Blackberry Chia Seed Jam
Updated March 26, 2019
Blackberry Chia Seed Jam-this simple jam recipe only takes 20 minutes to make! No canning involved!
Cha-cha-cha-CHIA! No, we are not talking about chia pets today, although that could be fun. Did you ever have a chia pet or chia head? I wanted to call in to the infomercial and order one when I was younger, but my dad would never let me. I missed out on all the fun! I am not missing out on chia seeds though. They are all the rage and I am hooked!
My latest obsession is chia seed jam. I made a batch of Blackberry Chia Seed Jam this week and it is seriously the BEST jam! It only takes 20 minutes to make and there is no canning involved. This jam is magic!
So what are these magic seeds? Chia seeds deliver the maximum amount of nutrients with minimum calories. The nutritional benefits of chia seeds include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and even protein! I have been adding chia seeds to my yogurt, smoothies, and oatmeal on a daily basis. And now I am even making jam!
You can find chia seeds at most grocery stores. We buy them in bulk from Whole Foods. I saw a chia seed jam recipe on A House in the Hills and was inspired to create my own recipe. Blackberry jam has always been my favorite jam, so I decided to start with a batch of Blackberry Chia Seed Jam.
Our house in Illinois was surrounded by wild blackberries. Every summer we would pick buckets and buckets of blackberries. My brother, sister, and I sold them on the road side to make a little spending money, but we made sure we saved some for ourselves too. We used to make blackberry pie, cobbler, jam, and eat them by the handful. Homemade blackberry jam was always my favorite. I miss the days of wild blackberries and homemade blackberry jam.
Well, my homemade blackberry jam days are back because this chia seed jam couldn’t be any easier to make. I am not a canner and haven’t made jam in years, but I promise this jam is super simple to make. If you don’t think you are a jam maker, think again. You can have homemade jam in 20 minutes and it is SO good! Plus, I love the added health benefits from the chia seeds.
You can use fresh or frozen blackberries. Heat the berries over the stove, mash them up, and add maple syrup and the chia seeds. The chia seeds thicken the jam in minutes! I like to stir in a little vanilla extract for flavor. That is it! Pour the jam in a glass jar and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The jam is great on toast, pancakes, waffles, stirred into oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, or for the classic PB&J!
If you want to feel domestic and productive, make a batch of Blackberry Chia Seed Jam. It will only take you 20 minutes, but everyone will be super impressed with your homemade jam making skills. This jam makes a great gift too, if you can part with it. I suggest making a few batches:)
Blackberry Chia Seed Jam
Ingredients
- 1 lb blackberries I used frozen berries
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup depending on how sweet you like your jam
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pot, bring the blackberries to a low boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the berries soften, about 5 minutes. Lightly mash the blackberries with a potato masher or fork. Leave some berries in chunks for texture.
- Stir in the maple syrup and chia seeds. Cook the jam on low until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure you stir the jam so it doesn't sitck.
- Remove the jam from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let jam cool to room temperature. Pour in a glass jar or air-tight container and store in the refrigerator. The jam will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Note-you can sweeten the jam with honey, agave, or another sweetener if you wish. You can find chia seeds at most grocery stores. We buy them in bulk from Whole Foods. You can freeze the jam in an air-tight container.
Have you tried this recipe?
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I’ve haven’t made jam before, but this seems easy for a novice cook like me. Thank you for sharing.
I bet the chia seeds keep it so thick and wonderful! Great idea!
Only 2o minutes?! LOVE THAT! My hubbies fav kind of jam is blackberry and I am psyched that I can sneak some healthy chia seeds into him!
I’m new to your website and love it. I’m anxious to try chia seeds and hopefully they are at my grocery store. I have several pounds of blueberries in my freezer and would like to use some for the jam. Do I have to make any changes? Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes.
You can use frozen blueberries instead of blackberries. Use the same amount of berries, just taste for sweetness and adjust to your tastes. Enjoy!
I love making homemade jam and I love the idea of using chia seeds in it. Great way to thicken it up! I just love the recipe!
My latest obsession is chia seed jam, too! I actually make it without the stove at all. Just throw it all in the blender then let it set in the fridge. SO easy!
I will have to try that! Thanks!
I’m not into canning but I’ve been wanting to try chia seed jam forever…. this really needs to happen now!
Gorgeous!! Also, I always wanted a Chia Pet. Never got one 🙁
Neeeeed to try this 🙂 Gorgeous!!
I love the vibrant color and flavor of blackberries. Can’t wait to try this chia seed jam!
Chia seeds and Blackberries, this jam is BEYOND healthy! I would feel so god eating it knowing how healthy it is.
This look delicious & so incredibly healthy! Not to mention it is a small piece of summertime. I am going to try this recipe… I may even try a strawberry & blueberry one.
Thanks for sharing!
Think it would freeze well?
Would like to make a batch but we wouldn’t be able to eat it all in 2 weeks…
Yes, you can freeze the jam!
Such a great idea Maria!
This is perfect! I love blackberries! Can’t wait to give it a try.
This looks amazing!
This is really so beautiful Maria, and nothing I would have ever thought of on my own- I can only imagine how great this is on a piece of buttered toast!
Looks so delicious, must try the blackberry version too! Thanks so much for crediting back to me for the inspiration! 🙂
Thank you for the inspiration! Chia seed jam has changed my life:)
Oh yum. I LOVE chia seed jam and your photos look lovely, per the usual. 🙂
We are loving chia seeds at our house too! LOVE the look of this jam, but love the 20 minute time commitment even more.
Oh wow, this looks wonderful! That rich, deep purple color is gorgeous!
What a genius way to use chia seeds. I’ve never made jam because the whole canning thing seems overwhelming to me, but this is right up my alley!
Thanks for sharing this guys 😀
We had a chia head. It went moldy and not chia-y.
My 7-year old loves jam sandwiches for lunch. To add more nutrition I have been stirring chia seeds into the store-bought jam. I didn’t realize it could be so easy to make the jam. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thank you!
Careful of all the seeds……very bad for those with diverticulosis.
Oh, I must try this jam! It is making my mouth water!
can you explain the process once more. sorry, when i hear the word “boil” i think water. would i need to put the blackberries in water to boil them? if so how much? i didnt see water on your list of ingredients so i just wasnt sure 🙁
The berries are frozen so they will create their own juice. If you are using fresh berries, you should add a little water. You want to cook the berries until they are soft enough to mash up.
Why have I never tried making jam?! This looks wonderful and I love that you didn’t use sugar!
I plan on making this recipe tomorrow morning with fresh blackberries…how much water would you recommend using.
SO pretty! Love that color and the chia seeds!
Blackberry Jam is always my favorite…..and I have a bag of chia seeds in my pantry! thanks Maria, I just need to get some blackberries!
Amazing Pictures! I love blackberries! Pinning!
I love this! We always make blackberry jam but I love this refrigerator version! Pinning for later!
Looks amazing! The color is gorgeous. I need to make this!
I just made this jam and it is cooling at the moment. I didn’t read the comments before making it and I made it with fresh berries. I also wondered how to boil them. I slightly mashed them and made a juice and boiled them without adding water. But it all turned out in the end. Haven’t been able to taste yet as it’s too hot, but looks good. Thank you for sharing.
It is even easier and better for you RAW! Just stir the chia and sweetener right into the mashed fruit and let set about 5 min. You can use any fruit, but the seeds mix in with the texture of berry seeds the best 🙂
Gorgeous. I love blackberry jam, too, and really like the addition of the chia seeds!
I’m so excited you posted this. I have been looking for a new and different way to use chia seeds and this has to be it. Can’t wait to try it this weekend!
I love the simple recipe and sounds so delicious!
I was just wondering about the nutrition values and calories in a tablespoon??
This sounds amazing! I don’t have maple syrup, will honey work?
Can this jam be pressure canned?
I love how simple this is!! 🙂 Blackberry jam is one of my favorites, too!
Oh my goodness!!! Yummy!!!
I was wondering if this can be processed like standard jam recipes so that it can be stored and used a later date and/or last longer than the estimated 1-2 weeks?
Would this work as freezer jam, so it could last longer?
Yes, you can freeze the jam.
This jam is really wonderful and super easy! I love that it has chia seeds in it for extra nutrition.
This may be a silly question but are you weighing out 1 lb of berries?
This looks great. I want to try it and also want to try it with local honey and adding beets.
I have a question. In your note it says you can use honey to sweeten. Do you use that in place of the maple syrup or in addition to?
In replace of the maple syrup.
Amazing! was wondering how much water did you use to boil the blackberries?
Does anyone know if I could can this jam doing doing a boiling water bath?
I haven’t tried it with a water bath.
I’m very excited about this! I just juiced about 2 cps. of blackberries to get rid of the seeds. Could I use this? If so, what changes do I need to make for the recipe? Thanks!
How long do you think the jam will last in fridge? I’m wondering about shelf life, especially for the purpose of gift giving.
This looks like a great recipe – so much less sugar/sweetener than every other recipe I’ve seen. Is there anything different I should do if if I wanted to actually can the jam (to give as gifts)? Thanks!
This is a fantastic idea!! Cooling it now for breakfast tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!
so happy i found this recipe!! i saw chia jam and I was tempted to buy it but it’s pretty costly so now I can finally make some yummy yummy jam for half the price of the ones at the store. 😀 Thanks!! xx
I’m going to try this today…sounds YUMMY! Would the jam take canning do you know? I have a ton of blackberries and was hoping to can some for the fruitless seasons.
I’ve never tried canning chia jam. I am not sure if it works or not. Sorry!
Have you tried canning this? Also I am assuming you could use just about any fruit as long as you keep the measurements the same. Thanks for the inspiration.
Just finished making a batch with fresh blackberries from my garden. I needed a little more flavor so I added a pinch of ground pink peppercorns and a few drops of maple balsamic vinegar. Yummy! I love how easy this recipe is. Thanks so much for sharing!
would I be able to make a bunch of little jars ands then freeze them? Have you tried it?
Thanks for the recipe – I’m curious tho why you wouldn’t be able to just put the hot jam into sterilised hot jars and can it so it can be preserved longer than 2 wks?
I’m just wondering if this can be put in the freezer for a longer life.
Thank you.
Love your blog!! Will flax seed work instead of Chia Seeds?
No, you need to use chia seeds.
Can you use honey instead of the maple syrup?
Yes, I am sure honey would be good too!
I too miss the days of Wild Blackberries. I live in a rural area but blackberries just aren’t as plentiful. I remember eating them like cereal in a bowl with milk. I came to your site to find out if the Chia jams can be frozen. You said yes so I will give it a try.
Hi TWO PEAS!! Funny, I read about Chia jam last week and thought I’d try it today, BEFORE I read your recipe! I used regular sugar n cinnamon along with my blk. berries, that I did Not heatup. A little salt along with some lime juice went in too. I just tasted it and it’s So yummy! I’m taking it to work tomorrow Thank you for all the great info!
You are welcome!
Could you can this jam with a canner?
I haven’t tried canning it.
It looks delish! Is it okay to use other frozen fruits such as raspberries, peaches, and strawberries?
Yes!
Does it really need the syrup? I am a diabetic and would like to leave it out.
Wow! I just picked a ton (I’m only slightly kidding) of blackberries from my very overgrown garden as it is being cleared. This looks awesome – and great for those of us trying to avoid refined sugars. Question…is vanilla extract the same as vanilla essence? I can only find the latter in the supermarket. Or vanilla pod…which is a lot of hassle!
Thanks!
Vanilla essence will work! Enjoy!
Hi I’m in the midst of making this jam now. It smells wonderful and I love the colour!
May I know if you used the canning method for the jar? Or to contain it in a regular empty bottle will do? Thanks!
Can you substitute blueberries in this recipe?
I haven’t tried blueberries, but I bet they would be good!
Love! Love! Love this recipe! Why eat jam loaded with sugar anymore? All the people who have tried this, love it. Super healthy guilt free! I even used this jam as filling for a gluten free pie! Huge success! I even put some on top of some Greek yogurt for dessert one night. That was delicious too. We have tons of wild blackberries here. So I will be making many more batches. Thank you for sharing this!
Glad you liked the jam!
I just made this jam with strawberrires I think this is my best jam I’ve made. I added lime zest and juice. There is a great balance of fruit and acid without all the overly sweetness I usually find. I don’t think I’ll make jam any other way Thank you
Yay! So happy you liked it!
Can I freeze the blackberry jam made with chia seeds
Do you have to add chia seeds? If not will the jam still thicken? Any alternatives for thickening?
Thank you
I found this recipe a while back when I was searching for raw recipes. When blackberries are available and at a decent price, I make a batch of this jam. I always have chia seeds on hand so this is a great way to use them and get the many benefits of the chia seeds. It’s really good and so easy to make.
Would it still work if I strained the blackberry seeds out of it before coming it again and adding the chia seeds?
That should be fine!
What a wonderful recipe and perfect timing! During a long walk yesterday I couldn’t stop myself from picking some wild blackberries that had ripened early.
Coincidentally I’ve recently purchased some chia seeds to attempt the new trend of chia pudding – unfortunately I’m not a fan.
This recipe was the perfect way to use up some of those chia seeds and the fresh berries, and even better I had some freshly grated coconut which I used to make scones slathered with this gorgeous jam.
Can’t rate this highly enough – so easy and tasty!
Just made this! Easy, quick, delicious and nutritious! Thank you for the fabulous recipe! I absolutely love blackberries, but this would be wonderful with strawberries and raspberries as well.
Does the jam work with stevia instead of maple syrup?
I haven’t tried it with Stevia. Let me know if you try it!
I love adding Chia seeds and blackberries to my smoothies every morning but, making them as a jam?! I’m so excited for my next PP&J! Thank you for sharing. =]
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I love this recipe! I added a bit of lemon juice and xylitol instead of maple syrup, since I wanted to avoid adding extra sugars and it came out great. Thank you for the simple but awesome recipe!
I’ve made this before but it has been a while. I have frozen blackberries, do i add any water to get them to a boil? Thx……judy
I used fresh Oregon strawberries and the jam is divine! So simple. Thanks, Maria!
This sounds delicious. Can it be canned as well?
Great recipe. I am a bicyclist and picked about a pound this summer from one of my bike routes. They were small so I knew I had to cut the slightly bitter taste with lemon juice. I am baking this labor day so it should go great with the multigrain bread.
Awesome!
Absolutely delicious, and super easy! Thank you so much! I made homemade bread and this was perfection on top.
Making it today:) Glad you loved it!