Slow Cooker Christmas Jam 🎄🍓
This festive Christmas Jam is sweet, fruity, and beautifully spiced. Making it in a slow cooker keeps the process simple and gives the fruit plenty of time to soften and develop a rich flavor. It’s wonderful on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or served as a holiday gift.
Ingredients
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4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
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2 cups strawberries, chopped
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1½ cups granulated sugar
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1 orange, zested and juiced
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1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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½ teaspoon ground ginger
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ÂĽ teaspoon ground cloves
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 package powdered fruit pectin, optional if a firmer jam is desired
1. Add the Fruit
Place the cranberries and chopped strawberries into the slow cooker.
If using frozen fruit, there’s no need to thaw it completely.
2. Add the Sugar and Spices
Add the sugar, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir everything together.
3. Slow Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for about 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally.
The cranberries should burst and the fruit should become soft and syrupy.
4. Add Vanilla
Stir in the vanilla during the final few minutes of cooking.
Taste carefully and add a little more sugar or spice if desired.
5. Thicken the Jam
For a thicker consistency, mash some of the fruit with a potato masher.
If using pectin, follow the instructions on the package regarding when and how to add it. Jam consistency will also become thicker as it cools.
6. Cool
Turn off the slow cooker and allow the jam to cool slightly. Transfer it to clean containers and refrigerate.
How to Serve It
Christmas Jam is delicious with:
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Toast or English muffins
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Biscuits or scones
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Pancakes and waffles
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Cream cheese and crackers
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Brie or other mild cheeses
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Holiday desserts
Storage
For a homemade slow-cooker jam that has not been processed using a tested canning recipe, keep it refrigerated and use it within a reasonable refrigerated storage period rather than storing it at room temperature.
For longer shelf storage, use a tested, scientifically validated canning recipe and proper water-bath processing instructions.
Bottom Line
This cranberry-strawberry jam gets its holiday flavor from orange, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The slow cooker does most of the work, making it an easy festive recipe for Christmas breakfast or homemade gifts.
