Our easy homemade fig jam recipe only requires three simple ingredients: figs, fresh lemon juice, and sugar. The result is a delightfully spreadable, sweet jam to use as a glaze for roasted chicken or to include in a sauce. It is also the perfect companion to biscuits and tastes delicious slathered on homemade bread.
Our fig tree fills with figs in season, but the window for fresh figs is small. Enjoy the flavor of summer by making our easy and delicious fig jam recipe; it’s one of the best ways to enjoy figs year-round. Whether you prepare a small batch to keep in the fridge or whip up a larger batch for canning- this simple recipe is a must-try.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
- Figs: Fresh, ripe figs are best, but frozen or dried figs will work if you defrost or rehydrate them first.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice lowers the pH and helps the natural pectin in the figs work properly so the jam sets. It also provides acidity to cut the sweetness of the other ingredients. I prefer the taste of fresh lemon juice, but bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
- Sugar: Use granulated white sugar to sweeten our easy fig jam recipe.
Additions and Substitutions
- Replace the white sugar with honey, maple syrup, or vanilla extract. You can also make a sugar-free fig jam using monk fruit, but it will have a shorter shelf life and won’t be as thick unless you add pectin.
- Add fresh lemon zest in addition to the lemon juice for a bright pop of flavor.
- Enhance the flavor of your fig jam by incorporating balsamic vinegar, chilies, or herbs like fresh rosemary and thyme.
- For more protein and nutrients, consider adding chia or flaxseeds.
Is Fig Jam and Fig Preserves the Same Thing?
Smooth or chunky, jam is made with mashed fruit, whereas preserves feature whole fruit or large pieces of fruit.
How to Make My Fig Jame Recipe
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Add figs to a saute pan with fresh lemon juice and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
Step 2: Stir in the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer until the jam reduces and the figs break down, for about 30-40 minutes. You can use a potato masher or immersion blender to encourage the process.
Step 3: Remove from heat and skim the foam off of the top. Then, ladle the jam into the airtight jars.
Expert Tips
- As the figs cook over high heat, use a potato masher or immersion blender to process the figs. The immersion blender will produce a smooth jam, and the potato masher will give you a more rustic-homemade feel.
- If you overcook the jam, it will become too thick and overset. Fix this by adding a small amount of water and lemon juice and continue cooking until you get the right consistency.
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How to Can Fig Jam
Watch this video demonstrating how to can fig preserves properly.
What You Need to Can Figs:
- Stockpot & Canning Set
- 2-4 Glass Jars, pint size
Instructions for Canning Fig Jam:
1. Wash the cans and lids with soap. Then, bring a stockpot of water to a boil; there should be enough water to cover the jars, plus another inch.
2. Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat, and add the lids and jars. Do not boil the water after adding the jars and lids. Use canning tongs to retrieve the jars and lids and set them onto a clean kitchen towel.
3. Prepare the fig jam recipe.
4. Place the canning funnel into a clean jar and ladle the jam into it – leaving 1/4 inch at the top. Wipe the rim with a clean towel and secure it with one of the clean lids.
5. When placing jars into boiling water, it’s important to use a jar lifter and make sure they don’t touch each other. Overcrowding the jars can cause the glasses to shake and possibly break. Boil the jars for 15 minutes to ensure they are properly sterilized.
6. After boiling, carefully remove the jars from the water bath and set them aside for 6 hours. During this time, you will hear the sound of the lids popping as they seal. If the jars do not seal, you can reprocess them or refrigerate the jam and consume it within a week.
What to Use Fig Jam For?
Fig jam is versatile, and you can use it in several ways. Spread it onto toast or sandwiches, use it as a topping for cheese and crackers, feature it on a charcuterie board or butter board, and glaze it on roasted chicken or turkey. The sweet and tart flavor of fig jam pairs well with many different foods, so you’re sure to find a way to enjoy it.
- Bagels, Air Fryer English Muffins
- Hamburger, Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, Turkey Smash Burgers, Air Fryer Chicken Burgers
- Grilled Cheese, Monte Cristo
- Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
- Charcuterie Boards
- Almond Flour Pancakes Recipe, Oat Milk Pancakes, Crepes
- Boneless Leg of Lamb Recipe
- Pizza, Flatbread
- Tarts
- Overnight Oat Recipes
- Ham, Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Chicken or Turkey
- IKEA Swedish Meatballs Recipe
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store a small batch of jam in the refrigerator for two months.
- Store – For best results, consume canned jam within a year.
- Freeze – Store the leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag; fig jam freezes for 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does homemade fig jam last?
• Fridge: 2 months
• Pantry: 1 year if canned properly
• Freezer: 6 months
How do you thicken homemade fig jam?
Pectin is a soluble fiber in fruit that works as a natural thickener. Some fruits contain a large amount of pectin. Other fruit, like figs, have less pectin and require a thickening agent.
Even though figs have less pectin, we use lemon juice and sugar to achieve a similar effect. However, if you prefer a more gummy jam, include store-bought pectin.
Can you use dried figs to make jam?
Yes, but you will need to rehydrate the dried figs in boiling water before using them to make a jam.
Do I need to peel the figs?
Figs are soft and delicious, and they have thin skin that doesn’t need to be removed unless you don’t like the texture.
Can you make jam without pectin?
Some fruits are naturally high in pectin, and they will come together without pectin, so you don’t need it at all.
When preparing jam with figs, I prefer to leave out the pectin, which often results in a thinner consistency than fig jam with pectin. I don’t mind the slight textural variation as long as the flavor is on point – and it is!
Adding fresh lemon juice and sugar to the figs achieves a similar result as preparing jam with fruit naturally high in pectin.
More Recipes Using Fruit:
Fig Jam Recipe
- 5 cups figs, stemmed and quartered
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
- ¼ cup water
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 2 cups figs, stemmed, and quartered
- ½ fresh lemon juice, juiced
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup white sugar
- Add figs to a saute pan with fresh lemon juice and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Stir in the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer until the jam reduces and the figs break down, for about 30-40 minutes. You can use a potato masher or immersion blender to encourage the process.
- Remove from heat and skim the foam off of the top. Then, ladle the jam into the airtight containers.
- As the figs cook over high heat, use a potato masher or immersion blender to process the figs. The immersion blender will produce a smooth jam, and the potato masher will give you a more rustic-homemade feel.
- If you overcook the jam, it will become too thick and overset. Fix this by adding a small amount of water and lemon juice and continue cooking until you get the right consistency.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Deb
Thursday 29th of September 2022
We made this jam and gifted it to our neighbors!
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 29th of September 2022
We did the same thing last year; this fig jam recipe makes for the perfect gift.