Cranberry Chia Jam
Commercial jam isn’t preserved fruit—it’s an industrial product. Ultra-high heat. Excess sugar. Stabilizers. “Natural flavors.” A long shelf life is built at the expense of real food.
This jam is different.
It’s made from whole raspberries, real lemon juice, and a fraction of the sugar—just enough to enhance flavor, not hijack your blood sugar. Chia seeds thicken it naturally, replacing commercial pectins and gums while adding fiber for blood sugar balance, omega-3s for metabolic health, and lasting satiety rather than a sugar spike.
Nothing here is engineered for shipping, warehousing, or quarterly profits. It’s engineered for human bodies.
Yes, it won’t last a year on a shelf. That’s the point. Fresh food shouldn’t.
This is what jam looks like when it’s made in a kitchen—not a factory.
Ingredients
3 cups (300g) Cranberries (fresh or frozen and thawed completely)
1/4 cup (50g) Sugar (can reduce to 2-3 tablespoons if very tart is okay)
1 tablespoon (14g) Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
Add the ingredients (except vanilla and chia seeds) to the Baking Pan of the Zojirushi Home Bakery Maestro. If using frozen cranberries, include all the juices (do not drain).
Press the COURSE button to select the Course No. 15 (JAMcourse) and press the START button.
The jam will take 1:20 minutes to cook.
Add the vanilla chia seeds after cooking.
Rest 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Spoon into small glass jars, leaving headspace.
Cool thoroughly with the lids loosely in place, then tighten the lids.
To Store:
Refrigerator
Place in a clean container and refrigerate.
Consume within 7-10 days.
Freezer
Freezing is the most honest way to preserve fresh jam: no preservatives, no excess sugar, no industrial processing.
Use the right jars. Use straight-sided glass jars (4-8 ounces). Avoid shoulders as they increase the risk of cracking.
Leave headspace. Fill jars only 3/4 full. Leave 1/2-3/4 inch at the top. Jam expands as it freezes, and headspace prevents breakage.
Cool completely before freezing. Letthe jam cool to room temperature. Chia thickens fully in 15-30 minutes. Freezing hot or warm jam increases the risk of cracking.
Label. Use freezer labels and write the flavor and expiration date on each label. Jam keeps 6-12 months frozen at peak quality.
Thawing & Use
Thaw frozen jam overnight in the refrigerator.
Once thawed, the jam will keep for 7-10 days once opened.