This is the best fig jam recipe I’ve tried recently – made with fresh figs and lemon juice. The process is super simple, you need just 4 ingredients, and you have a homemade figgy jam with minimal time and effort.
My jams, be it a cherry jam with no pectin or vegan refined sugar-free strawberry jam, need no deseeding, peeling, or fancy technique. This fig jam comes together rather quickly. And because I use less sugar than usual recipes, the jam actually tastes and smells like the fruit.
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Why You'll Love Fig Jam
You’ll love the fruity flavor this fresh jam gives to toasts, cakes, and soft, buttery, wafer-thin crêpes.
It’s not your usual jam. Homemade fig jam is something special that is leagues ahead of any store-bought brand!
Recipe Ingredients
| Fresh figs | Sugar |
| Lemon juice | Water |
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make
Step 1: Wash the figs. Drain and dry them.
Step 2: Cut the ends off and cut into small pieces.
Step 3: Toss the cut figs with water, sugar, and lemon juice in a thick-bottomed pan.
Step 4: Cook on low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Keep simmering until the fruit is soft and jammy and the juices are bubbling. About 15–20 minutes.
Final step: Cool and transfer to sterilized jars while the fig jam is still warm.
Pro Tips
- Stir the homemade jam frequently while it simmers, so the fruit doesn’t burn.
- Fig jam congeals as it cools. So, watch out for thickness. Don’t let it thicken too much while it cooks.
- This is a fig jam recipe with no pectin because the fruit contains natural pectin, which is sufficient to make jam.
- The traditional fig jam recipe for canning calls for a 1:1 ratio of sugar and fruit, as the sugar does the job of a preservative. I use less sugar in my jams, about 1/3rd, to allow the fruit flavor to shine through. You can play around with the quantity based on how sweet your figs are.
How To Use Homemade Jams?
The best way to enjoy homemade fig jam is to spread it on toast along with your morning cuppa. But don’t let what I love limit you. Experience the fresh jam flavor in any way you want:
- Fill it in crêpes
- Top it on muffins or fill it inside soft, pillowy donuts with jam
- It’s fantastic in charcuterie or easy, fresh fruit cheese boards
- Add it to cakes. Use my strawberry jam with chia seeds cake recipe
- Baked brie with fig jam recipe is another excellent choice
- Spread on top of a toasted slice of this easy fig bread!
Recipe FAQs
If you have a candy thermometer, use it to check for doneness. When the temperature reaches 105°C or 220°F, the fig fruit jam is done. I don’t have one, so I use the plate method:
Freeze a plate.
When you feel the jam has reached the right consistency, spoon a tiny amount onto the cold plate.
Let it set for 30 seconds.
Then run your finger (or the back of a spoon) through it. If it stays apart and does not flood back together, then the jam is ready.
If not, cook the fig and jam some more.
Don’t worry too much about getting the consistency right. It’s an easy fig jam recipe. Trust your eyes to know when it is done.
Jam is made from crushed or chopped fruit, so it has texture. Jelly is made from fruit juice, so it’s smoother. Jam also has fruit pieces in it, which makes the consistency thicker. Also, typically jams don’t need added pectin because most fruits have it naturally. Jelly, on the other hand, is clear and gelatinous and often needs added pectin. When it comes to use, jams like this homemade fig jam are very versatile. You can use it as a spread or dessert topping. Fig jelly recipes are more suited to pastry glazes or a condiment for savory dishes.
The more sugar any jam has, the longer its shelf life. If you use the same quantity of sugar as I did, the jam will keep well for a month in the refrigerator.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Fig Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 16.7 oz Fresh figs
- 1 cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Water
Instructions
- Wash the figs well. Drain and cut the stems.
- Dice the figs into small pieces.
- Add the diced figs, sugar, lemon juice, and water to a non-reactive saucepan.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently until the fruit is soft and jammy.You can test if the jam is done by using a sugar thermometer. The jam is ready when the temperature is 220 F or 105 C.You can also test by putting a spoonful of jam on a a very cold plate. Run a wooden spoon through it, if the jam wrinkles and stays separated, its done.
- Take the pan off the heat and mash the figs using a wooden spoon or a potato masher.
- Transfer to a clean, sterilized jar, close the jar, and let the jam cool at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Niya says
Can we macerate them overnight in the sugar and then make jam, would that help in flavor ?
Natasha Minocha says
Yes sure, you can macerate the figs overnight in sugar. This helps extract the natural pectin in the fruit.