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Homemade Blueberry Jam

By Samira Kazan

updated August 12, 2024

This quick 4-ingredient blueberry jam is perfect for preserving the sweet and tangy flavor of blueberries at the height of their season! Plus, you can store it in the fridge, freezer, or can it in a hot water bath!

A spoonful of homemade blueberry jam over a small jar - 5

Making homemade jams is one of my favorite ways to preserve and savor the flavor of summery sweet berries year-round – like strawberry jam , raspberry jam , blackberry jam , and blueberries. This easy blueberry jam recipe requires just 4 key ingredients, can be flavored several ways, and takes as little as 20 minutes to prepare with minimal effort.

The homemade jam tastes so much fresher and better than grocery store versions, too. There are no unwelcome additives or artificial preservatives, and it’s made healthier by reducing the added sugar by 25% and using liquid pectin to ensure a good set.

Better yet, you can store it in the fridge/freezer or learn how to can blueberry jam in a water bath to make it shelf stable for up to a year to spread, swirl, and dollop in breakfasts and desserts.

A small bowl with homemade blueberry jam - 6

Have even more juicy blueberries to use? Try blueberry bread , blueberry cobbler , or freeze them to add to healthy blueberry smoothy .

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Blueberry jam ingredients
How to Make Blueberry Jam
Water bath canning blueberry jam
How to serve blueberry jam
Top tips for success
More simple DIYs
Homemade Blueberry Jam Recipe

Blueberry jam ingredients

Blueberries: It’s best to use “just ripe” or “ripe” fresh blueberries for this recipe, as overly ripe berries can become leathery on the outside and affect the texture of the jam. Frozen (thawed) blueberries work too.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar will sweeten without adding extra flavor, so it is the preferred option. However, it is possible to use unrefined coconut or date sugar too.
Lemon juice : You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice, which will help to balance flavor, boost the pectin content, and is a natural preservative. Add lemon zest for even more zing.
Pectin: I use liquid pectin to help the jam set to the correct consistency.

Refer to the Recipe Card Notes for some of my favorite ways to add flavor to this easy blueberry jam recipe.

How to Make Blueberry Jam

Step 1: Sterilize the Jars

First, it’s important to sterilize all the jars and tools used for this recipe. Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and leave them to drain and dry.

If you’re planning to can the jam, prepare the canner now, too, by adding the trivet/rack to the bottom of the canner and filling it with enough water to submerge the cans.

Step 2: Prepare the Blueberries

Then, wash the blueberries well, removing any that are spoiled, have blemishes, etc.

Transfer the berries to a large, deep, stainless-steel saucepan along with the sugar and lemon juice. Then use a potato masher or fork to gently crush the berries, leaving some whole if preferred.

Blueberries mixed with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl - 9

Step 3: Cook the Jam

Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Then stir in the pectin and continue to stir over a hard boil for one minute.

Then, remove the blueberry jam from the heat, skim off any foam, and ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) of headspace. Tap the jar against your kitchen surface and/or use a knife to remove any air bubbles in the jam.

Steps for boiling blueberries to make blueberry jam - 10

To make the jars hot, heat them (lids on) in the water bath canner while bringing the water to an almost boil. Alternatively, warm the jars (not lids) in an oven or dishwasher.

Finally, wipe the jar rims with a clean kitchen towel. Place the lid on the jar, then screw the bands until they are fingertip-tight.

Water bath canning blueberry jam

Canning blueberry jam is simple and only adds four low-fuss steps to the recipe.

Place the filled jars in the prepared canner, ensuring they’re fully submerged under at least 1 inch of water.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, add a lid, and allow it to process in the boiling water for 10 minutes (adjust the time based on the altitude).
Then, remove the canner lid and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before carefully using canning jar tongs to remove the jars from the water and set them onto a clean kitchen towel to drain and cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Once cooled, check the jar seals (the middle part of the lids should not pop up and down when pressed), then store them in a cool, dark location (like your pantry) for up to a year.

Any unsealed jars can be reprocessed with new lids or transferred to the refrigerator to use within a month.

How to serve blueberry jam

As part of a cheese board ,
As a spread over toast, New York-style bagel , simit (Turkish bagel) , scones/biscuits, a grilled cheese sandwich , etc.
Within a PB&J sandwich,
Dolloped over pancakes, waffles, and French toast ,
Thin with water to use as a sauce for cheesecake or glaze for chicken,
Spoon into oatmeal or overnight oats,
Stir into yogurt (optionally with fruit and homemade granola ),
Use as an ice cream topping,
Swirl over or as a filling for muffins, cakes, cookies (including thumbprint cookies ), and pastries.

A spoonful of homemade blueberry jam - 13

Top tips for success

Select the best blueberries : They should be “just ripe” or “ripe,” but not overripe, with a juicy, sweet flavor. Avoid using any past their best, blemished, bruised, etc.
Make sure to use sterilized jars : This is important to avoid premature spoiling.
Use nonreactive tools: This includes a nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel, glass, enamel-coated will work well), spoons (silicone or wooden), etc. Avoid aluminum, copper, etc.
Stir constantly: To avoid the berries scorching/sticking to the saucepan.
If you have one, use a thermometer: To take the guesswork out of achieving the perfect jam, use a thermometer. It should reach 220ºF/105ºC for a good gel stage. Alternatively, test it using the spoon & plate method – test a few drops on a frozen saucer and place it in the fridge for a minute. It should wrinkle and be gel-like when pushed through with a finger.
Adjust the jam consistency: If you’ve accidentally made the jam too thin or evenly overly solid, don’t worry. Just reheat the mixture and either add more pectin (to thicken it) or some water and lemon juice (to thin it).

More simple DIYs

Simple Fig Jam
Rhubarb Jam
Apricot Jam (No Pectin Required)
Pumpkin preserves

Equipment

10 Canning jars (8 oz) 8 oz (250 ml) each
Heavy-based stainless steel saucepan
Silicone spatula or wooden spoon
Food Thermometer
Canning funnel optional
Bubble remover optional
Magnetic lid wand optional
Water bath canner
Canning tongs (Jar lifter)
Jar wrench

IngredientsUS CustomaryMetric1x2x3x

▢ 30 oz blueberries 6 cups fresh
▢ 25 oz white sugar 4 cups
▢ 1/4 cup lemon juice from 1 large lemon
▢ 6 oz liquid pectin 2 pouches/ 3/4 cup; if using powdered pectin – see Notes below

Instructions

Sterilize all the jars and tools used for this recipe. Wash the jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and leave them to drain and dry. If you’re planning to can the jam, prepare the canner now, too, by adding the trivet/rack to the bottom of the canner and filling it with enough water to submerge the cans.
Wash the blueberries well, removing any that are spoiled, have blemishes, etc.
Transfer the berries to a large, deep, stainless-steel saucepan along with the sugar and lemon juice. Then use a potato masher or fork to gently crush the berries, leaving some whole if preferred. 30 oz blueberries, 25 oz white sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice
Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Then stir in the pectin and continue to stir over a hard boil for one minute. 6 oz liquid pectin
Remove the jam from the heat, skim off any foam, and ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving about ¼ inch (0.5 cm) of headspace at the top. Tap the jar against your kitchen surface and/or use a knife to remove any air bubbles in the jam. To make the jars hot, heat them up (lids on) in the water bath canner while bringing the water to an almost boil. Alternatively, warm the jars (not lids) in an oven or dishwasher.
Wipe the jar rims with a clean kitchen towel and place the lid on the jar, then screw the bands until they are fingertip-tight.

Water Bath Canning (optional)

Place the filled jars in the prepared canner, ensuring they’re fully submerged under at least 1 inch of water.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, add a lid, and allow them to process in the boiling water for 10 minutes (adjust the time based on the altitude).
Remove the canner lid and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before carefully using canning jar tongs to remove the jars from the water and set them onto a clean kitchen towel to drain and cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
Once cooled, check the jars seals (the middle part of the lid should not pop up and down when pressed), then store them in a cool, dark location (like your pantry) for up to a year. Any unsealed jars can be reprocessed with new lids or transferred to the refrigerator to use within a month.

Video

Notes

Vanilla : You can add pure vanilla extract (or paste) or some vanilla powder at the end.
Orange : Add some orange zest for a bright, tangy, citrusy flavor.
Ginger : Use finely grated ginger to taste, starting with about ½ teaspoon.
Spices : You can experiment with several, including cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves. Start with just a tiny pinch and increase to taste.
Jalapeño : Finely diced (seeds removed) to add heat.
Almond extract : Stir this in off the heat at the end for a subtle nutty flavor depth.
Alcohol : A splash of alcohol like Amaretto or orange liqueur will create a more complex, full-bodied flavor.
Fresh mint : Finely chopped to add a refreshing, herbal minty undertone.
Rosemary : Add a single 3-4-inch sprig to the saucepan, removing it before jarring the jam.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipes › Desserts

Almond Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

By Samira Kazan

updated September 21, 2020

Delicious gluten-free, vegan bite-size almond & pistachio thumbprint cookies. Not only are they easy to make- they can either be baked or kept as a no-bake cookie recipe!

Delicious gluten-free, vegan bite-size snacks; almond & pistachio thumbprint cookies - 15

These almond pistachio thumbprint cookies are a delicious vegan and gluten-free cookies recipe using almond flour and pistachio butter. Unlike your generic shortbread thumbprint cookies, these vegan bite-size snacks have a delightful crumbly almond base and can be cooked or kept as a no-bake cookie recipe.

Depending on whether you want these as raw snacks or baked cookies, they are delicious. However, it’s worth noting that there will be some textural difference.

For the raw version, these pistachio thumbprint cookies are a little more gooey and moist. In comparison, when baked, these cookies are more crumbly.

Delicious gluten-free, vegan bite-size snacks; almond & pistachio thumbprint cookies recipe. Not only are they easy to make- they can either be baked or kept as a no-bake cookie recipe! - 16

I always love to switch up classic recipes and decided that rather than using the usual choice of jam filling for this thumbprint cookie recipe, I used some homemade pistachio butter .

Pistachio butter is one of the most delicious, decadent version of all nut butters and yet can be made at home with just pistachios, salt and a blender or food processor. Plus the pistachio flavour compliments the flavour of the gluten-free almond cookies.

These cookies are then an excellent healthier cookie snack option. They can also be displayed in mini cupcake cakes, in a gift box, for a delicious homemade edible gift at Christmas (or any time of the year!).

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ll know that I’ve been cooking up a storm this festive period, with a new recipe posted every day. Honestly, I couldn’t wait for the day to share these pistachio thumbprint cookies though because they are one of my favourite treats so far.

One almond & pistachio thumbprint cookie with pomegranate seeds - 17

I’ve very recently compiled a post for the ultimate guide to homemade nut & seed butters, so I have spent a LOT of time this year in the kitchen blending up delicious nut butters and nut butter recipes. As much as I have a soft spot for good old almond butter, pistachio butter has taken my heart.

While it’s not a nut butter you’d want to eat by the spoonful every day (or rather you would – but your hips wouldn’t like it!), pistachio butter has an incredible luxury element that works well in so many different recipes. Check out my pistachio butter post for some inspiration.

two-ingredient Homemade pistachio butter in a jar - 18

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Variations on these thumbprint cookies
How To Make The Thumbprint Cookies
Other great snack recipes you may like
Pistachio Almond Cookies Recipe

Variations on these thumbprint cookies

Obviously, my filling of choice is my homemade pistachio butter. However, you can experiment with various fillings including a delicious vegan homemade Nutella , the classic choice of jam, or even some vegan chocolate chips (that will melt from the heat and be heavenly!).

For a sweeter pistachio creme style filling, melt some white chocolate in a heatproof bowl then mix in some pistachio butter with a dash of homemade vanilla powder .

You can also make a delicious chocolate version of these pistachio thumbprint cookies by adding some cocoa powder into the base almond cookies recipe. If the biscuit mix feels too crumbly after adding the powder, add another tsp of coconut oil to offset the powder.

Plus, you can experiment with additional toppings for the pistachio thumbprint cookies. For example, a drizzle of melted white chocolate is a lovely dessert-like touch.

Note* For vegan cookies use dairy-free white chocolate and chocolate chips.

How To Make The Thumbprint Cookies

This pistachio thumbprint cookies recipe is super simple and can be made in just five minutes if you’re keeping them raw. Or around 20 minutes, if baking- which means they’re an excellent option for a last-minute edible gift idea or to whip up on busy days when you don’t have much time to spare.

the ingredients for vegan, gluten-free thumbprint cookies - 20

The almond cookies base is made up of almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut flour and cardamon.

Don’t fret if you don’t have almond flour to hand though as this can be whizzed up in a couple of minutes. Blitz some raw almonds in a high-speed food processor for a couple of minutes and you’ll get homemade almond flour, which is a great gluten-free flour to have to hand at all times.

This recipe is also a great way to use leftover almond pulp after making homemade almond milk . Simply allow the pulp to dry out, and it’s ready to use as almond flour.

Note* For this particular recipe the ground almonds don’t have to be too fine, which is why any of the above options will work fine for the almond cookies recipe.

The method

To begin, mix the almond flour with the other base ingredients and then form small, one bite-sized cookies. If you want you can measure these out and use around 1tbsp per cookie. However, I eyeballed it and made 14 of them.

To make them into thumbprint cookies, the process is precisely what it says. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, and then you can use a finger/ thumb to make the indentations. You could also use the rounded back of a spoon. In fact, I used a small 1/2 tsp measuring spoon for an even indentation in each cookie.

If you’re in a hurry to enjoy these delicious cookies, then you can have these as a no-bake cookie recipe by simply adding some pistachio butter to them now and decorating with some pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios.

Note* Due to the gluten-free nature of these cookies and the lack of dairy, these cookies are more crumbly than general cookie dough so cracking around the edges when pressing your indentation is perfectly normal.

However, if you want to bake the cookies, then you can now bake them in the oven either in mini cupcake cups or on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

delicious thumbprint cookie recipe for gluten-free almond cookies - 23

These only take ten minutes to bake in the oven and will turn a lovely golden colour around the edges.

delicious thumbprint cookie recipe for gluten-free almond cookies - 24

If you want to use some chocolate chips as a filling, you’ll want to add these to the cookies while they’re still warm, so they melt into the thumbprint.

For the pistachio butter-filled cookies, allow the cookies to cool down a bit before filling them.

homemade two ingredient pistachio butter - 25

Again you can decorate the pistachio cookies with pomegranate seeds and ground pistachios or even a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. Also, feel free to experiment with other fillings and toppings of your choice.

For a sweeter, dessert-like version you can drizzle some white chocolate over the cookies at the end. Or, for a chocolate thumbprint cookie version, you can add some cocoa powder into the base almond cookie recipe.

Other great snack recipes you may like

For another delicious no-bake snack recipe, you may like these healthy cacao & almond protein balls or these coconut bliss balls . These 4-Ingredient Stuffed Dates: with home-made almond butter & Chocolate are always a winner too!