A traditional hot cross bun is filled with yeasty goodness and topped with a sugary glaze.
While they’re tasty, they’re also a lot of work.
That’s why I love this hot cross bun jam.
This recipe combines plenty of berries and spices into a shelf-stable format your family will love eating every day.
Best of all, it comes together in just minutes.
How to Make & Can Hot Cross Bun Jam (Step-by-Step)
A full batch of this recipe makes six jam jars.
If you have fewer berries, you can scale down this recipe accordingly. For example, I’m only making a half-batch of this recipe.
That’s just enough to serve everyone at my Easter table.
Equipment Needed
- Colander
- Sharp knife
- Potato masher
- Two large bowls
- Stainless steel saucepan
- Small saucepan
- Water canner with lid
- Six 8-ounce jars with lids and rings (for a whole canner load)
- Jar lifter
- Lid lifter
- Canning funnel
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 4 cups crushed berries
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons powdered pectin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon clove (optional)
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Canning Time
10 minutes
Step 1: Choose Your Berries
This is a mixed-berry recipe, so you can use anything that falls into the berry category.
I’m using a mixture of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

Frozen berries should be thawed before you use them. Thaw them in a bowl, so you can collect all of the juice.
You can use fresh berries instead. In fact, fresh berries picked straight from the vines could make for a really tasty jam.
In the late summer, I use this recipe to put up boysenberries and raspberries from my garden.
Step 2: Wash Your Berries
If you’re using fresh berries, they could be covered with dirt and other contaminants that won’t taste great in your jam.
Washing them will help.
Place all of your berries in the colander and rinse them in a steady stream of water.
If you’re using frozen berries, you can skip this step. Freezing breaks down berry cell walls, and the juice tends to release as the berries thaw.
If you rinse, you could wash away all of the goodness that will flavor your jam.
Step 3: Stem Your Berries (As Needed)
I remove the stems from all of my strawberries and blueberries before I freeze them. Most commercial companies do the same.
Inspect your frozen berries before you use them, and ensure no bits of stem remain.
If you’re using fresh berries, you should remove the stems before you get started. Strawberries will need a sharp knife to remove the stems.
Blueberries and other berries need just your fingers (and a little patience).
Step 4: Crush and Measure Your Berries
Place your prepared berries in a bowl, and use your potato masher to crush them. You’ll need your fruit smashed into small pieces, so they’ll cook faster.
If you’re making an entire batch, it’s smart to work with a half-cup of raw berries at a time.
Measure your berries as you crush them. You’ll need 4 cups of them for an entire canner load.

Step 5: Prepare Your Jars and Lids

I reuse my jars to ensure that I don’t waste critical (and expensive) supplies. I store them really carefully, including resisting the urge to stack them.
However, some still get ruined every year.
I wash my jars in hot water and soap, and I don’t wear gloves as I work. I run my fingers around the edges and set aside anything that’s cracked or ruined.
I place the good ones in the canner and fill it with water. I put the canner on medium heat and let the jars simmer as I work.
Place the lids in a saucepan and cover them with water. Place the pan over low heat to allow the adhesive on the lids to soften.
They don’t need to boil, but they should get warm.
Step 6: Measure Dry Ingredients
Jam recipes move fast, and sometimes, things get hectic in the kitchen. I like to measure all of my dry ingredients before I start cooking.

Place 3 cups of sugar in a bowl. If you’re using spices to give this jam a hot cross bun vibe, you’ll add them to the sugar.
I use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon of clove. You can use some or all of these spices.
Measure 4½ tablespoons of powdered pectin into a separate bowl. This ingredient will enter the liquid at a different point, so it’s important to keep this separate.
Step 7: Combine Berries and Pectin
Pour your smashed berries into your stainless steel pan, and add your premeasured pectin.
Over medium-high heat, bring your mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.
Berries have a lot of sugar, so they can burn when they stay in contact with hot metal for a long period.

Keep cooking until the berry mixture comes to a bubbling, rolling boil that doesn’t go away when you stir.
Step 8: Add Sugar and Spices
Add your premeasured sugar and spices to the mixture all at once while you’re stirring hard. Keep the heat on medium-high and bring the fluid to a boil.

Cook your mixture at this hard boil for 1 minute. Stir it hard while it cooks so nothing burns or scorches.
Step 9: Perform a Spoon Test
As your mixture cooks, the pectin will bond to the liquid and cause it to harden into a jelly-like substance. A spoon test can help you ensure it’s ready to go into the canner.
Dip a cold spoon into your boiling jam and hold it upright. Watch the jam droplets. If some jam sticks to the spoon and won’t fall off quickly, you’ve passed the spoon test.
If it slides right off the spoon like water, it needs to cook for another minute or two.

Remove your jam from the heat at this point. Move quickly, or the jam will start to set up inside the pan.
Step 10: Fill Jars
Remove your prepared jars from the canner with your jar lifter. Place your canning funnel inside one jar and fill it with your prepared jam.
Leave ½ inch of space at the top for your jam to expand. Repeat until every jar is filled.
Step 11: Apply Lids and Rings
Your canning funnel should catch most of the splatter and keep your jars clean. However, you may spill a bit on the edge of each jar.
The sugar in the jam, as well as any seeds, could keep your lids from sticking.
Dampen a paper towel and wipe it around the edge of each jar. Then, with your lid lifter, remove the lids from the pan and apply one to each jar.
Put a ring on each jar and screw it down until it’s finger-tight.
Step 12: Process Your Jars

Place your prepared jars in the canner and ensure they’re covered by an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, and put the lid on the canner.
Process your jars for 10 minutes. Adjust for your elevation as needed.
Step 13: Let Jars Rest
After the processing is complete, turn off the heat and remove the lid from the canner. Leave the jars submerged for 5 minutes for the liquid to stabilize inside the jars.

With your jar lifter, remove your filled jars from the canner and place them on a cutting board.
Let them rest for a full 24 hours before you touch them or move them.
Step 14: Check Your Lids
Working jar by jar, remove the ring and press on the center of the jar. If you hear a pop or click, the lid didn’t seal.
Jars like this should go in the freezer for long-term storage. Or you should put them in the refrigerator and eat them within the next few days.
Write the date on all the lids that sealed properly. They’re ready for storage.

How Long Does Hot Cross Bun Jam Last?
The USDA says foods preserved in a water canner should be eaten within about a year. This recipe is a favorite for my family, so it never lasts that long on my shelf.
Ideas for Using Hot Cross Bun Jam
Hot cross bun jam is remarkably adaptable, and there are all sorts of ways to use it. These are a few of my favorites:
- Slather hot cross bun jam on real hot cross buns for Easter.
- Serve jam as a condiment for Easter ham.
- Top cheesecake with a dollop of jam.
- Coat squash with jam before you roast it.
- Inject cupcakes with jam for a special surprise in every bite.
- Dilute jam with water and use it as a glaze for green beans.
- Top toast with butter and hot cross bun jam.
- Serve jam with fish sticks for an alternative to traditional dipping sauce.
- Add jam to milkshakes for extra spice.
- Serve jam as part of your next cheese plate.

Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups crushed berries
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons powdered pectin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon clove (optional)
Instructions
Choose Your Berries
- Use a mix of berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Frozen berries should be thawed in a bowl to collect the juice, or use fresh berries for enhanced flavor.
Wash Your Berries
- Rinse fresh berries in a colander under running water. Skip this step for frozen berries to retain maximum flavor.
Stem Your Berries
- Remove stems from strawberries and blueberries. Use a sharp knife for strawberries and your fingers for other berries.
Crush and Measure Your Berries
- Use a potato masher to crush the berries into small pieces. Measure out 4 cups of crushed berries for the recipe.
Prepare Your Jars and Lids
- Wash jars in hot, soapy water and inspect for damage. Sterilize jars in the canner with boiling water. Warm lids in a small saucepan to soften the adhesive.
Measure Dry Ingredients
- Combine 3 cups of sugar with optional spices (1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp clove). Measure 4½ tablespoons of powdered pectin separately.
Combine Berries and Pectin
- In a stainless steel pan, combine crushed berries and powdered pectin. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Continue until a rolling boil is achieved.
Add Sugar and Spices
- Stir in the sugar and spices all at once. Bring the mixture to a hard boil, stirring continuously for 1 minute.
Perform a Spoon Test
- Dip a cold spoon into the jam. If the jam drips off slowly and doesn’t run like water, it’s ready. Remove from heat immediately to prevent setting in the pan.
Fill Jars
- Using a jar lifter and canning funnel, fill the sterilized jars with jam, leaving ½ inch of headspace.
Apply Lids and Rings
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel. Place lids on jars and screw on rings until finger-tight.
Process Your Jars
- Place filled jars in the water bath canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes (adjust time for elevation if necessary).
Let Jars Rest
- After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove and place upright on a cooling surface. Let them rest for 24 hours.
Check Your Lids
- After 24 hours, press the center of each lid. If it doesn’t pop back, the jar is sealed. Label and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated or frozen.
Notes
- Fruit Selection: Use any mixed berries you prefer. Fresh, garden-picked berries can enhance the flavor.
- Pectin: Essential for the right consistency. Measure accurately.
- Jar Preparation: Always sterilize jars and warm lids for a proper seal.
- Storage: Consume canned jams within a year for best quality.
