Low Sugar Strawberry Jam (with Pomona’s Pectin)

Low sugar strawberry jam made with Pomona’s Pectin lets you fully control the sweetness—without compromising the set. It’s bright, fruity, and endlessly customizable, whether you want to sweeten with sugar, honey, or even maple syrup. With Pomona’s, the flavor of the fruit really shines, and you don’t need to rely on sugar for structure.

Strawberry jam is a must-make in our house every summer. While the traditional version is nostalgic and delicious, it can be overwhelmingly sweet—and that’s coming from someone who usually enjoys sweet preserves! The old-fashioned style uses sugar as both a preservative and a thickener, but it doesn’t leave much room for the taste of the actual fruit.

If you’ve ever tried to reduce sugar in a classic jam recipe, you’ve probably ended up with a runny mess or a thick fruit paste. That’s where Pomona’s Pectin comes in. This low-methoxyl pectin is activated by calcium water, not sugar, which means it sets beautifully even with very little (or no) added sweetener.

Why Use Pomona’s Pectin?

Pomona’s Pectin gives you total flexibility. You can use any amount of sugar, or none at all, and still get a reliable set. That means you can adjust the sweetness to match your berries, and you can also use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or agave.

Because Pomona’s doesn’t rely on sugar, it also preserves the bright color and flavor of fresh fruit. There’s no long boil needed, which means your strawberries keep that fresh fruit flavor.

How Pomona’s Differs from Other Pectin

Most commercial pectins (like Sure-Jell or Ball) require a high ratio of sugar to work properly. Their “low sugar” versions still depend on at least some sugar to get a good gel.

Pomona’s works completely differently. It uses calcium water to activate the set, so it doesn’t matter how much (or how little) sugar you use. It also comes in two separate packets: one with the pectin powder, and one with calcium powder for making the calcium water.

You’ll want to follow Pomona’s instructions carefully, but the process is still easy and fast—especially once you’ve done it once or twice.

Ingredients for Pomona’s Low Sugar Strawberry Jam

This recipe yields about 4 to 5 half-pint jars (depending on how much sugar or sweetener you use):

• 4 cups mashed strawberries (from about 8 cups whole berries)
• 2 tsp calcium water (made from the packet in your Pomona’s box)
• ¼ to 1 cup sugar, honey, maple syrup, or other sweetener (adjust to taste)
• 2 tsp Pomona’s Pectin powder

Optional: You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice if you want a tarter flavor, but it’s not required for safety with acidic fruit like strawberries.

How to Make Low Sugar Strawberry Jam with Pomona’s

Start by preparing your jars, lids, and rings. Set up a boiling water bath canner and keep the jars hot while you make the jam.

Wash and hull your strawberries, then mash them to measure out 4 cups of prepared fruit. You want a chunky mash, not a purée, so just use a fork or potato masher—no blender needed.

In a small saucepan, mix the pectin powder with your chosen sweetener. Stir well to fully dissolve the pectin. If using sugar or maple syrup, combine it cold; if using honey, gently warm it to make blending easier.

Pour the mashed strawberries into a large saucepan. Stir in the calcium water and bring the fruit to a full boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, stir in the pectin-sweetener mixture. Return the jam to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and immediately ladle the hot jam into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply lids and rings, and tighten to fingertip tight.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation). Let the jars rest in the canner for 5 minutes after processing before moving them to a towel-lined counter.

Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals, label, and store in a cool pantry for up to 18 months. Refrigerate any jars that didn’t seal and use them within a few weeks.

Low Sugar Pectin Comparison

If you’re not using Pomona’s, check out my other version of low sugar strawberry jam made with Sure-Jell Low Sugar. It’s made a bit differently, more like a standard jam in terms of process, just with less sugar. That process is the same whether for most other low sugar pectins including Sure-Jell, Ball, or Mrs. Wages. Pomona’s really is the only one with a completely different process.

Pomona’s is the best choice when you want to go really low on sugar or use alternative sweeteners, and it’s nice because it doesn’t contain any mystery ingredients.  Just fruit pectin and calcium. It gives a different texture—slightly more tender and less jelly-like—but with excellent flavor.

Strawberry Canning Recipes

If you’ve got extra berries on hand, you might want to try a few more ways to preserve that summer harvest. Old-fashioned strawberry jam without pectin is richly sweet and has a looser set. 

Strawberry jelly is silky smooth and great for anyone who doesn’t like seeds. Strawberry syrup is a perfect pour-over for pancakes or lemonade. For desserts, strawberry pie filling is fully tested for water bath canning, and strawberry rhubarb jam is a springtime favorite.