Recipe Fresh From the Freezer Raspberry Chia Jam
Make this easy one jar chia jam recipe with fresh or frozen raspberries—or blackberries!
December 21, 2016
Frozen berries capture the freshness of summer all year long. This delightfully simple DIY Raspberry Chia Jam recipe calls for frozen berries—a common smoothie staple—which means you can make jam even when fresh-from-the-field berries aren’t available.
(But when they are, this easy 4-ingredient chia jam recipe works wonderfully with fresh raspberries—or blackberries—too!)
Cutting down on refined sugar? Our homemade Raspberry Chia Jam is sweetened with maple syrup. Try it on a slice of Sprouted Power™ Squirrelly bread (we use raisin nectar instead of sugar for this bread!).
What’s the Difference Between Natural and Added Sugars?
Watch registered dietitian Desiree Neilsen’s Instagram Reel to learn more about the difference between the natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables, and added refined sugars. And get a quick demo on her take on this simple raspberry chia jam recipe:
Whether you use frozen or fresh, raspberries or blackberries, this speedy small batch chia jam recipe yields about a cup and a half of fruity spread. That’s one full half pint (250 ml / 8 oz) jam jar, plus another half jar.
Variation:
Blackberry Chia Jam
If you battled the brambles for a bucket of sun-ripened wild blackberries, be sure to rinse your berries before blending. And if they’re exquisitely ripe, hold back half of the maple syrup to let summer’s darkest berries’ natural sweetness shine through.
Taste your wild blackberry chia jam after blending, then decide whether your batch needs the rest of the maple syrup to suit your sweet tooth.
And remember—because this recipe works as well with fresh berries as frozen, you can freeze your wild blackberry harvest and let jammy joy brighten the darkest days of winter!
Find the blackberry volume, recipe, and instructions below!
Ingredients
For Raspberry Chia Jam:
- 2 cups frozen raspberries (or fresh if they're in season!)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
For Blackberry Chia Jam:
- 2 cups frozen blackberries (or fresh if they're available!)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
Featured Product Squirrelly® Bread
Instructions
For both Raspberry and Blackberry Chia Jam options:
- Blend all ingredients together.
- Transfer to a clean jar or container with an airtight lid. Let jam sit in the fridge for a few hours so the chia seeds have time to thicken the mixture. Enjoy!
- Store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to six months.
Try these handy tips!
- Blender power varies widely. If your blender is struggling with frozen berries, let them thaw a little and try blending again. Or add cold water ¼ cup at a time (up to ½ cup) to help it blend. Alternately, use a food processor if you have one.
- Although frozen berries are picked at peak sweetness, fresh berries can be on the tart side—especially if they're shipped from far away (as cultivated blackberries often are). If you're using fresh berries that are a little underripe or sour, taste your chia jam once blended. If it's too tart, adjust the maple syrup and sweeten to taste.
- If you're like us and measure vanilla with your heart, use as much as you like! (A half a teaspoon is just a starting point). Or brighten things up and add a little lemon zest, too!
