This Berry Banana Jam is made with all-natural ingredients, no additives or no pectin added and the aroma reminds you of a delicious combination of tropical fruits and forest berries.
This homemade jam is guaranteed to wow everyone due to its uniqueness and beautiful spreadable texture that is perfect for breakfast muffins, french toasts, pancakes, waffles, ice cream and so much more!
Why You'll Love This
- This Berry Banana Jam recipe requires only 5 ingredients: berries, bananas, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. The process of making this is even easier - cut the fruits, cook, simmer and transfer to jars.
- You’ll only need to cook the berries and banana for, just enough for them to release their natural pectin and the texture to become thicker. The combination of sour-bitter lingonberries (can use red currant which has a similar flavor bouquet) with sweet bananas really makes this jam become a very special staple recipe in your kitchen.
- The jam has a great spreadable texture with all-natural ingredients. With no thickeners, no pectin no other bad for you ingredients added, only sugar and fruits in balanced quantities makes it a tasty condiments for the kids too.
- If you like this recipe you may also like my other berry jam recipes on this blog: Homemade Lingonberry Sauce, Homemade Mixed Berry Dessert Sauce for pancakes!
Ingredients
The recipe is super easy and doesn't require any pro skills, just perfect for a beginner.
For this Berry Banana Jam we only need to mix 5 ingredients:
- 2 lb lingonberry or other preferably sour berries
- 2 lb banana
- 2 lb sugar granulated
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Mix berries with sugar in a bowl.
In a large pot/saucepan over low heat add the berries and sugar mixture, simmer (constantly stirring) until sugar is dissolved and berries have released their juice. (7-10min)
Increase the heat to medium and take it to a boil. After that, reduce the heat to low again, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Be sure to stir occasionally so the berries wouldn’t burn in the bottom.
Add the sliced banana to the pot, cinnamon, vanilla and take it to a boil occasionally stirring.
Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes on low.
Let the jam cool a bit and transfer into prepared glass containers/jars. Seal tightly and keep refrigerated (will last for about 6 months) or at room temperature, but once opened should be kept in the refrigerator.
This recipe makes about 5 cups of homemade banana berry jam.
Serving Suggestions
Where to use this jam? Use it anywhere you like!
- Ice cream - strawberry ice cream sundae anyone?
- Waffles, pancakes, crepes
- Cheesecake
- Yogurt - Add some granola to your frozen yogurt and top up with the berry banana jam for the perfect breakfast or dessert. Or add to a parfait or panna cotta. You'll not regret it.
- Biscuits
- Muffins
- Angel Food Cake
- The truth is, it’s so delicious that you may just want to eat it with a spoon.
Tips
TIPS
- Use fresh, dry and not overripe fruit/berries.
- Use sugar as a thickener and setting agent rather than using additives like pectin.
- Berries - if using fresh berries, wash and rinse them properly under water, then pat dry with a towel.
- Lingonberry (cowberry) - Use any sour taste berries like red, white currants, cranberries, gooseberries, cloudberries. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries should also work here, however, I haven’t tried this myself but I think the taste will be fantastic! If you do try, please let me know in the comments how did it go? Thank you!
- Bananas - use fresh a little bit green (not ripe or overripe) bananas for this jam. Overripe bananas don’t give anything but a very sweet taste and not much of an aroma to the jam.
- Sliced Bananas - sliced in half circles about ⅛ inch thick, if a bit thicker it’s fine too.
- Vanilla extract - you can use both, vanilla extract or paste. If using paste add only ½ teaspoon as it is stronger than vanilla extract. I usually prefer to add paste 🙂
FAQs
Sugar helps to thicken the fruit jam and helps the jam to ‘’set’’. There is a specific ‘’Jam Sugar’’ available for making jams which consist of sugar (thickener), pectin (key ingredients in how jam gets its firm texture), and citric acid (helps the jam to set). Good news is that you don’t need this to make a good homemade jam. Coarse-grain white granulated sugar or even caster sugar will do an excellent job too.
Easy Breakfast Recipes
I hope you enjoy this homemade Berry Banana Jam for breakfast toasts, muffins, pancakes, ice cream and so much more!
I would appreciate it so much if you left a comment about this recipe below! Subscribe to join the TYB newsletter and receive free recipes straight to your inbox! Let's connect via Facebook, IG & Pinterest!
Recipe
Berry Banana Jam (Without Pectin)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lb lingonberry or other sour berries*, fresh or frozen
- 2 lb banana*, sliced in half circles
- 2 lb granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste*
INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix berries* with sugar in a bowl.
- In a large pot/saucepan over low heat add the berries and sugar mixture, simmer (constantly stirring) until sugar is dissolved and berries have released their juice. (7-10min)
- Increase the heat to medium and take it to a boil. After that, reduce the heat to low again, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Be sure to stir occasionally so the berries wouldn’t burn in the bottom.
- Add the sliced banana to the pot, cinnamon, vanilla and take it to a boil occasionally stirring.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes on low.
- Let the jam cool a bit and transfer it into prepared glass containers/jars. Seal tightly and keep refrigerated (will last for about 6 months) or at room temperature, but once opened should be kept in the refrigerator.
NOTES
- This recipe makes about 5 cups of homemade banana berry jam.
- Use fresh, dry, and not an overripe banana.
- Use sugar as a thickener and setting agent rather than using additives like pectin.
- Berries - if using fresh berries, wash and rinse them properly underwater, then pat dry with a towel.
- Lingonberry (cowberry) - Use any sour taste berries like red, white currants, cranberries, gooseberries, cloudberries. Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries should also work here, however, I haven’t tried this myself but I think the taste will be fantastic! If you do try, please let me know in the comments how did it go? Thank you!
- Bananas - use fresh a little bit green (not ripe or overripe) bananas for this jam. Overripe bananas don’t give anything but a very sweet taste and not much of an aroma to the jam.
- Bananas - sliced in half circles about ⅛ inch thick, if a bit thicker it’s fine too.
- Vanilla extract - you can use both, vanilla extract or paste. If using paste add only ½ teaspoon as it is stronger than vanilla extract. I usually prefer to add paste 🙂
Julia
A different spin on a traditional berry or banana jam, easy to make and store!