This strawberry jam for baby is a cooked fresh fruit spread. Strawberries simmer with a little water, get mashed soft, and are finished with lemon juice. There is no added sugar, sweetener, or pectin. The ingredients and steps are in the recipe card below.

How it differs from regular jam

The sweetness comes only from the fruit. NHS advises against adding sugar to a baby's food, and this recipe adds none.
It is not a canning or preserving recipe. It has not been tested as a shelf-stable jam, so it has no jar sterilizing or sealing steps.
The texture comes from mashing the fruit and simmering it down.

Getting a soft, smooth texture

Wash the strawberries before you hull and chop them. NHS advises washing fruit before giving it to your baby. Once the pot comes to a boil and you turn it down to a simmer, mash the fruit with a wooden spoon or potato masher as it cooks. CDC suggests cooking foods until they are soft enough to mash easily with a fork, and it lists mashed or soft-cooked fruit as a good fit for babies starting solids. Before the spread cools, check that no firm pieces of berry remain.

Serving it to your baby

Let the spread cool before serving. NHS advises letting hot food cool before giving it to a baby. Offer a small amount in a bowl, or put some on a preloaded spoon your baby can hold. Let your baby decide how fast to go and when to stop. NHS encourages letting babies set their own pace.

The Yummy Bites app lists this recipe from 6 months. That is a general app stage, not a sign that a particular baby is ready. CDC notes that most babies are developmentally ready for foods other than breast milk or infant formula at about 6 months, and readiness varies from baby to baby. If you have questions about your baby's readiness, ask their healthcare provider.

Allergens and labels

None of these ingredients is one of the 9 major food allergens identified by FDA. That does not make the spread allergy-free, and FDA notes that other foods can also cause allergic reactions. If you use bottled lemon juice, read the ingredient list and allergen information on that bottle. Our guide to reading baby food labels has more on label checks.

About this recipe

The 5-minute prep time and 15-minute cook time in the recipe card are app estimates, not measured kitchen times, and cooling time varies. This recipe is adapted from the Yummy Bites app and reviewed against public guidance from CDC, NHS, and FDA. Yummy Bites has not kitchen-tested or clinically reviewed it. The image is an AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a tested batch. It does not show safe texture or doneness.

For more ideas, browse all Yummy Bites recipes.

Homemade Strawberry Jam for Baby

Fresh strawberries simmered with a little water, mashed soft and smooth, and finished with lemon juice. A cooked fruit spread with no added sugar, served cooled.

Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 15 min

Ingredients

1 lb fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp water

Method

Combine Place the chopped strawberries and 4 tbsp water in a saucepan.
Boil and mash Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash the strawberries as they cook until the fruit is soft and smooth.
Reduce Keep simmering for about 15 minutes, until the strawberries cook down and the liquid reduces.
Finish Remove the saucepan from the stove. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, then let the spread cool before serving.

Serving

Let the spread cool before serving. Offer a small amount in a bowl or on a preloaded spoon your baby can hold, and let your baby set the pace.

Sources

This article is for general educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified healthcare provider about your baby's diet, allergies and readiness for solids.

Strawberry Jam for Baby: A No-Added-Sugar Cooked Strawberry Spread