How to Make Jam in the Microwave

Name: How to Make Jam in the Microwave
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 to 3 cups berries or other diced fruit; 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, honey, or your favorite sweetener; 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

In This Recipe

Making Jam in the Microwave
Cooking Jam in the Microwave
Microwave Jam Tips
Jars for Microwave Jam
Canning Microwave Jam

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This one goes out to all of you who really want to make jam, but just lack the time, energy, counter space, or mental fortitude for a large canning project.

When I first stumbled upon Elise's recipes for Microwave Strawberry Jam and Microwave Fig Jam, I thought, "No way!" No way making jam could be that easy. No way that it could be as good as "real" jam.

Consider me a convert. I have now tried this microwave method with blueberries, peaches, and strawberries, and the results have been nothing short of jam heaven.

This jam is just as sweet and spoonable as any other homemade or store-bought jam. You can spread it on toast, swirl it into ice cream, or just eat it straight from the jar. No judgment.

versitale Easy Jam in the Microwave — Emma Christensen

Making Jam in the Microwave

Microwave jam is ready in under 20 minutes and makes one perfect little jar of jammy goodness. Here's everything you need to know.

This jam is ideal for whenever you have a few fruits going soft on the counter or if you scored an extra pint of berries at the farmers market. Two to three cups of chopped fruit or berries will give you about a cup of jam.

seasonal Jam in the Microwave — Emma Christensen

Since we're not actually canning this jam—it goes straight into the fridge—you can use any kind of sweetener you prefer. Regular sugar, honey, brown sugar, agave, and maple syrup all work well. Between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup is usually enough to sweeten the fruit and give it a good jammy texture.

The microwave is really a perfect tool for making a small batch of jam like this. It cooks down a few cups of fruit very quickly and efficiently, making a concentrated jam in about 15 minutes of cook time.

The jam will bubble up quite a bit as it cooks and nearly quadruple in volume. Be sure to use a microwave-safe bowl with at least an 8-cup capacity, and stir the jam every few minutes. Also, use oven mitts when removing the bowl from the microwave since it will become quite hot.

How To Make Easy berry Jam in the Microwave — Emma Christensen

Cooking Jam in the Microwave

The only truly tricky moment comes in judging when the jam is done. In my experience, 15 minutes of total cooking time is a good average for most fruits. However, the jam will still look a bit syrupy and un-jammy at this point. So, the temptation is always to cook it a little longer.

My advice is to resist that temptation. The jam is ready when the syrup coats the back of the spatula and falls in big, heavy drips back into the bowl. It will set more firmly as it cools, and cooking it longer can cause the sugar to crystallize and harden.

Don't stress yourself out about it if you're not sure—just let it cool and see how thick it becomes. If it still seems too loose, just stick it back in the microwave and give it another round of cooking.

Stash this jam in the fridge or the freezer. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge or for about three months in the freezer.

Microwave Jam Tips

Chunky vs. smooth jam: Change up the texture of your jam just by chopping your fruit into larger or smaller pieces. For a smoother jam, you can also puree it before cooking, or mash the cooked fruit against the side of the bowl as you stir.

Use an 8-cup capacity, microwave-safe bowl: The jam will bubble up quite a bit and quadruple in size as it cooks, so be sure to use a large bowl. Use oven mitts when removing the bowl from the microwave.

Stop cooking when the jam is concentrated but still syrupy: The jam will still look slightly loose when done, but it will firm up as it cools. Resist the temptation to cook it for longer.

More Homemade Jam Recipes to Try!

Jars for Microwave Jam

You can use any jars you like, since this recipe is prepared in a glass bowl or measuring cup and then transferred to the jars. This recipe would fill one to two half-pint jars, or two to four (4-ounce) jars.

Canning Microwave Jam

This microwave jam isn't intended to be canned, so you can just add sugar to taste rather than for preserving purposes (more sugar is usually required if you're canning your jams).

How to Make Jam in the Microwave

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Mascerating Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Servings 24 servings

Yield 1 to 1 1/2 cups

You can also cook this small batch of jam on the stovetop. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a loose jam consistency.

2 to 3 cups berries, or other diced fruit
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, honey, or your favorite sweetener
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

Prepare the fruit:

Remove all seeds, cores, pits, and other nonedible parts. Peels can be left or removed. Cut larger fruits like peaches and strawberries into small pieces. Berries can be left whole, if you wish.

Emma Christensen
Macerate the fruit and sugar:

Toss the prepared fruit with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sugar or other sweetener and 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (to taste) in an 8-cup glass measuring cup or microwave-safe mixing bowl. If you're using berries, lightly mash them to release their juices. Let the fruit macerate for at least a half an hour, until the sugar is dissolved, and the fruit looks syrupy.

Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen
Microwave for 10 minutes, stirring halfway:

Microwave the fruit, uncovered, at full power for 5 minutes. The fruit juices will bubble up as the fruit cooks, quadrupling in volume. Carefully remove the bowl using oven mitts (the glass will be hot!), and stir the fruit. It will look quite loose and liquid at this point. Return to the microwave and cook another 5 minutes.

Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen
Stir the fruit again:

Remove the fruit from the microwave with oven mitts and stir it again. The jam will probably still look fairly syrupy at this point. Mash the fruit against the sides of the bowl if you'd like a smoother texture, or leave it as is for a chunkier texture.

Emma Christensen
Continue to microwave in 2- to 3-minute intervals:

Stir the jam between each interval and continue cooking until the liquid concentrates to a sticky syrup that coats the back of the spatula and falls in heavy drips back into the bowl. Don't worry if the jam still seems a little loose at this point; it will set more firmly as it cools. Total cooking time is usually around 15 minutes for most fruits.

If you're unsure whether the jam is ready, it's best to err on the side of caution. Overcooking can cause the jam to crystallize and harden. If the jam still seems loose after it cools, return it to the measuring cup and cook it a few more minutes.

Emma Christensen
Cool and store the jam:

Transfer the jam to a canning jar or other storage container. Let it cool, uncovered, on the counter. Once cool, cover and store in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze for up to three months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
24	Calories
0g	Fat
6g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories	24
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg	27%
Calcium 3mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 25mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.