It’s hard to go wrong with this easy homemade strawberry chia seed jam. It’s made with just four ingredients and it only takes 15 minutes to prepare! The ultimate low-sugar topping for yogurt, toast or even ice cream! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & paleo}
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The Best Low Sugar Strawberry Jam Recipe!
Chia seed jam is one of those recipes you’ll wish you knew about years ago! It’s a cinch to make, has the freshest fruitiest flavors, and is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Great for babies, kids, and anyone trying to reduce their sugar intake or increase their fiber!
Featured Comment
“Quick and easy! And I love the fact that I didn’t have to thaw my frozen strawberries.” – Denise
For more healthy strawberry recipes, be sure to also check out my Strawberry Spritzer Mocktail, Mini Strawberry Muffins and Healthy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Chia Seed Jam Recipe
- Healthy: Chia seeds are a rich source of nutrients such as fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Add in the fresh berries, and you have a nutritional powerhouse!
- Pantry-friendly: No need to take a trip to the store for pectin! This homemade jam is thickened with chia seeds, which absorb incredible amounts of liquid in almost no time. This means you can raid the pantry and have homemade, sugar-free, fiber-rich jam in almost no time.
- Use fresh or frozen: Fresh strawberries are great, but let’s face it, sometimes we’re too busy for all that prep! We’re already making our own jam…let’s make it easy. Use frozen strawberries and toss them straight into the pot – no thawing, straining, or chopping needed.
Ingredient Notes
- Fruit: I used strawberries to make this jam, but you can easily swap them for other berries such as raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries. Best of all, you can use frozen strawberries to simplify the prep! No need to thaw them either; just add them straight to the pan.
- Maple syrup: Used to naturally sweeten the chia jam. Use 100% pure maple syrup if possible. Feel free to use your favorite sweetener. Liquid sweeteners are ideal, like honey or agave nectar.
- Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a rich source of nutrients such as fiber, omega-3s and antioxidants. You can use black or white chia seeds for this jam. Did you know you can use basil seeds just like chia seeds, too?
- Vanilla extract: For additional sweetness and flavor. Use pure rather than imitation vanilla extract if possible.
How to Make Strawberry Jam with Chia Seeds
- Step 1 – In a medium-sized pot, bring the berries and maple syrup to a light simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, stirring frequently, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Step 2 – Mash the berries with a potato masher or fork. Leave several berries whole for added texture.
- Step 3 – Stir in the chia seeds until thoroughly combined and cook the mixture for about 15 minutes, or until it thickens to desired consistency. Stir frequently so that the jam doesn’t stick to the pot.
- Step 4 – Once the jam has thickened up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The jam should keep for at least a week in a mason jar or air-tight container in the fridge or store jam in the freezer for later use.
Expert Tips
- Although the recipe calls for strawberries, you can sub in any type of berry that you prefer.
- If you want a smoother jam, make sure that you mash the berries really well or blend the mixture in a high-speed blender. If you prefer a thicker and chunkier jam, leave a few chunks of berries.
- The recipe makes about 1 cup of chia jam or about 8 two tablespoon servings. The nutritional analysis is based on about two tablespoons of jam.
- Feel free to add a squeeze of lemon juice for a brighter flavor.
Storage Guidelines
Once you’ve made the jam, let it cool completely at room temperature. Then, store it in a mason jar or air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Can I freeze chia jam?
Yes! To freeze, pack the cooled jam into a mason jar, freezer-safe container or ice cube tray or these Souper Cubes and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost the jam in the fridge overnight before enjoying
Serving Suggestions
This chia jam recipe is incredibly versatile and tastes amazing served in any of the following ways:
- Rolled up in crepes (try these Crepes with Almond Milk)
- Drizzled over waffles (we love these Paleo Waffles)
- Served on toast (or try it on these Almond Flour Bagels)
- Mixed into yogurt or cottage cheese
- Spooned over ice cream
- In creamy oatmeal or overnight oats
- On baked oatmeal
- Spread on a sandwich or wrap with peanut butter and banana
- Served on pancakes
- Tossed into a smoothie
- On top of cheesecake (like these 3-Ingredient Protein Cheesecake Cups)
- As a filling for these Oat Flour Thumbprint Cookies
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Low Sugar Strawberry Chia Seed Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups diced fresh strawberries (or sub in preferred berries)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, bring the berries and maple syrup to a light simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, stirring frequently, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Mash the berries with a potato masher or fork. Leave several berries whole for added texture.
- Stir in the chia seeds until thoroughly combined and cook the mixture for about 15 minutes, or until it thickens to desired consistency. Stir frequently so that the jam doesn’t stick to the pot.
- Once the jam has thickened up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The jam should keep for at least a week in an air-tight container in the fridge or store jam in freezer for later use.
Notes
- Although the recipe calls for strawberries, you can sub in any type of berry that you prefer.
- If you want a smoother jam, make sure that you mash the berries really well. If you prefer a thicker and chunkier jam, leave a few chunks of berries.
- If you choose to freeze this jam, I recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray or these Souper Cubes and then storing the individual cubes in a ziploc bag. That way, you can simply grab and defrost the individual servings of jam as you require them.
- The recipe makes about 1 cup of chia jam or about 8 two tablespoon servings. The nutritional analysis is based on about two tablespoons of jam.
Nutrition
Adapted from Oh She Glows
This recipe was originally posted in May 2015 and was updated in February 2021 to include more helpful tips and photos. The text, photos and formatting were revised again in June 2025.
Quick and easy! And I love the fact that I didn’t have to thaw my frozen strawberries.
So happy you enjoyed the jam! Definitely a bonus that you can use frozen strawberries :) I appreciate the 5-star rating and review!
I have a question in regards to the chia seeds, would the amount used be the same if I used grounded chia seeds?
That’s a great question! I haven’t personally tried making this jam with ground chia seeds, but I would think that using the same amount would be fine. If in doubt, you could always add slightly less and then increase the amount a little bit at a time until it’s thickened up to your desired consistency. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!
I really liked the consistency of the jam. I was expecting it to be sweeter, as most jams are, but then I realized that the flavor of the fruit was good, and I needed to cut on sugar anyways. So I am happy with the results. I used frozen berries and it was easy to defrost them over a low-heat stove top. I am trying to prepare a bunch of breakfasts in a jar for work days so this is perfect to add to my overnight oats. Thanks!
Thanks so much for the feedback! The great thing about this jam is that it’s easily adaptable, so you can always add a touch more maple syrup…or just let the natural flavor of the fruit shine through :) Love the idea of adding it to overnight oats!
I just discovered your blog when looking for healthy crepe recipes. I can’t wait to try all of your recipes, they look fabulous!
Oh that’s awesome! I’m so excited to have you here! I hope you enjoy the recipes if you decide to try them out :)