Old Fashioned Raspberry Jam (No Pectin, Low Sugar)
This old-fashioned raspberry jam will take you back to your childhood. It’s made in just 30 minutes, all-natural, low in sugar, and with no pectin. This jam is bursting with fruit flavor, whether you use fresh or frozen raspberries. A perfect jam over breakfast toast or over plain yogurt for dessert.
Growing up, my mom made jams all year round. Guava, mango, papaya — whatever was in season, she turned it into something delicious. And she didn’t just make a few jars for us; oh no — she made batches. Big ones. She’d cook them up, bottle them, and sell them. That’s how she supported the three of us — with her two hands, her pots and pans, and a whole lot of hustle. No fancy education, just pure grit. She cooked, she sewed, and she showed us how to survive with dignity.
But berries? Like raspberries and blueberries? Total luxury. We never saw those growing up — they just weren’t part of our world. So when I moved overseas and had kids of my own, you bet I was going to give them all the berry jams they wanted. And me? I fell hard for raspberry and blueberry. Still my favorites. I’ll happily eat them straight from the jar with a spoon. No shame.
Of course, I could never bring myself to buy store-bought jam. They’re way too sweet for me. Why drown perfectly good fruit in sugar? I want to taste the raspberry, not syrup with a fruit afterthought. That’s why my jams are always low sugar. Just enough to balance, never enough to overpower.
And no, I don’t use pectin either. My mom never had it, and honestly? You don’t need it. Let the fruit do what it’s meant to do — if it’s ripe and cooked right, it thickens naturally. Just like she did it, just like I still do.
This raspberry jam isn’t just a recipe. It’s a little piece of my past and my present — a spoonful of something real.
Why make this jam?
- No-fail method – This recipe is simple and easy. And if you’ve never made homemade jam, you will definitely start now. The taste of fresh hot jam on toast is absolutely incredible.
- No canning – This homemade recipe is without the fuss of canning. Just pour the jam into sterilized jars and save them in the fridge or freezer. However, I have given you the detailed process for canning, too.
- No pectin – Ideally, you can make jam with just two ingredients: berries and sugar, because raspberries have natural acidity and pectin in abundance. And yet, adding lemon juice helps break down on the skin.
- Low-sugar – Fresh raspberries are naturally soft and sweet. Therefore, you don’t need to add a lot of sugar to this jam. This jam is bursting with raspberry flavor.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Raspberries – Use fresh plump sweet raspberries in season or frozen raspberries. Both work beautifully with this recipe.
- Sugar – Unlike commercial jams, I like to use less sugar, which is usually half the quantity of fruit. For example, if I have 1 kg of fruit, I usually add 500 grams of sugar. So my jam is more fruity rather than just sugary sweet. But if you like it sweet, you can add more. Most commercial jams are made with 3/4 of the amount of sugar, in this case, 750 grams.
- Lemon Juice – Raspberries are naturally sweet, so the lemon really helps bring out and enhance their sweetness. It also helps prevent crystallization. Lemons also have a lot of natural pectins.
Step-by-step: Low Sugar, Homemade raspberry jam recipe (no pectin)
- Place two small ceramic plates in the freezer so we can use them to test the jam later. Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer to check the doneness of the jam.
- Check the raspberries and remove any bad, discolored, or bruised ones. Give them a quick wash and drain them in a colander.
Pro tip – Soft raspberries can be used, but discolored and bruised ones will ruin the jam. Also, don’t soak berries in water for too long, as they do soak up moisture. - Stove – In a heavy-bottom large pot or medium saucepan and a wooden spoon combine raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Then, turn the heat up and let the mixture come to a rolling boil. Let it boil for two minutes, stirring constantly on medium-high.
Pro tip – Boiling the jam is important as it releases pectin from the skin and seeds in fruits.
- Then, turn the heat to medium-low. The jam should still be simmering, but at a low simmer, not bubbling. Use a potato masher to mash the fruit, so you have a smoother jam-like consistency.
Pro tip – Mashing the fruit is optional, as the fruit will break down into smaller chunks similar to preserving as it cooks. However, mashing will give a smoother, jam-like consistency. - Continue to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes more, stirring often so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. The jam will continue to thicken and deepen in color as it cools.
Pro tip – The cooking time will depend on the quantity of the jam and the heat applied to it. It’s ok to cook a little longer, but there must be a simmer for the fruit to release pectin.
Testing the jam
- Remove the small plate from the freezer. Place a teaspoon of jam on the cold plate.
Pro tip – The cold plate will help cool the jam almost instantly and give you a good indication if the jam is ready. - Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, test with your finger. Simply move/push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles/crinkles it means the jam is ready. And if not, let the jam cook a couple of minutes more and test again.
Pro tip – You may need to test the jam on a ceramic plate more than once or a couple of times, depending on how early you start checking. - Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer – the jam should reach 105 °C / 221°F.
Pro tip – I find the thermometer the easiest and most foolproof method to check for doneness. - Optional – Just when you are ready to take the jam off the heat, add a teaspoon of butter and stir well. Butter helps dissolve the foam that accumulates on top of the jam.
Pro tip – You don’t need more than 1 teaspoon of butter to help with the foam. It will also give you that glossy shine. - Ladle the almost hot jam into warm, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch space from the top. Use a clean, sterilized knife or spatula to move the jam a bit – this will remove any air pockets or bubbles.
- Place a piece of wax paper on the top before you place the lid on tightly. Clean the rim of the jar with a clean paper towel. Top the lid.
Alternatively, use the lid with screw-on rings that come with the canning jars.
Canning the jam (if you plan to can the jam)
Sterilizing the jars
- Sterilize 4 x 8 oz (250 g) jars by washing them in hot, soapy water or by running them through the dishwasher on a gentle cycle. Then, place them in the oven for 20 minutes at a low temperature of 284°F/140 °C.
Pro tip – I find the dishwasher does a good job of cleaning, and the oven dries any excess moisture in the bottles. - Note – Leave them in the oven until you are ready to use them (you can turn the oven off). Don’t forget to wash and sterilize the bottle lids as well.
Canning process
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot. Fill half the pot with water. Bring the water in the pot to a boil on high heat.
- Lower the jars over the rack, leaving enough space between the jars.
Pro tip – The level of water should be at least an inch above the top of the jars. So if necessary, pour more boiling water. - Bring the water to a boil again. Cover the pot and process/simmer for 15 minutes.
- Then, carefully remove the jars from the stockpot and place them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess moisture. Cool completely.
Pro tip – the hot jars are very delicate, so make sure to use tongs when taking them out and place them on soft towels to prevent them from breaking. - Press the top of the lid to ensure the seal is tight – the lid should not move at all. Store in a cool, dry place.
Storage
- If canning, the canned jam will stay in a cool, dry place in the pantry for up to a year or even longer.
- When not canned, the jam will stay at room temperature in an airtight container or glass jar for a month or more in good weather.
- You can also keep the jam in the fridge for 3 to 6 months.
- Label the jar with the name and date so you know what is in it and when you made it.
No-sugar raspberry jam
Sugar helps create pectin, which makes our jam. But what if you can’t have sugar? Or you don’t want to eat sugar? You can still make jam. Here’s how.
First, pick the naturally sweetest raspberries you can find at the market. Forget everything you read about pectin and buy a box or packet of natural pectin. These are available in most supermarkets. If you don’t want to use pectin, you can use chia seeds. The difference is that jam with pectin has a longer shelf life than jam with chia seeds. And also grab some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest because that has some natural pectin in it too. The formula is pretty simple, and it belongs to my mom
- With Pectin
- 4 cups of fruits (one or a combination)
- 3 tbsp pectin
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or 2 tbsp Splenda
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer until it reaches a jam-like consistency.
- With chia seeds
- 4 cups of fruit
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or 2 tbsp Splenda
Bring all to a boil and cook until thick, then add the 2 tbsp chia seeds.
If you ever find you need to add more sweetness, add a little agave syrup or honey to the jam just before you take it off the heat. This will sweeten it a bit. I used to make no-sugar jams for a friend of my mom long ago because she was diabetic.
Frequently asked questions
Pectin is an essential ingredient for jams, jellies, and preserves. Without pectin, our jams and jellies will not be set. Pectin is naturally found in many fruit seeds and skins, but can also be produced artificially.
Commercial pectin is usually made from the fruit rind. Using artificial pectin can reduce the jam cooking time and give you a high yield, but it lacks that intense flavor produced through longer, slower cooking by the natural production of pectin in jam.
All fruits have pectin. Some fruits have more pectin than others, like blueberries, apples, and other fruits. Especially in a raspberry jam, you don’t really need any more pectin.
Our grandmothers did not use any artificial pectin either. And yet, they’ve made us some amazing jams. Low-heat, slow cooking is the key to making a good jam because that’s when the pectin is naturally released.
An acid, like lemon juice, is necessary to keep the sugar from crystallizing, which is why all jam recipes have lemon juice. To fix crystallization, simply heat the jam in a microwave or clean saucepan over medium heat. Add lemon juice and cook until the sugar has melted again. This should fix it.
No matter what jam you make, there is so much you can do with it other than just spread it on toast. I often use jam in my macarons for a quick fruit filling. My kids love to help me make shortbread cookies so they can stick their thumbs in the center and add jam. Also, nothing beats fresh, homemade fried donuts filled with a jam that just melts in the mouth. These classic Linzer cookies are made every year for gifts.
Raspberry Jam No Pectin (3 ingredients)
Video
Method
- Place two small ceramic plates in the freezer so we can use these to test the jam later. Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer to check the doneness of the jam.
- Check the raspberries and remove any bad, discolored, or bruised ones. Give them a quick wash and drain in a colander.Pro tip – Soft raspberries can be used but discolored and bruised will ruin the jam. Also, don't soak berries in water for too long as they do soak up moisture.
- In a heavy bottom pan, combine the raspberries, sugar, salt, and lemon juice.
- Cook on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then, turn the heat up and let the mixture come to a boil. Let it boil for two minutes stirring constantly on medium-high. Pro tip – Boiling the jam is important as it releases pectin from the skin and seed in fruits.
- Then, turn the heat to medium-low. The jam should still be simmering but at a low simmer, not bubbling. Use a vegetable masher to mash the fruit – so you have a smoother jam-like consistency.Pro tip – Mashing the fruit is optional, as the fruit will break down into smaller chunks similar to preserve as it cooks. However, mashing will give smoother consistency like jam.
- Continue to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes more stirring often so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. The jam will continue to thicken as well as deepen in color as it cools.Pro tip – The cooking time will depend on the quantity of the jam as well as the heat applied to it. It's ok to cook a little longer but there must be a simmer for the fruit to release pectin.
- Remove one of the ceramic plates from the freezer. Place a teaspoon of jam on the cold plate. Pro tip – The cold plate will help cool the jam almost instantly and give you a good indication if the jam is ready.
- Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, test with your finger. Simply move/push the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles/crinkles it means the jam is ready. And if not, let the jam cook a couple of minutes more and test again.Pro tip – You may need to test the jam on a ceramic plate more than once or a couple of times depending on how early you start checking.
- Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer – the jam should reach 105 C / 221 F.Pro tip – I find the thermometer to be the easiest and fool-proof method to check for doneness.
- Optional – Just when you are ready to take the jam off the heat add a teaspoon of butter and stir well. Butter helps dissolve foam that accumulates on top of the jam. Pro tip – You don't need more than 1 teaspoon of butter to help with the foam. It will also give you that glossy shine.
- Pour the jam into warm sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch space from the top. Use a clean sterilized knife or spatula to move the jam a bit – this will remove any air pockets.
- Place a piece of wax paper on the top before you place the lid on tightly. Clean the rim of the jar with a clean paper towel. Top the lid. Alternatively, use the lid with screw-on rings that come with the canning jars.
- Sterilize 4 x 8 oz (250 g) jars by washing them in hot soapy water or cleaning them in the dishwasher with a gentle cycle. Then, place them in the oven for 20 minutes at a low 284 F / 140 C.Pro tip – I find the dishwasher does a good job of cleaning and the oven dries any excess moisture in the bottles.
- Note – Leave them in the oven until you are ready to use them (you can turn the oven off). Don’t forget to wash and sterilize the bottle lids as well.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot. Fill half the pot with water. Bring the water in the pot to a boil on high heat.
- Lower the jars over the rack leaving enough space between the jars.Pro tip – The level of water should be at least an inch above the top of the jars. So if necessary pour more boiling water.
- Bring the water to a boil again. Cover the pot and process/simmer for 15 minutes.
- Then, carefully remove the jars from the stockpot and place them on a kitchen towel to absorb any excess moisture. Cool completely. Pro tip – The hot jars are very delicate so make sure to use tongs when taking them out and place them on soft towels to prevent them from breaking.
- Press the top of the lid to ensure the seal is tight – the lid should not move at all. Store in a cool dry place.
Notes
- Macerate – time permitting you can macerate the fruit and sugar in a large bowl overnight. This breaks down the fruit and softens the sugar. The resulting jam is wonderful and fruity.
- Shelf life – Homemade jams made with sugar and fresh fruit can have a long shelf life. If processed with the canning method, and stored properly in a cool dark place, a jam can last for up to 2 years. Once opened it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 months
- Do you need lemon juice? Almost all jams use lemon juice. Lemon is a great way to cut down on that sweetness with a citrus edge. It also prevents the sugar from crystallizing. Most importantly the lemon helps prevent any growth of bacteria when canning the jam.
- How long do you cook jam? We often say low-heat slow cooking is what makes a good jam. This does not mean it takes a long time. Usually, a good 20 minutes is all it needs for about 1 kg / 2 lbs of fruit jam to reach a set point. You can start checking the jam after it has been cooking for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Jam no setting – Often the reason jam does not set though reduced to half is that it has not been boiled enough. The low-heat slow cooking is what makes jam reach its setting point. If cooked too fast the liquid is reduced but without going thru the natural process of setting. So, low-heat slow cooking is the key to a perfect jam.
- Over-cooked jam – It is possible to overcook jam. It is better to undercook rather than overcook a jam. Because undercooked can be cooked again, but once overcooked you have to add water to thin the jam. Note, once you add water you reduce the shelf life of the jam as well. Best to get it right the first time.
- Jam done test – getting the jam off the heat is critical and often we take it off too soon or too late resulting in a runny or too thick jam. So here is an old mom’s method that works great to test any fruit jam.
- Place two ceramic plates in the freezer or fridge. These cool while the jam is cooking. When you are ready to test – bring the cold plate out. Put a spoonful of jam on the plate. The cold plate will instantly cool the jam giving you an indication of how much it has set. Simply put the jam on the plate from the corner towards the center. If it wrinkles it is set. Time to take the jam off the heat. If not, continue with a few more tests – every 3 to 5 minutes.
- If you do have a candy thermometer on hand you can use it and take the guesswork out. I used mine for instructional videos to show the process for those who would like to use a candy thermometer.
Storage
- If canning, the canned jam will stay in a cool dry place in the pantry for up to a year or even longer.
- When not canned, the jam will stay at room temperature for a month or more in good weather.
- You can also keep the jam in the fridge for 3 to 6 months.
- Label the jar with the name and date so you know what is in and when you made it.
Excellent jam recipe! I love the combo of less sugar and no pectin. Really lets the raspberry flavors shine.
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Tommy. So happy you enjoyed this recipe.