3 Easy & Quick Homemade Summer Jam Recipes (no pectin)

There’s nothing that says summer than bright, fresh fruits. And, one of my favourite ways to make those summer fruit flavours last is with these 3 Easy Summer Jam Recipes!

Strawberries, apricots and plums make amazingly delicious jam; as they cook down their fruity flavor shines through!

With the addition of only just a few ingredients and cooked on the stove-top, these summer jams are easy to make and freeze to enjoy in the future too.

You may have already tried my Easy Apricot Jam so the easy strawberry jam and plum jam recipes follow a very similar method. Right now strawberries, apricots and plums are all in season so it’s the perfect time to make some quick jam!

I love making these small batches of jam so that I can have a variety of flavours to enjoy. While many traditional and store-bought jams are made with the addition of pectin to help with thickening, these quick summer jam recipes don’t need it at all.  These refrigerator jam recipes are a bit more ‘loose’ than traditional jam but this quick method still results in delicious jam you’ll want to eat by the spoonful.

They’re truly my favorite jam recipes to make!

Why you’ll love these easy summer jam recipes

• Each recipe requires 5 simple ingredients or less!
• A perfect way to enjoy stone fruits like apricots and plums when they’re in season
• They’re a delicious way to enjoy summer fruits!
• There is no canning method, jam thermometer or jam sugar required.
• Easily adaptable for other summer fruits

Ingredients needed for these homemade summer jams

Easy Strawberry Jam (recipe at the end of this post)

Fresh fruit: use fresh, sweet summer strawberries for this recipe; in a pinch you could use frozen strawberries

Sweetener:  I like to use honey as a sweetener but you can also use maple syrup if you prefer; in a pinch you can use sugar

Water: water helps to break down the fruit as it simmers down into a jammy texture

Lemon juice: the strawberry jam requires just a splash of fresh lemon juice

Easy Apricot Jam

Fresh fruit: use fresh apricots for this recipe; if they’re a bit on the tart side, use a bit more honey to your tastes

Sweetener:  I like to use honey as a sweetener but you can also use maple syrup if you prefer; in a pinch you can use sugar

Water: water helps to break down the fruit as it simmers down into a jammy texture

Seasonings: apricot jam requires just a pinch of salt

Easy Plum Jam

Fresh fruit: use ripe, red plums for this recipe for that beautiful red-hued jam

Sweetener:  I like to use maple syrup as a sweetener but you can also use honey if you prefer; in a pinch you can use sugar

Water: water helps to break down the fruit as it simmers down into a jammy texture

Lemon juice:  just a splash of fresh lemon juice is needed

Seasonings: ground cardamom goes lovely with the plum jam; if you don’t have ground cardamom, ground cinnamon would work

How to make quick summer jam recipes

Step 1: Put all ingredients for the specific jam into a medium pot.

Step 2: Using a fork or potato masher, crush the strawberries into smaller pieces. The apricot and plum jams don’t need crushing, they just cook down

Step 3: With the lid off, bring to a boil over medium heat.

Step 4: Once boiling, turn to medium-low heat and let the jam simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until it reaches a slightly thicker, jammy consistency.

Step 5: Take the pot off the heat and let the jam cool completely. Keep the jam in the fridge for up to 1.5 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

Expert tips

• Make sure to use fresh fruit that tastes good to make these homemade jam recipes! Because these delicious homemade summer jams use in-season fruit, you want to make sure they have good flavour since the jams only use a few ingredients.
• These quick summer jams are easily adaptable – wap the strawberries for fresh raspberries or fresh blackberries to make a raspberry jam or blackberry jam respectively.
• The Easy Plum Jam take a little more time because the skins of the plums are a bit thicker and take a bit more time to break down when cooking. But, the result is SO worth it!
• This is a great way to use up summer fruit if you feel like you can’t finish it during the week.

Common Questions

Can I use different fruits in these quick summer jam recipes?
You can use the base strawberry jam recipe and swap the strawberries for fresh raspberries or fresh blackberries to make a raspberry jam or blackberry jam respectively.

How do I know when the jam is ready?
The jam will start to be a thicker, jammy-like consistency when it’s ready. And remember, the jam will thicken a bit more as it cools too.

Can I use frozen fruit?
For the strawberry jam you can definitely try making this recipe using frozen fruit; it will however take a bit longer to cook down / break down the strawberries into a jam texture.

How to enjoy these quick summer jam recipes

• on toast with butter, cream cheese, goat cheese or ricotta
• with yogurt and granola
• make a simple ‘cheesecake’ by layering crushed graham crackers with mascarpone cheese and one of your favourite jams just like my recipe
• serve them on a cheeseboard or charcuterie board
• add as a topper to a vanilla summer cake
• top your favourite pancakes or waffles with these jams

How to store these quick summer jams

Store in an airtight container, mason jar or other jam jar in the fridge for up to 1 1/2 weeks. Alternatively, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost the jam in the fridge before enjoying.

Quick Summer Jam Recipes to make from the blog:

Easy Strawberry Jam (recipe below)

Easy Apricot Jam

Easy Plum Jam