Easy Homemade Blackberry Jam Recipe

Name: Homemade Blackberry Jam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2.2 pounds blackberries (best to use fresh seasonal blackberries); 12 ounce white sugar; 2 Tbsp pectin (read notes for pectin-free version); 1 lemon, juiced (or bottled juice - 1/4 cup)

By Samira @ Alphafoodie

updated September 24, 2021

5 from 44 votes

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An easy Homemade Blackberry jam recipe for beginner jam-makers with lots of tips and tricks! A practically foolproof method for luscious, tasty blackberry jam every time.

Every time I eat blackberry jam, it reminds me of blackberry picking on warm summer evenings. Blackberries grow all over the UK and are available at pick-your-own farms, and it’s honestly such a fun stress-free activity. What’s even better, though, is taking your loot home and turning it into delicious homemade fresh blackberry jam.

Whether or not you decide to use store-bought or wild blackberries is up to you. This recipe is incredibly simple, either way. Plus, because this is a small batch recipe, you can whip up this jam in under half an hour – easy peasy!

All you need for this blackberry jam is just four ingredients: blackberries, lemon juice, sugar, and pectin. And I’ve even included an option to go pectin-free in the recipe notes. If you want to read more about pectin and the jam ingredients, then head over to my Strawberry Jam post. I also have a Raspberry jam and a no-pectin fig jam, if you’re interested.

Using Wild Blackberries

When using any kind of wild berries of farm-to-table style berries, it’s best to clean them thoroughly. Soak in salted water to clean and remove bugs. Just make sure to do this just before making the jam and drying thoroughly, so they don’t spoil.

It’s worth noting as well that wild blackberries contain more pectin than many store-bought varieties. This is because they are usually sourer, and sour fruit, in general, tends to have higher pectin levels. That means that you can reduce (or even eliminate) the need for additional pectin entirely.

When choosing your blackberries, it’s best to use ripe and slightly underripe berries. Overripe berries tend to lose their pectin level and that sharp flavor that makes for a truly magnificent jam.

How To Make Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

Blackberries – fresh or slightly underripe is best.
Sugar – I used white granulated sugar
Pectin – read notes for a pectin-free version
Lemon juice – bottled or fresh

The Steps

If you want more significant bits of blackberry in the jam

Place the fresh berries and sugar in a bowl for a few hours (or overnight). During this time, the berries will macerate, and the sugar begins to dissolve – thus needing less time to cook before the sugar fully dissolves, allowing the berries to stay more in-tact.

If you Want Fewer Seeds In Your Jam

First, mash the blackberries and add them with the lemon juice to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to break the fruit down, and then press through a sieve or jelly bag into a bowl. Then simply place 2-3 spoonfuls of the seeds back into the jam or remove the seeds entirely for more of a blackberry jelly recipe (which uses the blackberry juice only).

The Usual Steps

Start by very lightly mashing the blackberries in a bowl (or the pan) using a potato masher or similar tool.

Then, in a medium heavy-based pan, add the sugar, blackberries, lemon juice, and pectin. Heat on low-medium heat, stirring constantly, to completely dissolve the sugar. This will eliminate the risk of grainy/sugar crystal-formed jam later on.

Bring the mixture to a boil (a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down) at high heat for five minutes, without stirring. Use a spoon to make sure the jam isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it is, then you can mix it a couple of times and reduce the heat slightly.

To check that the jam has reached the setting point, either use a thermometer or the saucer test. If using a thermometer, the temperature needs to be 105ºC/220ºF.

For the saucer test, it’s best to have placed a saucer in the fridge/freezer before starting the jam. After five minutes, add a spoonful to the sauce and wait 30 seconds. Push it with your finger, and if it wrinkles, even a little, then it will set.

Skim off any of the excess foam on top of the pan, for a clean jam. You can also add in a small amount of butter right at the end and stir to help disperse the rest of the foam/scum.

Remove from heat and leave the jam to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the berries to settle so that they don’t sink to the bottom in the jars.

Meanwhile, sterilize the jars you will be using for the jam and then place them in the oven for 10 minutes at 160ºC/325ºF to completely dry.

Sterilized jars for storing Blackberry Jam

Place the jars onto a wooden surface and transfer the jam to the jars. This process is easier with a canning funnel, but not necessary.

Wipe away any spillage on the outside of the jar with a damp cloth and then seal the jars. Be careful not to touch the lip or inside the lid if you’re hoping to properly ‘can’ your jam.

How to Store

If you plan to use the blackberry jam reasonably quickly and don’t intend to properly “can” it then:

It will last in the fridge for up to three weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

You can also use the hot water bath method if you want to properly store your jam for long-term storage. That way, your jam will last around 1.5 years (it’s usually two but we’ve added less sugar here so will likely be 1-1.5) in a cool, dry, dark location.

Water Bath Canning

Make sure that the cans are thoroughly sterilized in a large pan of boiling water, and all equipment used during the process was pre-sterilized in boiling water. Check my Canning Guide for Beginners where I explain in detail how to proceed with each step.

If canning for long-term storage, it’s best to use a canning funnel to quickly pour the jam in the jars mess-free.

Fill each jar to around ¼ inch from the top and then top with the cap and lid tightly.

Then, using tongs (you can get specific jar ones), lower your jars back into the pan of boiling water, making sure they are around 2″ deep in the water.

Process in the water for around 10 minutes (this can change depending on the altitude of where you live).

Remove the jars from the water and leave them to cool on a wooden or another heatproof surface. You’ll know that the lids have sealed properly when they are concave and won’t wiggle when pressed. If you have one that hasn’t been sealed properly, then place it in the fridge to use first.

How to Serve

As with all berry jams, this blackberry jam tastes amazing when spread over warm Toast and croissants or spooned over pancakes and French Toast. Also, use in a variety of dessert dishes like these Thumbprint cookies or inside these Vegan Magnums.

You can also use it as a spread within cakes, in overnight oats, and mixed into some homemade yogurt. Like this coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, or natural/greek yogurt.

If you give this recipe a go, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.

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Homemade Blackberry Jam

5 from 44 votes

By: Samira

An easy Homemade Blackberry jam recipe for beginner jam-makers with lots of tips and tricks! A practically foolproof method for luscious, tasty blackberry jam every time.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings: