3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam ~ this amazingly fresh and vibrant jam is made in just minutes in the microwave, without any of the muss and fuss associated with traditional jam making ~ score!
I was noodling around in the kitchen the other day with berries and the microwave. I was trying to develop a microwave berry crisp when I accidentally discovered this amazing jam. I guess technically I didn’t discover it, because when I Googled it, there were plenty of others who got there first. BUT it is new to me, and maybe to you too! I made a little pot of jam, with no sugar at all, from a cup of mixed berries, in the microwave, in 3 minutes. And it’s pure fruit heaven. Because there’s no added sugar, and the jam is flash-cooked, it tastes wonderfully fresh. And it’s instant gratification, which is always good.
And by the way, those other microwave recipes I found? They all use sugar. The reason there is so much sugar in traditional jams and jellies is that sugar is a preservative, and functions to help the pectin form a gel. But for this kind of quick, small batch jam, there’s no need for it. Your reward is an eye-opening fresh fruit flavor that you will not believe.
This works really well with berries because they break down so quickly, and the nice thing is that you can make this with just a handful. There’s no need for peeling, chopping, or pitting. I used raspberries and blueberries, but any small berry combination will do. I didn’t try this with larger blackberries, or strawberries, they would need chopping and probably extra time.
The microwave is an amazing tool, and there are so many incredible things you can do with it ~ I’ve used it for:
Ingredients
- 1 cup berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or a mix) rinsed
- 1/4 tsp corn starch
Instructions
- Put the berries in a large glass bowl. If you are using blackberries and they are large, cut them in half. Toss the berries with the cornstarch.
- Cover the bowl with a dinner plate, and microwave for 3 minutes. Give it a stir. If your jam is still very runny, pop it back into the microwave for 30 second intervals. Be careful, it will get quite hot.
- Spoon the jam into a clean jar and let cool Store in the refrigerator, the jam will firm up as it cools.
Make it your own ~
- You can also use the hot jam, right out of the microwave, as a dessert sauce over cake or ice cream.
Don’t forget to pin this amazing 3-minute no sugar microwave jam!
66 Comments
Sue
October 6, 2018 at 5:45 pmHave you ever tried chia seeds without cornstarch?
Sue
October 6, 2018 at 8:51 pmI think you can use the chia seeds all by themselves, Sue, and you don’t need to really heat the berries, just puree them. The chia will expand and thicken the jam overnight.
Jillian Van Patten
September 13, 2018 at 9:19 amHow long will this keep in the refrigerator? I picked (and froze) about 2 gallons of wild raspberries and don’t have time in the near future to make jelly, this seems like a better, healthier alternative!!
Sue
September 13, 2018 at 9:27 amIt will keep a week or more, Jillian. If you have the berries in the freezer you can make this jam all year long as you need it. Or you could make it and freeze it.
Jim
July 21, 2018 at 1:45 pmCould you add Mojito mint to your jam?
Sue
July 21, 2018 at 4:05 pmI don’t see why not, but I think I would finely chop it and add it after cooking.
Rose forsyth
July 19, 2018 at 8:52 pmCould you freeze this?
Sue
July 19, 2018 at 9:20 pmI don’t see why not Rose, it would be the same as freezing any jam, so I think it would work fine.
Emly
July 19, 2018 at 5:40 amI just sent you an email. I was wondering if I could use sweet cherries? I would pit them of course!
Sue
July 19, 2018 at 7:14 amHey Emily ~ cherries aren’t very juicy, so I’m not sure they will work. If you want to experiment, I would mince them really fine and maybe add a little water. The nice thing with this recipe is that you can try it without wasting a ton of fruit. Let me know how it goes!
Sue
July 12, 2018 at 5:48 pmDoes this only work with berries? Will it work with peaches, apricots, etc?
Sue
July 12, 2018 at 6:13 pmI will take longer with fruit like peaches, etc. and you’d have to cut them in small pieces, Sue, but it should work the same way.
3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam - Very Tasty and Easy To Make - The Foodie Bunch
July 10, 2018 at 8:00 am[…] 3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam – Very Tasty and Easy To Make […]
Shawna
July 2, 2018 at 10:22 amI doubled the blackberries and the cornstarch and it is way too thick. How can I thin it out?
Sue
July 2, 2018 at 10:41 amI would try blending in some warm water or fruit juice Shawna.
3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam – Very Tasty and Easy To Make - HouseKeeperMag.com
May 30, 2018 at 6:52 am[…] This berry jam will surely be a blast on your breakfast table. Healthy too. Check out the recipe below. Happy cooking! 3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam – Very Tasty and Easy To Make […]
Nancy
May 16, 2018 at 3:01 pmLooks wonderful! But, did you find a recipe for a crisp, too? I’ve been looking for one without so much butter!
Beth
May 16, 2018 at 12:08 pmHow long does this jam last in the fridge? Thinking about gifting some to a friend and want to be sure she doesn’t keep it too long!
Sue
May 16, 2018 at 12:25 pmIt’s good for about a week or so, probably longer, Beth, but this is purposely a small batch, so it will probably be eaten up faster than that!
Beth
May 16, 2018 at 12:56 pmThank you!
Mary Marentay
May 16, 2018 at 6:19 amI can’t wait to try this. As a diabetic, a no sugar jam is perfect!
Sue
May 16, 2018 at 6:28 amI think you’ll have fun with this, Mary. You can basically make any jam into a no -sugar recipe, just cook the fruit down until thick on the stove or in the micro. You can flavor it with lemon juice, vanilla bean, cardamom, etc.
Diane
May 9, 2018 at 2:04 pmThank you for sharing this. I made a little batch with fresh blackberries and frozen blueberries. Knowing store-bought frozen blueberries produce more liquid, I added extra cornstarch and a small sprinkle of sugar to taste. The wonderful aroma, the beautiful color, and fresh berry taste….outstanding!
Sue
May 9, 2018 at 2:46 pmThanks so much Diane, I so happy it worked out so well.
Hollie
March 3, 2018 at 10:25 pmDoes it have to be a glass bowl?
Diane
May 9, 2018 at 2:05 pmIt just needs to be a microwave safe dish. ?
Sue
May 9, 2018 at 2:45 pmYes, that’s right.
Joanna Benson
March 3, 2018 at 4:54 pmThis looks delicious. Jam that tastes like it was picked fresh from the garden. Can’t wait to try it.
Jan Salmon
December 21, 2017 at 4:58 pmOh gosh – I made this and got a very thin sauce. ISW that one quarter teaspoon measure of cornstarch correct? My family needs a jam which stays up, on the toast or scones … please help!
Sue
December 21, 2017 at 5:22 pmJust microwave it a little longer, Jan, it should thicken up as it cooks. Your berries could have been extra juicy.
Catherine A Smith
April 28, 2017 at 2:19 amThank you so much for this recipe, very much appreciated now I don’t have to buy store bought jam!! This jam is healthier too.
Janet
September 15, 2016 at 6:34 amThis is probably a dumb question, but do you microwave the fruit on High power? Thank you!
Sue
September 15, 2016 at 7:12 amYes, Janet, I use high. Good luck!
Cindy
June 10, 2016 at 7:09 amSuper idea but wondering if I can water bath can it and wondered how long to process…thanks
Sue
June 10, 2016 at 7:25 amThis particular recipe is meant for a small batch that you consume within a short time, Cindy.
Marlene
March 3, 2018 at 2:18 pmCan I use taioca starch?
Sue
March 3, 2018 at 2:42 pmThat should work Marlene :)