Sharing is caring!

Raspberry jam is hands down one of the easiest and most delicious jam recipes to make. It's perfect for beginners who are just dipping their spoons into making jam at home. This one doesn't use store-bought pectin which makes it even less intimidating for beginner jam makers and canners and a perfect recipe for those just looking to avoid the store-bought stuff.

So if you've been nervous to try making jam at home, then fear not. This easy raspberry jam recipe is the perfect place to start, and your family will love the sweet summery taste of this delicious homemade jam!

Is this jam really pectin free?

To be clear, this fresh raspberry jam recipe doesn't use added pectin because there is naturally occuring pectin in the berries, and the lemon juice helps to bring that out. For years I thought the lemon juice itself held the pectin, because most of my store-bought pectin free recipes used it, but it's actually the acid that reacts to the natural pectin in the fruit. You learn something new every day!

This post may contain affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a commission off of links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my site!

Ingredients for Pectin-free Raspberry Jam

For making this raspberry jam, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh raspberries (you can use red raspberries or black raspberries or a combination)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ½ cups sugar (white sugar or raw sugar works)

Other supplies you'll want to have on hand for jam making at home are:

• Medium pot (or preserving pan if you've got one!)
• Spoon or rubber spatula
• Small plate
• Canning jars (Glass mason jelly jars are great or other container for storing)
• Canner (or large pot if you're planning to can for pantry storage)

For a full post on canning supplies for beginners, check out my post The Best Products for Home Canning.

Also, if you want to learn how easy it is to Grow Raspberries at Home, check out my full post! They're very low maintenance.

How to Make Raspberry Jam at Home

1. Wash raspberries and be sure to remove any debris or unripe berries that may be in the mix. (Also be sure to use hot soapy water to wash jars and sterilize if planning to preserve this homemade raspberry jam recipe.)

2. Place small plate in the freezer for use later.
3. In a medium pot combine raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar.
4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat but keep mixture at a low boil, stirring and mashing the berries with a spoon or rubber spatula.

6. Cook berries until thickened about 10-15 minutes. (Optional: While berries are cooking, prepare your jars and water bath canner.)
7. To test if jam is thickened enough, remove plate from freezer and drop liquid from the pot on the plate. Turn the plate to the side; if mixture doesn't run down, then it's ready.
8. Once jam is ready, use a canning funnel and ladle to fill hot jars with hot jam. Leave one inch of headspace at the top of each jar. If not canning, still use a funnel to place in glass jars and simply allow to cool on the counter before putting in the fridge.
9. For canning, bring water to a boil in water bath canner. Wipe the rims of the jars to make sure they are clean. Place on new lids and only tighten the screw bands to finger-tip tight.
10. Use a jar lifter to place jam jars in boiling water; make sure jars are covered by the water. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
11. Immediately remove jars from the water bath using a jar lifter and place jars on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Listen for the lids to pop, letting you know the jars have sealed.
12. Enjoy!

How to Use Raspberry Jam

While this part of the post may not seem necessary, there are lots of ideas beyond toast that you can use this raspberry jam for. The best part is it can be used in any place strawberry jam is used, but here are more ideas for this excellent recipe!

• Gift a jar to a friend, teacher, or neighbor. I always love getting homemade jams, preserves, and jellies!
• Make thumbprint cookies at home and use this homemade raspberry jam as the filling.
• Slice a pound cake in half, spread raspberry jam between the two layers and top with freshly whipped cream. (Super shortcut- buy a Sara Lee pound cake and you have dessert in a snap!)
• Bake a wheel of brie in the oven for 10-15 minutes and top with this raspberry jam and freshly toasted pecans when it comes out. This appetizer is a winner.
• Use this raspberry jam as a topping for ice cream.

Other Preserves and Jam recipes

Want to make even more jams and preserves at home? Here are some more homemade pectin-free jams and preserves for you!

• Fresh Fig Preserves: This recipe has been in my family for years, and I always looked forward to my Granny's fig preserves, so delicious!
• Zucchini Ginger Preserves: I know, it sounds strange, but believe me when I say you don't want to pass on this one. I use overly large zucchini from the garden to make this each year, and it's so versatile for both appetizers, alongside pork, or even on an upscale pb&j.
• Easy No Pectin Strawberry Jam: Use those summery fresh strawberries to make this easy no pectin jam. It's perfect to preserve to enjoy that berry goodness all year long.

I hope you'll give this homemade pectin free raspberry jam a chance in your kitchen this year. You won't regret it!