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This fig jam is so delicious and so easy and quick to make with sun-dried figs. I love the enhanced figgie flavor from the dried figs, the hint of lemon and the crunchy seeds of this sweet treat! I will never again buy a store-bought fig jam! Why spend six dollars for a jar of fig jam when you can make half a dozen jars for about the same cost as a single jar?
This stuff is so good! Spread it on a fresh hot biscuit or toast for breakfast. Add a dollop to bruschetta with soft creamy goat cheese or smear a thick layer on a hot turkey panini sandwich. Yum!
What are the best dried figs to use for Fig Jam?
There are many varieties of figs and they can all be dried. Fig jam is delicious made either from fresh or dried figs. We are using dried Calimyrna figs for our fig jam. Fresh figs have a short 1-2 week shelf life, consequently, fig growers dry most of their figs.
Where Do Figs Grow?
The most popular varieties in North America are the Black Mission and the Calimyrna. The name “Calimyrna” is actually a hybrid of the Smyrna fig which originated near the city of Smyrna, Turkey. Smyrna figs have been growing and thriving in Turkey for eons.
California has a climate similar to Turkey in the hot Mediterranean. Cuttings were brought from Turkey to California, cultivated and re-named as “Calimyrna” figs.
Fresh Calimyrna figs have a light green skin with a nutty aroma. When dried, the figs turn a light golden-brown color. They have a high sugar content and when dry the sugar will crystalize and coat the fig with a light powder.
How To Make Fig Jam:
- Add the figs and water to a large saucepan and bring to boil.
- Remove from heat, cover and let stand to plump up the figs.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove figs and reserve liquid.
- With kitchen scissors, cut off the stems from figs and discard.
- Chop the figs and set aside.
- Add lemon juice, sugar, and reserved liquid to the saucepan, boil to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the chopped figs and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Does that sound doable? You can make dried fig jam any time of the year. I ladled the jam into six 1-cup Mason jars, sealed and processed them in a water bath. I passed these jars of jam to my friends as a sweet little gift.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 28 ounces dried California figs
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cups sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
TOOLS:
- 6 one-cup Mason jars with lids
Instructions
- Add the figs to a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add water and bring to boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand until figs are plumped. Using a slotted spoon, remove figs and reserve liquid. When the figs have cooled enough to handle remove and discard their stems with kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Chop the figs and set aside.
- Add the lemon juice, sugar and reserved liquid to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the chopped figs and pinch of salt, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Ladle hot fig mixture into hot sterilized pint or ½ pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Cover and seal jars according to instructions. Then, process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
- Yields: About 6 cups
- Serves: 36 (2 tablespoons each)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hello, I made this recipe last year and it was really fabulous! I do however, want to cut the sugar down a bit. Is it ok to use half the amount of sugar and still can?? Thanks for a great recipe. was so nice to have this over the holidays for gifts.
Karen
I haven’t personally tried this recipe with less sugar, but it should be safe to can with reduced sugar as long as you don’t reduce the amount of lemon juice. However, please note that reducing the sugar will change the texture and potentially shorten the shelf life of the jam. Unfortunately, I can’t say for certain what the shelf life will be with less sugar.
The mixture never thickened. I followed the recipe exactly. Also, I got no where near the amount of jam that the recipe stated.
Lastly, be sure to put most of the stemmed figs in a blender or use an immersion blender. I cut the figs as stated in the recipe and got big clumps of fig rather than jam with a few clumps.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience. I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t turn out as expected.
Regarding the thickening issue, the natural pectin content in the figs, which helps in thickening, can vary. You may need to simmer the jam a bit longer next time. Also, make sure that the mixture reaches a full boil, which is crucial.
As for the yield, this can sometimes vary based on the moisture content of the figs or the intensity and length of the boil.
In terms of texture, it sounds like you prefer a smoother jam with fewer fig chunks. Although the recipe instructs to chop the figs after removing the stems, using a blender or immersion blender can be a great alternative for a smoother consistency.
Loved the fun fig facts 🤓 My grandparents lived in the south and had a gigantic fig tree on the farm near the house. My grandmother was always making fig recipes and we loved sitting under the tree eating fresh figs . Thank you for the recipe I made half a batch and I will enjoy it with the sourdough scone recipe and share with friends.
How special to have those memories of your grandparents and their fig tree. It must’ve been such a treat to enjoy freshly-picked figs right under the tree. I’m thrilled to hear you made a batch of the fig jam. I know it will pair wonderfully with those sourdough scones. Thanks for taking the time to leave such a heartfelt comment!
Have my chopped figs macerating in a sugar/honey mixture 2+ 1/2 overnight. Will add lemon juice before cooking. My cheater method when I run out of time to do all at once! I have made fig jam many times with fresh figs, both green and brown. Figs are so expensive this year, I decided to try the dried figs. They plumped up so nice- can’t wait to finish it off. Question on your picture. How did you make those round toasts/crostini? Looks like toast, but I can’t tell exactly. Did you use a firm white bread and cut out circles then toast in the oven or? Please share! Looks delicious.
Thanks for sharing. I love this!. Yes, I used slices of bread and cut out circles using a round cookie cutter. After that, I toasted them in the oven until they were golden and crispy. Enjoy the jam 😉
I’m a 92-year-old former food packer, I was, “Mister Mustard” before I sold out and retired. I made your Fig recipe with only one change of ingredients. I substituted table vinegar, 5% acidity for the lemon juice, used a stick blender to smooth out the lumps, and canned the jars in a hot water bath. Ended up with three 16 oz. and one 8 oz. jar, also I used imported dried figs from Turkey. The preserves were exceptional, had to can them to keep for me. Will last me a long time. Thanks.
Thank you, Paul, for that great review! I feel honored that a former food packer took the time to make our recipe and respond. We are pleased that this fig jam was enjoyed!
Oh yum. I always make recipes exactly the first time and this is wonderful, if a bit sweet. So I’m going to take one commenter’s suggestion and use only 1.5 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of honey. Also only have a teaspoon of vanilla with some orange peel. I’m going to be gifting these to people who put us up over the holidays as we traveled down to Florida and back. Also sending them a recipe card for goat cheese and fig crostini. These will make elegant thank you gifts! Thank you for sharing.
This sounds like a wonderful thank-you gift. Thanks for the comment.
I made this recipe yesterday with some adjustments. Instead of 4 cups water, I used 3.5 cups water with 0.5 cups brandy. Instead of 3 cups sugar, I used 2.5 cups sugar with 0.5 cups honey. I think it tastes pretty good, but when I make it again, and I will, I use the same water and brandy amounts, but cut the sugar to 1.5 cups sugar and 0.5 cups honey, as well as reduce the vanilla to 0.5 teaspoon (I want a hint of vanilla; 1.0 teaspoon is a little too strong for me).
Hi, Jim! Thank you so much for your comments. I love it when readers report back to us on their results and adventures with our blog recipes! Your brandy/honey idea sounds wonderful and a ‘must try’ for me!
I made this for New Year’s and it was sooo good! Used the jam for fig and goat cheese crostinis and gifted guests with jars of the rest (about 4-5 cups of it). Love how easy this recipe is- perfect for someone like me who has never made homemade fig jam before. Thank you, thank you!
Hi, Abby! I am so happy you enjoyed this fig jam! It is perfect with goat cheese and your gifting idea makes a perfect gift. Thanks for your comments, you know how we love to hear back from our readers. Happy New Year to you and your family….maybe we will see you this summer! ♥️
I did use the food processor instead of dicing the figs. I did everything else as you wrote it. Made fantastic jam. I ate several spoonfuls hot while canning it after. Thank you for your wonderful recipe.
Warm fig jam sounds fantastic ;). Thanks for the comment, Martha.