Strawberry and gin jam is sheer decadence, two wonderful goodies together in a jar and no need for pectin to set this delicious jam!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- strawberry and gin jam is totally delicious, adding gin to fruit really sparks up that flavour and makes it extra special.
- Homemade jam is best, you are in charge of the ingredients so you can use less sugar than commercial jam and there are no chemicals in there at all.
- Jam making is fun, you’ll soon get addicted to doing this and making all sorts of jams, check out my jam section for lots of great inspiration.
- Economical – fancy jams with booze are pricy and making your own jam is cheaper and small batch jam making is very economical and a great way to use up extra fruit and any bargains you can find in the supermarket.
The inspiration for this recipe…….
If you have made my famous strawberry and lavender gin liqueur then you will have delicious gin-soaked strawberries to use up. This strawberry and gin jam is a great way of using them and that’s why I came up with this strawberry gin jam recipe – zero waste!
Of course, you can make this delicious gin-infused strawberry jam simply by following my recipe here and you’ll get a deliciously boozy jam to spread on your scones and a whole lot more.
My strawberry and gin jam is the true taste of summer to keep you going all year long.
The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients for strawberry gin jam
There are very few ingredients in this simple gin and strawberry jam and there is no pectin involved.
All you need are nice fresh strawberries, sugar, gin and lemon juice. That’s it!
Now if you have made my strawberry and lavender gin then you can use your gin-soaked strawberries and thus not have to add any more gin and just use about half of the strawberries listed here.
What type of gin to use
Your strawberry gin jam will take on the flavour of the gin you use to make it. As I always add alcohol at the end of my jam making this ensures that you really have the flavour of the booze in your jam so use a gin that you actually like to drink.
Using gin-soaked strawberries
Never one to let anything go to waste I like to use up those somewhat faded gin-soaked strawberries after making the gorgeously flavoured gin. I like to kid myself that I am being virtuous and thrifty when in reality I am just wringing out the last remnants of gin.
I’ve served them up with ice-cream in a very adult summer sundae and whizzed them into a boozy sorbet. But by far my real favourite way to use them up is to make this wonderful strawberry gin jam that means I can enjoy that boozy berry taste for months to come.
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Yes, you can make this strawberry gin jam recipe all year round by using frozen strawberries.
How to make strawberry gin jam
This strawberry jam with gin recipe is super easy to make. You are just making a basic strawberry jam and then adding your gin at the last minute.
I like to let my strawberries sit in the sugar (with bowl covered in cling film) overnight in the traditional French method of making jam. But this is purely a personal thing and making this strawberry and gin jam recipe by just throwing the strawberries into a pan with the sugar is just fine.
However, if you have the time please do try macerating the strawberries in the sugar overnight as it makes a big difference to your jam-making.
This is because the sugar will draw out the gorgeous juice and flavour from the strawberries whilst in the bowl and the sugar itself will dissolve.
Now when you come to boil up your strawberry gin jam the sugar is already dissolved so you are heating up the jam for a shorter period of time. The longer you cook jam the less flavour you end up with.
Put the soaked strawberries (or just the strawberries and sugar if you couldn’t be bothered to soak them!) in a high-sided pan and add the lemon juice.
If you haven’t soaked the strawberries beforehand you will have to heat gently till sugar dissolved. However if you have soaked those berries then bang it up to a high heat right away as the sugar has already dissolved.
When making jam the jam it will boil and froth wildly as it heats up. This is why you use a high-sided pan to avoid it boiling over and making a hellish mess of your cooker (been there, done that!).
When the jam is coming up to the setting point it calms right down and the bubbles are far more gentle and it has settled to the bottom of the pan.
Boil up your strawberry jam till you get to that magical setting point then add the all-important gin and stir through and pot up the jam immediately.
Fill your jars with strawberry and gin jam to within 1cm of the top, pop on the lids and turn the jars upside down to create that vacuum that seals the jars and stops your jam going off.
How do you know when jam is ready?
Your jam should reach 105C which is the magical setting point. Use a digital thermometer or jam thermometer to get the temperature.
You can also use the wrinkle test, aka the cold saucer test. Pop a saucer into the freezer before you start making your strawberry gin jam and when you think your jam is ready take out a spoonful and drop it onto the chilled plate and leave for a minute in the fridge then run your finger through it. If it wrinkles your jam is ready.
Please Note – We do not usually do water bath or other canning methods here in the UK. Our preserves keep perfectly well without this.
Alternative method
If you have already made my strawberry gin liqueur then you will have those gin-soaked strawberries to use up.
In this case you will use equal quantities of fresh strawberries to the gin-soaked berries. When it comes to sugar use the same ratio as I have for my fresh strawberry and gin jam recipe.
- I had 300g of gin-soaked strawberries so added another 300g of chopped fresh berries.
- Then added 500g of sugar and the juice from half a lemon to a pan and slowly brought it to a rolling boil.
- Now I just had to keep it bubbling till it reached that magical setting point and then ladled it into sterilised jars.
How much jam does this make?
This is small batch strawberry gin jam so my 600g of strawberries netted me approximately 600g of jam, that was 3 x 200ml jars of delicious jam. Want to make more? Then simply double or triple the recipe to suit your needs.
How long will this jam keep?
Your strawberry gin jam will keep for up to a year in a cool dark place. Once opened store in the fridge and use within a month.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Other strawberry jams to try
I’ve made lots of strawberry jam recipes over the years. Here are a few for you to try;
Strawberry jam with sage and red wine
Italian inspired strawberry jam
Strawberry and pomegranate jam
Strawberry and elderflower jam
How to serve strawberry gin jam
Serve your jam on toast for a hair-of-the-dog style breakfast treat, with scones and cream for a tea-time treat.
Better still, why not make a fun sundae with Greek yogurt, strawberry gin jam, a few fresh berries and some crushed toasted nuts.
Or thin out your strawberry gin jam with a little water as the perfect dessert topping for really good quality ice-cream.
Looking for more fun and easy strawberry recipes? Then check these out;
Strawberry and Elderflower Jam
Strawberry and Salmon Salad with Spinach and Walnuts
Strawberry Sage and Red Wine Jam
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Strawberry Gin Jam
Ingredients
- 600 g strawberries
- 500 g granulated sugar
- 150 ml gin
- juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- Hull and chop the fresh strawberries and add sugar, cover and set aside overnight to let the sugar draw out the juice from the strawberries and dissolve. You can miss out this step but it does add to the flavour of your jam.
- Put the strawberries and sugar in a high sided pan with the lemon juice and bring to a boil. You will have to do this gently if you haven't soaked the strawberries overnight to allow the sugar to dissolve.
- Boil for approximately 15 minutes until it has reached the setting point (105C of when a teaspoonful on a chilled saucer creases when you drag a finger through it)
- Stir in the gin and carefully ladle the strawberry gin jam into sterilised jars to 1cm from the top, pop on lids and turn upside down to create a vacuum and seal the jars.
Do you mean 220F? I almost burned mine because I was using a thermometer.
Sorry Valerie
All my recipe temperatures are in celcius so it is 220C. So sorry for any confusion
K x
I tried your recipe last weekend, made 5 jars. I have one small problem.. When you make it has the jam got a really hot after taste
Hi Kathleen
When I’ve made the strawberry gin jam it just tastes like normal strawberry jam but just with a slight taste of gin.Never had a hot after taste, hmmm that sounds a bit odd.
K
Hi Karon,
How long will this jam keep if put in sterile jars? I want to make it for Christmas presents but strawberries are at their best now (in august). Will it store ok for that long or does it need to be fridged?
Kind regards
Kate
Hi Kate
This will easily keep till long after Christmas, just follow steps for sterilising jars etc
K x
Hello Karon
I would love to make the gin jam but do I need to make the lavender gin first or can I use everyday gin?
Look forward to your reply.
thank you
Diane 🙂
yes because you need those gin soaked strawberries. Normal gin wouldn’t taste the same but it would work just as strawberry jam with a bit of gin flavour. The gin soaked strawberries really pack a punch.
Thank you Karon will definitely give it a go. Diane 🙂
Hi Karon. The recipe for strawberry gin jam calls for gin soaked strawberries from making strawberry and lavender gin. For strawberry gin jam is it then 300gm plain and 300gm soaked in gin.
Yes it states that clearly in the recipe print out at the bottom
K
Thanks for this name twin
Your recipe for strawberry gin jam sounds amazing. Could I use your recipe substituting blueberries or raspberries which I have used to make raspberry gin and blueberry gin
Hi Pam
Yes of course you can. I do the same with my rhubarb and ginger gin, just keep the gin soaked fruit and make jam with it. Never let good gin soaked fruit go to waste when you can have it on your toast in the morning!
K x
Hi Karon
I am in Western Australia and have made a couple of batches of your Strawberry and Gin jam. Quite yummy but no gin flavour which is disappointing. I used the fresh strawberries and soaked overnight in the fridge then followed your recipe – 1kg fruit soaked in 150ml gin overnight. Into the pot with 1kg sugar and the juice (3tbsp) and zest of the lemon.
The sugar dissolved in about 10minutes but it took about 30mins to reach gel point – slightly longer in the second batch.
Any suggestions that I could try to get a more “boozy” flavour?
In the meantime, we shall the jam.
Very happy to make “a few more batches” to get THAT special flavour
Cheers
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl
Just add the gin at the end of the jam making process instead. As I said in the recipe the soaking overnight is just an alternative to the real jam recipe which uses the strawberries that have been used to make flavoured gin and have been floating in the booze for a week at least. I’ll amend the recipe to say this.
Jam sets at different times, it can take 15 minutes or up to 30 minutes, it is never an exact science I’m afraid. Hope this helps.
K
Good morning Karen
Thank you for replying so quickly. Shops open soon and I will go and buy more strawberries and try your suggestion.
I have given several of two batches to friends and they LOVE it as is so I will keep it! 5 stars for this “not so ginny” version I have made.
Can’t wait to try your suggestion – will make today as mid 30s tomorrow and 39 on Monday!
You are so right – not an exact science is jam making but such fun!
Cheers for now
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl
So glad your friends all love the jam so much. Good luck with this new batch. In envy of your weather!
K
Hi Karon
Have had a wonderful time making this jam . Thanks for the tips!
We did have some very hot and humid weather and envied yours but really, both not the best.
My family and friends thoroughly enjoyed being my guinea pigs but have settled on adding 80mls of gin once it has gelled.
Tip – remove about a cup of jam, stir in gin, return to pot and stir well.
(The jam more than sizzled and spit when the gin was added directly. Also had a “burnt” smell but didn’t have a burnt taste.)
60mls – could taste “something” but didn’t recognise “gin”
80mls – oh yeah, that’s gin! Now a favourite for many.
Hot weather back again so of course, time to make some more!
Actually 20 small jars for some friends for this weekend when we are meeting!
Cheers for now and THANK YOU
Cheryl
PS- I am going to try you Strawberry and Lavender Gin – my sister will be my guinea pig for this!
Hi Cheryl
Glad the jam was such a success. Hope you enjoy making the gin too.
K
Hello Karon
I remembered your last email to me “envying our summer weather”! Ironical that you are all suffering such hot weather in England….40 is “jolly hot” and I do hope you are coping and surviving. You never get used to it. I would like to recommend that you drink heaps of (just) water and not so much fizzy drinks and alcohol. Water really is best – and good old tea!! Keep yourself covered when outside – hat, (yes) long sleeves and sunscreen. And if you don’t have a pool – cold showers…I find these tricks help.
Jam wise, your strawberry and gin jam is still the favourite amongst my friends – they all got some at Christmas- and I have become quite adventurous. My recent are Mandarin Marmalade with cinnamon and brandy a Lime Marmalade with gin, fruit from my own trees. Just waiting for my oranges to ripen for Orange Marmalade with whiskey.
WA is faring better than our East coast – it is heart wrenching – some areas have had major floods – 4 in 18 months or less with major fires in between….and more to come. WA – cold and wet but nothing like the East and hopefully we will never see such extremes. We did have a bad fire season last summer – and days/week of 40 and over 35! I guess we expect the same this year. Of course, COVID didn’t help.
To you, you family and friends, please take extra care and keep safe!
Kindest regards, Cheryl.
Hi cheryl
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m in Scotland so not as hot as England. So glad my strawberry gin jam has been such a success. Hope your weather is behaving better and no fires.
K
Some years ago i made an orange marmalade and put 1T whiskey in each jar before adding the hot marmalade. It was tasty, especially on ice cream.
That’s a good use for marmalade
K
can I use frozen strawberries thank you
Hi Barbara
Yes you can, defrost them first though.
K