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!
Can the microwave really make jam?
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.
This easy jam recipe needs no sugar!
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.
Experiment with different types of berries for this microwave jam
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:
3-Minute No Sugar Microwave Jam
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.
Cook's notes
- 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!
91 Comments
sarah
April 15, 2021 at 6:31 amIs there a way to make marmalade like this please?
Sue Moran
April 15, 2021 at 9:27 amI don’t think this would work for marmalade Sarah, but you might experiment!
Becky Derbyshire
July 9, 2021 at 2:39 pmHow long would this last in the fridge?
Sue Moran
July 9, 2021 at 2:52 pmI’d say about 10 days or so Becky.
Sue
March 5, 2021 at 12:01 amDidn’t have any cornstarch so used a teeeny bit of bread flour… (Now i read the comments after the fact I read I could have just done it a little longer for them to thicken anyways so next time I will try that way… I tested it on 100g of frozen (defrosted) mixed fruit… Next time will do more cos I am pretty sure I will eat all this today 🙂
This Jam is soooo YUMMY!!! I shall make this all the time now! Just have to make a Marmalade now to have everything yummilicious 🙂 Thank You
SUE
March 25, 2021 at 7:29 amThis stuff has so many uses
Compote for on Ice cream
A spoonful in hot water for a lovely drink
jam on toast etc
I could also make a flan to use it on top of……..
Yum!
Susan Cathcart
August 27, 2020 at 7:27 amCan you freeze the jam or just refrigerate it?
Sue
August 27, 2020 at 7:59 amYou can definitely freeze it, just leave enough headspace in your container to allow for expansion.
nancy
July 28, 2020 at 8:14 pmrunning out back to pick berries now!! Can’t wait
Pat Pinney
July 12, 2020 at 10:24 amCan strawberries be used? How long will this keep in the refridgerator? Thanks!
Sue
July 12, 2020 at 10:38 amIf you want to try with strawberries, they should be nice and ripe, and you’d have to chop them up first. The jam won’t keep nearly as long as store bought versions, plan on consuming within a few days to a week.
Maxine
June 25, 2020 at 11:00 amA little tart for us but a great idea I’m going to try rhubarb next, add a little honey. I’m going to put my jar of raspberry jam back in the micro with a touch of honey also hope it doesn’t get too thick a great idea thanks
Sue
June 25, 2020 at 2:21 pmI want to try this with rhubarb, too, great idea! I’m guessing it will take a little longer and need a little water to get it started…also some sugar for sure.
Peggy Craig
June 3, 2020 at 10:19 amHoly Moley! Just like eating smashed reaspberries! Thank you.
Sue
June 3, 2020 at 11:22 amLol, glad you liked it 🙂
ANDREW M STEPANSKI
August 29, 2019 at 7:09 pmI puree the fruit in a blender or small chopper, first. My favorite is Mango: (1 cup puree, 1 teaspoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg). I also have a fig tree and make fig jam. I puree the whole fig, skin and all.
Jean M. Cowley
July 24, 2019 at 8:48 amHave you ever tried this method with pears? We were just gifted two 5 gal. buckets & I wanted to make pear jam & butter.
Sue
July 24, 2019 at 9:36 amIf your pears are really ripe and juicy it should work, cut them in a small dice. But this method is really for tiny batches, for a regular size batch of jam, I would do it in a saucepan on the stove.
Anita
May 27, 2019 at 8:05 amWhat can I use instead of cornstarch? I’m diabetic and starches send my blood sugar sky high.
Sue
May 27, 2019 at 8:09 amYou don’t absolutely need the cornstarch, just microwave the fruit a little longer to thicken.