• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
The Bojon Gourmet logo
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Dips & Spreads
    • Drinks
    • Main Courses
    • Salads
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Recipe Finder
    • Recipe Index
  • About
    • In the Press
    • Learn with Me
    • Work With Me
    • Portfolio
  • Cookbook
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • In the Press
  • Learn with Me
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home / Breakfast & Brunch

    4.7 from 7 reviews

    Small-Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with Maple & Chia

    By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Jul 19, 2020 (updated Nov 26, 2022) / 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This sweet-tart low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam is set with chia seed instead of loads of sugar or pectin, for a light, fresh taste that you'll love! Serve this refined sugar-free jam on toast, in PBJs, over pancakes, stirred into yogurt, or in chia pudding. 

    Low-sugar strawberry rhubarb compote in a jar and on toast

    I can never get enough of strawberries and rhubarb together. Whether it's in the form of crisp, crumble, pie, cobbler, or galettes, the sweet-tart combo ends up greater than the sum of its parts. The uniquely floral taste of tangy rhubarb melds perfectly with ripe red berries, turning a luscious shade of crimson.

    I've been capturing these alluring flavors in a quick, small-batch jam gently set with chia seeds to minimize cooking and subtly sweetened with maple syrup. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks, or in the freezer for up to several months. Sometimes I throw in raspberries if I have some hanging around. I hope you love it!

    Ingredients for sugar-free strawberry rhubarb preserves
    hulling and slicing strawberries for simple strawberry rhubarb jam recipe

    Ingredients

    This low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam recipe uses just 4 ingredients, and each plays a vital roll.

    • Strawberries and rhubarb are the stars of this show. You can absolutely use frozen fruit if that's what you've got. Feel free to swap some or all of the strawberries for another berry such as raspberries.
    • Chia seed gives the jam a soft set.
    • Maple syrup adds gentle sweetness and extra flavor.
    adding maple to sugar-free strawberry rhubarb jam
    making low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam recipe

    How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

    This jam is quite simple to make. You could probably just throw all the ingredients in a pot, but I like to add them in stages for the best results.

    1. Since rhubarb takes longer to cook than strawberries, start by simmering the rhubarb and maple syrup together until the rhubarb just starts to break down.
    2. Stir in the berries and simmer until the liquid in the pot is reduced by about a third.
    3. Stir in the chia seeds and simmer for 1 minute.
    4. Spoon into jars and chill until set.
    5. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze and enjoy low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam through the winter months when you're craving something bright.
    adding chia seed to strawberry rhubarb chia jam
    strawberry rhubarb jam no pectin in a pot

    Maple-Sweetened: Low-Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

    Most jam recipes are sugary AF, which is part of the reason I avoid making and eating them. Sugar helps set jam; you can also add pectin to help it set with less sugar.

    This recipe skips the sugar entirely in favor of maple syrup. This refined sugar-free strawberry rhubarb jam recipe is on the tangy side, so feel free to add more sweetener if you like. Rhubarb's tartness means that it does want some sweetener to make it palatable.

    spooning homemade strawberry rhubarb jam into jars

    Chia Seed Jam = Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with no Pectin

    Chia seeds have an outer coating with the ability to absorb ten times its weight in water. This quality causes them to form a gel-like consistency when combined with liquid.

    Here chia seed replaces pectin as a gelling agent, helping the jam thicken as it sets in the fridge. This further reduces the need for sugar, which, as I said before, is what sets more traditional jams.

    best strawberry rhubarb jam recipe in jars
    rhubarb and strawberry jam with chia seed and maple in a jar

    How to Enjoy Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

    This low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam recipe is balanced enough to devour straight from the jar with a spoon. But here are some other ways to dress it up:

    • Slather on multi-grain bread, sourdough, or gluten-free nut and seed bread
    • Layer into breakfast chia pudding, tahini chia pudding cups, or overnight oats
    • Pile on gluten-free biscuits or shortcake
    • Spread on PBJs
    • Swirl into oatmeal or yogurt bowls topped with homemade granola
    • Dollop on gluten-free pancakes: sorghum buttermilk, grain-free almond flour poppyseed, or lemon ricotta or almond flour crepes
    • Bake into crumble bars or linzer cookies
    • Make it part of an epic cheese platter or chocolate board
    • Put it in gluten-free ricotta tart
    • Use it to top a cheesecake or cheesecake bars or tart
    • Gussy it up in a pavlova, Eton mess, or fools
    Low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam recipe, on toast

    And you can layer this tangy strawberry rhubarb compote with tahini chia pudding for "pbj" chia pudding vibes. Get the recipe here!

    Chia pudding with low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam

    How do you like to use jam? Let me know in the comments below!

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam recipe, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

    4.72 from 7 reviews

    Maple-Sweetened Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Jam

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    This tangy low-sugar strawberry rhubarb jam is softly set with chia seed for a light, fresh flavor. Perfect with toast, PBJ, yogurt, oatmeal, & more.
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 cups

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups (230 g / 8 ounces) rhubarb in ½-inch lengths
    • ⅓ cup (90 ml) maple syrup more to taste
    • 3 cups (13 ounces / 370 g) stemmed, quartered strawberries or halved if small
    • 1 tablespoon chia seed more if you want a firmer set

    Instructions

    • Combine the rhubarb and maple syrup in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the rhubarb is tender and just starting to break down, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Stir in the strawberries and simmer until the jam is reduced by about a third, 10 - 15 minutes. The berries should be very soft and falling apart but not completely disintegrated; I like them to hold a bit of a shape in the finished jam.
    • Stir in the chia seeds and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat. Transfer the jam into jars and chill until set, at least a few hours and up to 2 weeks, or freeze for longer storage.

    Notes

    • You can make this with frozen fruit if you like. Just increase the cooking time if needed. 
    • Feel free to trade some or all of the strawberries for other berries – raspberries, tayberries, blackberries, blueberries, or any others. 
    • See the post above for serving suggestions!
    Variation: Strawberry (or blueberry) Chia Jam
    Omit the rhubarb. Combine 3 cups hulled and quartered strawberries, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and juice from 1/2 a medium lemon in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the juices bubble thickly and are reduced by about half, 10-15 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons chia seeds and cook for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat and mash the berries until mostly broken down.
    Nutrition facts are for 1 of 2.5 servings. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 827mgFiber: 9gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 137mgCalcium: 236mgIron: 2mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    You might also like...

    Gluten-FreeRefined Sugar-FreeSpringSummerRhubarb
    « Vegan Caprese Salad with Peaches & Arugula
    "PBJ" Tahini Chia Pudding Cups »

    Get new recipes by email

    Please wait...

    Thanks for subscribing!

    the cover of the award-winning cookbook, Alternative Baker

    Hungry for more?

    Alternative Baker celebrates the unique tastes and textures of 14 gluten-free flours, from buckwheat flour to almond flour to sorghum and coconut! This cookbook will fill your kitchen with sweet treats that burst with flavor every month of the year.

    Learn more and find out where to buy →

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jody Foote says

      February 04, 2021 at 9:08 am

      What do you suggest as a replacement for maple syrup in your recipes? I do not like the taste of it which is why I ask. I have gone through enough of your recipes to seem to be your go to.

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        February 06, 2021 at 3:01 pm

        Hi Jody, in this recipe you could use any sweetener you like! Just add it to your taste. For baked recipes, you could try agave, which has a similar consistency but might be sweeter, I'm not sure. You could also try thinning another liquid sweetener with water, or making simple syrup by dissolving sugar in hot water.

        Most of my recipes prior to last year just use sugar, and so do the ones in my book, so you might prefer those!

        Reply
    2. Trish says

      June 05, 2021 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Alanna, just wondering something. I want to try your rhubarb roulade from your cookbook and am wondering if it would work well to use this instead of the rhubarb purée ? I just today finally found fresh rhubarb but don’t have the amount called for in the purée recipe. Looking forward to your response & trying it!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        June 05, 2021 at 5:45 pm

        Ooh yes, I bet that would be divine! Please let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
        • Trish says

          June 08, 2021 at 12:55 pm

          This worked perfectly, Alanna! The jam complemented the creme fraiche filling in the roulade and just made the flavor and moistness in the cake even better the next day. It makes for a pretty presentation too which is always a plus. The tartness of the rhubarb is offset nicely by the strawberries. It has received very positive reviews from my taste testers :-) It will be on the farmer’s market table this weekend!

          Reply
          • Alanna says

            June 09, 2021 at 7:56 pm

            I'm so glad you all liked it! I can imagine how delicious these flavors must all taste together. Wish I could come pick up a slice!

            Reply
    3. Tahnee says

      August 13, 2022 at 6:13 am

      Made this today, absolutely delicious! I added a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste and used 2 Tablespoons of chia as I like a nice firm jam. I mixed it into some Greek yoghurt to try some out and it was so good. I wouldn't usually give my 10 month old jam because of the sugar content, but happy to let her try this one with the yoghurt, we ended up sharing the bowl because she couldn't get enough!

      Reply
      • Alanna Taylor-Tobin says

        August 18, 2022 at 5:14 pm

        Awww I'm so glad that this was a hit with you and your kiddo! Vanilla bean paste sounds totally dreamy here, and I'm glad that the extra chia seed worked well. Thanks so much for the sweet note!

        Reply
    4. Jacqueline says

      May 11, 2023 at 3:55 pm

      I use pure maple syrup to sweeten many things but it gives this jam an odd after taste. Next time I’ll use a different sweetener but I did like the texture and love rhubarb strawberry anything.

      Reply
      • Alanna Taylor-Tobin says

        May 13, 2023 at 12:20 pm

        Sorry to hear this wasn't to your taste! Did you use a very dark maple syrup? Please let me know if you try it again with a different sweetener. The recipe is very forgiving!

        Reply

    Leave a comment and rating Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe after you've made it:




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome

    Alanna Taylor-Tobin smiling and holding her cookbook, Alternative Baker

    I'm Alanna, a recovering pastry chef-turned food photographer, stylist, videographer, and award-winning cookbook author. The Bojon Gourmet is a celebration of the sweet, savory, and occasionally boozy recipes that I create in my San Francisco kitchen. About →

    Get new recipes by email

    Please wait...

    Thanks for subscribing!

    the front cover of Alternative Baker, a cookbook by Alanna Taylor-Tobin, winner of the IACP Cookbook Awards

    My cookbook, Alternative Baker, contains 100+ recipes featuring corn, oat, chestnut, almond, buckwheat, sorghum, and other gluten-free flours. Find out where to get your copy! →

    Fresh from the blog

    Gluten-Free Rhubarb Cake with Almond Flour

    Vegan & Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp

    Homemade Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp

    Beginner’s Guide: Baking with Gluten-Free Flours

    Coconut Bacon Recipe

    4-Ingredient Vegan Coconut Flake Bacon

    Oatmeal Teff Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)

    Footer

    Instagram

    As blueberries come into season here in California As blueberries come into season here in California, I've been dreaming about this gluten-free blueberry coffee cake. It's moist and tender, layered with jammy fruit and an addictively salty-sweet streusel topping. 

Oat flour, sorghum flour, and sweet rice flour build a moist and flavorful cake, and almond flour in the topping helps the streusel hold together. 

It would be an ideal addition to weekend brunch or potlucks, and it takes well to variations. I've made it with rhubarb instead of berries, for instance - so good!

Here are a few things readers have said about this cake:

"Better than any gluten-full coffee cake I ever had. This recipe is a keeper. THANK YOU!!" 

"So this is the best coffee cake I’ve ever had, GF or otherwise! Another genius recipe!"

"This was such a hit last night served as a dinner dessert. People were having seconds and thirds! It was absolutely delicious, fluffy and moist and flavorful with a crunch from the pecans on top." 

"This coffee cake is so good - a light, tender crumb and with a pleasant touch of lemon. If I didn’t know it was gluten free I wouldn’t even suspect so."

Recipe linked the_bojon_gourmet. If you make it, please let me know how you like it! 

https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-blueberry-coffee-cake-streusel/

#singluten #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreecake #blueberrycake #coffeecake
    Gluten-free sponge cake is so easy to make. This a Gluten-free sponge cake is so easy to make. This airy cake can be turned into #victoriaspongecake, tiramisu, tres leches, or layered with your favorite frosting and toppings. 

This version with whipped mascarpone, berry chia jam, and fresh berries was actually our wedding cake!

A trio of flours - millet, sweet rice, and oat - give the cake a mild, neutral flavor with a moist & springy crumb. 

The cake layers are naturally dairy-free and can be sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar if you prefer.

Recipe linked the_bojon_gourmet 

https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-sponge-cake-dairy-free/

🎥: nadia.creativity & rdaphoto 

#victoriasponge #victoriaspongecake🍰 #glutenfreecake #glutenfreecakes #spongecake #chiffoncake #glutenfreespongecake #recipereel
    This gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp uses an This gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp uses an unusual technique to create an exceptionally crunchy streusel. Watch to see how it’s done! 
 
Full recipe linked the_bojon_gourmet 

#strawberryrhubarb #rhubarb #glutenfreecrisps #glutenfreebaking #recipereels 

https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-strawberry-rhubarb-crumble/
    If you liked the gluten-free scones that I shared If you liked the gluten-free scones that I shared recently, you're going to love these gluten-free strawberry #shortcakes! 🍓

Tender almond flour biscuits (adapted from the scone recipe) are smothered with billows of whipped cream (shown here with culinayogurt for an easy DF option) and juicy strawberries. They're buttery, creamy, bright-tasting, and not too sweet.

Shortcakes make an ideal dessert for spring gatherings because the components can all be prepared ahead and assembled when you're ready to serve up dessert. 

Feel free to play around with different berries. Add other flavors to the biscuits (I especially love the lemon ginger variation from the scone recipe here). Or add a splash of liqueur to the fruit. 

Recipe linked the_bojon_gourmet 

Bojon appétit!

https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-strawberry-shortcake/

#glutenfreebaking #glutenfreebiscuits #glutenfreescones #strawberryshortcake #f52farmstand
    Tender, buttery gluten-free #scones 🧈 These ba Tender, buttery gluten-free #scones 🧈

These bake up sturdy and moist thanks to a blend of gluten-free flours: sweet rice, almond, oat, and tapioca. Made in about an hour with endless mix-in suggestions. 

I’ve been baking scones for 20+ years and I’ve compiled all my top tips and tricks into this post, linked the_bojon_gourmet 

Bojon appétit! 

🎥: nadia.creativity & rdaphoto 

https://bojongourmet.com/gluten-free-scones-almond-flour/

#recipereel #recipereels #glutenfreebaking #sconesofinstagram #sconesrecipe
    Bake up a batch of these lemon blueberry swirl bis Bake up a batch of these lemon blueberry swirl biscuits to share with family or friends for a springtime treat! 

The recipe starts with buttery biscuit dough made with a trio of gluten-free flours and fresh lemon zest. Cultured butter from vermontcreamery has a clean, bright flavor and a high fat content, which, when rubbed into the dough, creates tender, buttery biscuits. 

Roll the dough up with fresh blueberries, cut them crosswise, and bake. The berries condense into jammy pockets encased in swirls of buttery dough. Top with an easy 3-ingredient mascarpone glaze for maximum deliciousness.

The biscuits can also be prepped overnight and popped in the oven day-of for an effortless brunch addition. 

Get the recipe vermontcreamery. Bojon appétit!

#recipereels #glutenfreebaking #biscuits #almondflourrecipes

    Navigation

    • Recipe Finder
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • In the Press

    Get new posts in your inbox

    Please wait...

    Thanks for signing up!

    This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, see our Privacy Policy.

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    More Bojon

    • Learn with Me
    • Work With Me
    • Portfolio

    Copyright © 2023 The Bojon Gourmet | Site by Jaime Asatsuyu Hammack