This blueberry chia jam is an easy, four-ingredient recipe that comes together in about fifteen minutes. There's no added sugar in this healthy blueberry jam!
Despite making countless batches of chocolate peanut butter chia bars over the years, I somehow still have the majority of a two-pound bag of chia seeds hanging around the pantry.
Of course using them up one or two tablespoons at a time isn't going to put a big dent in them at once or anything, but I'm very thankful they have a long shelf life when kept in a cool, dry place.
That is, if I don't spill it first. It got frighteningly close to tipping over (while open, of course) the other day and I was petrified of seeing all those little seeds go bouncing around the kitchen. It was a close call.
Besides chia bars and whole wheat banana chia muffins, one type of food I love to use chia seeds in is jams. EASY jams. Combine-ingredients-in-sauce-pan-and-refrigerate kind of jams.
Growing up I devoured the Little House on the Prairie book series, and, inspired by their robust and quite-necessary preserved food stockpile, thought I'd grow up to become a prolific canner like the Ingalls.
So...that never happened. I'd love to learn the ins and outs of canning from a canning pro some day, but in the meantime I'm all about refrigerator jams like this one.
Since we don't have the longevity of canned jam on our side here, we're at the mercy of how long this blueberry chia jam will stay in the refrigerator.
I've found that this jam will stay for at least two weeks in the fridge, perhaps more if it lasts that long before being eaten. Making fairly small batches of refrigerator jam like this one, which yields approximately one cup of jam in total, helps prevent waste as you're more likely to use it all up before it would spoil.
Of course, if you're feeding a crowd or have plans to use a lot of jam (crumb topping jam bars, perhaps?), you can certainly double, triple, etc. the ingredients here pretty easily.
This blueberry chia jam recipe is great for using up blueberries that have become slightly past their prime. Still good to use in recipes, of course, but just a little bit beyond grabbing handfuls and eating them straight up.
Easy recipe steps
The blueberries are added to the saucepan with lemon juice - about the amount from one large lemon. The lemon juice adds a wonderful burst of citrus that pairs so nicely with the sweet/tart blueberries. There's a reason why lemon blueberry is such a popular dessert flavor, right?
Once the blueberries begin to heat, it's time to mash. I used my potato masher to break down the blueberries as best as I could. The mixture won't get 100% smooth, and that's okay. In fact I really enjoy the chunkiness of the blueberry bits in the final product as they added to the heartiness of this jam.
After it's mashed to your liking, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chia seeds. The blueberry chia jam will thicken as the pan sits at room temperature for five to ten minutes, and then it's ready to be transferred to a jar or container and refrigerated.
It's that simple.
Chia seeds, if you're unfamiliar, are tiny seeds rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and other vitamins and nutrients. They're a popular choice in jam and pudding recipes because they become gelatinous when mixed into liquids.
One-and-a-half tablespoons of chia seeds are used in this recipe, which is enough to help thicken the jam without overwhelming it or interfering with the jam texture. If you've ever seen a picture of chia pudding, you'll know what I'm talking about. Those tend to be chia heavy.
This blueberry chia jam is primarily blueberry jam, with the addition of chia seeds. Not the other way around. 🙂
Recipe notes
- This isn't the sweetest jam you'll ever taste, rather it is fruit-centered and allows the fresh blueberry flavor to shine through. I love to pair it with peanut or almond butter on a toasted English muffin (pictured here).
- For an extra bit of spice, add a shake or two of ground cinnamon along with the vanilla extract and chia seeds. It adds a great flavor to this strawberry chia jam, which also has a nice touch of honey.
Blueberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 ½ tablespoon lemon juice (from approx. 1 large lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Place blueberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once fruit is heated, mash fruit using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher and stir until mixture is just barely bubbly, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and chia seeds. Stir a few times, then cover saucepan and remove from heat. Let jam thicken for 5-10 minutes. Store jam in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition DisclaimerThe photos in this post were updated in September 2018. Same great recipe!
Kristine @ Kristine's Kitchen says
This blueberry jam would be so good on my morning toast! I'm new to chia seeds too, and have been loving them in my homemade granola. What a great idea to add them to this jam!
Alyssa says
I've been enjoying it on toast/English muffins with almond butter...yum! These pictures may or may not have been my breakfast afterwards haha. I have to give chia seeds a try in homemade granola!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
I've always wanted to make my own jam, and seeing this just makes me want it so much more!
Alyssa says
Thanks Kristi - this is so simple! 🙂
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
I've never tried chia seeds, but it's definitely on my to-do list! Looks like they'd be an awesome addition to this jam!
Alyssa says
Brian wasn't 100% sure about chia seeds in the beginning haha but you can't even taste them and they have much less of a texture impact than even I was expecting. They're sneaky! 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I am the WORST for forgetting something in the back of the fridge! Good save, Alyssa! And it looks like a delicious jam, I've never tried putting chia seeds in jam, but all of that fiber and omegas would make it super healthy!
Alyssa says
Haha I know!! I need a fridge organizational strategy, maybe that will prevent things haphazardly strewn around in there and hiding things!
Kathy @ Olives & Garlic says
I love that you posted this recipe Alyssa. I've been thinking a lot about making my own jam since I hate giving my daughter anything with added sugar. Store bought contains so much extra unnecessary stuff it makes me not want to buy it. This will be perfect over an english muffin for breakfast. She will love it.
Alyssa says
Thanks Kathy! So many foods sneak in sugar left and right. The best thing about this jam besides it being simple to make is that it's customizable. You can sub in different fruit, add a shake or two of cinnamon, or even a little drizzle of honey if you prefer a little bit of sweetness. All better than store-bought jam filled with who knows what. 🙂
Danielle says
Oh I love chia seed jam! I've only made it once before, but that needs to change after seeing these gorgeous pictures. I think I need some more in my life right now! Pinned 🙂
Alyssa says
Thanks Danielle! 🙂
Ashley says
I love chia seed jams!! haha and oh my gosh, I hear ya on the wasting food! I will do anything to avoid it! And we got this awesome blueberry jam out of it 🙂
Alyssa says
Haha yup! It was a win-win! Thanks Ashley!
Izzy says
This is so pretty!! I've actually never used chia seeds before but I think it is about time I try them out and this jam looks like the perfect place to start! I would love to eat this on toast in the morning!
Alyssa says
Thanks Izzy! I've made jams with them and have recently started branching out into breads/muffins and I love them there too. I don't know why it took me so long to get around to using them!
Tracey says
Excellent idea and a perfect save for those berries! Stay warm out there!
Alyssa says
Thanks Tracey! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
This is such a smart way to repurpose slightly wilted blueberries! I hate throwing out food that's gone bad. Such a waste of money. This chia seed jam is so easy to make! I've never actually made my own jam before, but this recipe has definitely inspired me to give it a try : )
Alyssa says
I always used to think making jam was a whole big process, but this way really is simple! No berry is safe! haha
Annie @Maebells says
Yum!! I love your jam recipes! I made your strawberry jam last year and we devoured it!! 🙂
Alyssa says
Yay! Thanks Annie! 🙂
marcie says
oh and thank you for linking up my muffin recipe! 🙂
Alyssa says
Haha of course! They look so good - I have to try them!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
This blueberry jam looks delicious, and it comes together so easily! I also picked up a bag of chia seeds the other day...need to grab some blueberries and whip this up!
Alyssa says
It's super quick! Thanks Rachel!
marcie says
I've really been on a chia seed kick but haven't made jam yet! And I've been bingeing on blueberries, too, so this is perfect for me! Pinned.
Alyssa says
Thanks Marcie! I've got the flip side going...I've used them in jam, but am now just branching out into other kinds of recipes! haha
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This is such a great idea, Alyssa! I love the idea of making your own jam, especially with chia seeds. And I love how easy this is, too! I definitely have no excuse to not make this, as I have all of the ingredients in my fridge! Pinned!
Alyssa says
Thanks Gayle! This kind of jam is so simple....I used to think making homemade jam was a bunch of work!
susan says
If I use frozen berries, should I defrost them first?
Alyssa says
Hi Susan! I would let the frozen berries defrost for a little bit before cooking, maybe on a few paper towels so any excess moisture will be absorbed.
susan says
Thanks. I will try that.