Small Batch Blueberry Jam
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Learn how to make the best healthy homemade blueberry jam recipe! This small batch blueberry jam is made with honey, and without pectin. Can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries.
I love how the smell of blueberries cooking can instantly take me back to my childhood kitchen.
The kitchen where my family celebrated birthdays, where we foraged in the freezer for freezies, and where my little sister sat on a handmade wooden stool anxiously watching cookies bake.
It’s funny though, you know, if you asked my mom, she’d always tell you she sucks at cookies. (It’s not a lie) She’s a great cook, but her cookies just are not good. Sorry, Mom!
More out of necessity than anything else, Mom turned to her trusty stack of cookbooks to find a dessert we’d like. I ended up falling in love with a recipe called Blueberry Grunt from one of her Company’s Coming cookbooks.
Now that I think of it, having a stack of Company’s Company cookbooks is a pretty distinctly Canadian thing. Everyone I know has a stack of Company’s Coming cookbooks.
The smell of this small batch blueberry jam conjured up memories of that dish, of being led to the kitchen by my nose! And my awesome mom, who didn’t love making this dish but hated flopping cookies more.
This recipe is dedicated to Canadiana and my mom’s crappy cookies.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS INSTANT POT BLUEBERRY JAM RECIPE:
COOKING in the Instant Pot makes this blueberry jam incredibly fast to make, and also incredibly easy!
THIS recipe was not developed to be safely preserved. It will safely keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or up to 3 months in the freezer.
MASH or don’t mash – that is up to you. I prefer the blueberries to be pretty mashed for spreading ease, but not mashed into a paste.
BLUEBERRY JAM INGREDIENTS
TRUST me on the honey. It is my default sweetener. It adds a subtle floral note that is just amazing with the zesty lemon and bright blueberry flavour.
USE frozen blueberries, if you have them! I love to stock up on fresh produce when it’s on sale, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for long term storage.
PLAY with the berry in this recipe! This blueberry jam recipe would work with blackberry, strawberry, or raspberry.
PECTIN is not required in this recipe because we are using the starch and water slurry to thicken the jam. I prefer tapioca, but cornstarch works just as well and is a more common ingredient.
HOW TO USE INSTANT POT BLUEBERRY JAM:
- It’s great on whole-wheat toast or in a PBJ!
- We love it swirled into our Instant Pot Yogurt – You’ve gotta try this Cold Start recipe from Freida Loves Bread.
- Blended into milkshakes – or smoothies!
- On s’mores. *drooling*
📖 Printable Recipe
Small Batch Blueberry Jam
Ingredients
- 5 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Add 5 cups blueberries, ½ cup honey, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Stir to evenly distribute the berries and the honey.
- Close lid, and set valve to sealing.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, natural pressure release.
- Once Instant Pot is done releasing steam, and it’s safe to open, make a slurry with your cold water and starch.
- Open the Instant Pot, and mash gently with a potato masher.
- Then whisk in the starch slurry. Move quick, cause once it gets hot it thickens fast!
- Ladle into jam jars and LOVE IT!
Okay, just made this- it is sooo good. It didn’t fully thicken until it was completely cooled. I used 3 cups raspberries and 2 cups blueberries. My raspberries were super watery so I ended up using the sauté setting on my IP and let it boil for about 15 min after pressure cooking to get a thicker consistency. It made the perfect amount of jam!! I kept some out and put some in the freezer for later.
Thanks for another great recipe!
So if u don’t have a pressure cooker ,how to make jam ?
You can boil the ingredients over medium heat for probably 10 minutes, then stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken!
I have a question. Can you make this in a crockpot?
That shouldn’t be a problem! It will definitely need longer on the high setting, but it’s definitely worth experimenting! 🙂