Name: Low Sugar Peach Jam
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 4 ripe peaches; 1½ tablespoon ground or whole chia seeds; 2 teaspoon maple syrup; ⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla

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Low sugar peach jam is made with 4 wholesome ingredients, can be whipped up in no time and can be enjoyed on toast, pancakes, ice cream and much more!

toast with low sugar peach jam — *This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here*.

I just can't get enough of summer and all the beautiful fruit that's abundant.

Especially fresh, sweet, juicy peaches!

I love making this peach jam because it doesn't require a boiling water bath, so it doesn't heat up the house. Making your own jam with chia seeds is also super fast and easy. The only downside is that it doesn't preserve them long-term or make them shelf stable. Although, you can freeze this chia jam to prolong its life.

I like using ground chia seeds (I grind them myself in my blender) because it creates a smoother jam, especially in a jam like this where the fruit doesn't contain any little seeds. You don't notice whole chia seeds in raspberry jam! But either ground or whole chia seeds will work totally fine.

This low sugar jam recipe is also made with ingredients that are very easy to find at most grocery stores and peaches will be abundant at this time of year at the farmer's market (if you get there before they all get snatched up!).

One day, I'd love to live in a place where we could have our own peach trees. It's just a little too cold where we're at right now!

peach jam on toast, a spoon and in a dish

HOW TO THICKEN PEACH JAM WITHOUT PECTIN

Chia seeds are the answer! They make this process really easy and quick, with no guesswork. Just mix everything together and allow some time for the chia to absorb the liquid. It's certainly a lot easier than canning and requires much less sugar!

IS PEACH JAM HEALTHY?

This homemade peach jam is made with mostly whole fruit and a little bit of added sugar, so it's quite good for you!

Peaches - High in many vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. Because of this, they may aid in digestion, promote skin and heart health, reduce allergies and the risk of some cancers!

Maple syrup - A tasty natural sweetener that also contains a small number of vitamins and minerals. It is still sugar, so using as little as possible is best! And this recipe does not have nearly as much sugar as canning recipes, which often call for cups of sugar!).

Chia seeds - High in many nutrients, including fibre, omega 3's, protein, antioxidants, calcium, iron and much more! They may prevent heart disease, improve bone health and reduce inflammation in the body.

WAYS TO USE PEACH JAM

So many ways to enjoy that beautiful peach flavor! Here are a few ideas:

Toast (my favorite way to eat it. Drench the toast in butter and jam!)
Stir into oatmeal or millet porridge
English muffins
French toast
Pancakes
Waffles
German pancakes
Crepes
Filling for homemade pop tarts
Topping for ice cream or yogurt
Add to a smoothie
Filling for homemade donuts
Mix into yogurt popsicles

FAQ

IS LOW SUGAR PEACH JAM VEGAN?

This low sugar peach jam recipe is vegan if you use maple syrup instead of honey.

CAN PEACH JAM BE MADE WITH FROZEN PEACHES?

Yes! It's very easy to use frozen peaches instead of fresh fruit. Follow the recipe as it is. Use about 2 cups frozen peaches in place of the 4 fresh peaches.

SHOULD I USE WHOLE OR GROUND CHIA SEEDS?

Either whole or ground chia seeds will work in this recipe. If you leave them whole, you'll notice them in the jam, almost like little raspberry seeds. If they are ground they blend in better and are less noticeable in the jam.

HOW TO MAKE PEACH JAM SMOOTH

For the smoothest peach jam, blend the cooked fruit with an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender until smooth. Use ground chia seeds to thicken.

WILL MY PEACH JAM THICKEN AS IT COOLS?

The jam will thicken as it cools, so use the suggested amount of chia seeds, refrigerate the jam for 30 minutes and if it's not as thick as you'd like, stir in more chia seeds.

HOW LONG WILL PEACH JAM LAST?

Peach chia jam will last up to 14 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

WHY DIDN'T MY PEACH JAM SET?

The most likely reason is that there was excess liquid in your peaches and more chia seeds are needed to absorb the liquid and thicken the jam. Just add more chia!

CAN PEACH JAM BE CANNED?

This easy peach jam recipe is low in sugar and acid, so isn't safe to can. Although some people do can chia jam using a specific recipe that's designed for canning. This recipe is meant to be small batch and kept in the fridge.

CAN PEACH JAM BE FROZEN?

This 4 ingredient peach jam can be frozen, just refrigerate it overnight first to ensure the chia seeds absorb all the moisture they can and leave an inch headspace for the jam to expand when freezing. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. This is a perfect way to preserve some of the bounty from peach season and store many jars of peach jam if you want to make a larger batch.

Tools You May Need

Saucepan

Potato masher

Food processor

How to Make Low Sugar Peach Jam

Ingredients:

4 ripe peaches
1½ tablespoon ground or whole chia seeds
2 teaspoon maple syrup
⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla

Instructions:

Peel off the peach skin (using a paring knife is easiest) and dice the peaches. Heat them in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Once the juice starts to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes or until the peaches are soft and begin to fall apart.

For chunkier jam, use a potato masher to break up the fruit until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in maple syrup. For smoother jam, puree the fruit and maple syrup together in a food processor or use an immersion blender.

Pour the pureed or mashed peaches into the container you'll be storing the jam in (I use a mason jar) and mix in chia seeds and vanilla.

Chia seeds in peach puree in a mason jar

The hot jam will be thinner than when it cools completely. Cover and place jar in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using. Check the jam for thickness and stir in ½ - 1 tablespoon more chia seeds if you want a thicker jam. Again, allow it to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

Makes 1½ cups of jam.

How to Store Low Sugar Peach Jam

Store chia peach jam in an airtight container in the fridge for 10-14 days.

Because of the lack of sugar, this jam should not be stored at room temperature like pectin jam. Keep in the fridge!

You can also store it in the freezer. Just refrigerate overnight first to ensure the chia seeds absorb all the moisture they can and leave some headspace in the top of the jar for the jam to expand when it freezes. Can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw the jar in the fridge overnight to use it!

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

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