Easy Fig Jam

My easy go-to method for making Fig Jam. Perfect for when you have a large crop of homegrown figs to use up. It requires no pectin or canning and is ready in less than 40 minutes. Making jam doesn't have to be complicated!

2 pieces of bread spread with vegan butter and fig jam

💌 SAVE THIS RECIPE!

Enter your email and I'll send the link straight to your inbox.

Watch out for more tasty treats coming your way too! Unsubscribe at any time.

Do you know what seems complicated? Anything involving canning. Water baths? No thanks. Pectin? I've never bought it and don't have plans to. But, do you know what isn't complicated? This Easy Fig Jam!

With two fig trees in my garden and such a short and prolific season, making jam is my only option to use up all the figs. We get so many! So I've perfected this recipe over the years and the good news is you don't need to can it and you don't need pectin. It's so simple and the smell while it is simmering is incredible. I can barely wait until it cools down before I’m slathering it on everything!

It's sticky, sweet, full of delicious flavor, and about to make your toast so much better! It's also really versatile and works for sweet and savory purposes. Spread it on crusty bread, dollop it on your rice pudding, eat it with vegan cheese and crackers, add it to your plant-based charcuterie boards, or make a sticky sauce for your tofu!

Mel x

Ingredients

Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:

figs, lemon, vanilla, sugar, and a cinnamon stick.

Figs - These must be fresh. Any variety will do. I used Desert King. For peak jamminess, choose fruit that is ripe but not overly ripe. The really ripe squishy figs contain less pectin so the jam won't set as well. You can throw some really ripe ones into the mix just make sure they don't make up the majority.
Sugar - Essential for sweetness, jammy texture, and setting. The sugar used must be white or cane sugar. See the FAQs if you are wondering about which sugars are vegan. Note that if you reduce the amount of sugar the jam will be runnier and not as "jammy".
Lemon juice - An essential ingredient when making homemade fig jam. Its tartness and acidity brighten and balance the jam’s sweetness while the acid is necessary to help activate the pectin in the figs. Without it the jam won't set and the texture won’t be quite right. The citric acid present in lemon juice also helps prevent bacteria from growing, so helps to preserve the jam and give it a longer storage life.
Vanilla and a cinnamon stick - These are both optional but recommended for extra depth of flavor. they both work so well with figs!

Prefer a more savory fig recipe? Give my Fig & Black Olive Tapenade or Easy Fig Pasta a try!

Let's Make Fig Jam!

Can't wait to make it? Here's a quick visual rundown of how it's done. See the recipe card for the full and detailed version:

1 - Add everything except the vanilla to a heavy-bottomed pan. A wider pan rather than a tall narrow pan is best to aid evaporation.

figs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a cinnamon stick in a saucepan.

2 - Bring to a rolling boil. Once there set a timer and keep it boiling for 2 minutes. This step helps release the pectin from the fig skins and is really important.

3 - Once 2 minutes have passed turn it down to a simmer and cook for another 30 to 40 minutes stirring frequently (don't use a metal spoon!). It must stay at a simmer (gently bubbling) the whole time. Use a potato masher to squash the fruit while it's cooking.

4 - After about 30 to 40 minutes it should look a bit like this. Darker, with the fruit a bit more broken down, but still very thin. It won't thicken up until it cools.

5 - Put a small plate in the freezer for a couple of minutes so it gets cold. Test to see if the jam is ready by putting a small spoonful on the cold plate. Give it a couple of minutes then run your finger down the middle. If it's ready you will create a clear channel that does not fill back in like the picture below. If it's not quite ready let it simmer for another 5 minutes then try again.

testing if jam is done. a clear finger mark down the centre of a bit of jam on a plate.

4 - Stir the vanilla though then spoon the hot jam into clean jars and immediately screw the lids on tight. Leave some space at the top of each jar (especially important if you are freezing or canning the jam). The jam should last about 3 weeks in the fridge, but if you sterilize the jars it will last for about 3 months. It can also be frozen for a year (be sure to use freezer-safe jars).

How To Sterilize Your Jars

If you don't sterilize your jars the jam should easily last for a couple of weeks in the fridge but it will keep well for a couple of months if you do sterilize the jars. To do this either use the sterilize function on your dishwasher or wash the jars in hot soapy water, rinse them in hot water to be sure any soap residue is gone, then place them on a metal baking tray in a 350°F (175 °C) oven for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and fill the jars with the jam immediately while they are still hot, being careful not to burn yourself. Seal them tightly with a lid, let them cool, and then store them in the refrigerator.

Tips & Tricks

Stir the jam frequently. This will prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. Use a long-handle non-metal spoon and be careful not to splatter it as you stir.
Be careful not to overcook the jam. The mixture will seem too thin, but that's because the hot sugar turns to liquid. The jam will thicken up as it cools.
Use a potato masher to mash up any larger pieces of fig as the jam cooks. If you like a smoother jam, you can pulse the figs in a food processor to break them down into very small pieces before cooking. I don't recommend blending the hot jam in a blender or with an immersion blender because it is so hot it could melt the appliance, and it could also cause serious burns if it splatters.
Boiling sugar is incredibly hot so use caution when stirring and filling the jars. Again, you do not want to splatter it and risk burning yourself.

Ways To Use Fig Jam

My favorite way to use fig jam is spread on freshly baked, thickly buttered sourdough or toast. It's also very good used as a filling for cakes or my Fronut recipe, on oatmeal or yogurt, with pizza, in homemade salad dressings, or with cheese. I love it with Miyoko's sharp cheddar and crackers!

a slice of bread spread with vegan butter and fig jam

Recipe FAQs

Can I use plastic containers instead of mason jars?

Yes, you can use plastic containers, but unlike when using mason jars, it's important to let the jam cool until lukewarm before pouring it in. Jam gets ridiculously hot and will cause your containers to melt or warp.

Is sugar vegan?

Here in Canada the 2 biggest sugar producers, Rogers and Red Path, are both vegan, and in the UK and Europe sugar is also vegan. If you are in the US you need to be more careful, but all organic sugar is vegan, and other common brands that are vegan and you should be able to find easily include Wholesome Sweeteners, Kirkland Organic Cane Sugar, Trader Joe, Bob's Red Mill, Florida Crystals, Billington's, Michigan Sugar Company, Imperial, Now Foods, and In The Raw.

Are figs vegan?

You've probably heard the stories about wasps and figs. There is so much misinformation flying about. What you might not realize is that nearly all commercially grown fig trees (over 99% in North America) are parthenocarpic. This means they can produce fruit without pollination so no wasps or other insects are involved.