Homemade Chia Seed Jam with Any Fruit

Name: Homemade Chia Seed Jam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (such as berries, rhubarb, cherries, apricot, peaches, plums, etc. (any combination will do!)); 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chia seeds; cinnamon (cardamom or my [homemade chai spice mix]); freshly grated ginger; pure vanilla or other extracts; fresh herbs such as thyme (lavender or rosemary); zest and juice from your favorite citrus (blood orange, clementine, grapefruit, lime); alcohol (such as bourbon, sherry, or tequila); good quality balsamic vinegar

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by Marcie // May 7, 2018 (updated 6/9/21)

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How to Make Chia Seed Jam with Any Fruit is the ultimate guide to making homemade chia jam with any type of fresh or frozen fruit in minutes!

chia seed jam in jar on plate surrounded by berries

It’s so interesting to me the way fads come and go, and normally I sit back and cautiously watch and wait before I act on them. For example, when capri pants came back in style several years ago I waited a full 2 years before I finally bought a pair because I didn’t think the style would stick around long.

I couldn’t have been more wrong because I have several pairs today and capri pants show no signs of going out of style.

I also waited forever to get a smartphone, GPS in my car and an Instant Pot. The funny thing is that I can’t imagine life without any of them now!

I’m always late getting on the bandwagon when it comes to food trends as well, and when I saw that chia seeds were all the rage, all I could think about were the chia pets that we used to have in our house when I was growing up along with the jingle ch-ch-ch-chia! 🙂

All that aside, I finally got around to trying chia seeds years ago and they’ve been a staple in my kitchen ever since. I love that they’re little nutrient-dense powerhouses and magical thickeners for pudding, overnight oats and even jam.

Which finally brings me to the topic at hand –> How to Make Chia Seed Jam with Any Fruit!

overhead shot of varieties of chia jam with fruit scattered around

How to Make Chia Seed Jam with Any Fruit

Chia seed jam is nothing short of a revelation and I’d love to shake the person’s hand that invented it. Most jam recipes take around 45 minutes or so to cook in order for the fruit to reduce to a spreadable consistency, but chia jam only takes 10 minutes of cooking time.

Yes — 10 minutes!

Cook the fruit with the sweetener and lemon juice in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the fruit has broken down.

Next, add the chia seeds and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and place in a bowl or jar to cool.

As the jam cools, the chia seeds absorb the excess liquid which results in a nice thick, spreadable jam. The jam will become even thicker after being refrigerated.

jar of raspberry chia seed jam on plate with fresh berries

Can I use fresh or frozen fruit for chia seed jam?

You can use either fresh or frozen fruit for this chia seed jam recipe. If you’re using frozen fruit, you can pop it right into the sauce pan frozen with the sweetener and lemon juice, but it will take a few minutes longer to cook.

You can also thaw the fruit slightly before cooking, which results in about the same cooking time as listed in the recipe.

Which fruits are best for chia seed jam?

There aren’t many fruits that don’t work for chia seed jam! Any of your favorite fruits will work –> all types of berries, cherries, peaches, apricots, figs and even rhubarb.

I’ve made (4) variations of chia seed jam for this post and they all worked out great with this base recipe.

process collage of blueberry and mixed berry chia jam

The photos above from left to right are blueberry chia seed jam and mixed berry chia seed jam (a combination of strawberry and blackberry).

Any combination of favorite berries will do!

collage of rhubarb and raspberry chia seed jam

The photos above from left to right are rhubarb chia seed jam and raspberry chia seed jam.

I know the rhubarb jam isn’t much to look at but if you love rhubarb this jam is for you! Rhubarb isn’t super juicy so the jam is thicker, but I loved it.

How long does chia seed jam last?

Chia seed jam will last for 2-3 weeks stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

It may also be stored in the freezer in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator and use within 1 week.

At this point, I’ve never tried canning chia seed jam.

Customize your chia seed jam

All fruits aren’t created equally so the cooking time will vary based on the type of fruit that you use, whether it’s fresh or frozen as I mentioned or how much water it contains.

Your jam may need some added sweetener depending on how sweet your fruit is. You can add extra sweetener during the cooking time or even stir it in during the cooling time!

If the texture of the chia seeds bothers you or if like a smoother jam, process the jam in a blender or food processor until it reaches the desired consistency.

You may also flavor your chia seed jam any number of ways by adding vanilla or other extracts, citrus zest or juice, spices like cinnamon or cardamom, fresh ginger and even alcohol.

More chia seed recipes you’ll love!