This cherry chia jam could not be easier to make. You just need THREE ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make a delicious batch of jam that is MUCH lower in sugar than store-bought jam…and tastes way better too! This cherry chia jam is adapted from the blueberry chia jam recipe I shared on my blog over two and a half years ago now. I love that this recipe is very freezer-friendly, so feel free to make a double batch and freeze half to have on hand for later! This jam can be blended after cooking for a super smooth, more jelly-like texture or left with some fruit chunks in, more like jam. You can do whatever you prefer! I cannot wait for you to try this recipe yourself! ?

I know making homemade jam might seem like too much work, but this homemade version takes just minutes to make, has much less sugar than store-bought versions, and is honestly usually less expensive too to make your own! Another reason to make homemade jam is because it tastes better than store-bought too (at least in my opinion; you’ll have to try it for yourself to see!). ?

Ingredients and Substitution Ideas

Cherries

You can use fresh or frozen cherries here! Obviously fresh cherries aren’t in season year round, so I will often use frozen cherries when making this jam. I’m happy to report that if you want to sub the cherries for a different fruit, blueberries work well, and I have also tried this recipe using 2 cups of chopped strawberries!

Pure Maple Syrup

I love how you only need two tablespoons of pure maple syrup for this entire batch of jam! You could also sub honey for the pure maple syrup. I haven’t tried using white/granulated sugar, so can’t vouch for the end results if you try that but it would probably work.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds help thicken this jam recipe! Chia seeds are FULL of fiber and absorb a ton of liquid. You could also use ground chia seed (which isn’t quite as common/easy to find as whole chia seeds). If you want a smoother jam texture, you can blend the jam in a blender after cooking on the stovetop!

Meal Prep

This cherry chia jam is very freezer-friendly, so I love making a double batch and then freezing half for another time. I have to say…there is a recipe coming to the blog soon which uses this cherry jam so I highly recommend making this so you are ready to go for the next recipe!

Serving Suggestions

Obviously, this cherry jam is delicious on toast as pictured. I also love topping pancakes with peanut butter and jam (honestly, I prefer these toppings to the traditional butter and maple syrup on pancakes!). I also have topped oatmeal (overnight oats, anyone?) with this jam recipe, as well as Greek yogurt. Lots of options here!