Blueberry season is just around the corner. Berry season, in general, is one of my favorite times of the year. I LOVE it when the garden starts to produce, and it’s time to start picking berries. Also, I love jam-making season, and even though I don’t eat sugar anymore and watch my carbs, I can still make and have my favorite sugar-free blueberry jam. The kicker is that it’s just as good as any jam you will find on a shelf in a store.
There is no added sugar in this recipe, only the natural sugar from the fruit.
Why blueberry jam is always a good idea
Homemade blueberry jam is a great pantry staple to have stocked up on your shelves.
It’s great on pancakes and waffles, stirred into low carb granola, smeared on a low carb biscuit, or used as a topping on cheesecake squares.
Tarts, bars, squares, cookies, ice cream – you name it, and this little wonder can do it all. A little dab will do you, but boy does it make recipes pop. At only 1.7 net carbs per tablespoon, it’s a great way to get a pop of blueberry flavor without blowing your carb counts for the day.
Not all pectins have added sugar.
Ok, so now let us talk about the pectin problem.
Pectin gets a bad wrap. You know what the first ingredient is on the back of a Certo “low sugar” pectin. Sugar.
Alrighty then. I checked the back of several low sugar pectins and each one either had sugar or dextrose listed as the first ingredient.
Ok, so what do we do?
Well, I found this great product called Pomona’s Universal Pectin, and it’s the perfect solution.
This recipe post isn’t a sponsored post. I legitimately LOVE this product and paid for it out of my pocket. It amazed the hell out of me while I was making and testing jam recipes. It’s sugar-free, vegan, non-GMO, and works PERFECTLY! I have had a blast the last few weeks testing and making jams with this product.
No sugar required either! You do need to use a sweetener.
Stevia, xylitol, erythritol, monk fruit, allulose – it doesn’t matter, it will work. I tested ALL of them to see what sugar replacement would work best, and they all worked exceptionally well.
If you are concerned about the carb content in the actual pectin, don’t.
One teaspoon (3 grams) of Pomona’s Universal Pectin contains:
10.2 Total Calories
2.55 grams carbohydrate (from soluble fiber)
2.5 grams of soluble fiber
Since we’re only adding 3 tsp to the entire recipe ( over 80 servings ), the carb additions are negligible.
Are you as excited about this product as I am?!
Pomona’s 100% pectin
So if you have canned jam before this process is a tiny bit different.
The package of pectin also comes with a small packet of calcium powder.
There are two types of pectins – pectins that require sugar to gel, and pectins that need calcium to gel. There is a whole scientific explanation on Pomona’s website if you’re interested in reading all about it.
The calcium powder gets mixed into a small jar of water (lasts forever refrigerated). The calcium water is what gets added to your jam recipes, usually a tsp or two at a time.
SO easy.
You can find Pomona’s pectin on Amazon or in health food stores. I paid a little over $8.00 Canadian for a box. I balked at the price but did not realize that one box of Pomona’s Universal Pectin will make up to 20 half-pints (8 ounces) jars.
And you know what… with commercial low sugar jams priced out to lunch, it’s still way cheaper to make your own.
Working with Pomona’s Universal pectin
I found working with this pectin much easier to use than regular pectin. It seemed much more forgiving. If the jam didn’t gel to my requirements, I could add more calcium water, and it would thicken.
If I added my pectin and sweetener, I could always add more sweetener and continue to process without over thickening the jam. Having the option to reprocess was great because I wanted to make sure my jam was sweet enough, but I didn’t want to over sweeten at the start.
Additionally, If you have jars of jam that don’t quite set after they are cooled, you can reprocess them and add either more pectin or more calcium water to get the gel to thicken.
The instructions come in the box, and they are super easy to follow. Pomona’s also has a fantastic website with all kinds of directions and base recipes for you to work with including instructions for developing your own recipes.
- Quick note: Use filtered water in your recipes. If you have hard water (which tends to lean heavy on the calcium already), they will thicken more than you want them to – so be mindful that your home tap water can play a part in how thick your jam gels.
What are the best sweeteners for this low carb Blueberry jam recipe?
I tested them all! My kitchen will be forever sticky after this jamathon!
By far the sugar-free blueberry jam made with Allulose was the best. It had a sticky, gooey texture that commercially bottled jams are known for, and had the best taste. It straight up tasted like jam. By far, my favorite.
Erythritol did tend to turn grainy when cold, as erythritol tends to do. If you warmed the jam up, it was perfect. So if you want to use erythritol know that graining up when cold will happen.
I also tested my favorite sweetener, So Nourished monk fruit erythritol blend, and it did grain up a tiny bit when cold but not as much as straight-up erythritol in the recipe.
Xylitol was GREAT, but it does add additional carbs, so not my favorite for that reason.
Truvia, Stevia, and Swerve worked fine, but I find they have an aftertaste for me, but that’s personal. If you like Truvia, or stevia, or Swerve, absolutely use them. The jam gelled beautifully, and the fruit held the color and texture.
****If you use Xylitol, remember that it is poisonous to dogs and cats! ****
If you don’t read anything else, please read these essential canning tips.
Ok, so this sugar-free blueberry jam requires a water bath canning.
There are a few safety precautions you need to take that are not optional. Since this jam is going up on the shelf, it requires a full 10-minute full boil canning bath to preserve.
- DO NOT skip the lemon juice. I usually say fresh lemon juice at every opportunity, but canning is different. Use bottled lemon juice. Fresh lemons vary in acidity you want to make sure you get your acidity level correct and using bottled lemon juice will ensure you’re adding the right amount.
- Flipping the jam bottles over and letting them rest will NOT work for this jam. Please don’t do this. This recipe requires a full 10-minute rolling boil in a canning bath to ensure the jam is safe.
- Do not use a jam bottle larger that 500ML (2 cups).
- When you pull your sugar-free blueberry jam bottles from the canning bath, leave them rest for 24 hours without moving them, or tilting them. Let them set.
- Any jars that did not seal can be processed again.
Storage & uses for your sugar-free blueberry jam.
This sugar-free blueberry jam is shelf-stable for up to a year if stored in a cool dark place. Once opened the blueberry jam will last up to 3 weeks inside the refrigerator.
It’s a perfect jam to go with a low carb scone or biscuit, or as fruit topping for, well, for any dessert. I put it on top of my blueberry cheesecake squares, and love a spoonful or two on my low carb granola. But you could use it to fill tart crusts, or use a filling for muffins, cakes or even cheesecakes. It’s a pretty versatile little ingredient to have on hand in a pantry.
I love making my jams because I like to control what goes in them. With this little recipe, I feel confident that I have good healthy ingredients and a delicious jam.
I hope you enjoy it!
Looking for More Sugar-Free Jam Recipes?
Check out some of our other popular sugar free and low carb jams:
- Low Carb Blackberry Jam
- Keto Raspberry Jam
- Sugar Free Cherry Jam
- Sugar Free Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Keto Lemon Curd
- Blueberry Freezer Jam
How to Make a Shelf Stable Sugar Free Blue Berry Jam ( plus it's low carb!)
Ingredients
- 6 cups blueberries
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 cups allulose
- 3 tsp Pomona's Universal Pectin
- 3 tsp calcium water (provided in the pectin box)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
Instructions
- Wash jars, bands, and lids. Place jam jars in water bath canner filled 1/2 way with water. Bring water to a boil. Turn off the burner and leave jars in canner until ready to use
- Place lids in water in a small saucepan and heat until water simmers. keep lids in warm water until ready to use.
- If using fresh blueberries, clean & destem before adding to a large saucepan. If using frozen measure and just pour right in.
- Add lemon juice and calcium water and blend in well.
- In a bowl add allulose and pectin and blend well.
- Heat the blueberries and as they start to soften, mash with the back of a fork, or use a potato masher. I like to leave a few whole berries in my jam, but mash to the consistency that you like. Bring berries to a boil.
- Add pectin-sweetener mixture, continuing to mix for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin while the jam comes back up to a boil. Boil for 1 full minute once the jam reaches the boiling stage.
- Fill jam jars to ¼” to the top. Clean rims with a clean cloth. Add lids.
- Add jars to the water bath canner when the water in the canner reaches a full boil. Boil 10 full minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 ft. above sea level).
- Remove from water. Let jars cool undisturbed for 24 hours.
- Test for seal, if a jar did not seal, you can reprocess it again in the canner for 10 full minutes, or add that jar to the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from https://pomonapectin.com/recipes/blueberry-jam/ and created and tested specifically using Allulose.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 80 Serving Size: 1 TBSAmount Per Serving: Calories: 7Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 2gNet Carbohydrates: 1.7gFiber: .3gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs (and sugar alcohols) are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fibre.
Is the amount of lemon juice correct? This seems like a lot of lemon juice given that other blue berry jam recipes only call for a couple of tablespoons. Even the Pamona Pectin website recipe only calls for 1/4 cup lemon juice.
Hi Tracy, the amount should be 1/4 cup lemon juice. You can go as low as 2 Tbsp of lemon juice in this recipe, to reduce the punch a touch, if you’re blueberries are tart and not sweet, you could make the adjustment. Cheers!
How much pure stevia powder if you use it instead of the allulose?
Hey Arthur, what brand Stevia powder are you using? They all seem to have different conversions. I don’t want to give you a total and have it be the wrong conversion. But if you let me know, I will verify the totals for you.
Hi Laura, I am wanting to use China seeds instead of pectin. Is this a safe substitution? I have never canned before, but I have made refrigerator blueberry chia jam. I would just like to make it in bulk and can it. Could I just add the lemon juice to my recipe? Thanks!
Hi Rhonda, unfortunately, no, chia seed jams are not safe for canning. Any jams made with chia should be stored in the fridge. Chia seeds do not create the right environment for canning, the PH level will be off, the water ratio will be off, and the density of the jam creates an issue for the heat to penetrate all the way through the jar. Sorry! It’s not worth the risk. If you want to do safe long term canning without sugar, you will need sugar-free pectin.
so glad to find a shelf stable recipe! Can I use the same recipe for raspberries and apples, etc?.
Hey Sandie, I have a shelf-stable recipe for raspberry jam, made the same way you can find it here https://sugarfreesprinkles.com/sugar-free-raspberry-jam/. As for apples, I would check https://pomonapectin.com/. There is an apple jelly recipe, but I don’t see an apple sauce or preserve recipe, but they have all kinds of instruction to ensure your canning is safe, so double-check with them. Cheers!
Can this be made with strawberries or raspberries?
Hey Mary Jo, it sure can! I have recipes for strawberry, raspberries, and cherry jams – you can find them all here https://sugarfreesprinkles.com/category/jams-sauces/.
Hi,
This looks really yummy! I was wondering if I could instead of canning, if this would work like “ freezer Jam” ?
Hi Lisa, yup! I just went to Pomona’s website to see if they had recipes for freezer jam for you, but it says to check the inside of the package for instructions on freezer jam and I don’t have a pack on hand right now. I know you can make freezer jam with this pectin, I just don’t know off the top of my head what the variances are between the recipes. I live in the middle of nowhere, but the next time I am in the city I will grab a pack and test a freezer jam recipe and add it to the site for reference. Great question, I wish I had the full answer. You can also reach out and ask a question on their website, they are super helpful. Cheers!
Hi! I just came home from my market and I found this pectin! Cheaper that Amazon! Anyway, I will check inside and let you know. Update; put boiling water in food processor add pectin blend until dissolved, add hot pectin water to fruit stir well. Add calcium water still until jell appears, fill prepared containers freeze immediately. Thaw before serving. Keeps up to one year in freezer, one week in refrigerator. The recipe inside says the jam canned lasts for 3 weeks once opened in fridge.
Thank you so much for sharing that information, Lisa. Yeah unlike jams preserved with sugar the open storage life is shorter, I recommend making smaller jars for processing for that reason so none of that delicious jam goes to waste. I really like this pectin Lisa, it’s amazing how well it gels. It makes such a great jam product. Drop me a line to let me know how your freeze jam turned out, I am forever curious. Cheers! And thanks again..
Just wanted to leave you a quick note thanking you for the recipes using Allulose sweetener. I made the Blueberry one already and plan on making the strawberry & raspberry ones also for Christmas gifts. I ended up with 4-8oz jars and one 4oz jar. Couldn’t wait for someone else to tell me if they liked it, so I opened the 4oz one. It’s amazing! Quick question, would I used this recipe for Hascap berries and the raspberry recipe for Tayberries?
Hey Cindy, you can replace the Tayberries in the raspberry jam no problem, but don’t skip the lemon juice. The same goes for the Hascaps, they have often been used as a replacement for blueberries. I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the jam! Also thanks for the thoughtful questions and comments, so thoughtful of you to leave such great feedback. Cheers!
I just came home from the market where I found it! I checked the recipes inside and sure enough there is the recipe for freezer jam! It’s very simple!
Thanks!!!!
i’m going to try this recipe using monkfruit as the sweetener. how much monkfruit do i use? thanks
Hi Hannah, every package of monk fruit seems to be different. I would check the package and see what the recommended replacement is for sugar, and use that measurement in this jam recipe 1:1. Cheers!
HI Laura,
I recently discovered your site and this recipe. I have just started a “Keto” based diet. My sister has been on it for a few months now and I have eaten a lot of her meals based on Keto.
A few years ago, I made my Mom sugar free blueberry preserves with Splenda. It came out great, but I didn’t like the aftertaste. Most of the sugar free baking my sister has done has been with a lot of sugars that I haven’t heard of. But even they had that aftertaste that I just don’t like. I do drink DIet Coke, and for some odd reason, that doesn’t bother me. Or I am just used to it.
I was able to go to our local health food store (Sprouts) And I was able to find all the ingredients you recommended. The Pomona Pectin here in the states was about 5.00 US. Allulose, organic lemon juice, and blueberries were there too.
I made the blueberry preserves exactly to your recipe and I do have to say, it’s perfect. (I omitted the cinnamon and vanilla, but will add vanilla next time) I made 8, 8 oz jars. I made your recipe times 1.5. I was able to put what little leftovers I had in a small bowl, put it in the fridge to set. It set up great, was firm, but not too firm, I was still able to spread it, just like jam! The most important thing about this was the taste. As you stated, it tasted just like the real thing. I am in LOVE with Allulose. It has become my new best friend! There is little to no aftertaste and trying it alone is great too. When I make this again, I will need to cut down on the Allulose accordingly, as it was a little sweet for me. I think the blueberries were sweet to begin with and I was eating it by the spoonful! What would your recommendation be in cutting down on the allulose, maybe start with 1/4 cup at a time?
Thank you Laura for this AMAZING recipe! I am looking forward to trying a lot more of them. I love to bake and now, with Allulose, taste will not be in issue!
Hey Gino! Thanks so much for leaving such a wonderful comment. I have the exact same feelings about sweeteners and I too have no problems with diet soda, it doesn’t bother me at all, and for the longest time, I used Splenda in everything until I figured out it was triggering my headaches. But I couldn’t bake with Splenda, something about it when it gets heated up really changes the flavor. Allulose is AMAZING, I absolutely love it for baking, and I am so glad you found something you like just as much. It makes the battle so much easier!. Cheers!
Hello, I followed your recipe to a T. I had Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener, 1:1 Sugar Substitute, available, and felt safe using it because you had luck with a like product and said that graining in the jam was minimal. I had a case of blueberries that I had in my freezer, and when I defrosted the freezer, I could not fit them back in, so I had to do something with them. I made the jam today and ended up with over 8 pints of jam. I had a little left over and put it in a jar and stuck it in the cupboard. I checked the quality of it just now and it is the consistency of like grainy hard sugar. I am so disappointed. Will the jam that is sealed and has gone through the water bath be the same when I open them? I sure hope not. It is not like jam at all- it is a hard something or other. Thanks in advance for your answer.
Hi Donna, if the monk fruit had erythritol in the mix (which some of them do) it will cause heavier graining in this recipe or any recipe where the ratio of sweetener is high compared to the whole recipe. I’ve made this recipe (and all the jam recipes ) with monk fruit and I found that although it did grain a bit, it wasn’t nearly as bad as if was made with erythritol. If your jam solidified I am completely baffled because I have not had that happen. With that said I tested my jam after it was water bath canned and cooled entirely before I opened them – but I honestly do not think that will make a difference with this recipe, I think the texture would be the same. I am making jam this weekend, so I will test a small batch again with 100% monk fruit sweetener and check the texture cold from the batch and out of the water bath and update the post if I find anything of note. So sorry this didn’t work out for you, we really do test and test our recipes before we put them on the site and I take failures to heart and want to know why it happened.
Do you have a recipe for sugar free Blueberry Jelly?
Hi Barbara, not yet on the blueberry jelly post. It is on my list of recipes to test this summer when our blueberries come in. Cheers!
I made a batch of this sugar-free blueberry jam. It is my absolute favorite of all of your sugar-free jams. I will be making more this weekend. I follow your recipe exactly using Allulose. It sets up perfectly and the flavor is terrific.
Thanks so much, Deb, and I am so glad you like it!
I made this jam and it is great! Can I use the same recipe but substitute peaches?
Hi, Janice so glad you enjoyed the recipe I just made a HUGE batch of this myself just last week. You can make peach jam, but you will need to add lemon juice (a safety requirement for low-acid fruits like peaches). I don’t yet have a recipe on the site, but you will want to check out https://pomonapectin.com/faqs/ to see the ratios of lemon juice/sweetener/peaches to safely can your peach jam. Cheers!
Hi: There must be a way of making the jam last longer than just 3 weeks in the refrigerator. I would want it to last at least 6 months to a year! What about adding a few tablespoons of alcohol to each jar or a little bit of real sugar??? Any ideas?
Hi Lawrence, it’s pretty standard for homemade canned goods to have a 3-4 week life once opened, and that’s with natural sugar acting as a preservative. This jam has no preservatives; it’s fruit, sweetener, and pectin. Alcohol will likely break the pectin chains in your jam and create a liquid, so I don’t recommend alcohol, but there are food preservatives that might work. Sodium benzoate is a common addition to jams to extend their open shelf life, but I have no experience using it or testing it with sugar-free sweeteners so I can’t offer any suggested usage in this recipe, it would require some trial and error testing on your part. Hope that helps.
What are you eating this with? If you’re keto you’re not eating bread or crackers. Just wondering. I would love to make some, but I have no idea what I would use it on.
You can find all kinds of low-carb bread recipes and low-carb biscuits; you can also buy low-carb almond crackers, bagels, bread, and buns now in bigger grocery stores and specialty food markets. I usually keep my low-carb jams for baking. You can use them as spreads for cakes, fillings for cookies, used as toppings on low-carb muffins, or even low-carb cheesecakes. They are also great to use to sweeten and flavor keto-friendly yogurts. Hope that helps!