What’s Up with Blue Raspberry?

We look forward to eating bright colors, sweet and tangy flavors, and cool refreshments. One flavor, in particular, blue raspberry, is prevalent. You can find sweet confections using this flavor at festivals, malls, convenience stores, fairs, and the list goes on. This flavor (or color) has been around since the late 1950s and is as popular now as ever.

Fresh blueberries and raspberries provide vitamin C, potassium, and fiber and have many uses in desserts and jams/jellies.
Gayle Williford, ©2021, Clemson Extension

Is there such a thing as a blue raspberry? Yes, there is! The whitebark raspberry, native to western North America, becomes a deep purplish-blue when ripe. Even so, that color doesn’t match the bright, neon blue used to draw our eyes to blue raspberry-flavored products.

You may associate a blue color with blueberries. Fresh blueberries and raspberries provide vitamin C, potassium, and fiber and have many uses in desserts and jams/jellies. Pick them when they are in season to use fresh in salads, sauces, baking, or freeze for later use.

Here’s a recipe for Blueberry-Raspberry Freezer Jam. Great served as a fruit topping for oatmeal or ice cream. Now, this is the real thing!

Blueberry-Raspberry Freezer Jam

3 ½ c. fresh blueberries
2 ¾ cups fresh raspberries
1 ¾ cups sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
5 Tbsp Instant / Freezer Jam Pectin*

1. Pulse blueberries in a food processor or chopper until crushed to measure 2 cups, stopping to scrape down sides.
2. Place raspberries in a large glass or nonmetallic bowl. Crush with a potato masher. Add blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir well. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Gradually stir in pectin; stir continuously for 3 minutes. Let stand 30 minutes.
4. Spoon mixture into jars or containers suitable for freezing, leaving ½-inch headspace. Apply lids; freeze. Store in the freezer for up to 1 year. Thaw in the refrigerator. Refrigerate after thawing and use within 3 weeks. Yield: 5 ½ pints.
5. See HGIC 3529, Blueberry Basics for more about blueberries.

*Tested with Ball Pectin.