Last Updated on October 29, 2025 by Sarah Leadon
Christmas isn’t complete without a jar of cranberry strawberry jam, or Christmas jam, as I like to call it. It is sweet, tangy, tart, and so delicious. Trust me, this cranberry strawberry jam is the perfect way to spread some holiday cheer.
Plus, with so many fresh cranberries around, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t make at least 1 batch of cranberry jam.
How To Make Strawberry Cranberry Jam
Making strawberry cranberry jam is very easy. All you need are a few tools and fresh ingredients, and you will have the best strawberry cranberry jam you have ever tasted. Follow these steps to make the jam:
Clean & Check The Jam Jars
Before you add the jam to the jars, you have to clean them really well. Check the jars for chips and cracks. If there is a chip on the lid, it may stop the lid from sealing correctly. If your jar is cracked, it could break when you add the hot jam to it.
Next, wash your jam jars with hot, soapy water, then rinse them well.
Sterilize the Jars
This is a canning recipe, so you need to sterilize your jars before you add the jam to them. I sterilized the jars in the dishwasher, but there are other methods for sterilizing jars. But you can sterilize jars in boiling water, microwave, or in the oven.
Time it so the jars finish the sterilization process right as the cranberry jam finishes cooking.
Prep The Ingredients
Wash the fresh cranberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Remove the stems from the strawberries, then cut them into quarters. If you are using frozen ingredients, you do not have to wash them.
Place the cranberries, strawberries, and raspberries in a large pot. I like to make jam in a Dutch oven because it retains heat well and has high sides, which reduces the chance that the jam will boil over.
Add the orange zest, orange, water, and granulated sugar and mix until combined.
Cook The Jam
Set the jam over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook the cranberry strawberry jam for 10-15 minutes, stirring every so often until it thickens.
Testing The Jam To See If It’s Done
There are two ways you can tell if the cranberry jam is done. The first way is by using a thermometer. Jam is finished cooking when it gels at a temperature between 217-222°F (103-106°C). But depending on your elevation level, the temperature may change. For example, if you are at sea level, the jam will gel at 220°F (104°C). If you are at 1000 feet in elevation, the jam will gel at 218°F (103°C).
You can also use the plate test to see if the jam is finished cooking. Place a spoonful of cranberry jam on a cold plate. If the jam firms up, it’s ready to go.
Put The Strawberry Cranberry Jam In Jars
Place the strawberry cranberry jam into sterilized jars. Make sure you leave 1/4-inch of headspace. If there isn’t enough space, the jam may expand and spill out during processing.
Process The Jam In Water Bath Canner
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to process the jam in a water bath canner.
If you don’t have a water bath canner, put a clean kitchen or tea towel in the bottom of a large tall pot (the towel will keep the jars from breaking). Fill it with enough water to cover the jam by 2 inches and set it over medium-high heat. Once it starts boiling, add the jars to the pot and process them for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you’re above 6000 feet elevation).
Use canning tongs to gently lift the jars out of the water bath canner. Set them on a clean kitchen towel. Let the strawberry cranberry jam cool completely (I let the jam sit overnight) before storing it in a cool, dark place.
Tips For Making Strawberry Cranberry Jam
- Taste the cranberries before you make the jam. This strawberry cranberry jam recipe calls for 3 1/2-4 cups of sugar. While this may seem like a lot of sugar, cranberries are pretty tart. Tasting the cranberries before you make the jam will give you an idea of how much sugar you need to add to the jam.
- Zest the orange peel, not the pith. Do not zest the pith of the orange. The pith is the white part of the citrus fruit. It has a bitter taste that changes the flavor of the strawberry cranberry jam.
- If you want a smooth cranberry jam blend it. You may have to add a few tablespoons of water to the jam to get it to blend into a smooth paste. Once you have blended the jam, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of the seeds.
How Long Will Strawberry Cranberry Jam Last
If the jam is properly canned and sealed, it will last for 12-18 months. They will be safe to eat as long as they are sealed. Once you open a jar of cranberry jam, you will have to store it in the fridge.
Do I Have To Can Cranberry Strawberry Jam
You do not have to can this cranberry jam. Canning is optional. You can ladle the jam into jars and store it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it.
Is Strawberry Cranberry Jam Better With Or Without Pectin
Some people prefer to add pectin to jam, especially when using low-pectin fruits like strawberries. However, cranberries are high in pectin. So there’s no need to add it to the jam.
What Do You Eat Cranberry Jam With
You can serve this jam with toast, muffins, bagels, or bread. You can even serve it with turkey or use it to make cookies, cheesecake, fudge, or dips.
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Strawberry Cranberry Jam (Canning Recipe)
48
servings10
minutes20
minutes54
10
minutes40
minutesStrawberry cranberry jam is a festive jam that brightens up the holidays. The sweet strawberries and tart cranberries create the perfect jam with just the right amount of sugar. It is the perfect addition to your breakfast spread. You can also use it in dessert or give it to a loved one as a gift.
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Ingredients
12 oz. bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 lb. fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, optional
Zest of 1 orange
1 orange, peeled, seeded, roughly chopped
¼ cup water
3 1/2 -4 cups granulated sugar
Directions
- If you are using fresh cranberries and strawberries, place them in a colander and rinse them well with cold water. Let them drain, then remove the stems from the strawberries and cut them into quarters.
- Place the strawberries and the cranberries in a large pot. Add the orange zest, orange, water, and granulated sugar, and stir until combined.
- Place the jam over a medium-high flame and let it come to a boil.
- Decrease the heat to low and cook the jam for 10-15 minutes, occasionally stirring until it thickens and has a temperature between 217-222°F (103-106°C).
- Pour the strawberry cranberry jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace.
- Process the jam in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes if you live above 6000 feet elevation).
- Remove the jars of jam from the water bath canner and place them on a clean kitchen towel. Let the strawberry cranberry jam cool completely before storing the jars in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- This recipe yields 40-48 servings of jam.
- Taste the cranberries before making the jam and adjust the sugar amount as needed. Remember, cranberries are pretty tart, so you will need quite a bit of sugar to help balance the flavor.
- Don’t use jars that are cracked or chipped. Do not use damaged or rusted lids.
Nutrition Facts
- Total number of serves: 48
- Calories: 54kcal
- Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 0mg
- Potassium: 0mg
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 13g
- Protein: 0g
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Calcium: 4mg
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Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Your review not only helps me improve but also helps others discover and enjoy these recipes. Please leave a comment below!
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Delicious! Can not get enough of this strawberry cranberry jam. Raspberries give an extra sweetness to the jam.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the strawberry cranberry jam. It really is a one of my favorite recipes. But now I’m curious how it would taste with raspberries. Might have to try that next!
I made this! I used 4 cups of Splenda vs sugar and it was pretty good. I think it could have used maybe a bit more sweetness. My hubby said the sweetness hits first, then the tart hits. All in all, it’s not bad.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback! Using Splenda instead of sugar can change the flavor of the jam a bit. Next, time you make it try adding a little more Splenda or a splash of vanilla to round out the flavor. I’m glad your hubby picked up on the layers of flavor too. Thanks, again for trying my recipe.