Spiced Christmas Jam with Orange

This spiced Christmas jam cooks strawberries and fresh cranberries with orange zest, cinnamon, ginger and cloves until it tastes like the holidays in a jar. It is a classic liquid pectin jam, so it sets reliably and keeps on the shelf, which makes it a good pick for anyone filling gift baskets or stocking the pantry before December gets busy. One batch makes about 6 half pints.

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More Christmas jams

• Spiced Christmas Jam with Strawberries, Cranberries and Orange
• Spiced Christmas Jam with Orange and Vanilla
• Spiced Christmas Blackberry Orange Jam
• Spiced Christmas Strawberry Cranberry Jam
• All our jams and jellies

What goes into spiced Christmas jam

• 1 1/2 lb strawberries, hulled (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 lb fresh cranberries (about 2 cups)
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 5 cups granulated sugar
• 2 pouches (3 oz each) liquid fruit pectin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

The strawberries bring sweetness and body. The cranberries add tartness and that deep ruby color, and they also keep the jam from tasting flat once all that sugar goes in. The spices are kept small on purpose: a quarter teaspoon of cloves is plenty, since cloves take over quickly.

Get the orange oils into the pot

Zest the orange right over the pot. When you grate the peel, tiny drops of fragrant oil spray out with it, and if you zest onto a cutting board most of that ends up on the board. Grating straight over the fruit catches it all. Use only the bright orange layer; the white pith underneath is bitter and does nothing for a jam.

The boil that cannot be stirred down

Most runny jam comes from a boil that was never quite hard enough. A full rolling boil means the whole surface is bubbling and keeps bubbling even while you stir. Gentle bubbles around the edge do not count. You need that boil twice: once after the sugar goes in, and again after the pectin. The second time, start your timer only when the boil is back at full force, then boil hard for exactly 1 minute. Use a large, heavy pot, because the jam foams up high and a heavy base keeps the sugar from scorching while you stir constantly.

If you want a second flavor for your gift jars, our spiced Christmas cherry jam uses the same warm spices with dark sweet cherries.

For a brighter, more tart jar, try this strawberry cranberry jam with cinnamon and allspice .

Another one worth making: Cranberry Orange Marmalade .

Another one worth making: Spiced Christmas Blackberry Orange Jam .

Want a softer, rounder flavor for gift jars? Our orange and vanilla Christmas jam adds a split vanilla bean to strawberries and cranberries.

How to make it

• Put the strawberries and cranberries in a large heavy pot and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the cranberries pop. Mash to the texture you like, leaving some pieces for a chunkier jam or working it smooth.
• Stir in the orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly.
• Add both pouches of liquid pectin, return to a full rolling boil and boil hard exactly 1 minute. Remove from the heat and skim off the foam.
• Ladle into hot half pint jars with 1/4 inch headspace, wipe the rims and add lids and bands.
• Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adding 5 minutes if you live above 1,000 feet.

A few things to watch along the way. The cranberries pop with a small crackle as their skins split; once most of them have burst, they have released enough juice to mash easily. Skimming the foam right after the hard boil matters for looks, since foam left in the jar sets into a cloudy pink layer on top. Wiping the rims clean gives the lids a sticky free surface to seal against.

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Setting, serving and keeping the jars

Give the jars a full 24 hours to set before you judge the texture. Fresh from the canner the jam looks loose, and it firms up as it cools. Leave the jars alone during that time so the set is not disturbed.

Toast is the obvious place for it: spread on buttered toast, English muffins or biscuits, where the orange and warm spice come through against the butter. The spice and tart cranberry also sit well next to a cheese board. Sealed jars keep for 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate the jar and use it within 3 weeks.

For gifts, a half pint jar is a good size. Six of them from one batch covers neighbors, teachers and a host or two.

If you are planning a whole jam day, our cranberry orange jalapeno jelly uses the same holiday flavors with some heat, the nectarine ginger jam is a warm, gingery alternative, and a jar of bourbon maple bacon jam makes a savory gift next to the sweet ones.

Spiced Christmas jam questions

My jam still looks runny. Did it fail?

Wait the full 24 hours first. This jam sets as it cools, and it often looks thin right after processing. If it is still loose after a day, the usual cause is a boil that was not fully rolling when the 1 minute timer started.

Do I need to change anything at high altitude?

Yes. Above 1,000 feet, add 5 minutes to the 10 minute processing time in the boiling water canner.

Can I use less sugar?

The recipe is written for 5 cups of sugar with 2 pouches of liquid pectin, and the set depends on that balance. Cutting the sugar changes how the jam sets, so we keep it as written.

Should I mash it smooth or leave it chunky?

Either works. Mash to the texture you like after the cranberries pop. Chunkier jam shows off bits of strawberry, while a smoother mash spreads more evenly on toast.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us