Fig Jam Recipe

Delicious and figgy, filled with all the flavors of your favorite fig cookies! This homemade fig jam recipe has hints of cinnamon, vanilla and allspice. It's sweet and delicate, packed with fall flavors!

Each bite will have you begging for more. Learn how to make fig jam with these easy, step by step directions.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe 
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• What is a rolling boil?
• Equipment
• 🙋‍♀️ FAQ's
• Tips
• Sealing and Storage
• Serving suggestions
• Related recipes
• Fresh Fig Jam Recipe
• Recipe backstory

Why you'll love this recipe 

This jam is sweet with a burst of honey-sweet fresh fruit flavor. It's perfect for scones or to fill your favorite fig cookies! I developed this, so even if you've never made jam before, you got this!

Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

• fresh figs - that's about 2 pounds of fruit dried figs can be reconstituted with boiling water
• pure cane granulated sugar and brown sugar
• I prefer fresh lemon juice but you can use bottled lemon juice also.
• cinnamon, allspice, vanilla extract
• butter

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!

1. Rinse figs in cold water. Prepare the fruit by removing the step and chop, add to a large pot.
2. Add the lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter to the pot.
3. Measure ¼ cup of the sugar and mix it with the pectin. Combine figs with the sugar and pectin, mix well and set it on the burner.
4. Turn stove on high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
5. When it comes to a hard boil add the remaining sugar.
6. Return it to a hard boil and boil one minute, remove from the heat.
7. Immediately stir in the vanilla. Stir until it is completely incorporated, about a minute. 
8. Ladle into clean, sterilized jars.
9. Clean the tops of the jars, add the lid and screw top. Screw the lid on tightly. 
10. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal. Remove from the hot water bath and place on a heat-proof surface.
11. When you hear the jars pop and you'll know they are sealed!

What is a rolling boil?

What is a rolling boil? A rolling boil is one that you cannot stir down.

This is a common question for beginning canners, It's hard to describe what a "rolling boil" looks like, so instead I'll show you. Watch this quick video (only 14 seconds!)

Equipment

If you're a first time jam maker;

• This jam essentials kit includes everything you need from a canning funnel to labels for the jars.
• It doesn't include jars, lids or rings - these 8-ounce mason jars are what I use. They are simple, but pretty to give as gifts.

Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for the canning items I recommend!

🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

These low sugar fig preserves are a great way to enjoy the flavor all year long!

Tips

• Jam-making is part cooking and part science. Follow the recipe exactly!
• Do not change the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. It's easy to think you can add less sugar or more fruit and it won't matter. If you do, the jam may not set up correctly or it could mold and will have to be discarded!
• If this is your first time making jam, review the Jam Making Guide. It has all of the best tips and tricks to make the BEST preserves at home!
• This may go without saying, but just in case - use ripe fruit. Fruit at its peak of ripeness makes the best jam.
• Allow to cool completely to room temperature after canning.

Sealing and Storage

Sealed jars go to into the pantry. If a jar doesn't seal you have a couple of options:

1. Remove the jar from the jars. Reprocess the jam, ladling it back into clean sterilized jars and again place in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
2. Or simply refrigerate any jars that did not seal. They will last in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

As long as you clean the top of the jars with a wet paper towel prior to adding the lids, rarely have any jars not seal.

Serving suggestions

Like Pepper Jam - this easy fig jam recipe is very versatile! It goes well with sweet and savory dishes.

• Slather a bagel or a piece of toast with cream cheese and top it with jam, a perfect breakfast!
• Top your burgers with a slather of figs jam with Swiss cheese.
• Delicious on a grilled cheese sandwich.
• The shining star of your cheese board will be a crostini with a slice of blue cheese topped with fig jam and a drizzle of honey. Add some ripe figs as well!
• Every cheese plate benefits with a jar of jam! It's a delicious way to showcase the preserves!
• A wheel of brie topped with fig jam and baked is a quick appetizer - unbelievable!
• On your charcuterie board with toast points spread with goat cheese and topped with fig jam with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar is fabulous!
• This is a great recipe to glaze a holiday ham!

Related recipes

Still have some of those yummy fresh figs? Then here are three ways to enjoy them - look here for Fresh Figs Three Ways to find even more delicious fig recipes!

Homemade Jam is so much better than store-bought, there's really no comparison! I have several delicious jam recipes on the blog like this recipe for Strawberry Fig Preserves (everyone's favorite) and Orange Jelly - this jam is like a burst of sunshine!

Here are more easy recipes to make soon!

• Homemade Apricot Preserves - sweet tangy and delicious this is an easy recipe and perfect if you're a first-time jam maker!
• A little heat and a little sweet! With a pop of spice this sweet Pomegranate Jam Recipe is perfect for a PB&J!
• Low Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is an old fashioned jam with the BEST flavor - family favorite!
• This Peach Jam Recipe will have you wishing you were sittin' on a porch in the south! Sweet as a Georgia peach!

I hope you really enjoy this jam recipe. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Recipe backstory

Now in my experience, either you either like figs or not, I've never met anyone that falls in-between. I'm definitely a fig fan!

Fresh figs are heavenly! When transformed into homemade fig preserves they become rich and flavorful.

We start seeing figs in late summer and early fall. And although you can pop whole figs right into the freezer (just wash them first), I love making them into jam to preserve the flavor all year long!

If you love fig newtons or mincemeat pie, let me tell you - this jam will WOW you! It has all the same flavors packed into an easy-to-make preserve!

All you need are fresh figs. They have a short shelf life, but figs are such a special fruit.

Have I talked you into trying this yet? I hope so!

A few years back Dan and I wanted to take a spur of the moment fall vacation, but we wanted to do affordable. I kid you not, I went to the grocery store and grabbed:

• a 2 foot sub sandwich (that I sliced into 8 servings and wrapped individually)
• bag of everything bagels and cream cheese
• water, wine and beer

When I packed the ice chest I tossed in a jar of fig jam from my buddy Michelle and off we went to explore the Eastern Sierras!

Breakfast was a bagel with a smear of cream cheese, topped with this amazing fig jam recipe. It was heavenly! Lunches were tucked in our backpacks and off we'd go to explore.

It's still one of my fondest vacation memories and hence, one of my favorite jam flavors!