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If you love the flavor of fresh strawberries with a bright citrus twist, this strawberry lemonade jam is a must-try.
It’s a simple variation of traditional strawberry jam with extra lemon juice added for a fresh, slightly tangy flavor. This recipe is easy to make and perfect for preserving strawberries during peak season.
If you’re new to canning, start with my water bath canning for beginners guide before you begin.
Canning Expertise: Rachel Paxton is a certified Master Home Food Preserver with over 25 years of hands-on experience in safe home canning and food preservation.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright, fresh strawberry lemon flavor
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Perfect for beginners
- Great way to preserve strawberries
Ingredients
- 4 cups crushed strawberries
- 1 cup lemon juice (bottled or fresh*)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (optional)
- 7 cups granulated sugar
- 1 box powdered pectin
Learn more about how pectin works in jam in my pectin for jam and jelly guide.
Need help measuring berries? See my strawberry equivalents chart.
*Note: Bottled lemon juice is recommended for canning because of its consistent acidity.
Choosing Strawberries
Use ripe, fresh strawberries for the best flavor.
Strawberries should be:
- Bright red
- Fragrant
- Fully ripe (they do not ripen after picking)
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Jam
Step 1: Prepare the Strawberries
Crush strawberries using a potato masher until you have 4 cups of crushed fruit.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients
In a large saucepan, combine strawberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Stir in pectin until fully dissolved.
Step 3: Bring to a Boil
Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
Step 4: Add Sugar
Stir in all of the sugar quickly.
Add a small amount of butter if desired to reduce foaming.
Step 5: Boil
Return to a full rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Step 6: Skim Foam
Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
Water Bath Canning Instructions
Ladle hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Not sure about headspace? See my guide on how much headspace to leave when canning.
Wipe jar rims clean and apply lids and bands.
Place jars in a boiling water canner, ensuring they are covered by 1–2 inches of water.
Process for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and let cool completely for 12–24 hours.
After cooling, follow my how to test jar seals after canning guide.
Storage
- Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year
- Refrigerate after opening
Tips for Best Results
- Do not reduce sugar or the jam may not set properly
- Stir constantly during boiling
- Use bottled lemon juice for consistent acidity
More Strawberry Recipes
If you’re preserving strawberries, try:
- Traditional strawberry jam
- Strawberry rhubarb jam
- Strawberry syrup
- Strawberry pie filling
- Strawberry lemonade concentrate
See more ideas here: how to preserve strawberries (canning, freezing & more)
- 4 cups crushed strawberries
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest optional
- 7 cups sugar
- 1 box powdered pectin
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Crush strawberries to measure 4 cups.
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Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and zest in a saucepan.
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Stir in pectin and bring to a rolling boil.
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Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil.
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Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Remove from heat and skim foam.
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Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
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Wipe rims, apply lids, and process in water bath for 10 minutes.
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Cool completely and check seals.
Bottled lemon juice is best for canning safety
Optional butter helps reduce foam
Always follow safe canning practices
If you enjoy preserving seasonal flavors, be sure to browse all of my canning recipes here and my full collection of jam and jelly recipes for more ideas.
Follow my canning and preserving board on Pinterest.
Delicious sweet jelly . Very simple to make easy to follow recipe and directions. My husband loves it
Can I leave out the pectin and use less sugar as in blueberry jam recipes I’m seeing on Pinterest and can I freeze it instead of the typical canning method? Thank you.
I think I’ve found a new favorite jam. I never knew Strawberry Lemonade Jam existed until last week. Yesterday I made your version (except I only had low-sugar pectin on hand so I used that and 4 cups of sugar) and it is delicious!
Thank you so much for the recipe and detailed instructions. I’ve not done much canning before so it was good to have step by step instructions.
Hi! You should use bottled lemon juice for this recipe.
Is this fresh lemon juice or out of the bottle? Just picked some berries and can’t wait to make it!
Hi! The recipe lists 7 cups of sugar…
There’s no sugar in this recipe…am I missing something?
Yes, the package of pectin for this recipe should be 1.75 oz.
What size package of pectin did you use? Based on the sugar I am guessing the 1.75 oz., rather than the 2 oz.
Hi Debbie, Splenda can’t be used with regular pectin. There is a pectin you can buy that is for low sugar or no sugar jams. I haven’t tried it, but you should be able to make this same recipe with the no sugar pectin, and then add the splenda to sweeten it (although you can leave it out entirely if you want).
Sounds delicious but I am diabetic. Could I use Splenda in place of the sugar?