Savor the sweetness of your summer bounty all year long with my easy Blueberry Preserves recipe! This delightful fruit spread is simply made with just 4 ingredients (no pectin!) and just 15 or so minutes of active kitchen time but is packed to the brim with bright blueberry goodness.
Ahhhhh summer. Here in sunny SoCal, the markets are overflowing with an abundance of produce—tomatoes, corn, nectarines, plums, peaches, and blueberries are at every corner. While part of me wishes this cornucopia of freshness was available all year round, another part of me knows I’d take it for granted if it was.
Plus, one of my favorite ways to ready myself for the change of seasons is by preserving all the summery goodies for the darkest, dreariest days of the year. There’s nothing like opening up a jar of chunky cherry compote or cheerful apricot preserves for teatime when it’s already dark by 4 pm—it’s a happy little reminder that this, too, shall pass.
So, if your love of summer’s finest runs as deep as mine, head to the market and get all the juicy, rainbow-colored fruits and veggies while you still can. Then, meet me in the kitchen to learn how to make blueberry jam that’ll knock your socks off!
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Preserve Recipe
- Just 4 Ingredients - With a list that short, you know this recipe is going to be as simple as can be. Oh, and did I mention that you don’t need any pectin to make it? Huzzah!
- No Cheffy Tricks - If you know how to simmer, you know how to make these berry preserves. It’s easy enough for even the most novice home cooks to master!
- Customizable & Giftable - Feel free to add your own spin to this blueberry jam recipe by getting creative. Lavender, cardamom, or ginger would all be lovely additions. And, if you properly can your preserves, you’ll have a headstart on your homemade Christmas gifts!
🍴Ingredients
- Blueberries - Make sure to get the most fragrant, in-season berries you can find. If blueberries are not available, you can easily swap in any other berry and most types of fruit! (Just avoid starchy fruits like bananas.)
- Granulated Sugar - The neutral sweetness of white sugar allows the pure blueberry flavor to shine brightly. Caster/superfine sugar or cane sugar may be used as a 1-to-1 substitute.
- Lemon - Not only does the tartness of lemon help emphasize the sweetness of the berries, but the added acidity also makes these blueberry preserves safe for canning.
- Vanilla Extract - Optional, but lovely for a hint of aromatic warmth. You’re welcome to use an equal amount of vanilla bean paste if you like.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
⏲️ Substitutions & Variations
- Spice It Up - Have fun creating your own magical blueberry preserves recipe. Try adding a couple of pods of cardamom, a sprinkle of lavender leaves or dried, or a spoonful of crushed ginger. Swap out the lemon juice for balsamic vinegar or gin. Use almond extract instead of vanilla. The options are endless!
- Sugar-Free - Sugar is a natural preservative, which is why you’ll find it in so many jams and preserves. That said, if you’re diabetic or following a low-sugar diet, you’re welcome to use your favorite cup-for-cup sweetener. HOWEVER, please note that since you’re losing out on the preservative power of sugar, sugar-free blueberry preserves should not be canned to keep in the pantry. They should keep well in the fridge for a few weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
📖 How to Make Blueberry Preserves: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Macerate. Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large heavy-bottomed pot and gently mash.
Step 2: Simmer. Place the pot over medium heat and simmer the ingredients for 8-10 minutes, stirring throughout this time frame.
Step 3: Flavor. Remove the preserves from the heat and add vanilla, stirring to combine.
Step 4: Store. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Stay in Season. The whole idea of making fruit preserves is preserving the flavor of the best nature has to offer. If you can’t find good blueberries, swap in another variety of berry. Or, feel free to raid the frozen section—frozen berries are picked at peak freshness, plus they’ll macerate like a dream!
- Follow Proper Canning Techniques. If you make this easy blueberry jam, it’s a snap to pour into jars and store in the fridge or freezer, where it should keep well for months. However, if you’re trying to stock the pantry and keep your preserves at room temperature, you’ll need to use a water bath to can them.
- Go Low & Slow. You only want to bring your preserves to a simmer, not a full-on boil. Why? Cooking the fruit mixture too vigorously affects the texture by breaking down the naturally occurring pectin in the berries, and impacts the flavor by caramelizing the sugars (which makes it taste more like syrup than jam).
Storing Instructions
Generally speaking, fruit preserves that are canned properly can last several months to a few years. Ultimately, it depends how you store it. If the preserves are water bath canned, unopened preserves should last for 1-2 years. If it isn’t water bath canned, it should keep for 6 months to a year in the fridge, or 12-18 months in the freezer.
First, make sure your storage containers are sterilized—I like using mason jars that have been boiled for 10-15 minutes. This clean environment helps ward off any bacterial growth and mold.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Generally speaking, they’re pretty similar. Jam is a type of fruit preserve made with actual fruit pieces (whereas jelly is made with fruit juice, not the fruit itself). It’s typically a little chunky, though still spreadable. Depending who you talk to, fruit preserves are like jam, but feature even more and larger chunks of fruit, leaving you with an extra chunky consistency.
Oh, gosh—that’s tough! I have a whole host of blueberry recipes to choose from. Aside from these blueberry preserves, try making blueberry syrup for cocktails or baking, blueberry shrub for mocktails, sugared berries for decorating cakes, or bakery-style blueberry crumb muffins.
One of my favorite ways to put blueberry preserves to work is by spreading it on a piece of toasted bread, perhaps with a swipe of homemade almond butter. It can also be mixed into tasty things like my blueberry cream cheese frosting, blueberry goat cheese spread, cream of wheat, or steel-cut oatmeal.
I’m not a nutrition professional, but I’d say “healthy” is probably a stretch, considering the hefty amount of sugar in the recipe. That said, I’d imagine these homemade blueberry preserves are healthier than some store-bought jams and preserves that have high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and synthetic preservatives. And, since it’s made from blueberries, you do get a moderate amount of fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients with each bite.
Nope! This added pectin-free blueberry preserve recipe works fine without it, as blueberries naturally have their own pectin.
More Blueberry Recipes You’ll Love
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Blueberry Preserves
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) Blueberries
- ½ cups (100 g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 Lemon, zested & juiced
- 1.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract, Vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large heavy-bottomed pot and mash the blueberries gently.1.5 lbs Blueberries, ½ cups Granulated Sugar, 1 Lemon
- Place the pot over medium heat and simmer the ingredients for 8-10 minutes, stirring throughout this time frame.
- Remove the preserves from the heat and add vanilla, stirring to combine.1.5 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.
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