Three Ingredient Fig Jam for Canning

September 21, 2023

This three ingredient fig jam is designed for canning and uses just fresh figs, sugar, and lemon juice. It’s bright, flavorful, and so easy to make. If you find yourself awash in figs every year, keep this recipe handy!

Two stacks of jars of fig jam with a blue label that reads 3 ingredient fig jam.

Hello friends! I realize that it has been an absolute age (more than a year!) since I’ve posted anything new here. I have desperately missed sharing my canning practice with all of you, and while I can’t promise anything like my old regularity, I very much want to show up here more often. So let’s dig back in.

Fresh figs in plastic tubs

I’m kicking my triumphant return off with a recipe for the simplest, easiest three ingredient fig jam. I make this every year thanks to a dear friend who has a massive fig tree in her backyard. Every summer, I eagerly await the moment when she announces that the figs are ready. This season, she gave me more than ten pounds of fresh figs, plus a well-packed gallon bag of frozen figs for later.

Fresh figs macerated in sugar in a translucent plastic container. There is a blue spatula sticking out of the container.

I spend a couple days gorging myself on them fresh before I get down to the business of making jam. Once I’m ready to commit them to the canning pot, I portion them out into batches of approximately four pounds. The figs get washed, I trim away any woody stems, and then I cut them into quarters.

The quartered figs get placed in a large container, and then I add two pounds of sugar. If you are starting with a quantity other than four pounds of figs, just make sure to weigh your figs at the start. Then take that weight, divide it in half, and use that amount of sugar.

If you don’t have a kitchen scale, you can also calculate this 2:1 ratio by volume. Just make sure to pack the chopped figs tightly into a measuring cup and then use half the volume of sugar.

Three bright yellow lemons on a marble countertop.

Once the figs are quartered and the proper amount of sugar has been added, give the fruit a good stir to fully combine the sugar. Don’t be tentative, really work the figs and sugar together. We are going to give the figs additional bashing up during the cooking process, so you don’t need to worry about the fruit. Vigorous stirring is helpful here.

Half a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice in a glass measuring cup, with hollowed out lemons sitting in the foreground.

I like to let the figs and sugar macerate together in the fridge overnight, but this isn’t required. You can start cooking the jam as soon as the sugar is dissolved into the fruit.

When you are ready to cook, scrape the fruit and sugar mixture into a large, non-reactive pot. I like a low walled stainless steel soup pot, but enameled cast iron is also a really good option. Remember to stay away from reactive metals like aluminum and bare cast iron when making jam, as they can impart a metallic flavor into your jam.

Fig jam in a stainless steel pot, boiling away on a turquoise stove. The same blue spatula from earlier is sticking out of the pot.

At this point, you will also add your third and final ingredient. Lemon juice! Figs are relatively low in acid and home canned foods need to have a certain concentration of acid in order to be safe for boiling water bath canning. (You can read more about acid levels in home canning here.)

Typically, bottled lemon juice is used when we are using it to adjust the acidity of a product for safety. However, in the case of fig jam, I find that I prefer the flavor of fresh lemon juice. To account for any variation in the acid content of the fresh lemons, I use double the amount of lemon juice that is indicated by the National Center for Home Food Preservation in a similar recipe.

I use two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice per pound of figs and find that it gives the jam a really bright flavor without overriding the inherent figginess of the fruit.

Drips of fig jam falling off a blue spatula against a off white striped background.

Once all the ingredients are in the pan, we cook. Turn the heat up to high, get the fruit boiling, and then adjust the heat so that you maintain an active but controlled boil. Stay near the pot and stir every 2-3 minutes so that it doesn’t start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Because we don’t use any added pectin in this preserve, we depend on evaporation and the changing consistency of the sugar to achieve set. This means that you can’t be tentative with the boil.

The time you spend cooking will depend on the width of your pot, the heat of your stove, and how much water the figs contained at the start of cooking. I find that a batch typically takes 25-30 minutes of cooking once it has reached a boil, but it will vary. You will know that it is done when it starts feeling thicker as you stir. The color will go red and rosy. The pieces of fig will start to look a bit translucent. And the overall look will be very glossy.

When the jam is nearly done cooking, I like to run my spatula through the jam and hold it up over the pot. I watch the droplets as they fall and look for thick based, slow moving drops that stretch and are reluctant to leave the spatula. I find that when they meet that criteria, the jam is done.

The finished fig jam, looking quite rosy, in a stainless steel pot.

Now, while the jam is cooking, I prepare a boiling water bath canner and select enough jars to hold about four pints of jam. A mix of pints, half pints, and quarter pints is fine. The processing time for all of those jars is the same. Please do remember that yields vary and you won’t hit this exact yield every time you make this jam. Sometimes you might get an extra quarter or half pint. Sometimes it will only yield three pints. This is the nature of jam and it’s best to adjust your expectations early.

An overhead shot of eight small jars, all filled with fig jam. The lids aren't on yet, so you can see the color and texture.

Once the jam is finished cooking, funnel it into the prepared jars, leaving about 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims of any sticky drips with a damp paper towel, and apply new lids and clean rings. Tighten the rings just until you feel them grip the jar. If you overtighten the rings, you run the risk of preventing the air from escaping during processing and the lids may buckle as a result.

Eight jars of finished fig jam, sitting in three stacks next to a window.

Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for ten minutes (making sure to adjust for your altitude if you live above 1,000 feet in elevation). When the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the jars sit in the cooling water for an additional five minutes. This adding cooling step is something Ball started recommending a handful of years ago to help prevent siphoning and improve the quality of the seal and it is a very effective trick.

Once the jars are done with their resting period, remove them from a canner and set them on a wooden cutting board or folded kitchen towel to cool completely. When jars are cool to the touch, check the seals. Sealed jars are shelf stable for at least a year and should be stored in a cool, dark place. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

Like all fig jams, this one is excellent with cheese and cured meats. It’s also great in jam crumble bars, thumbprint cookies, rugelach, and hamantaschen.

5 from 8 votes

Three Ingredient Fig Jam for Canning

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Processing Time10 minutes
Servings: 8 half pints

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds fresh figs
  • 2 pounds granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Wash the figs. Cut away the woody stems and quarter them.
  • Place the prepped figs in a large container and add the sugar. Stir to combine. Let the figs and sugar macerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. If opting for a longer rest period, place the container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • When you are ready to cook the jam, scrape the figs and sugar intoSp a low, wide, non-reactive pan. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine.
  • Place the pan on the stove and set the burner to high. Bring the figs to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium high. You want to keep the figs cooking at a controlled boil. Stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent sticking.
  • While the fig jam cooks, prepare a boiling water bath canner and enough jars to hold approximately 4 pints of product. A combination of pints, half pints, and quarter pints is fine. Wash new lids and rings in good condition in hot, soapy water. Set aside to dry.
  • The cooking time will vary for this jam, but I start looking for signs of set after it has boiled for 15 minutes, though it may need up to 30 minutes of cooking. You will know that it is done when it starts feeling thicker as you stir. The color will go red and rosy. The pieces of fig will start to look a bit translucent. And the overall look will be very glossy. I also like to hold my stirring spatula up over the pot and watch how the droplets cascade off of it. Drops of jam that are thick based and slow moving indicate jam that is reaching set.
  • When you have determined that your jam is finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat. Funnel the finished jam into the prepared jars, leaving approximately 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean of any drips, and apply the lids and rings.
  • Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (starting timer once the water has returned to a boil and not before). When processing time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the jars cool in the water for five minutes.
  • When that time is up, remove jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool.
    When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals. Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

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5 from 8 votes (1 rating without comment)

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32 thoughts on "Three Ingredient Fig Jam for Canning"

  • I have never made fig jam and this sounds like it would be perfect. I was also a bit off my canning game recently. These small batches seem manageable to me. They will make great holiday presents. Thank you!

    1. Thank you! And hopefully next month’s recipe will have something that is better aligned with your region!

  • I’m not able to do water bath canning on my stove any longer, so I’m wondering if this jam can be frozen? I’m thinking of making a small batch and freezing some to enjoy later. Thoughts?

  • Delicious and so easy to make! It’s the most beautiful rosy red color and perfectly translucent. I added about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and some vanilla bean paste. I ended up with 8 half-pint jars. We have 2 fig seasons where I live, one in May/June and another in September. There’s a tree on my block that is taller than a single-story house, so this recipe will come in very handy.

  • I was going through my freezer and found figs from last years harvest. I am so excited to see and try your recipe. I hope that frozen figs will be alright. Thank you so much.

  • OMG!!! Just got done making this. Marissa, this is a wonderful recipe. I gave my husband a taste and he just kept saying that he needed another taste to make sure it was good. In other words, he loved it and so do I. The frozen figs worked just fine.
    Thank you so much for another wonderful recipe.

  • 5 stars
    Love the simplicity of this recipe perfect to use up my my frozen figs. Would it be okay to use orange zest and a splash of orange juice in addition to the lemon juice
    Thank you 🌹

  • 5 stars
    I always make your fig strawberry small batch jam. One of my favorites. This recipe appeared right when I needed it using up frozen figs making room for the figs coming off the tree this season, a little late but works wonderfully. I think orange zest and orange juice sounds yummy to in addition to the lemon juice I understand the needed acidicity. Hope that would be okay.

  • 5 stars
    This is delicious, Marissa. The fresh lemon is delicious. I have a question though. 2 of my jars didn’t seal so I put them in refrigerator after 12 hours. The next morning they seem to be sealed. The lid is hard. Are they sealed?

    1. I’m so glad you like it. And if the lids are concave and stay put when you remove the lids, they are sealed.

  • Hi, love this simple recipe!
    I need help with the lids and seal section in the last two steps of the canning.
    So after the 10 min boil, I remove the ring and lid and let it cook, I think you’re saying. And then in the final step I check the seal. Once I pull the cooled open jars carefully from the water, do I then immediately re-apply the lid and ring? At that point I assume it’s ok to fully tighten the ring?
    Thanks from a beginner canner!

    1. I think you are misunderstanding a little. Once the lids and rings go on, they stay on. You fill the jars, wipe the rims of the jars, apply the lids and rings, and put the filled and closed jars into the canning pot. Process the jars according to the recipe and remove them as instructed. Let the filled, fully processed jars cool completely. Only after they are completely cool do you remove the rings for storage. You only tighten the rings at the beginning when you put them on.

  • 5 stars
    just finished making this. wow, the jam is super sweet. Definitely a desert spread. Will make again. Beautiful color.

  • Thanks for the recipe, simple to make and a small taste before canning told me they tasted perfect!
    Question. Instead of giving them a hot jar bath after cooking, I just scooped into half pint jars and used a vacuum sealer to seal the lids on the jars (then screwed the ring on the jar). Do you think this will allow me to store at shelf temp since they are vacuum sealed?

    1. I’m glad you like the jam, but I would not consider them shelf stable. The water bath process sterilizes the jars as well as creating their seal. Without the sterilization, they are likely to mold, even with the vacuum seal.

  • Just made the jam. Looks and smells great! My question is… Do I have to put the jars in a bath right away? Or can I put jam in jars and later do the boiling water bath? (Like a couple hours after jaring)

    1. Unfortunately, the jars have to go into the water bath immediately. If you put room temperature jars into boiling water, they will crack.

    1. This recipe won’t work without the sugar. There are recipes for fig jams made without sugar, but the are a very different beast from this one.