Chia Seed Jam (with Frozen Fruit)

chia seed jam made with raspberries in a glass jar with a spoon.

Chia Seed Jam (with Frozen Fruit)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: vegan

Keyword: chia seed jam

Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 7

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 40kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

I never thought I'd be the kind of person who makes homemade jam, but gosh, do chia seeds make it easy. Instead of using store-bought pectin, this naturally sweetened jam is thickened with chia seeds. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is easy to customize with your favorite fruit!

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Ingredients

2 ½ cups frozen berries (about 10-12 ounces)
2 to 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

Pour the fruit and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the fruit to a simmer, gently pressing it with a fork or a spatula to help it break down.
Let the fruit and maple syrup simmer together for 5 to 7 minutes, until the fruit is totally broken down. It should thicken slightly, but it will still be slightly runny after 7 minutes. That's exactly how it should be!
Remove from the heat, then stir in the chia seeds. Taste the mixture and add the lemon juice if needed, plus another tablespoon of maple syrup, if you'd like a sweeter flavor. Pour the chia seed jam into an airtight glass jar and let it chill in the fridge until thickened, for at least 4 hours. This recipe makes roughly 6 to 8 ounces of jam, depending on how long you let the fruit juices simmer and evaporate.
Homemade jam can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. I do not recommend canning it for safety reasons. (See the post above for details.)

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for approximately 2 tablespoons of jam, assuming you get 1 cup total and use 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for sweetness. This is automatically calculated from an online ingredient database, so it's an estimate, not a guarantee.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2026 to use slightly more fruit (about a half cup), simply because I usually find frozen fruit in 10 to 12-ounce bags now. You can use fresh fruit, if you prefer!

Nutrition