A Taste of Childhood: Homemade Strawberry Jam

Sugar-free. Made with allulose, my favorite gut-friendly, low-carb sweetener

One of my everyday breakfasts or snacks as a child was a simple slice of white bread with butter and jam. My mom always preserved seasonal fruit over the summer — plums, apricots, sweet and tart cherries, and of course, strawberries. Since strawberries are the first fruit of the season, strawberry jam was always the first jar to be made — and it was my favorite.

It just so happens that strawberry jam is also my husband’s favorite, so every now and then, when strawberries are in season, I like to make a small batch — just a jar or two. A few years ago, I even taught my mom how to make sugar-free jam. She made a whole assortment from wild blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cherries. At the time, allulose wasn’t available in the European Union (it still isn’t, but we can buy it on iHerb), so she used a local sweetener — a blend of erythritol and stevia. The jams were delicious, but there was one downside: erythritol tends to crystallize at low temperatures. They were perfect when freshly opened from the pantry, but once refrigerated, the sweetener formed tiny crystals.

That’s where allulose makes all the difference. It’s a safe, gut-friendly, (almost) zero-calorie sweetener that doesn’t crystallize — which makes it perfect for jam.

So, a few days ago, with an extra box of fresh, ripe local strawberries on hand, I decided to make a jar. My husband and I both love spreading a spoonful on our morning toast (the only time of day I eat bread!), and this batch hit the spot.

A few days later, I had some leftover mascarpone and whipped cream frosting from a failed cake experiment. I didn’t want to waste it, so I turned it into ice cream. I don’t have an ice cream machine, but it turned out beautifully creamy. Just before freezing, I swirled in a few spoonfuls of that homemade strawberry jam — and wow. We absolutely loved the result. My only regret? Not having more jam to swirl in.

So I decided it was time to share the recipe with you.

RECIPE: Strawberry Jam with Allulose

Makes about ¾ cup (6 oz) — one small jar

TOTAL MACROS for the entire jar:

• Calories: ~132 kcal

• Carbs: 67g total

  • Allulose (non-impact): 36g

  • Fiber: 8g

  • Net Carbs: ~23g

• Protein: 2g

• Fat: 0g