This Strawberry Chia Seed Jam with Maple Syrup is quick and simple to make with only 3 ingredients! It’s a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional jam. Bursting with flavor, low-sugar, and naturally vegan!

What is Chia Jam?

Folks, please be prepared to be amazed! Strawberry chia seed jam is a homemade fruit preserve that uses chia seeds as a natural thickening agent. It’s a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional jam which requires large amounts of sugar and often pectin for thickening. The chia seeds work like magic, and I can’t wait for you to try it!

When my kids were growing up, every summer we would make an annual pilgrimage to our local u-pick berry farm and harvest strawberries for homemade jam. We’d all come back sticky and happy. I’d get to work destemming and slicing and soon there’d be fragrant strawberries bubbling away on the stove. The smell is baked into my memory. It smells like home.

I still enjoy picking strawberries, usually from my garden. My favorite recipe to create with these ruby red gems now is strawberry chia seed jam. Here’s why I love it so much:

Healthy- Made without refined sugar and with nutrient-dense chia seeds.
Low sugar- It’s naturally sweetened with ripe strawberries and maple syrup.
3 ingredients- All you need are strawberries, chia seeds, and maple syrup!
No canning- Chia jam is perfect for small batch, fuss-free instant vegan jam.
Vegan- All the ingredients are naturally vegan!

Strawberry chia jam on toast served on a plate.

3 Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the ingredient list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. But let’s take a look at each one and why it’s important.

Ingredients for strawberry chia seed jam.

Strawberries – For the sweetest chia jam, use very ripe strawberries.

Chia seeds – These little powerhouses of nutrition are the magic thickening agent. Use whole chia seeds which you can find in your natural grocer. They come packaged or in the bulk section.

Maple syrup – My favorite sweetener! Use pure maple syrup. Flavored pancake syrups will give your chia jam an unnatural taste.

How to Make Strawberry Chia Seed Jam (with photos)

When you’re ready to make this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post. You’ll find the complete ingredient list with measurements there.

Mashing cooked strawberries with a potato masher.

1. In a small cooking pot over medium-high heat, add your strawberries and maple syrup. Stir to coat the berries and bring to a simmer.

2. Cook for 2 minutes to soften the berries. Then use a potato masher to gently crush the bubbling strawberries into a soft, fragrant, pulpy mass.

Simmering strawberry chia jam on the stovetop.

Adding chia seeds to jam cooking in a pot.

3. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. You want the berries to bubble and foam but not climb up the sides of the pot. Drag a spoon across the bottom to ensure there is no sticking. The jam will thicken and reduce as it cooks but still look runny.

4. Pour the chia seeds over the strawberries and stir to combine. Continue to simmer and gently stir for 2 more minutes. The chia seeds will puff up, absorb some of the strawberry juice, and begin to gel.

Cooled strawberry chia seed jam on toast.

5. Slide the pot off the heat. Let the chia jam cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a heat-proof container. Cool completely to thicken. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a month. Makes ¾ cup. Enjoy!

How to Store

Just like traditional jam, chia jam keeps well when stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, for up to a month!

Chia jam stores so well in the fridge that I have never frozen it. I feel it will keep in the freezer in an airtight freezer-friendly container for 3 months. Just be sure to cool your jam completely first.

FAQs

Is chia jam healthy?

Short answer…Yes, yes it is! Strawberry chia seed jam is low-sugar, gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally vegan.

Chia seeds are rich in soluble fiber and protein. You don’t have to grind them. They are bioavailable as whole seeds.
Most of the sweetness in chia jam comes from ripe strawberries with a little help from pure maple syrup. This sweetens the jam without the usual large amounts of refined sugar.
No preservatives. If you’ve ever flipped over a jar of store-bought jam and cringed reading the long list of artificial ingredients, you’ll love that chia seed jam has none!

Can I make chia jam with frozen strawberries?

You bet! Thaw frozen strawberries before making this recipe. Then drain the extra liquid. (I save mine for smoothies!) Frozen berries have additional juice which will require a slightly longer cooking time for thick jam.

Can I use other berries in this jam recipe?

Absolutely! Berries that have visible seeds and are a vibrant color will make pretty jam. Here’s what I have tried that works well:

Raspberries
Blueberries
Mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries)

Can this recipe be made without sweetener?

You can skip the sweetener all together keeping in mind that the chia jam will be less sweet. A fun and healthy alternative to maple syrup you might like is date syrup. This is made exclusively from dates.

Can I feed this to my baby or toddler?

Feel good knowing your little one is eating a pure fruit spread.

Keep in mind that chia seeds are gelatinous, and the jam should be mixed with another food like baby cereal or vegan yogurt to prevent a choking risk.

Toddlers can safely eat chia seed jam spread on toast or as a topping for pancakes.

Serving strawberry chia seed jam on toast.

Serving Suggestions

This vegan strawberry jam tastes amazing with all your favorite jam-friendly foods. Like really, the skies are the limit!

Spread on warm Cinnamon Current Scones.

Pair with Homemade Peanut and Almond Butter for the best PB&J ever!

Spoon over Avocado Chocolate Mousse. Because… chocolate and strawberries!

Double up the protein and layer with Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.

Swirl into Homemade Tofu Yogurt.

Dollop on Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins.

The sweet aroma of bubbling strawberry jam is one of the best summery smells. I love making it when my kids visit! It always reminds them of youthful days spent in the u-pick fields. It’s quick super yummy, and I have to admit, a whole lot easier than canning!

Have the best sunny July. I’ll be back after my trip to France with a fun chickpea and pasta recipe!

X,o,

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chia seed jam, strawberry vegan jam

spread

American

Yield: 12 tablespoons (¾ cup)

Author: Carol Clayton