Today I'm sharing a recipe from one of my cooking classes for homemade marionberry freezer jam, which is great if you're like me and you don't know how to make traditional jam with boiling jars and lids and doing all of the things...otherwise known as canning.  This recipe isn't like all of that,  it's so easy, it will blow your socks off and you can switch out whatever berry you like. I happened to have a crazy stash of marionberries in my freezer.

Because this jam is so easy to make, you can easily make these for gifts too because this recipe makes a few jars! Make one for you and give a few jars away. When I make my homemade granola, I'll often double the batch so I can share with some of my family members who also really enjoy granola. These kinds of homemade gifts make great birthday gifts and Christmas gifts. Just throwing that out there in case you're looking to give something a bit more personal. 

Back to the jam though! I happen to love a berry jam. Actually, any jam is kind of my favorite and I find that I got through different cravings of jam. There is something about a little strawberry jam and butter on a perfectly toasted piece of sourdough bread (my preferred carb for jam). During the summer months though when fresh berries are abundant, I can't get enough of the rich, bright flavors of perfectly tart and sweet berries. I live in Oregon, which means we have berry crops all over the place and we're so blessed to get our berries as soon as the season begins. In fact, we have a berry stand just down the road from our house and I love to frequent that whenever I'm in the mood for, oh, let's say a cobbler. Just hop right down the road and grab what I need and I know they're going to be better than whatever is being sold in the store, and fresher too.

Of course jam and toast is a perfect combination. But have you tried warming up some jam and pouring a bit over some baked brie cheese with crackers? Stirred into oatmeal, dolloped on top of your scone or biscuit, on pancakes or waffles instead of butter and syrup? Or mixed into some softened cream cheese and to smear over your bagel or even mixed with butter to make a fruity butter spread? So many options...oh and don't forget to pour some over ice cream for a sweet and fresh treat.

The only question you have to answer before making this jam, is what kind of easy jam flavor are you going to make? Let me know in the comments!

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Homemade Marionberry Freezer Jam

Yield: 4-6 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 cups (heaping) of berries (any kind you like and can be frozen - just thaw before you make the jam)
• 1 ½-2 cups sugar (if you like sugary jam, go ahead and make it 2 cups)
• 6 TB instant Clear Gel (1 TB per cup of berries - available through King Arthur Flour)
• 1 TB pure lemon juice

Instructions

1. Place berries in a large bowl or pot and mash away with a potato masher.
2. Mix sugar and clear gel together.
3. Add sugar mix to berries and lemon juice…stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved
4. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
5. Take 1-2 cups (depending on the mason jar you use) and scoop into the jars, seal and freeze.

Notes

Recipe by Lisa Pearson

Recommend 4 (8 oz) half pint *freezer safe* mason jars or 6 (8oz) mini mason jars

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 80 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 34Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 0g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.