Homemade Lingonberry Jam (No Canning Refrigerator/Freezer Version)
This Homemade Lingonberry Jam is tart, sweet and bursting with berry flavor! This simple refrigerator or freezer jam requires no canning and comes together with just a few ingredients.
A classic Scandinavian favorite, lingonberry jam is delicious with Swedish meatballs, pancakes, Scandinavian heart-shaped waffles, oatmeal and more. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions for making this easy refrigerator/freezer jam at home!
Ingredients
- Fresh or frozen lingonberries - I purchase frozen lingonberries online from Northwest Wild Foods and they are shipped directly to my door on dry ice.
- Granulated sugar
- Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
See recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
How to Make Homemade Lingonberry Jam
- Combine frozen berries and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add sugar and continue simmering until sugar dissolves. Let the mixture gently bubble over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice. Cool and store.
Expert Tips
Expert Tips- The jam will set up as it cools so don't worry if it looks a bit loose right after it finishes cooking.
Recipe FAQs
If you live in an area rich in Scandinavian heritage, you might be able to find fresh or frozen lingonberries at a local market or Scandinavian specialty store (such as Ingebretsen's Nordic Marketplace in Minneapolis). Lingonberries are also available online from sources such as Northwest Wild Foods. They are shipped frozen on dry ice and arrive (still frozen) in no time at all.
A cooked lingonberry sauce will likely have a bit less sugar and be looser in texture than lingonberry jam. Another traditional option is stirred raw lingonberries, known in Swedish as rårörda lingon. This no-cook condiment is made by combining fresh or frozen lingonberries with sugar and stirring until the sugar dissolves. Find my recipe for this no-cook lingonberry sauce here.
No, you can make the jam using berries directly from the freezer.
The easiest way to tell if the jam is ready is to spoon a little jam onto a chilled plate and let it cool briefly. It should thicken to a soft, spoonable consistency rather than run freely on the surface of the plate.
What to Serve with Lingonberry Jam
Lingonberry jam is a versatile condiment that is used in many different ways throughout Nordic cuisine. Some of the more popular uses are:
- As an accompaniment to Swedish meatballs or vegetarian Swedish meatballs
- with traditional Swedish pancakes or Norwegian waffles
- stirred into oatmeal or skyr
- on top of potato pancakes (try them with my Sweet Potato Pancakes - yum!)
- spooned over Swedish Cream or rice pudding
- tucked inside a tart or cake (such as this Almond Lingonberry Tart)
- as an accompaniment to roast pork, beef or sausages
- as a filling in thumbprint cookies
More Scandinavian Jam/Compote Recipes to Try
Looking for more delicious spreads/condiments to bring a little Nordic flair to the table? Give these a try:
If you tried this Lingonberry Jam recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Homemade Lingonberry Jam (No-Canning Refrigerator/Freezer Version)
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 4 cups fresh or frozen lingonberries no need to thaw first
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine lingonberries and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the sugar and continue cooking over medium heat until it dissolves completely. Let the jam bubble gently over medium low heat for another 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened. (It will thicken more as it cools.)
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Cool the mixture slightly before transferring to clean jars or containers, leaving at least a ½ inch of space at the top if freezing. Cool completely before store refrigerating or freezing.
