Sparkling Holiday Jam

  4.8 – 96 reviews  • Jams and Jellies Recipes

This recipe for carrot top salad is fantastic for using up all the greens from summer carrot harvests.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: 96
Yield: 12 8-ounce jars

Ingredients

  1. 2 ½ quarts strawberries, coarsely chopped
  2. 1 (12 ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped
  3. 2 (2 ounce) packages powdered fruit pectin
  4. 1 teaspoon margarine
  5. 5 pounds white sugar

Instructions

  1. Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Let simmer while making jam.
  2. Combine strawberries, cranberries, pectin, and margarine in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in sugar and return to a boil. Cook for 1 minute; remove from heat.
  3. Quickly fill jars to within 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe rims clean and put on lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Reviews

Lisa Allison
I am new to jam making and the recipe does’t say how many jars are needed. I ended up with 2 pints, 10 half pints, and 4 quarter pints. It is way too sweet for me. Next time I will try a recipe with much less sugar.
Scott Bird
I made a half batch with 3 cups of frozen strawberries, 1.5 cups frozen cranberries, 3.5 cups sugar, zest & juice of a tangerine, juice of a lemon and 2 pouches of liquid pectin (added at the very end before canning). This made 6.5 pints.
Nicole Golden
this was my first attempt at making jam. i cant believe how easy and fun it was! and it tastes amazing! hubby says its the best jam he’s ever had! and pretty too! im tying a holday sprig to each jar with a red ribbon and handing them out to colleagues at work!!
Michael Richardson
THIS JAM WAS SO GOOD. IT SHOULD BE SWEET BUT IT WASN’T, THE CRANBERRIES REALLY CUT THE SWEETNESS.
Joel Huber
This jam is wonderful!!!
Jennifer Campos
Tastes awesome but it didn’t set /gel. Will try more pectin next time.
Tammy Sharp
I added about about a teaspoon of Saigon cinnamon and a couple drops of ginger essential oil to spice it up a little. Yum.
Gregory Flowers
Made this recipe exactly with strawberries I picked locally this summer and froze. It is delicious except for the fact I cant taste any cranberry flavor like I had hoped. I will make again except I will add less strawberries and more cranberries.
Amber Martin
OMG, this is wonderful the sweetness of strawberries and slight tartness of cranberries. Will certainly make again!
Jeffrey Cochran
Instead of pectin, I used 1/4 cup of lemon juice. That is the natural way. I used dried cranberries because there were no fresh ones around. This recipe came out great!!!!!
Lydia Garner
I love this jam! I added in some apricots and probably two or three teaspoons of Roasted Saigon Cinnamon, which I think really adds a Christmas-y holiday touch!
Heidi Lam
I have made this recipe numerous times and it comes out perfectly every time. Yesterday I used frozen pomegranate instead of cranberries and I think that is my favorite variation to date. The color is a deeper red and has just the right amount of tartness that it needs to balance the sweetness. I also use an immersion blender after I add the sugar so that there are no sugar clumps and reduces the “graininess” texture that the sugar can cause in any jam recipe
Amanda Moore
I made this jam today. I used about 10 cups of strawberries and 1 1/2 cups of cranberries (which i believe is what it calls for. I googled it to convert it to cups). I used only half the amount of sugar and still found it far too sweet. I will only use about 1-2 cups of sugar next time. It does taste nice, but it was sweeter than I would have liked. I will try it again tomorrow will far less sugar and update.
Charlotte Williams
This is a delicious recipe! I did make a couple of changes, based mostly on reviews that I had already read: 1. I used 2 1/2 quarts of mashed berries 2. I added another couple of ounces of cranberries 3. I only used 3 pounds white sugar (I had very sweet berries) 4. I added the juice and chopped zest of one orange These changes gave me 17 half-pint jars of jam, and it’s delicious. I like the addition of the orange – it brightens it a little bit, I think. The amount of sugar I used was plenty sweet enough, though again – I had very sweet berries on hand. Overall, I think I would add more cranberries and a smidge less sugar next time to get a bit more of the cranberry flavor. Right now, it’s primarily strawberry with a hint of the orange flavor and the tart of the cranberries. However, it’s an excellent jam, and will definitely join my regular rotation of jamming recipes!
Susan Kelley
Used two 16oz. bags frozen strawberries and one 12oz. bag frozen cranberries. Used only 4 lbs sugar. Plenty sweet! Made seven 12oz jars of jam and one 8oz jar.
David Powell
Turned out great. I followed the recipe but substituted frozen blackberries and raspberries for the strawberries (didn’t have in strawberries in the freezer).
Natalie Lindsey
I followed the recipe exactly, and it made a very delicious jam! I thawed out some frozen cranberries and strawberries, and then chopped them coarsely in a blender. This recipe yielded about 12 half-pint jars. I can’t wait to share this jam as Christmas gifts!
Brett Greer
First confession, I have made this now twice, double batched. Changed things around greatly, so it’s hard to say I made this specific recipe I guess. BUT, it gave me ideas, which I love. By doing my changes, and making the larger batches, I was covering the holiday gift giving as well. My husband being the guinea pig, and true jam connoisseur in this household. He loved love loved my jam! But I think he says that about just almost every example I push towards him. I do not do sugar myself so I do not eat this. But, by several reviews of others, this is a HUGE hit. Hence the great holiday season jam to make. Tis cranberry time here in Washington, and we always have bananas. I used one chopped braeburn apple and fresh squeezed one small lemon for the juice and tiny slices of lemon rind as well as cinnamon and pie spices, also a splash of bourbon vanilla at the end of cooking. Note, I also used 2 packs of the pink box pectin, I did not have liquid pectin. I will write down my steps because it is a keeper indeed. Most unique and satisfying to the discerning pallet. (or so I’m told)
Daniel Medina
Delicious. Easy to make and great for gifts. We got 15 half-pint jars out of this one recipe. Update: Used 1 bag of cranberries, 1 40-ounce bag of frozen strawberries, 8 cups sugar, 2 pouches pectin. This time we got 11 half-pint jars plus a little left over. I’m wondering if one pouch of pectin would have been enough.
Andrea Anderson
I made a half batch of this lovely jam at the very last moment on Christmas Eve. I had to use liquid pectin since I was out of powdered. I used 4 1/2 C strawberries, 7 1/2oz fresh cranberries, juice of 1 lemon, juice and zest of 1 orange, and about 2# 5oz sugar with 1 3oz packet of liquid Certo pectin. Once it cooled down it set perfectly and has a delightful bright candy red hue that is especially nice in quilted jars. It does taste a bit more like strawberry than cranberry, so next time I will increase the cranberries and most likely only use 2# of sugar so it is more tart. I know my family will love it as is and am really glad I tried it out. Thank you for sharing this gem! To help ensure even fruit suspension in your finished product, I recommend letting your jam set about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, before ladling into your jars so the fruit pieces won’t float to the top at all.
Shane Duran
I make this recipe every year for Christmas and give it out as a gift. I purchase the supplies from costco to save money: large thing of sugar, strawberries in the frozen section, and cranberries from the produce section (pectin is purchased from my local grocery, as well as the jars). It is completely affordable and everybody loves it! I always make an extra batch so that we can use it through the year as well. It’s perfect.

 

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