If you’re looking for a simple way to preserve blackberries, this four-ingredient low-sugar blackberry jam recipe (with optional canning instructions) is the perfect place to start. You’ll learn how to make a flavorful jam that highlights the berries without using loads of sugar, plus step-by-step directions for safely water bath canning it so you can stock your pantry with jars of homemade jam to enjoy all year long.
Don’t miss my other jam recipes like low-sugar strawberry jam, no-sugar strawberry jam, blueberry jam, apple pie jam, strawberry rhubarb jam, and homemade cherry jam.
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Blackberry Jam Recipe (Low-Sugar)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes
- 👪 Yield: 2 pints (can be scaled up)
- 🍽 Calories:
- 🥄 Tools: Pot, spoon or spatula, canning jars and lids, and water bath canner (canning tools are also helpful).
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly: Yes! If you’d like to make freezer jam instead of canning this recipe, just place the cooled jam into freezer-proof containers, label and date and then freeze!
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Delicious, lower in sugar than store-bought options, an easy-to-follow recipe and perfect on top of your morning toast or biscuit!
- 👩🍳 Tip: Make sure to use Pomona’s Pectin for this low-sugar jam recipe to make sure you’re following safe and tested canning instructions.
Pro Tip: Frozen berries that are thawed release their juice easier than fresh berries. Which is a plus during the busy hot harvest months. If you’re pressed for time, freeze your berries until things calm down.Melissa
Ingredients & Supplies
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, check out the recipe card below.
- Blackberries – One of the best parts about this recipe is that frozen berries that have been thawed work best! Don’t worry about heating up your house in the dead of summer, just pick, wash and freeze your blackberries until you’re ready to make jam in the fall.
- Pomona’s Pectin – This is the only store-bought pectin I use. Not only is Pomona’s Pectin a natural pectin that can be used without added sugar, but it also doesn’t contain any GMO ingredients. You won’t need to use the whole box of pectin. Follow the instructions that come with it to make your calcium water and to know how much pectin and calcium water to use if you scale this recipe up.
- Juice – I’m using white grape juice (from concentrate) in this recipe, but any juice from concentrate will do! I know some people who love to use pear juice, or even orange juice, to slightly change the flavor profile of the jam. I find white grape juice is as mild as possible to let the blackberry flavors shine. If you think your jam isn’t sweet enough, you can add about 1/4 cup of organic sugar to the recipe.
How to Make Blackberry Jam
Step 1: In a large stainless steel or enamelware pot, add your washed berries (I like to slightly crush mine with a potato masher).
Step 2: Turn the heat to medium and add lemon juice and grape juice to the pot.
Step 3: Follow the instructions that came with your Pomona’s Pectin to make the calcium water. Then, add two teaspoons of calcium water to the berries and stir until combined.
Step 4: Sprinkle two teaspoons of powdered pectin over the berries, then use an immersion blender to blend until the pectin until it’s fully dissolved.
Step 5: Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until the jam is slightly thickened.
Step 6: At this point, the jam can be spooned into a jar and left to cool for 24 hours before being transferred to the refrigerator or freezer.
Pro-Tip: If freezing in glass jars, make sure to use wide-mouth, straight-sided jars with at least one-inch headspace so they don’t crack when the jam expands.
Canning Instructions
Step 7: Carefully remove the jars from the canner and dump the water out into the canner. Then, ladle the jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Step 8: Remove air bubbles with a bubble wand or chopstick, adding more jam if needed to stay at the 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean (and check with a clean finger for any nicks or chips), put the lid in place and fasten the ring down to fingertip tight.
Step 9: Place the jar into the canner and repeat until all jars are filled.
Step 10: Bring the water to a full boil and process for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the burner and remove the lid for 5 minutes. Then, using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars and set them on a towel-lined draft-free counter to cool for 24 hours.
Step 11: After 24 hours, check seals, remove bands, wipe down the jars, label lids and put them on the pantry shelf.
Recipe Tips
- Blackberry Jelly – For a smoother jelly (that doesn’t contain seeds), you can strain the jam through a food mill before adding it to your jars for canning.
- Freezer Jam – If you’d rather not go through the canning process, you can make the jam, allow it to cool at room temperature for 24 hours, then transfer it to the refrigerator (for up to one month) or the freezer (for up to a year). If freezing in glass, be sure to use a straight-sided Mason jar, leaving at least 1 inch headspace to allow for expansion.
- Pectin-Free Option – I share how to use a grated apple for your pectin source in my blueberry jam recipe. If you don’t have any Pomona’s Pectin, you can use 1/4 cup grated apple. If you’d like to leave the pectin out altogether, you’ll just need to cook your jam longer until it thickens up to a gel stage (around 220°F). You can test if your jam is done by placing a spoon in the freezer, then dipping the cold spoon into the jam. If the jam comes off in a sheet, it’s ready to can, but if it drips off in multiple drips, it needs to cook down further.
Ways to Enjoy Blackberry Jam
There are countless ways to enjoy blackberry jam (assuming you’re not just taking huge bites right off the spoon! Hey, no judgment here!). Try spreading it on these homemade buttermilk biscuits or Great-Grandma’s sour cream biscuit recipe.
I also happen to love using blackberry jam filling in my homemade Pop-Tarts! What’s your favorite way to use blackberry jam? Let me know in the comments!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating and your comments in the recipe card below. Then, snap a photo of your homemade blackberry jam and tag me on social media @melissaknorris so I can see!
Homemade Blackberry Jam Recipe (Low-Sugar+ Canning Instructions)
Ingredients
- 3 cups blackberries freshly picked, or frozen and thawed
- 1 box Pomona's Pectin
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup white grape juice from concentrate You can use any juice from concentrate you like for different flavor profiles
Instructions
Canning Note
- If canning, wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse, and place them in your prepared water bath canner. Fill the canner with water so jars are completely covered by 1 inch. Turn the heat to medium, so the water is roughly 180 degrees F.
For the Jam
- In a large stainless steel or enamelware pot, add your washed berries (I like to slightly crush mine with a potato masher).
- Turn the heat to medium and add grape juice to the pot.
- Follow the instructions that came with your Pomona's Pectin to make the calcium water. Then, add two teaspoons of calcium water to the berries and stir until combined.
- Sprinkle two teaspoons of powdered pectin over the berries, then use an immersion blender to blend until the pectin until it's fully dissolved.
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until the jam is slightly thickened.
- At this point, the jam can be spooned into a jar and placed in the refrigerator to be enjoyed immediately, stored in a freezer-safe container as freezer jam, or follow the canning instructions below. Pro-Tip: If freezing in glass jars, make sure to use wide-mouth, straight-sided jars with at least one-inch headspace so they don't crack when the jam expands.
Canning Instructions
- Carefully remove the jars from the canner and dump the water out into the canner. Then, ladle the jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles with a bubble wand or chopstick, adding more jam if needed to stay at the 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean (and check with a clean finger for any nicks or chips), put the lid in place and fasten the ring down to fingertip tight.
- Place the jar into the canner and repeat until all jars are filled.
- Bring the water to a full boil and process for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the burner and remove the lid for 5 minutes. Then, using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars and set them on a towel-lined draft-free counter to cool for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, check seals, remove bands, wipe down the jars, label lids and put them on the pantry shelf.
Notes
- Blackberry Jelly – For a smoother jelly (that doesn’t contain seeds), you can strain the jam through a food mill before adding it to your jars for canning.
- Freezer Jam – If you’d rather not go through the canning process, you can make the jam, allow it to cool at room temperature for 24 hours, then transfer it to the refrigerator (for up to one month) or the freezer (for up to a year). If freezing in glass, be sure to use a straight-sided Mason jar, leaving at least 1 inch headspace to allow for expansion.
- Pectin-Free Option – I share how to use a grated apple for your pectin source in my blueberry jam recipe. If you don’t have any Pomona’s Pectin, you can use 1/4 cup grated apple. If you’d like to leave the pectin out altogether, you’ll just need to cook your jam longer until it thickens up to a gel stage (around 220°F). You can test if your jam is done by placing a spoon in the freezer, then dipping the cold spoon into the jam. If the jam comes off in a sheet, it’s ready to can, but if it drips off in multiple drips, it needs to cook down further.
Nutrition
My jam was way too thick. I obviously did something wrong. Is there anything i can do to repair it?
Yes, bring it up to heat and thin with some juice or water.
“Yes, no added sugar, just one secret ingredient to replace all those white granules, and it can be grown on your homestead if you so desire. Am I the only one who gets excited about this stuff?”
Nope, you are not the only one who gets excited about this stuff! Question(s)…we have an abundance of grapes this year so I really want to use your technique of subbing grape juice for the sugar. If I am juicing my grapes, do I need to cook it down to get a concentrate? If so, how much? Or…is the grape juice role just a sweetener (not a canning safety item)? If so and the combo of blackberry and my fresh squeezed grape juice tastes good to me, do I not have to ‘concentrate’ my juice? Thanks for your help.
It’s disappointing that you only answer every other question. Your recipe doesn’t include calcium water, but then you have it in the instructions.
The directions clearly say this applies if you’re using Pomona’s Pectin. I a lot so much time per day to answer questions, with the comments on my website and social media, I can only answer so many. I reserve the majority of my time for students going through my courses.
What is the shelf life of this?
what is calcium water please?
I made the recipe exactly as given. Made four 1/2 pints perfectly. I am familiar with making jams and jellies so it was easy.
I think the directions should be a little bit more explicit for newbys.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Melissa
I just have a question for you? Why a hot water bath?
I just pour my hot blackberry’s jam or what ever jam I’m making into my hot sterilized jars along with my hot sterilized seals? And I haven’t had any trouble with them sealing?
It’s not to get them to seal, it’s to kill any bacteria/fungus. No matter how fast you pour you can’t out pour bacteria. It’s for safety and to kill any spores that may have entered in.
Hi there, can I use mulberries instead of blackberries? They are very sweet and wondering if I would still add the sugar? First time here so thanks for all your help!
Yes, you can safely sub in mulberries instead of blackberries.
Hi there,
How long of a shelf life does this recipe have once the jars are sealed and preserved? And did the colour fade without the added sugar?
Thanks!
P.S
I also wonder why I consistently get less finished product? For instance, you get 6 half pints, I get 3 1/2 half pints. I definitely am using half pint jars ( I checked), and it is consistent across the board with all jam recipes that I use? Just wondering if you had any insight?
Hi Melissa~
Thank you so much for all that you share with us!
I was curious what kind of grape juice you use? What I have on hand is my own canned Concord grape juice. I am pretty sure if I added that to my blackberries it would change the flavor of the blackberry jam. What do you think?
Hi there, can I use apple juice instead of grape juice? (I don’t have grape juice) and can I replace the blackberries with raspberries?
Thanks!
I haven’t tested it with those but they’re all acidic so it should be okay. Let me know if you do how it turns out.
I am still not clear. Is it 1 cup concentrate or 1 cup juice (Concentrate mixed with appropriate amount of water)? Can I substitute bottled grape juice?
You inspire me. I’m trying to go plant based with no sugar & no processed foods. I sure hope I can get a lot of canning done. I haven’t had a garden in 10 years. I sure miss fresh picked,grilled veggies that we grew ourselves.
Thanks for so many tips & May God shower you with many blessings for you & your family.
Dianna
Pomona’s Pectin has corn in it and so do all the other low or no sugar pectin’s. If you know of any let me know. (dextrin, multidextrin, dextrose etc are corn) Huge corn allergy along with many other food and other allergies.
I agree with you about using Pomona’s Pectin. It seems to most more expensive but it really turns out cheaper. I have been using it for about 4 years now.
So am I using frozen grape juice that’s been thawed without adding water or juice that is “ready to drink” from a plastic jug?
Frozen that is thawed
Hi Melissa I have a couple of questions.
We don’t get local blackberries here but are growing both red and black raspberries. I have been looking for low sugar recipes that my husband will eat. I hope I can substitute his raspberries for the blackberries in this recipe.
I guess that would be my first question. Can I substitute raspberries for blackberries?
Second would be can I substitute organic no sugar added raspberry juice for the white grape? He found one of those that he really likes.
Thank you for all you do. I am loving your bread recipes also.
Ann
I was rolling right along with this recipe when I realized the Pomona’s pectin is supposed to be mixed with a dry ingredient and then added to the berries. I had no dry ingredient. I tried to add the grape juice to the pectin, but it just made big clumps so I dumped that out and used Ball low sugar pectin, sprinkled it in and got it to jel. I just don’t know how you did it. This is the time I needed a video – lol!
Sorry, still hung up on the grape juice “concentrated full form”, What I find at the stores is grape juice from concentrate in jars that has had water added ready to drink and then there is the frozen concentrate with the intention of adding your own water, Is there a concentrate in a non -frozen form that needs to be diluted to drink? Is this what I am suppose to be looking for or use the frozen?
Is there a no-pectin version?
Not using the fruit juice, for my no-pectin versions I use a low amount of sugar and add a grated green apple with blackberry. I have several no-pectin recipes here if you haven’t snagged this one https://melissaknorris.com/free-homemade-jam-jelly-e-book/
Would this recipe work with raspberries or golden raspberries as well?
Could I just use frozen grape juice?
Question: What do you mean by 1/4C lemon juice
if using sweet blackberries? Sweet tasting or sweetened with sugar?
Jo, it’s the variety of the blackberries, if they’re sweet tasting upon harvest.
Perfect Information!!
Thank you very much 🙂
What is the yield with this recipe?
This makes 6 half pints (or 3 pints) and Lisa (where the recipe originates) says you can double it or even triple it.
Hi!
Can I substitute part of the grape juice with one of the artificial sweeteners? I am a diabetic and the grape juice is more sugar than I can have? Thanks.
Many people have success using Stevia!
When you say grape juice concentrate in full form do you mean re-constituted (mixed, diluted, whatever term)? Never heard “in full form” so just clarifying. Can I use a little honey in place of the organic sugar? Can’t wait to try this, my mom LOVES blackberry jelly. Thank you.
Hi Paddy, just straight juice, not diluted. 🙂 And yes, you could absolutely use honey.
You mention syrup but don’t tell how. How is it made differently than jam or jelly? Thanks