Delicious and Healthy Cranberry Jam: 17 Recipes with Step-by-Step Photos

What are the benefits of cranberry jam?

This low-calorie (only 28 kcal) northern berry is beloved by many for its rich nutritional content. These valuable components make it a powerful preventative and therapeutic agent, helping combat many diseases. For example, the chemical composition of cranberries includes:

• vitamins B, A, D, E, K, H, PP;
• ascorbic acid;
• malic, citric, benzoic, quinic acids;
• pectins;
• flavonoids;
• microelements: Ca, Si, Mg, Na, Ph, Cl, Fe, I, Co, Mn, Cu, Mo, Se, F, Cr, Zn.

Fresh cranberries, as well as jam made from their fruits, have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The berry is recommended for use in the following diagnoses:

• urinary tract diseases;
• high sugar levels;
• atherosclerosis;
• constipation or unstable bowel function.

Cranberry jam can also effectively remove toxins from the body and reduce the risk of developing tooth decay.

How to choose cranberries for jam

The maximum benefit from this vitamin-rich sweetness can only be achieved by using ripe berries. They must be picked very carefully, being careful not to damage the thin skin. Before processing, the berries must be carefully sorted and then rinsed under gentle running water. After removing any small debris, twigs, and leaves from the cranberries, they should be thoroughly dried, spread out in a single layer.

Frozen fruits are also suitable for making jam. Remove them from the freezer 6-8 hours beforehand, then rinse, remove any spoiled ones, and remove excess moisture.

Video: "Homemade Cranberry Jam"

This video presents a culinary master class on how to prepare a healthy and delicious dessert.

The best cranberry jam recipes

Since this northern berry is quite tart, almost all recipes call for a significant amount of sugar. If you're averse to this ingredient, you can substitute it with fresh honey in a 1:1 ratio. When storing this sweet treat for the winter, be sure to sterilize the jars and heat-treat the lids.

Classical

This jam recipe is versatile. You can enjoy it with tea, add it to baked goods, or use it in desserts.

1. Place 2 kg of fruit in a deep container and cover them with the same amount of granulated sugar.
2. Let it sit for about three hours to allow the berries to release their juice.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for another quarter of an hour.
5. While the cranberry mixture is still hot, roll it into jars.

Simple

A significant advantage of this jam is its simple and time-saving preparation. Even a young housewife with little culinary experience can make this sweet treat.

1. Blanch a kilogram of berries.
2. Dissolve 1.5 kg of sugar in 350 ml of purified water, making syrup.
3. Combine the cranberries with the boiling sweet liquid and bring the mixture to a boil again.
4. Reduce heat and simmer until done, stirring constantly.

The mixture is removed from the stove when a drop taken for testing does not spread across a cold plate.

Five-Minute

It's no wonder this recipe is called "five-minute." The dessert is prepared very quickly, but this quick method doesn't affect the taste of the dessert.

1. Blend a kilogram of raw material.
2. Combine the cranberry mixture with 1 kg of granulated sugar.
3. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the power and simmer for no more than 5 minutes.
5. Pour the hot mixture into jars.

From frozen cranberries

The advantage of frozen berries is that they can be used all year round without fear of losing their beneficial properties.

1. Cover 700 g of defrosted fruit with three kilograms of granulated sugar.
2. Add a glass of cranberry or orange juice, the same amount of purified water and add 15 g of cinnamon powder.
3. Mix thoroughly and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Reduce the power and then simmer for another quarter of an hour.
5. Before rolling, thoroughly beat the sweet mass with a blender.

With oranges

Sweet citrus fruits are no less rich in vitamins than northern berries, and therefore jam made from these ingredients will be twice as healthy.

1. Blend one and a half kilograms of cranberries.
2. Pass the same amount of oranges through a meat grinder.
3. Combine both masses, adding 3 kg of granulated sugar.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for no more than 5 minutes.

With apples

Thanks to apples, this winter treat will protect you from vitamin deficiency and also support your immune system during the cold season.

1. Prepare a sweet syrup by dissolving 1.3 kg of granulated sugar in a liter of purified water.
2. Pour it over a kilogram of cranberries.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. After the allotted time has passed, add half a kilogram of apple slices.
5. Cook for another quarter of an hour, and then roll into jars.

With apples and nuts

Cranberry jam pairs well with a variety of ingredients. Walnuts, for example, add a unique, sophisticated flavor.

1. Pour 250 ml of purified water over 1.2 kg of berries.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for no more than 5 minutes.
3. Blend the cooled mixture with a blender.
4. Cut an equal number of apples into small slices.
5. Grind 100 g of walnut kernels.
6. Warm up a glass of liquid honey and throw in the apples.
7. After five minutes, add the cranberry mixture and cook for another five minutes.
8. Finally, add the nuts and let the jam simmer for 5 minutes.

With pear

The sweetness of the pear combines perfectly with the acidity of the cranberry, making its taste softer and more aromatic.

1. Grind half a kilogram of berries in a blender.
2. Cut 1 kg of sweet pears into small slices.
3. Pour 6 cups of granulated sugar over the cranberry mixture and boil for 5 minutes.
4. Add the fruit, stir, then simmer over low heat until done.

With lingonberries

When making jam, you can add various berries to the main ingredient. Lingonberries, for example, will help balance the flavor, removing excess tartness.

1. Make a sweet syrup by diluting 1.5 kg of granulated sugar with 3.5 cups of purified water.
2. Pour half a kilogram of berries into it.
3. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for half an hour.

With quince

This fruit is very rich in pectin, which gives the finished product a pleasant gelatinous texture.

1. Dilute 500 ml of liquid honey with a glass of purified water to make syrup.
2. Place half a kilogram of finely chopped quince in it.
3. Boil the fruit until translucent, then add 0.5 kg of northern berries.
4. Add ginger root (a couple of cloves).
5. Cook over low heat for about half an hour until the mixture thickens.

With plum

For this recipe, it's best to use yellow cranberries. When paired with plums, they'll give this winter preserve a rich amber hue.

1. Mince 600 g of berries from 1.2 kg of fruit.
2. Enter a kilogram of granulated sugar.
3. Mix thoroughly and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Pour the still hot mixture into jars.

With banana

This exotic fruit will add the necessary sweetness to the finished product, which children will really love.

1. Put a kilogram of cranberries through a meat grinder, and then rub them thoroughly using a sieve.
2. Add 5 cups of granulated sugar to release the juice from the berries.
3. Blend some of the 1.5 kg bananas and cut the rest into cubes.
4. Combine the mashed fruits with the berry mixture and simmer for a quarter of an hour.
5. After removing from the stove, let the mixture sit for half an hour, adding whole banana pieces.
6. Boil again for 15 minutes.
7. After removing from the stove, immediately roll into jars.

With lemon zest

Another citrus fruit that pairs beautifully with cranberries. This recipe calls for the zest, resulting in a rich, creamy dessert.

1. Combine 1 kg of berries with 500 g of chopped apples.
2. Pour one and a half kilograms of granulated sugar into it and fill it with 2 glasses of purified water.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer until the fruit is soft.
4. Grate the zest of two lemons and squeeze the juice from the citrus fruits.
5. Add to the cranberry mixture and then cook until fully cooked.

Without cooking

This vitamin-rich dessert can also be made without cooking. Read below for instructions.

1. Place a kilogram of ripe fruit in a deep container and sprinkle it with 500 g of granulated sugar.
2. Mash the berries until they release juice and the crystals dissolve completely.
3. Place the mixture into containers, leaving 2 cm of space below the lid.
4. Fill the jars with sugar until they stop, then close them.

Sugar free

Jam prepared without adding this sweet product is an excellent addition to the diet of diabetics and people watching their weight.

1. Pour purified water over a kilogram of fruit.
2. Cook until they begin to turn into a homogeneous mass.
3. Add one and a half glasses of liquid honey.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

In a multicooker

With the advent of new kitchen appliances, preparing various dishes has become incredibly simple. Winter preserves are no exception.

1. Pour 4 cups of northern berries into the multicooker.
2. Add 1.2 kg of granulated sugar and a pinch of cinnamon powder.
3. Leave for a couple of hours, then turn on the "Bake" mode.

In the microwave

For those who are ready to experiment in the kitchen, this simple recipe using a microwave oven is perfect.

1. Mix 0.5 kg of cranberries with a kilogram of finely chopped apples.
2. Add 6 cups of liquid honey and then leave for 5 hours.
3. Cook in the microwave for 7 minutes at maximum power.
4. Add 20 g of pectin, a teaspoon of cinnamon powder, ground cardamom, and grated lemon zest.
5. Reduce the power to 500 W and cook for another 7 minutes.

Storage Features

The shelf life of cranberry jam depends on three factors:

• method of preparation;
• presence of additional components;
• amount of sugar or honey.

The more granulated sugar used in the preparation, the longer the preserve will last. It is recommended to store this vitamin-rich dessert at temperatures between 0 and 6°C. A refrigerator or cellar is ideal for storage. Once opened, the dessert cannot be stored for long, so it should be sealed in small jars.

Northern berry jam has its own unique, exquisite flavor, instantly recognizable from the first spoonful. Don't be afraid to experiment, and you'll be able to create your own signature recipe.