solids, and they’re full of flavor). Remove it from the heat once done.

Brown and white sugar added to a bowl of browned butter.

Make the batter: Pour the browned butter into a mixing bowl and add ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

The wet ingredients for cherry blondies added to the creamed butter and sugar.

Use a hand mixer on low to combine the browned butter and sugars. Once mixed, add the wet cherry pie filling mixture and keep mixing until thoroughly combined.

Dry ingredients added to the wet ingredients to make cherry blondies.

Now, gently fold in the dry flour mixture a little at a time until a thick batter forms.

Slivered almonds added to the batter for cherry blondies.

Finally, fold in ¼ cup white chocolate chips and ¼ cup slivered almonds.

The batter for cherry blondies in a lined baking dish.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. If you have any extra, top the batter with a few white chocolate chips and slivered almonds to make it look extra pretty.

Finished homemade cherry blondies in a baking dish.

Bake: Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. They’re done once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let your homemade cherry blondies cool for 20 minutes before cutting for the best results. They may still be a little gooey! They’re definitely chewier than your average brownie but just as delicious. Enjoy!

Overhead view of a baking dish of cherry blondies with one missing.

Tips for Browning Butter

I brown the butter in this cherry dessert recipe because it gives the blondies the most amazing, deep, nutty flavor that plain melted butter can’t match. You could skip this step and just melt it, but it definitely wouldn’t taste the same.

It’s honestly so easy to brown butter, and only takes about 5-8 minutes from start to finish! Here’s how to do it right (we also have a step-by-step breakdown with photos on how to brown butter you can check out, too!):

Use a light-colored pan if you have one. It makes it easier to see the color change.
Watch it closely. Browning happens fast, and it can burn before you know it. Stay nearby and use medium heat.
It’ll start to froth. That’s normal. Just keep gently stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Look for brown flecks. Those are the milk solids toasting, which is exactly what you want.
Pull it off the heat right away. As soon as it smells nutty and the color deepens, about 5 minutes, take it off the heat! It’s ready to use.

You can even make a big batch of browned butter and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 weeks and use it in future recipes. It’s obviously delicious in my cherry blondies recipe, but it’s also amazing tossed with plain pasta, drizzled over roasted veggies, or mixed into oatmeal.

Line your pan with parchment paper. It makes it way easier to lift the blondies out and slice them cleanly once they’ve cooled.
Let them cool in the pan. As good as they smell fresh out of the oven, I let my blondies cool for at least 20 minutes to help them set up properly. They’ll slice neater, and the texture will be just right.
Check for doneness with a toothpick. You’re looking for a mostly clean toothpick when inserted into your white chocolate cherry blondies. If you hit a cherry or a melty white chocolate chip, it might smear a bit, so try a second spot! Don’t forget, they may still be a little gooey on the inside rather than cakey.

Storage Instructions

Personally, I enjoy these cherry pie blondies cold! I like to keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and grab one whenever I need a sweet pick-me-up. They’ll be good for up to 3-4 days when stored this way. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.