Years ago, I wasn’t a fan of chia seeds. They always seemed to be involved in high maintenance recipes, they seemed pricy and the one time I tried them it wasn’t great, so I never put chia seeds on my list.
Fast forward to 2022 and I had a good friend request healthy desserts, so I made my first chia pudding and was pleasantly surprised by the thick, creamy texture and impressive nutritional benefits of such a simple little dessert.
That day, my love for chia seeds began…
There are so many ways to use chia seeds, but this jam has risen to the top of my list recently. The chia seeds puff up to create a thick, jammy consistency with very little effort and lots of health benefits. This sounds an awful lot like a wonderful way to start your day, right?
Let’s get started…
This berry chia jam technically requires 2 ingredients – berries and chia seeds, but you will see the addition of vanilla extract and honey in the ingredients list below. These are both optional and I only add the vanilla extract personally. If you do not need your jam to be really sweet, you will not need the honey, but I do keep it in there as an optional add-in just in case you prefer the sweetness or are working with really tart berries.
When it comes to the berries, you will need around 3 cups. I love the combination of different berries, so I am using strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and pomegranate arils (technically, also berries), but you could make this jam with any combination of berries you want… or just 1 kind. If you prefer strawberry jam, use strawberries. If you love blackberry jam, use blackberries. If you can’t find fresh berries, use frozen.
This is a really flexible, easy recipe!
Add all of the berries into a saucepan over medium heat and bring them up to a simmer.
You may feel like you need to add some liquid at first, but you don’t! As soon as the berries start to break down (this usually takes about 2 minutes), they will release their natural juices and you’ll have plenty of liquid to work with.
While the berries are simmering, you can use a potato masher to break them down further if you like a smooth-ish jam. If you want a smooth jam, you can quickly pulse the berries in a food processor to break them down completely.
As soon as the berries are very tender and broken down to your preference, stir in 3 tablespoons of chia seeds and the vanilla extract and honey if you decide to use them and let the jam simmer for another 60 seconds or so.
Transfer the jam into an airtight container and chill for a few hours or up to 2 weeks.
Can you use the jam right away? Of course! It will be warm and not quite as thick as it will be after chilling for a few hours, but it will be absolutely delicious right away! I love spooning it over yogurt, oatmeal or even ice cream while it is still warm, but if you prefer your jam chilled and thick, let it sit in your refrigerator for a few hours before enjoying.
This berry chia jam is downright luxurious. It has the best thick, jammy texture and the chia seeds feel like slightly softened raspberry seeds, so if you love those little pops of texture in your jam, you are going to love this one!
In addition to wonderful flavors and textures in this jam, it is also full of plant based protein, fiber, antioxidants, omega-3’s, calcium and magnesium.
If you are looking for a healthy jam to enjoy on your morning toast, english muffins or spooned over a yogurt parfait or oatmeal then I would love for you to give this berry chia jam a try. You are going to absolutely love it!
Berry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 3 cups of berries, fresh or frozen
- 3 tablespoons of chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 1-3 teaspoons of honey (optional)
Instructions
- Place 3 cups of berries in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer
- Simmer the berries until they begin to break
- Use a potato masher or stiff fork to break the berries down your desired texture (if you prefer a smooth jam, blend the berries until smooth and return them to the saucepan)
- Stir in 3 tablespoons of chia seeds and the vanilla extract and honey, if using
- Simmer the mixture while stirring for another minute or so
- Allow the the jam to cool to room temperature and then transfer into an airtight container
- Chill the jam for several hours before enjoying and store for up to 2 weeks
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