Like a warm hug or a bottle of love, nothing takes you home like a jar of blueberry preserves with brown sugar. Brown sugar jams work with any fruit, including strawberries and peaches.
I love jam. Actually, I ADORE jam. I grew up with homemade jam. Every morning, as a kid in Iran, I would make little lavash bites with feta and jam.
I continued this morning ritual when we moved to the U.S. using toast, as we could not find lavash, and cream cheese instead of feta. Today, I use jam sparingly, trying to cut the calories, but I still have a soft spot for a jar of homemade jam.
On a recent trip to Costco, I got a little excited with the fresh fruit and bought more than the five of us could eat. My massive clamshell of blueberries were starting to suffer, so I knew what I had to do. Make blueberry jam!
Why this recipe is so awesome
I come from a family full of jam makers – it’s what we do. It could be strawberry-rhubarb jam, peach jam or quince jam we love our jam. Traditionally, jam is made with regular granulated sugar.
Store-bought jam doesn’t bring the memories or nostalgia as homemade jam. Whenever my aunt visits, she has a jar of jam for me. I happily take it and savor each morsel.
Love in a jar.
It doesn’t last long in my possession. And, I don’t have share it with the kids! I am the only jam eater in our house, and I happily consume it, all by myself.
Eat this blueberry jam straight out of the jar, mop it on a bit of bread, sandwich a dollop in a scone, or mix a lump into your yogurt.
Ingredients you need
- Blueberries: Fresh fruit at the peak of its season is always the best choice when jam making. You can make jam with frozen blueberries, but I prefer fresh.
- Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar in this recipe. Dark brown sugar has more molasses and moisture and can be used, as well.
- Lemon juice: Citrus juice naturally contains pectin, which is why it is added to fruit to make jam.
Step-by-step directions
1. In a small pot combine blueberries, brown sugar and lemon juice over medium heat.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to low heat, crushing the blueberries to release the juices. Cook until jam thickens, about 20 minutes.
3. If you are going to store in the refrigerator, cool until room temperature first then transfer to an airtight container. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for directions on click here for directions on how to can using boiling water.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Not only does brown sugar have more moisture, because of the molasses it is also darker in color. This can affect how some of your jams will turn out. Your strawberry and peach jams might have a darker color than jams made with granulated sugar.
This doesn’t affect blueberry jam made with brown sugar because, well, it’s a dark jam.
Brown sugar and white sugar also have different flavors. It is subtle, but brown sugar gives a deep, caramel or toffee-like flavor because of the molasses. So if you just want to add sweetness, stick with white sugar.
You can also make jam with honey. So many sweetener options. Check out my recipe for blueberry jam made with honey here.
Brown sugar is a mixture of white sugar and molasses. Although technically speaking, brown sugar contains slightly fewer calories than white sugar, the difference is pretty slim. Brown sugar has more moisture than white sugar, which will affect whatever you are cooking or baking. So you see, you can totally make jam with brown sugar.
Jam is basically fruit cooked down with sugar. Traditionally, granulated sugar is used. But you can create a syrupy jam with other sweeteners like brown sugar, agave nectar and yes, even honey.
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Blueberry Preserves with Brown Sugar
Like a warm hug or a bottle of love, nothing takes you home like a homemade jar of blueberry preserves with brown sugar. Brown sugar jams work with any fruit, including strawberries and peaches.
Ingredients
- 1 lb blueberries
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 TBS lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small pot combine blueberries, brown sugar and lemon juice over medium heat.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to low heat, crushing the blueberries to release the juices.
- Cook until jam thickens, about 20 minutes.
- If you are going to store in the refrigerator, cool until room temperature first then transfer to an airtight container. Or, if you are canning your jam, click here for directions on click here for directions on how to can using boiling water.
Notes
Brown sugar can be used to make jam for any kind of fruit. It works especially well with strawberries and peaches, too.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 21Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
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Hello! I adore jam too,so I want to ask you with what kind of brown sugar you made the jam?
Hi Maria! I used light brown sugar for this recipe.
How wonderful! It get me back to my childhood days when my mother used to make homemade jam! Now I often use it as a cupcakes filling! It give wonderful taste to my cupcakes!
Hi Laura,
Just stopping by to say thanks for being a part of the YBR:)
Love this one (who wouldn’t!). But promise me you’re not sending this one “back to school” with the kids 😉 GREG
Love jam. Love blueberries. Love your photos.
It sure is love in a jar! I can’t wait to make this! 🙂
I’ve been a jam making machine the past few weeks- it’s what everyone is getting for Christmas this year. I was wondering last night what brown sugar would be like with berries actually. I may have to try it.
I LOVE JAM TOOOOO!! Seriously, can’t you even tell? 😀
I feel the same way about Jam and preserves. Lavash is sold here so I’ll have to try your combination. I’ve never used feta in anything other than savory dishes. Can’t wait to find out what it tastes like. Love the simplicity of these 3 ingredients. Thanks for sharing Laura:)
Jam with feta has this wonderful sweet and salty combination. My husband, who is also Persian, thinks I’m crazy. He prefers his breakfast the traditional way with lavash, feta and fresh herbs.
I’m such a jam lover too, also really like marmelade on toast, mmm…
This jam doesn’t only sound delicious (brown sugar!), but that picture is just gorgeous too!
Lovely! This is my second of heavy-duty jam-making over the summer. I make a version with maple syrup, but I bet this brown sugar version would be fantastic too! I will have to keep it in mind until the next time blueberries are in season here.
Thanks, Laura, for sharing a simple, but delicious sounding recipe for me to try for my first canning experience!
Tora, I am interested in trying your version as well. Would you mind sharing your recipe and method?
Thanks!
Nevermind, I found it on your blog. Thanks.
I can’t stop thinking about blueberry jam and how I have not made any yet this summer. I’m dragging my husband to Costco tomorrow – Saturday, crowds and all – to buy blueberries so I can make mine Sunday! I add lemon juice and a little Grand Marnier at the end – off the heat. Thanks for the inspiration!
Homemade jam is such nice stuff – it been ages since I’ve made any. I need to change that. And blueberry is one of my favs (the other is strawberry). Costco is dangerous! It’s so easy to buy way, way too much stuff – we’ve stopped going. But isn’t it wonderful when you get such a deal? And make lemonade out of lemons (or in this case, jam out of too many blueberries)?
Question! Did you scoop up all the jam until the last scoop in the pot? If not I’d go over and finish it all… Looks so good. Among all jams, I like blueberries most. And I didn’t even grow up eating good blueberry jam (blueberries is not very common berries unfortunately in Japan). I love the simplicity of this recipe and use of brown sugar. My mom always said brown sugar is better for you, but forgot why (lol). I should make it next year for sure!
Oops hit enter by mistake. I was going to continue saying blueberries are getting more expensive – so sad!
Nami, you know I so did not waste a drop! I grabbed a rubber spatula and scraped that pot clean!!! Now is actually a great time to buy blueberries – super cheap at Costco, hence the extra fruit waiting to be eaten!
Hi Laura! This looks lovely. So simple, so easy and so tasty! Absolutely perfect for scones! I like your photography 🙂
I agree with Renee, blueberries and brown sugar are meant to be together. I bet it tastes wonderful as jam!
I am nostalgic about chutney-making but enjoy homemade jams even more. I forgot to make any blueberry jam this summer. I love those “clams” of Costco berries!
My mom used to make jams all summer long when I was a kid. Sure, it seems strange –why spend your time slaving over a hot stove on some of the steamiest days of the year? But once you tasted her jam you knew why it was worth it. It’s hard to pick a favorite but I have a special place in my heart for the grape jam she made from the grapes in our backyard…and also her famous triple-berry jam (blueberry/raspberry/blackberry). I haven’t made blueberry in a while but I will have to try this version with brown sugar… Read more »
Love this jam, Laura!! I need a jar (or 2) in my life :).
I love the combo of blueberries and brown sugar. I never thought about it in jam. I’ll have to give this one a try.