Think homemade jam sounds tricky? This small-batch blackberry chia jam is the easy, healthy spread that will change your mind.
No pectin is necessary! Chia seeds, powdered or whole, give your berry mash a thick, spreadable texture while adding healthy goodies like Omega-3 fats, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and more!
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Just what you need for whole-grain toast, with yogurt, or in a comforting pb&j sandwich!
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What You’ll Love About This Jam
Only three ingredients are essential, and you can sweeten it to suit your taste buds. Use your favorite sweetener and add as little (or as much) as you want.
This recipe requires less fruit than is needed for a cobbler or pie because it makes a single 8-ounce jar, an amount that is easy to use quickly.
Talk about fast! It comes together in 15 minutes in the morning so you can spread it on your breakfast toast or yogurt.
Ingredients
- Blackberries
- Maple syrup (or other sweetener)
- Chia seeds, whole or powdered
- Lemon juice, as necessary
- Lemon zest, optional
- Cinnamon, optional
Blackberries: Either fresh or frozen berries work fine.
🍁Maple syrup: This yummy sweetener is vegan and has a few minerals, like calcium. But, you can choose monkfruit or stevia if you are aiming for a sugar-free jam, or perhaps catering to a diabetes diet.
Chia seeds: I tested the recipe with whole seeds (affiliate link) and powdered. Both thicken the jam beautifully. Powdered seeds (affiliate link) have a slightly more thickening power than whole.
🍋Lemon juice and zest: The zest gives the jam an interesting flavor and is completely optional. The juice may be necessary if your fruit is very ripe and sweet. If it’s not, and you’ll only know by tasting, you don’t need to add it.
Cinnamon: If you like a little spice in your foods, this beloved and healthy warm flavor is a good add-in. It’s also a good flavor booster if you plan to gift the jam.
How to Make
Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.
Put your berries in a (affiliate link) small saucepan and bring them to a boil, mashing and breaking them up with (affiliate link) small potato masher, fork, spoon, or spatula.
Cook them until they are not too liquidy, and a spatula dragged through the pan leaves a clean mark on the bottom.
Note: When cooked at higher heat, the berries will spatter bright magenta juices all over the stovetop. Simmer at a lower heat to prevent this, depending on how much time you have.
Remove from heat and add the maple syrup (or other sweetener), chia seeds or chia powder, and other add-ins (lemon juice, zest, cinnamon) as desired.
Pour hot jam into an 8-ounce jar (affiliate link) or container, or let it cool in the pan and then transfer to a container. You could use 4-ounce jars (affiliate link), which don't take up much space in the refrigerator and make lovely gifts.
A canning funnel (affiliate link) makes the transfer easy and spill-free.
After cooling, store this jam in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for three months.
Variations & Tips
- Ginger: The flavor of this root is perfect with blackberries. Use a ¼ teaspoon of powdered or 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger. This will also add some anti-inflammatory compounds to the jam from gingerol, shagaol, and much more!
- Mixed berry jam: Of course, the thickening power of chia works with all kinds of berries. Substitute your favorites, and/or mix blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries to create a berry mélange chia jam.
🧂If you are not adding much maple syrup, honey, or other sweetener to the jam, a pinch of salt will help to highlight the native sweetness of the berries.
Health food or just jam?
Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious, but there are only two teaspoons in a jar of jam. Despite the small amount, they do work in some meaningful nutrition, adding 35 to 40 mg of calcium and more than a gram of fiber per Tablespoon serving.
Blackberries are also a rich source of fiber and an excellent source of vitamins C and K, two vitamins essential for strong bones.
Practical Dietitians rate this recipe as Good for Bones.
Learn more about the criteria.
When eaten as a side or a snack, chia jam is good for your bones! Add it to your toast in the morning or boost the nutrition in a lunchtime PB&J.
Plus, they contain anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds responsible for their rich, dark color. These phenols may lower the risk of cancer and chronic diseases and also aid in the aging process.
Nutrition Speak: A good nutrient source offers 10% to 19% of the Daily Value. An excellent source provides 20% or more.
So, even a single Tablespoon serving of jam adds a few nutrition bonuses to your meal.
Another healthful aspect of chia jams is that they don’t need much added sugar. Most jams require sugar for preservation and texture as well as flavor–not this jam.
That’s because they are not meant to be shelf-stable and endure for months or years.
Jams and jellies don’t usually offer healthy fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, or even much fiber, even though they start with fiber-filled fruit!
How to Serve
The easiest way to enjoy this blackberry jam is on toast, yogurt, or as part of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It's also good in oatmeal or on top of pancakes and waffles.
You could also try it as a topping for vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Parfait it and double up on chia seeds by spreading it as a layer in a chia pudding.
Use it in a trifle. Spoon it between layers of angel food or pound cake with fresh berries and cream on top!
FAQ
Absolutely. They may need to simmer longer to get rid of excess liquid and become jammy.
Neither the whole seeds or the powdered seeds are noticeable. The only seeds you may notice are from the fruit.
Yes, it is a good, thick fruit spread that is very similar to regular types of jam and jelly.
No, this recipe is not for water bath canning. Store it in a clean container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Other recipes you might like…
If you’re a berry lover, this blueberry froyo with mint is refreshing, delicious, and nutritious. It’s an easy recipe, particularly if you have an ice cream machine.
Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins are a classic and delicious breakfast bake with extra protein and calcium from cottage cheese.
🍐If you’re looking for a more typical fruit preserve, try my popular slow-cooker recipe for pear butter!
Blackberry Chia Jam
Equipment
- Food processor or use a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- 2 8-oz jars or containers with lids
- Canning funnel
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackberries
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds, powdered. Can also use whole chia seeds.
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, or other sweetener: honey, stevia, monk fruit, or agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Wash hands thoroughly, lathering with soap and rinsing under running water, before beginning the recipe.
- Place fruit in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, mashing the fruit with a spoon or potato masher, until it is soft and bubbling, and some of the liquid released by the fruit has evaporated. (You should be able to see a clear mark on the bottom of the pan when you drag a spoon or spatula through the cooked berries.)
- Remove from the heat and taste. Add maple syrup or another sweetener to your liking depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
- Stir in the chia powder or seeds, the lemon juice, zest, and cinnamon, if using. Let cool for five minutes before stirring one more time.
- Jam is ready to enjoy! Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator for a week or two, or keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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