3-ingredient raspberry chia jam, THE easiest recipe on my blog. My favourite refined-sugar free jam that you can add to anything from yogurt, to cookies to toast.
When I was first introduced to chia jam I fell in love. I can make homemade jam in less than 30 minutes using 3 ingredients?! Yes please! Since I first discovered it, I've tweaked the recipe a bit to offer different flavour variations. If you're looking for a way to level up your classic PB&J sandwiches.... you've found it!
What is Chia Jam?
Anyone that's ever made homemade jam will tell you the key to getting the thickness just right is SUGAR and lots of it. In a typical jam, sugar will work to form bonds with the fruit helping to thicken it to the perfect consistency. Don't get me wrong I still have a soft spot for my Gramma's homemade strawberry jam but I've also realized that it's more of a dessert than a breakfast addition for me now. Chia jam offers the perfect solution to helping you decrease the added sugars in your diet while still giving you an amazing fruity jam.
Essentially instead of extra sugar and pectin chia jam is thickened with chia seeds! Chia seeds are a magical little seed that when combined with a wet ingredient, acts as a thickener. Making it a great addition to jams, overnight oats and chia puddings!
Since you don't need an insane amount of sugar to thicken it up, this also means that you can totally customize the amount of sugar in this chia jam! You can even choose to add ZERO sugar to make this a sugar free raspberry jam recipe and let the natural sweetness from the fruit shine through!
The other benefit of chia jam that I've come to love is that it requires zero canning skills and can be made in small batches. This means that instead of needing to dedicate an entire day to making jam you can spend less than 30 minutes in your kitchen!
If I still don't have you convinced to try this raspberry chia jam maybe the ingredient list will convince you.....
What Ingredients do I need to make raspberry chia jam?
Chia seeds- The magical seed that does it all! The secret to getting a thick jam without all the added sugar. Chia seeds are not only a secret thickener, they are also rich in omega-3 fats, antioxidants and fibre!
Maple Syrup- A touch of natural sweetness. The thing I love the most about this jam is the sugar quantity can be completely customizable. Feel free to add anywhere between 0-4 tablespoon of maple syrup to your chia jam! Honey also works just as well! (sugar free maple syrup also works!)
Berries- Fresh or frozen! This is completely up to you, as the name suggests my favourite is raspberry chia jam however you can choose blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries. Honestly it doesn't even need to be berries any fruit that breaks down well can be used in this chia jam!
That's it! All you need are these three simple ingredients and you have yourself a fruity jam. You can also add things like lemon juice and vanilla extract for a little extra flavour but they are totally optional!
I love adding this raspberry chia jam to my yogurt bowls with a bit of this cinnamon sugar granola, or topping my oatmeal cookie cups with it, or adding it to these almond flour linzer cookies!
I always love seeing my recipes in action! If you make this raspberry chia jam don't forget to tag my on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or a leave a comment below letting me know how they turned out!
3-Ingredient Raspberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 3 cups of berries frozen or fresh both work!
- 2-4 tablespoon maple syrup depends on how sweet you like it!
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
Optional for flavour
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine berries and maple syrup, stirring frequently until a smooth consistency begins to form. Once the berries begin breaking down, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (I use a potato masher to help ensure the jam is smooth!).
- Add in the chia seeds, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Once thick, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla or lemon juice. Allow jam to cool completely before pouring into a mason jar for storage.
