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GET IT NOWYou’d never guess this is a sugar free jam! It’s fruity, sweet, spreadable, and bursting with fresh berry flavor. I love slathering it over toast or for topping my healthy desserts. Plus, it’s so easy and stores beautifully, so you an easily make a big batch for later. Whip up this sugar free strawberry jam with me in just around half an hour!
Why You Need My Sugar Free Jam Recipe
- Sweet, fruity, and thick – This sugar free jam is spreadable and packed with real fruit. I think it tastes so much better than store-bought jams and jellies! I I made my favorite flavor (strawberry), but have other options for you below.
- 3 simple ingredients – Plus an optional one. My recipe is quick and easy!
- No added sugar – I call this is a sugar free, keto jam because I don’t use any sugar to sweeten it. Technically yes, you get a trivial amount of sugar from the berries, but none of the processed stuff.
- 100% natural – You won’t find any gums, gluten, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colors here! With just 3 grams net carbs, no added sugar, and chia seeds as a natural thickener, it’s a delicious option you can feel good about.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free jam recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Berries – You’ll need to slice them, so fresh ones are easiest, but frozen will work if you thaw them enough to slice. I love sugar free strawberry jam the most, but have also made this recipe using raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. You could even use cranberries or cherries.
- Chia Seeds – These little guys thicken your jam naturally, instead of sugar or pectin. I use the whole seeds, but you can use ground chia seeds if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is my go-to sweetener for jams because it’s natural, tastes like sugar, and most importantly, won’t crystallize in the fridge… which is important since you’re unlikely to eat all the jam at once. Notes on substitutes:
- Powdered allulose works great for the same consistency, but you might need a bit more.
- Erythritol and most brands of monk fruit or stevia will crystallize, so I don’t recommend them.
- Sucralose doesn’t crystallize, but it’s artificial so not great, either.
- Lemon Zest – Optional, but it adds a bright flavor and brings out the sweetness of the berries. You can also use a splash of lemon juice instead, which acts as a natural preservative.
How To Make Sugar Free Jam
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Heat the sliced berries. Cook them into a saucepan or small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they release a lot of juices and soften.
- Mash them up. You can use a spoon, fork, or potato masher.
- Adjust the sweetness. Check to see if your sugar free jam is sweet enough for you. If not, add more Besti to taste, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Thicken it. Stir in the chia seeds, and lemon zest (if using). Let it cool to thicken, then transfer to jars with lids and store in the fridge.
My Recipe Tips
- Want to slice your berries super fast? I love this strawberry slicer.
- I recommend a stainless steel saucepan. It won’t stain or react with the acidic fruit, so your jam keeps that fresh, vibrant strawberry flavor. I use this saucepan!
- You can chop your berries instead of slicing if you like. This will make smaller chunks in your jam than slices, but I find many of the slices break down into smaller pieces anyway.
- Don’t want to use a sweetener at all? You can make this an unsweetened jam if your berries are sweet enough, but I always add powdered Besti to mine. It tastes like sugar, dissolves effortlessly, and doesn’t crystallize when you store your jam (unlike other sweeteners).
- Expect a simmer, not a boil. Boiling will be too harsh on the berries.
- Want a thicker jam? Just stir in an extra 1-2 teaspoons of chia seeds. Keep in mind the jam will thicken more when you refrigerate it.
- Prefer a super smooth texture? Just puree with an immersion blender or in a small food processor (I just got this one and love it for jams, pesto, nut butter, and more). You can even strain it through a fine mesh sieve, or make my sugar free jelly recipe instead.
- Your sugar free jam will thicken more in the fridge. You’ll need to store it there anyway, so just refrigerate for a few hours before enjoying if you want it thick.
Ways To Use It
You can enjoy this sugar free jam in the same ways you’d use regular jams! Here are my favorite ways:
- Bread – You can’t beat a classic toast or PB&J! I usually have some keto bread or low carb bagels in my freezer, but when you don’t, 90 second bread (pictured above) saves the day.
- Sweet Breakfasts – Skip the syrup top your almond flour pancakes, cottage cheese pancakes, or coconut flour waffles with my sugar free strawberry jam. So good!
- Yogurt & Oatmeal – Add it to your oatmeal (or overnight oats), or stir it into keto yogurt or coconut yogurt for a fruity boost. Layer with healthy granola (or low carb granola) for a parfait!
- Dessert Topping – A dollop of jam is the perfect topping for my healthy cheesecake, keto cheesecake, or almond milk ice cream. You can also make thumbprints in my almond flour cookies and fill them with sugar free jam to turn them into thumbprint cookies!
- Dessert Bars – Double my almond flour pie crust recipe, and press 2/3 of the mixture into a square baking dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then top with sugar free jam and crumble the remaining dough on top. Bake again for 10 minutes.
Sugar Free Jam (Strawberry)
Make 100% natural sugar free jam with just 3 ingredients! My easy recipe is sweet, thick, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the strawberries into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the strawberries release a lot of liquid and soften.
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Mash the strawberries with a spoon or potato masher. If you want super smooth jam without strawberry pieces, use an immersion blender to puree the berries.
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Remove from heat. Taste to check if the jam is sweet enough. If not, stir in more sweetener to taste, 1 tablespoon at a time.
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Stir in the chia seeds and lemon zest, if using. Allow the jam to cool for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
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For even thicker jam, add an additional 1-3 teaspoons chia seeds if you like. Note that it will thicken more when refrigerated.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you slice your berries quickly, get the right flavor and sweetness in your jam, and adjust the consistency (smooth, thick, or chunky).
- Storage: Keep your homemade jam in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Besti is a natural preservative, so it lasts a long time! You can also freeze it for up to 3-6 months.
- Canning: Due to the low pH of chia seeds, I don’t recommend canning this sugar free jam recipe. Sorry!
- Larger batches: My recipe makes 1 cup total. You can easily double or triple it if you like, as long as your saucepan is large enough. It will take longer for the berries to cook down with larger batches.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sugar Free Jam
97 Comments
Guy
0Love how simple this is! There’s really no need to add sugar when you use fresh strawberries so I can’t wait to make this summer!
Renee D Kohley
0Such a fun way to use seasonal strawberries! We will pick them locally end of June here so I can’t wait to make some jam!
Raia Todd
0Love how easy chia seed jam is! It’s nice to have an option that doesn’t included added sweeteners, too.
Jean
0Yum, I loooove chia jams and this was fantastic!
Josianne Plante
0Simple and so good!! I used organic strawberries added a bit of stevia. It was perfect
Paula
0Have you tried using blueberries or raspberries? I assume they would work as well?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Paula, Yes, you can use other berries, too!
Pam
0Can you use flax seeds instead of chia seeds?
Wholesome Yum A
0I think so, Pam! Let me know if you try it.
Margaret Kennedy
0Thank you so much for this recipe, been trying to find one.
Also very interesting to know that Chia seeds are a good thickener.
Sarah
0Can this be made with ground chia seeds? My husband loves jam but seeds are painful and he avoids anything that might have seeds.
Dee
0Can you use lemon juice instead of the zest and get the same results?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dee, Yes, you could use lemon juice.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sarah, Yes, you can use ground seeds if you like! Or puree the jam after it’s ready.