Homemade Jam Sandwiches (So Easy!) (2024)

Here I’ll show you the easiest and most delicious way to make strawberry jam, and how to serve it in a classic jam sandwich!

If you’ve never made jam before, it can seem like a daunting task. But in all honesty, it truly couldn’t be easier. You don’t need any special equipment and it only requires 3 ingredients! Follow me…

Homemade Strawberry Jam

For these sandwiches we’re going with strawberry jam, just because that’s the classic option. But in reality, this method will work with most berries!

Strawberry Jam Ingredients

• Strawberries – No need to puree them beforehand, just slice off the stem then coarsely dice. The riper the strawberry, the sweeter the jam!
• Sugar – You do not need jam sugar to make jam. Just regular granulated sugar will do the trick.
• Lemon – This is important to add acidity and help set the jam.

Do you need pectin to make jam?

You do not need pectin to make strawberry jam. You’ll just need to boil the strawberries longer before they start jelling.

How to make Strawberry Jam

To make the jam all you need is a medium-large pot and a wooden spoon. That’s it!

Just bung everything into the pot on medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Once the strawberries are in a watery solution, crank up the heat to medium-high and boil for around 15mins until the jam sets.

Do you need to mash strawberries for jam?

By the time the jam is ready to take off heat, you’ll notice the strawberries have mostly broken down. The little bits that are left add texture to the jam. However, if you want a smoother jam you can mash the strawberries with a potato masher as they boil.

How do you know when the jam is set?

A few visual checks:

• The strawberries will have mostly broken down or at least completely softened.
• The jam will turn a deep shade of red.
• The consistency will thicken; not quite to a jammy texture, but it will have a thick, glossy/syrupy texture.
• It will begin sticking on the bottom and around the pot.

A neat little trick to test whether the jam is ready to take off heat is to add it to an ice-cold plate. Just freeze a plate before you start the recipe, then add a dollop of the jam to the plate when you think it’s ready. If you prod it with your finger, it should have formed a skin and wrinkle as you touch it. If it’s at all watery, just continue boiling and test again after another minute or so.

Homemade Jam FAQ

Can you over-boil jam?

I find that if I’ve boiled the jam longer than needed, it ends up overly thick and difficult to spread. You’ll also notice you lose the fresh strawberry flavour. If you really overcook the jam it might taste bitter because the sugar has burnt, but this is more difficult to do. In all cases aim for undercooking slightly as you can continue to thicken it as needed.

How long does jam last in the fridge?

I find it stays good tightly sealed in the fridge for at least 2 weeks. Look out for spoilage past this.

Can you freeze jam?

You sure can – it will last at least 6 months in the freezer. Just thaw in the fridge when needed.

Classic Jam Sandwiches

Alrighty, jam is done and dusted, let’s talk sandwiches.

What kind of bread to use?

If I’m doing jam on toast I like seeded, but for sandwiches, it’s gotta be thick soft white bread. Nothing fancy – sandwich bread will do the trick!

Do you put butter on jam sandwiches?

Ask my younger self back in school with my packed lunch, and I’d probably cry if you buttered my jam sandwich. Now I’m more lenient, but I’m still in favour of no butter. If your jam is delicious enough the butter just becomes distracting. Jam is obviously quite firm and sticky, so you don’t really need the butter to protect the bread. Also, jam is much harder to spread onto butter than it is on just the bread. But – you do you, it’s certainly not uncommon to butter your jam sandwiches!

How do you slice jam sandwiches?

Nowadays I usually make jam sandwiches as afternoon tea/finger sandwiches, so I remove the crusts and slice them into thirds (you can blitz up the crusts and use as breadcrumbs for another recipe). Traditionally though you’d just slice in half, horizontally or diagonally.

Serving Jam Sandwiches

The most popular scenarios to serve jam sandwiches are as follows:

• For a picnic.
• Afternoon tea.
• School lunchboxes.
• For lunch or a snack.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these homemade jam sandwiches shall we?!

How to make Jam Sandwiches (Full Recipe & Video)

Looking for more finger sandwiches? Check out my Tuna Cucumber Sandwiches!

For more similar sandwiches check out these beauties:

Classic British Sandwich Recipes

• Crisp Sandwich
• Fish Finger Sandwich
• Marmite Sandwich
• Bacon Sandwich
• ALL British Sandwiches!

If you loved this Jam Sandwich Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!