Twist your strawberry jam with lavender and you will be surprised with its rich and delicate flavor. This low-sugar strawberry lavender jam enhances your summer desserts, yogurt, or porridge.
If you love to spend time in the summer sun harvesting fruit and herbs like me – then this strawberry lavender jam might be just what you’ve been waiting for. This recipe is easy enough to make and makes also a wonderful gift for your loved ones!
Why make lavender strawberry jam?
Lavender and strawberry not only grow near each other, but they also ripen at the same time. Moreover, these two happen to make a wonderful flavor pairing.
This lavender strawberry jam is sweet yet has a delicate savoriness too (from the lavender) and it goes great with everything. I use this jam as a sandwich spread, on top of yogurt or pancakes, to make this easy strawberry ice cream or just to pop into my mouth by the spoonful!
Which lavender to chose for jam?
When picking your lavender make sure that you pick the flowers just when they start to bloom. This will give it the strongest flavor possible. I personally love most varieties of culinary lavender, but if you want a milder taste opt for English Lavender (also known as Lavendula Angustifolia). If you’re looking for a more aromatic delicate flavor then opt for Lavender Lemon, aka Lavandula x intermedia.
I had some fresh lavender growing in my garden so I simply picked some and used it in the recipe. If you don’t have any on hand you can use 1-2 tbsp dried lavender.
lavender flavor will intensify as it cooks
Lavender when used in small quantities possesses a very specific intensive flavor that can enrich your jam. However, the flavor intensifies as it cooks so use less if you’re worried about it tasting too strong. If you happen to use more lavender than needed you might end up with a lavender strawberry jam that tastes like soap.
What is lavender good for?
Aside from being super delicious and fragrant, culinary lavender has a number of health benefits as well! It can be used to treat everything from insomnia to anxiety and acne. Some people even say that eating small amounts of lavender can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Making strawberry jam chia healthier and more nutritious
1) replacing pectin with Chia seeds
2) replacing white sugar with raw sugar or honey
3) adding lavender and its medicinal benefits
Ingredients
Chia seeds benefits
Strawberries belong to low in pectin fruits category therefore, won’t naturally thicken and set without adding pectin or chia seeds in it. I prefer jam that is more lose however strawberries specifically require adding something to achieve the right consistency.
Chia seeds are all the rage right now because of their high omega 3 content, and for good reason – they’re great for you! Here are just a few of the benefits:
Helps relieve constipation
Sustains energy levels by stabilizing blood sugar
Boosts metabolism by promoting weight loss
Contains essential fatty acids that are needed for brain health
While the recommended dosage of chia seeds is 1-2 tablespoons per day this jam is a great way to include chia seeds in your daily diet
I used chia seeds to make this thick elderberry jam recipe or in this rowan berry jam
Raw sugar
Raw sugar has not been heated to high temperatures thus it retains all of its natural nutrients. Moreover, it doesn’t have chemical compounds or other altered ingredients.
This is the same kind of sugar that was used to sweeten food before white sugar became widely available. White sugar is basically just refined and boiled down cane syrup until it loses its nutritional value and gains a more sugary flavor.
If you can’t find raw sugar at your local grocery store you can use brown sugar instead.
Honey
Honey on the other hand possesses antibacterial properties which help to prevent tooth decay
Can be used for baking and cooking purposes just like sugar. However if you are looking for more of the medicinal benefits of honey I recommend using raw honey instead as they have much higher nutritional content than processed honey.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice adds acidity and helps to bring out the fruity flavors. If you decide to use its zest you might want to reduce the number of chia seeds as the zest contain natural pectin that helps to thicken the jam
Other recipes with lavender
Strawberry lavender chia jam recipe
First Step – prepare strawberries
To begin, wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
Then cut them in half or quarters depending on size of the strawberry (this is to speed up the process once you cook everything down).
Second step
Add strawberries into a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally allowing them cook for about 30 minutes. The strawberries will release their juices as they cook down and you won’t need to add any additional water at this point. I used a hand blnder to mash the mixture.
Third step
add 2 tablespoons of raw sugar and mix until dissolved.
Fourth step
add in ½ teaspoon of lemon juice and continue to stir.
Fifth step
Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium low, then add 2 table spoons of chia seeds and stir. I prefer lose consistency of the jam and it gets thicker when it cools down.
Sixth step
Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of lavender (fresh or dried) and remove from heat.
Seventh step
Pour the cooked jam into a jar or glass container and allow it to cool before placing in the fridge for an hour or so. Enjoy!
This strawberry lavender jam gets thicker as it cools down. So be patient and don’t add too many chia seeds to avoid thick consistency.
I like that you can keep it in the fridge for up to a month or so, and it’ll still be good. And once you open the jar it will last for about two weeks – but really mine doesn’t make that long because we can’t stop eating it!
Other ideas for jam making
What is your favorite jam to put on your toast?
Strawberry Lavender Jam
Twist your strawberry jam with lavender and you will be surprised with its rich and delicate flavor. This low-sugar strawberry chia jam twisted with lavender enhances your summer desserts, yogurt, or porridge.
Ingredients
- 500 g (17.6 ounces) strawberries
- 1 tablespoon juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons lavender
Instructions
- To begin, wash the strawberries and remove the stems.
- Then cut them in half or quarters depending on the size of the strawberries
- Add strawberries into a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally allowing them to cook for about 30 minutes. The strawberries will release their juices as they cook down and you won't need to add any additional water at this point.
- add 2 tablespoons of raw sugar and mix until dissolved.
- Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low, then add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and stir. I prefer to lose the consistency of the jam and it gets thicker when it cools down.
- add in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and continue to stir.
- Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of lavender (fresh or dried) and remove it from heat.
- Pour the cooked jam into a sterilized jar or glass container and allow it to cool before placing in the fridge for an hour or so. Enjoy!
Notes
This jam will last in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. You can water bath the jam if you wish to keep it for longer.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 14Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 0g
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Hello! I made this recipe today but unfortunately it tastes soapy. I followed the recipe perfectly. The recipe says 2 tablespoons of lavender, maybe it’s supposed to be 2 teaspoons?
I am sorry it didn’t work out for you. Which type of lavender did you use? It is always better to start with a smaller quantity and add more in the process.
Can I leave the lavender buds in my jam, or do I have to strain them and toss out the buds?
I kept them in, they also add a unique color twist to the jam.
Do you know how many ounces this recipe makes?
21 oz
Do you know how many ounces this recipe makes? Can I use frozen berries?
Sure, you can:)
What are the chia seeds for? Also, how do you sterilize a jar?
HI Isabell, the chia seeds make the jam thicker without using pectin or lots of sugar. They also add fiber and healthy nutrients.
I use dishwasher to sterilize the jar. You can also
wash it and lid with hot, soapy water and rinse well.
Boil them in water for 10 minutes.
Take them out with tongs and let them dry on a clean towel.
Good Morning Vladka…
Regarding using Honey in place of the Sugar…
In the interest of preserving all of the “good-beneficial-stuff” in the honey, should I wait until the strawberries are removed from the stovetop and cooled a bit before adding the honey..?
Thank You for all of the great emails you send!
Have a beautiful morning! 🙂
Hi Hope, yes, exactly. To preserve honey’s beneficial properties—like enzymes, antioxidants, and antibacterial compounds—let the mixture cool down to around 100°F (38°C), which is warm but not hot to the touch, before stirring in the honey.”