Savor the flavor of summer with this super Easy Fig Jam recipe made with just a few ingredients!  A great addition to a cheese platter, to top your favorite burger and fry up in a crispy grilled cheese sandwich.  This jam is so good you’ll want to try it on just about everything.

Fig jam in a tulip shaped jar with a white ceramic spoon on a wooden board with blue cheese.

I’m obsessed with figs.  I don’t know why….probably because they’re like a peach in that you only see a good one for a few weeks of the year before they become a mushy, mealy mess. They make me a little sad when they appear because it’s a sure sign that summer is almost over and the school buses will be making their rounds very soon.

But they also make me happy because….duh, have you ever bitten into a fresh fig?  They’re fantastically sweet with an interesting texture from the seeds that make some people absolutely loathe them.  I love the contrast, the crunchiness in my teeth. And they make blue cheese taste like dessert.  Really.  Especially when made into an Easy Fig Jam.

Fig Jam being spread onto a cracker with a white ceramic spoon.

If you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree in your yard or a friend that will gift you some figs from their own tree, you’re lucky enough. And you should make this jam.

EASY FIG JAM

If you’ve never tried Fig Jam, you’re in for a lovely surprise. It’s not overly sweet and goes so well with both savory or dessert like recipes. It’s a staple on EVERY cheese board I make because it pairs perfectly with everything.

Figs are a soft, sweet fruit with a thin skin and contains many small seeds inside. There are more than 850 kinds fig trees and they grow in warmer climates. The fruit can be eaten when ripe or when dried. 

Figs are technically not a fruit, they’re actually inverted flowers. Fig trees don’t flower like other fruit trees. Their flowers bloom inside the pear-shaped pod, which later matures into the fruit we know and love.

Funny thing about figs….they spoil VERY quickly so you have to eat them all within a couple days or find something interesting to make with them like a skillet roasted chicken….or Easy Fig Jam.

Top down view of fig jam in a jar with white ceramic spoon.

How To Make It

It’s incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and a bit of water.  And you can stash it in the fridge for a few months….if it lasts that long.

Toss the figs, sugar, lemon and vanilla to coat.
Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the figs are juicy.
Add the water and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruity is soft and the juices are beginning to thicken.
Turn off the heat and spoon the jam into two pint size jars.
Close the jars and allow to cool to room temperature.
Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
 

Can You Make Jam Without Pectin

Some fruits are naturally high pectin fruit so they will come together nicely all on their own but strawberries and other fruit are lower in natural pectin so a bit of lemon juice (and the zest for some pop) will help them become the best jam ever without adding additional pectin.

Super easy Fig Jam recipe is made with just a few ingredients in 30 minutes. From TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

How long does homemade jam last?

Your fig jam recipe will last up to two years if processed by canning in a hot water bath. Freezer jam will last up to 6 months if stored in an airtight container.

Once opened, your homemade jam will last up to two months in the refrigerator.

Easy Fig Jam takes about 30 minutes to make and is very similar in technique to my Easy Strawberry Jam.  It makes an excellent companion to a variety of cheeses so if you have some canning skills…you may want to save some for your holiday soirees. If not, it’s amazing on these biscuits or slathered on some lightly toasted bread.

Easy…peasy.  And if you’re looking for something another jam recipe you have to try THIS Orange Marmalade!

But seriously…..all my jam recipes are amazing so you should DEFINITELY try this easy Tomato Jam and THIS new Blueberry Jam is totally amaze-balls.

Half empty jar of blueberry jam with biscuits in the background and silver spoon in the jar from TheSuburbansoapbox.com

What To Use Fig Jam For

Fig Jam is great for spreading on crostini with goat cheese and chopped nuts or you can heat it until syrupy to use as a flavorful glaze for chicken. It’s also a great topping for baked brie! So versatile, there’s really no limit to what you can do with it.

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Get the Recipe: Easy Fig Jam

Yield: 12 people
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Super simple to make, Easy Fig Jam is summer's sweetest gift!
4.85 from 13 votes
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh figs, cut in quarters and stems removed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions 

  • In a medium saucepan, toss the figs, sugar, lemon and vanilla to coat.
  • Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the figs are juicy.
  • Turn the heat to low, add the water and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruity is soft and the juices are beginning to thicken.
  • Turn off the heat and spoon the jam into two pint size jars.
  • Close the jars and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 121kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 175mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 105IU, Vitamin C: 1.5mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American