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This is a super easy Christmas Jam recipe that has both sweet and tart flavors making it the perfect holiday gift!

Homemade jam is one of those things that I like to give during the holidays as Christmas gifts to my friends. I always include a loaf of my Sourdough Artisan Loaf and some jam and all my family loves this thoughtful gift.

This simple and easy jam is a mixture of strawberries and cranberries which gives it a sweet and tart fruit mixture. Of course, there is sugar, but like my other jams, I make this using no pectin. Just fruit and sugar.

In fact, this recipe reminds me a lot of my homemade cranberry sauce which is AMAZING if you ask me.

How to Make Easy Christmas Jam

For this quick jam, you only need a few simple ingredients. If you like Amish recipes as well, you will be happy to know that this is the same recipe for Amish Christmas Jam!

• Fresh Strawberries (1 pound package)
• Fresh Cranberries (12-ounce bag)
• 5 cups of Sugar
• Lemon juice (2 tablespoons) — lemon juice is a natural pectin which is why I choose to use it a lot of the time when making homemade jams and jellies.

Add the strawberries and the cranberries to a food processor and pulse until the fruit has broken down. If you don't have fresh fruit available, you can use frozen fruit.

Now, in a large stock pot, add the fruit and the sugar. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a full rolling boil. Be sure to stir until the sugar starts liquefying or you will have burnt sugar bits on your hand.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to blend all the fruit up. I like mine to be pureed. It makes for a better jam. If you want yours with chunky fruit, skip the immersion blender process.

Add it back to the stove on low heat and continue cooking until the jam cooks down some. You can add in the lemon juice at this time. The cooking time will vary depending on how thick you want your jam.

If you want to use less sugar in this recipe, you can use liquid pectin or powdered pectin. I just prefer the sugar taste in my jelly.

Once the jam has gotten to the consistency you want, ladle it into your hot clean jelly jars or any half-pint jars you have on hand.. Clean the jar rims with vinegar and place the lids on. Screw them on finger tight and then give them a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. If you do not have the correct pot for doing a water bath, you can use your Dutch oven with a trivet in the bottom for this step. It works just as well.

Remove the hot jars from the water bath with a jar lifter and place them on a towel on the counter for 24 hours. The lids should “pop” when it has sealed.

Additional Add-Ins

I love playing around with the flavors in this strawberry cranberry jam. You could add orange zest or orange peel to the jam to give it a citrus flavor.

If you like it spicy, add some crushed red pepper flakes or jalapenos. Serve it over cream cheese with some crackers, or you can do it like I do. I toast up some bread and eat it as a sweet treat.

This festive Christmas Jam recipe is a simple and delicious treat that everyone will love this holiday season. Not only is it a great Christmas gift, but also makes for a great hostess gift as well.

Visit your local consignment store or Goodwill store and find an old basket. Inside, include a jar of jam, a loaf of homemade bread, some chocolate-covered orange sections, coffee or tea packets and really do up a great hostess gift basket. It really makes a great gift for sure.

Then, on Christmas morning, share the jam over a holiday breakfast complete with all the fixings. Honestly, homemade gifts are my favorite to give and receive. There is just something about trying out some homesteading skills in the form of homemade goodies like bread and jam.

My Jam Didn't Set!

If your jam did not set, you can add it back to a pot and either add a little more sugar and allow it to cook longer or you can add some pectin so that it will set up. Then, just go through the water bath process again.

I have had this happen a few times before and recooking it will always help it to thicken up more.

Check out this list for more Christmas Recipes

• Christmas Crack
• The Best Christmas Cookie Recipes
• Old Fashioned Potato Candy