Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam

Name: Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 cups fresh blueberries (frozen works too); 1 large lemon (juiced and zested); 1 tbsp maple syrup; 6 tablespoons chia seeds

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This Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam is a small-batch, refined sugar-free jam that requires just four ingredients and no canning. It's fresh and zesty, with the sweetness from the berries and the tangy citrus flavor combining to create a bright and vibrant jam. It's ready in 35 minutes and can be made with fresh or frozen blueberries!

We love this quick jam for toast and yogurt bowls, but it also works perfectly as a filling in baked goods like these blueberry breakfast bars!

Slice of toast on a plate with jam spread over top.

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Quick Look: Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam

⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
👩🏻‍🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
🆒 Cool Time: 20 minutes
⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
🫐 Servings: 16 (2 tablespoons per serving)
⚡ Calories: 42 per serving
🍽 Diet: gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan
🔥 Flavor/texture: texture is extra seedy thanks to the chia seeds; flavor is sweet with a fresh, slightly tart flavor from the lemon.
👌 Difficulty: easy, 4 basic ingredients, minimal prep.
❤️ Why you'll love: small-batch, no canning required, refined sugar-free, works with fresh or frozen blueberries.

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Why you'll love this chia jam recipe

Quick and fresh: Skip the canning equipment! This simple, small-batch jam takes 35 minutes and stays fresh for up to a week in the fridge.
Totally versatile: It accommodates both fresh and frozen blueberries so you can enjoy it year round.
Refined sugar-free: Store-bought jams are often packed with sugar, but this one is sweetened with just a splash of maple syrup.
Naturally thick: This jam gets its thick and seedy texture entirely from chia seeds, so you don't need any pectin or cornstarch for thickening.

Table of Contents

Quick Look: Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam
Why you'll love this chia jam recipe
Ingredient notes
How to make blueberry lemon chia jam
Expert tips
Blueberry lemon chia jam FAQs
More chia seed recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredient notes

Ingredients to make blueberry lemon chia jam arranged individually and labeled.

Blueberries: This jam is meant to be bursting with flavor, so you'll need 3 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries.
Lemon: You'll need the zest and juice from one large lemon. Some lemons yield more zest and juice than others, so feel free to add more if you think it's not enough.
Maple syrup: Just 1 tablespoon of maple syrup is used to sweeten the chia jam. You can use more if you prefer a sweeter jam. For a non-vegan version, you can replace it with honey.
Chia seeds: I like my jam thick so I add 6 tablespoons of chia seeds. If you prefer a thinner jam, just add 5 tablespoons.

How to make blueberry lemon chia jam

Blueberries in a small sauce pan with lemon zest on top.

Step 1: Add the blueberries, lemon juice, zest and maple syrup to a small sauce pan.

Blueberries stirred together with lemon zest, juice and maple syrup with a spatula inserted into it.

Step 2: Stir everything together. Cover and bring to a low boil.

Cooked blueberry mixture in a small sauce pan with chia seeds on the side.

Step 3: Let simmer until the blueberries have softened and released a lot of liquid. Use a fork to mash some of the berries, keeping some whole.

Chia seeds added on top of the cooked blueberries in a sauce pan.

Step 4: Remove from heat and add the chia seeds.

Chia seeds stirred into the cooked blueberries with a spatula.

Step 5: Stir the seeds into the cooked blueberries.

Chia jam thickened in a sauce pan with a spatula inserted into it.

Step 6: Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes to let the jam thicken.

Expert tips

Let the jam cool and thicken. Once you stir in the chia seeds, the mixture is going to look soupy. That's okay. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes. That's all the time it takes for the chia seeds to absorb the liquid and plump up to thicken the jam.
Don't mash all of the blueberries. To keep the jam a little bit chunky, be sure to leave some blueberries whole.
Want a thicker jam? Use more chia seeds, or cook down the blueberries a bit before adding the chia seeds.
Want a runnier jam? Use fewer chia seeds, or add a splash of water to the jam to thin it out.

Blueberry lemon chia jam FAQs

Can you use different berries to make this chia jam recipe?

Yes! You can swap out different berries, just make sure they're a juicy kind of berry. I think raspberries or blackberries would work well with the lemon flavor in this jam. If you want a mixed berry chia jam, try this berry chia jam, made with strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

How do you store this chia jam and how long will it last?

This homemade jam should be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar or glass dish and it will last for up to a week or even longer.

What are some more ways to use this chia jam?

You can layer it with other ingredients like I do with this pineapple chia pudding, or serve it with this oat milk chia pudding with some honey almond granola sprinkled on top. Of course, it works as a toast, pancake and waffle topping or stirred into oatmeals and yogurts. You can also bake with it and use it as a filling for bars and cookies, like these strawberry steel cut oat bars and these peanut butter and jam cookies!

More chia seed recipes

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If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating below to let me know what you think. If you have a question, drop that below too!

📖 Recipe

Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam

This Blueberry Lemon Chia Jam is small-batch, refined sugar-free, requires just 4 ingredients and no canning. Use fresh or frozen blueberries!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Resting Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings: servings

Author: Leanne Combden

Ingredients

▢ 3 cups (475 g) fresh blueberries, frozen works too
▢ 1 large lemon, juiced and zested
▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
▢ 6 tablespoons (65 g) chia seeds

Instructions

In a small sauce pan, stir together the blueberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and maple syrup. Cover and bring to a low boil. Let simmer until the blueberries have softened and released a lot of liquid (about 8-10 minutes).
Use a fork to mash some of the berries, being careful to keep some whole.
Remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the chia seeds to plump and thicken the jam.
Store in a mason jar or airtight glass container, and enjoy within a week or so.