This healthy Cherry Strawberry Chia Jam will quickly become your go-to morning spread because it’s totally vegan, super healthy and low in added sugar!
I recently wrote a Fitness Magazine article about my favourite chia seed recipes, and chia jam came up again and again in my research (tough research, eh?) If you’ve made chia pudding, you’re probably aware of chia seeds’ amazing thickening properties. They absorb liquid and make it somewhat jelly-like and thick. If you’ve made jam the traditional way a lot of sugar – not always ideal if you want to keep things healthy and light.
The advantage of using chia seeds is that it boosts nutrition in a BIG way. Chia seeds are loaded with fibre, protein and healthy omega-3 fats! They’re also vegan so our plant-based friends can get in on the PB&J fun. Finally, it doesn’t require any sugar to do it’s job – you can basically get away with sweetening your jam or jelly to taste depending on the sweetness of your fruit.
How to Make Low Sugar Cherry Strawberry Chia Jam
Making this cherry strawberry chia jam then is pretty much as easy as added chia seeds to mashed up soft fruit. My two favourite jam flavours are cherry and strawberry, so I decided to combine them into one recipe in my Low Sugar Cherry Strawberry Chia Jam. You literally can choose any kind of jam-friendly fruit – have fun playing around with whatever is in season or in your house.
This low sugar cherry strawberry chia jam is perfect on toast, in thumbprint cookies, swirled through ice cream or layered in breakfast parfaits. You might as well make a huge batch and preserve it – and if you do, I suggest you read my easy to follow post on canning here!
What are some of your favourite jam flavours for chia jam? Have you tried making this cherry strawberry chia jam? Leave me a comment below! I would LOVE to hear your favourite combinations!
Cherry Strawberry Chia Jam | Healthy, Low Sugar & Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pitted dark cherries fresh or frozen
- 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries fresh or frozen
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice or to taste
- 2 tsp maple syrup or to taste
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- In a saucepot, heat the cherries and strawberries until they start to bubble and get syrupy. Once super soft, mash them with a potato masher until the mixture is jammy, loose, and with some visible little bits of fruit in it.
- Add in the lemon juice and maple syrup, and taste. Adjust the lemon and maple syrup depending on the sweetness of your fruit.
- Take the mixture off of the heat, transfer it to a container and add in the chia seeds. Allow the mixture to set for at least 20 minutes, or until it thickens up. Enjoy immediately, or pack away in the fridge to use throughout the week.
Video
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Updated on June 23rd, 2020
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
McKayla says
Wow!! This chia jam is amazing!! Definitely going to be a staple in my home! Thank you for creating this wonderful recipe, highly recommend! 👌
Abbey Sharp says
Amazing! I’m so glad. It’s definitely a staple for sure 🙂
Emma H says
Would this work with flaxseed?
Abbey Sharp says
I’ve never tried it but it can definitely be done. Try 1.5 tbsp of flaxseed for every 1 cup of fruit
Chantelle Daby says
So yummy and easy to make! Amazing on toast, ice cream, porridge and Greek yogurt!
Abbey Sharp says
Thank you! Yes its super versatile. So glad you’re enjoying
Lisa says
Easiest jam I have ever made. Looking forward to using it tomorrow morning!
Abbey Sharp says
Yep its crazy easy! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Shelby says
Super yummy! And it was totally easy to make!
Abbey Sharp says
so glad you loved it! its a staple in our house too and you can switch up the fruit!
Hannah says
Holy CANNOLI this turned out so well!!! I had a lot of strawberries quickly wilting and bruising in my fridge so I decided to use those up with this recipe. I used 3cups of strawberries and the juice from a lemon I’d zested for another meal and swapped the maple syrup for a couple tablespoons from a jar of honey from a local farm. I wanted a tart strawberry lemonade flavor and it turned out just perfectly! I pulsed the hot fruit mixture in a food processor after mashing it to really get it smooth and creamy before thickening it with the chia seeds and the overall texture turned out just DIVINE. Absolutely delicious, I’m super excited to try with all sorts of fruit combinations in future, and to get some of this jam dolloped into some poppyseed thumbprint cookies <3
Abbey Sharp says
so glad you love them!
Tihani says
Can you use honey instead of maple syrup.
Abbey Sharp says
Yes definitely
Trisha says
How long will this jam keep in the fridge?
Abbey Sharp says
Hi Trisha, I would say 2-4 weeks
Trisha says
Thanks!
Nicole says
Hi, I was wondering if you thought raw honey would work okay in this recipe instead of maple syrup? Thank you!
Abbey Sharp says
Yes it can work
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks for sharing my recipe!
Sara says
Love these!!
Heather says
Looks delish! I was not able to get my hands on any cherries. If I am only using strawberries should I just cut the amount of lemon, chia, and maple syrup in half?
Thanks!
Abbey Sharp says
If you’re doing JUST the portion of strawberries then yes half the other ingredients but if you’re going to double the strawberries to account for the missing cherries (full recipe size) then keep the other ingredients as is