Nutritious Blueberry Chia Seed Jam with Orange

06/13/24

(Updated 02/17/25)

Thi small-batch blueberry chia jam is a wholesome, lower-sugar alternative to conventional jam. Featuring antioxidant-rich blueberries and bright, citrusy orange, this natural fruit spread is packed with real fruit. With each mouthful, you get bursts of whole blueberries—divine! Make with frozen blueberries and enjoy year-round.

Jump to Recipe

This healthy homemade blueberry jam is bursting with fruity flavours.

I’m unashamedly a chia jam fangirl (as a Registered Nutritionist, what a cliche). This fruit-heavy, lower sugar alternative to regular jam is a wonderful way to boost the nutrition of your morning toast. It’s also nifty to make—add chia seeds to a liquid, and they’ll swell up, thickening it naturally #foodscience.

While my OG healthy raspberry chia jam is a perfect entry into the world of chia jam, this variation is just as good and a fun flavour twist to try. The natural sweetness of the blueberries pair perfectly with the bright, zesty orange.

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy chia jam. Beyond toast, try it swirled into yoghurt, blended into smoothies, dolloped over pancakes or waffles, stirred into oatmeal, layered in desserts (it’s gorgeous in parfaits or trifles), as a filling for thumbprint cookies, or paired with cheese and crackers for sweet-savoury vibes.

Gather Ingredients

This easy homemade jam comes together with just a handful of ingredients: frozen blueberries, an orange (you’ll need about ¼ cup of freshly squeezed juice, depending on how juicy it is), chia seeds (white or black—either works), a touch of maple syrup and vanilla, and a pinch of salt to oomph the flavours. That’s it!

Can I swap in fresh blueberries?🫐 Yes, you can! The only caveat is that frozen blueberries release more liquid than fresh. If you’re making this recipe with fresh berries, you may need to add a splash of water or use fewer chia seeds to reach the right consistency.

Step-by-Step: Chia Jam with Blueberries

Add blueberries, orange juice, maple syrup, vanilla and salt to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Using a masher or fork, mash most of the berries, leaving about a quarter whole. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Turn off the heat. Mix in chia seeds and orange zest. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring.

After 15 minutes the chia seeds will have swelled up to a jammy consistency. Let cool before storing.

Kitchen Tips

Keen to give this recipe a try? Here are my tried-and-tested tips:

Avoid the orange pith (blegh!). The pith is the spongy white layer under the zest—it’s bitter and can overpower the jam. Stick to the bright, citrusy zest by using a microplane or fine grater, lightly scraping just the outer layer.
Mash most of the berries (but leave a few whole). Plump blueberries contain juices that help the chia seeds swell up. But for the best texture, aim to keep about a quarter whole—one of the best parts of this jam is the bursts of juicy blueberries in every bite!
Give it time to thicken. Chia seeds need a little time to work their magic. After stirring them in, let sit for at least 15 minutes. If it’s too thin, add more chia seeds and wait another 10 minutes. Too thick? A splash of water will loosen it up. Easy fix!

Storage

One trade-off of chia jam is its short shelf life. Since high amounts of sugar act as a preservative in traditional jam, chia jam will only be fresh in the fridge for up to a week—so it’s not suitable for canning. All the more reason to enjoy it sooner!

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this healthy breakfast spread recipe🫐 .