4.71 from 34 votes

Easy Strawberry Chia Jam

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190 Comments

Servings: 4

13 mins

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This easy chia jam recipe is made with strawberries and chia seeds and takes less than 15 minutes to whip up. It’s loaded with fiber and protein, but no added sugar!

As you all know, I’m hooked on chia seeds and try to include them in my breakfast regularly, and while it’s pretty easy to do (especially when having chia pudding, overnight oats or protein pancakes), but I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my meals.

Chia jam is the perfect way to add chia seeds to my breakfast routine because it’s so easy to whip up, keeps in the fridge for about a week, and can be added to just about any breakfast recipe. I personally love stirring it into a bowl of Greek yogurt or adding it to my oatmeal.

Strawberry chia jam in a glass jar with a silver spoon on the right.

What is Chia Jam?

Chia jam is a fruit-based jam or jelly made by combining puréed fruit with nutrient-dense chia seeds. The chia seeds help the jam thicken up, without loads of sugar or thickeners like pectin, and it comes together in just 15 minutes. Amazing right?

I’m sharing how to make strawberry chia jam, but you can use any fruit that you like, fresh or frozen, to make chia jam. And it doesn’t have to be heated (y0u can simply mash fresh or thawed frozen fruit) but I’ve found that heating the fruit helps break it down and gives the jam a sweeter flavor.

Once the fruit has been mashed and is the consistency you like, just add in the chia seeds and lemon juice (just to brighten the flavor) and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken up and cool. And that’s it… your chia jam is ready to be used any way you like.

Chia jam can be used the same way regular jam is used! I love using it for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as a mix-in for oatmeal or yogurt or as a fruity spread on toast.

Overhead photo of strawberry chia jam in a glass jar.

Why is Chia Jam so Healthy?

Beyond the fact that this chia jam is way lower in sugar, there are some amazing health benefits of chia seeds as well!  Here’s a little reminder of why chia seeds are so healthy:

Close-up overhead photo of strawberry chia jam in a glass jar with fresh strawberries around the outside.

I had to make another batch for pictures, which worked out quite well because now I have some to put on my protein pancakes and greek yogurt this week!

More Chia Seed Recipes to Try

More Homemade Spreads to Try

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

4.71 from 34 votes

Easy Strawberry Chia Jam

This easy chia jam recipe is made with strawberries and chia seeds and takes less than 15 minutes to whip up. It's loaded with fiber and protein, but no added sugar!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients  

  • 1 cup trimmed strawberries, frozen or fresh
  • 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
  • ½ Tablespoon lemon juice
  • stevia, maple syrup or honey (to taste)

Instructions 

  • Add strawberries to a saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the berries start to break down and the mixture is bubbling. You can use the back of a spoon or potato masher to mash the berries and create your desired consistency.
  • Stir in the chia seeds and lemon juice. Then taste, and add sweetener if desired. If your berries are sweet you might not need to add any sweetener at all.
  • Remove mixture from heat and let cool the mixture cool and thicken, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • You can use right away or let cool completely before transferring to sealed container and placing in chia jam in your refrigerator. The jam will keep for up to 1 week.

Notes

  • I like my jam with texture from the fruit, but if you like your jam to have a smooth consistency, you can blend the mixture in a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

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190 Comments

  1. Wonderful recipe, thanks so much. Have been looking for a sugar free jam recipe for ages. I used agave nectar as the sweetener – worked really well. Will definitely be trying the recipe with other berries.

  2. I made this jam this week- it was excellent. I used honey as a sweetener and it worked out fine, although it wasn’t as sweet as normal jam if you are used to that. I found a very similar recipe to this in a magazine and it said it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I am freezing all of my strawberries and using them as needed to make more jam since it takes less than 5 minutes to make!

  3. How long will it keep in the refrigerator? Have you ever tried freezing it? I have 6 lbs of berries from a local farm and am trying this today 😉

    1. Just caught up on the above posts and found my own answer 😉 On another note have you tried any DIY projects to actually get the Chia seeds to grow like the children’s kits we had in the 80’s? I think this would make a fantastic party favor idea for my daughter’s 1st bday

  4. I have some frozen blackberries I would like to try making this jam with, but wondering about the seeds… Does anyone have an opinion on this. Maybe the seeds won’t be a problem?????

    1. This jam isn’t meant to be preserved via hot water bath canning. You can freezer preserve it though.

  5. Do you blend the seeds or leave them whole? Thanks in advance and am looking forward to tryin this recipe!!

        1. I have not received an answer yet Kate…. but I am anxiously awaiting because I would really like to try this!

    1. I usually use all the jam in 4-5 days so I’m not exactly sure how much longer it lasts. Sorry I’m not more helpful in this area. 🙂

  6. Hi, thanks for the recipe! I made some of this the other day and it came out great. My twin 2 year old taste tasters loved it. I just wrote a blog post and linked readers here to your post. 🙂

  7. Just finished making my jam and it is Fabulous!!! Next time I am going to cut back on the sugar I used..instead of 3 cups (raw sugar) I would use more like 2 1/2.
    The Chia seeds worked perfectly! I am so excited to make my own jam the rest of the summer!

      1. Hi Judy. Yeah, I am confused as well. You really don’t need any sugar at all if you’re strawberries are sweet.

  8. Can I make a bunch ahead of time and freeze it? Or would that ruin the consistency?
    This looks amazing. It costs so much to buy jam that is sugar free and this is way healthier than any kind I have found at the store. Can’t wait to try it!

    1. I would also like to know if a batch could be frozen. I have so many strawberries right now that I will try and see. Also going to just freeze the strawberries and then defrost when ready to make some. It really is delish!! The first batch I ever made didn’t last long to know what the shelf life would be. I doubled the recipe and used 2 packets of truvia for sweetener.

      1. Hey Kate and Kim! I would freeze the strawberries and just defrost them when you’re ready to make another batch.

        I usually use all the jam in 4-5 days so I’m not exactly sure how long it would last in the fridge. Sorry I’m not more helpful in this area. 🙂