Cranberry Jam
Fragrant, beautiful, wholesome, and incredibly delicious. Cranberry jam for winter is easy to make at home. You can vary the flavor with cinnamon, cloves, or cocoa. It is a tasty way to preserve cranberries for the whole winter and enjoy an amazingly aromatic dessert.
Updated : 07 July, 2026
Easy
More than 1 hour.
Ingredients
1200 grams
Cranberry
900 grams
Sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare all the ingredients. The jam can be made from fresh or frozen cranberries. Cranberries are usually not very clean, and bits of leaves and debris often get mixed in during picking, so they need to be washed well and sorted carefully. Any sugar will work. I used regular white sugar, but you can also use brown sugar, which will give the finished jam a light caramel flavor and aroma.
Step 2
Spread the berries out on the table and remove any stray leaves, twigs, and other debris. Discard any shriveled, rotten, unripe, or damaged berries. The ideal berry for jam is ripe, firm, and ranges in color from bright red to deep burgundy. Place the sorted berries in a colander or large bowl and wash them under cool running water. Spread the berries out in a single layer on paper towels or cotton towels and gently pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
Step 3
Choose the pot in which you will cook the jam. It is best to use cookware with a thick bottom and high sides, made of stainless steel or with a nonstick coating, so the jam does not burn or boil over. Put the berries into the pot and cover them with sugar.
Step 4
Wait for the berries to release their juice. To do this, leave them for 2–3 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. During this time, the berries will release enough natural juice to form the base of the syrup without any added water. Resting them in the refrigerator is especially important for less acidic berries, as it helps prevent early fermentation.
Step 5
Place the pot with the berries over the heat and bring it to a boil. I make classic cranberry jam, but of course it can be varied. For example, you can flavor it with cinnamon and cloves. To do this, add a cinnamon stick and a clove bud, and remove them from the finished jam at the end. Or use these spices in ground form, just a pinch will be enough. You can also add a spoonful of cocoa powder to make a jam with a chocolate note.
Step 6
Reduce the heat and cook the jam, stirring, for about 40 minutes. Do not forget to skim off the foam. This will make the jam clearer and improve its storage. Remove the jam from the heat and leave it until completely cool so that the berries distribute evenly in the jars instead of floating, and the jam becomes thicker. You can put the jam into the jars right away, but then it will be more liquid.
Step 7
Wash the jars well and sterilize them. I simply pour boiling water into the jars, placing a spoon inside so they do not crack from the sudden temperature change. But you can also sterilize the jars in the microwave or in the oven. The lids must definitely be boiled.
Step 8
Put the jam into the jars and close them with lids. After sealing, be sure to turn the jars upside down onto their lids and wrap them in a blanket until completely cool. This additionally sterilizes the lid with steam and creates a vacuum. Store the jam in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. After opening, keep it in the refrigerator.
Step 9
Serve cranberry jam in a small dish as a treat with tea, especially black or herbal tea. Use it as a filling for different pastries. It is a perfect replacement for traditional jam or sweetened condensed milk with crepes, fritters, or cottage cheese pancakes. The tartness of cranberries beautifully balances the mild flavor of the batter. Add 1–2 spoonfuls of jam to cottage cheese, sour cream, or yogurt and it will turn an ordinary breakfast into an elegant dessert. Spread it on bread with butter or without. Enjoy your tea!
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