Oregon is Berry Heaven in the summertime. Not surprisingly, great jam makers dot the state, and we enjoy that berry goodness year-round: marionberry jam is a norm on breakfast tables around here. We pitted several Oregon jam brands against an international favorite, picking marionberry varieties where possible. Which came out on top?

Best Jam

Alchemist's Jam Strawberry Rhubarb

This small McMinnville outfit produces some wacky flavors of jam, like morning marionberry (with a bit of coffee buzz), raspberry rose hip, and peach nutmeg vanilla. All three add a delicious swerve to your breakfast, but the standout is the strawberry rhubarb, which combines fresh, sweet, local strawberries with tart, zingy rhubarb. It pairs well with buttered toast, as a topping on Greek yogurt, or slathered on a scone. With just the right amount of sugar, it's enough to satisfy a morning sweet tooth without being cloying. Notably, it’s also one of the pricier jams we tried, at $15.99 for 9 fl oz.

Very Good Jam

New Seasons Marionberry Fruit Spread

Made by Kelly’s Jelly in Lake Oswego, this no-nonsense marionberry jam is super-fruity, which means it sings in a PB&J. It’s also fairly light on seeds, making it more kid-friendly, but can be a little too saccharine on plain toast with butter.

Oregon Growers Marionberry Jam

Compared to the New Seasons brand, this marionberry jam is much less sweet, with a noticeable tang that balances the jam. But some testers felt its consistency was a bit too high in jelly and not enough in berry chunks.

Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves

This grocery store classic is the most affordable we tried, at $5.49 for 13 oz, and also the jam that our testers recall from childhood. “I don’t know if it’s just nostalgia, but something about this one really does it for me,” said one. The raspberry variety is heavy on seeds and sweetness, but also tart, ideal for toast or a PB&J. It is, though, runnier than other jams.

Divisive Jam

Mt. Hope Farms Spiced Marionberry Fruit Spread

Made with marionberries grown on its own farm in Molalla, this unusual jam is a three-time Good Food Award winner. Of all the jams we tried, this one hewed closest to the texture of marionberries: it’s super-thick with lots of seeds, like freshly cooked berries. It’s also fairly low in sugar. But testers were divided on the subtle “pie spices” in it, which muddle the flavor of the berries without being prominent enough to add much interest. It would function well on buttered toast or paired with a cheese plate, but it’s not a do-everything jam.