This easy to make orange cinnamon fig jam is an addicting and delicious jam accented with a touch of cinnamon and orange.
My neighbor has this glorious fig tree. It produces more figs than three households can handle. And when her tree is taking a break for the summer, I am always on the hunt for fresh figs at the market. It’s a middle eastern thing.
I have made many different recipes using figs, including a delicious pan-seared breast of chicken with fig sauce. But now I want to make some homemade fig jam. Jamming is a passion in my mom’s side of the family, from the exotic quince jam to the all American strawberry rhubarb jam. Man, I love them all.
How hard could fig jam be?
Why you should try this recipe
Besides loving all jams of all kinds of fruits, a fig jam is definitely a unique jam that you don’t often find. But don’t let that scare you into trying it. There are so many wonderful ways to enjoy fig jam.
Add a little jar of fig jam to your charcuterie board. Spread your favorite jam over a cream cheese laden bagel. Spruce up your PBJ with some fig jam instead! Pour it over a log of goat cheese with some fresh rosemary.
For a quick appetizer, schmear some mascarpone cheese on whole-grain crackers and top with a little homemade jam. Coat a pork tenderloin with fig jam and roast it. Enjoy a little jam in your gin and tonic – yeah, seriously! Bake a brie with your favorite jam.
Spread jam on your morning pancakes instead of syrup. Serve poundcake with whipped cream a fruity jam. Add a little jam to your favorite vinaigrette and serve over a leafy salad.
Goodness I’m getting hungry! What are you waiting for?!
Ingredients you need
- Figs: You can use any variety of figs, just be sure they are sweet and in season to insure the best flavor.
- Granulated sugar: I typically use regular sugar to sweeten my jam. You can use honey or brown sugar as well, but the amounts will be vary. Start with less sweetener, if you are experimenting. You can taste the jam while it cooks and always add more later.
- Cinnamon stick: You can also add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the mixture if you do not have a whole cinnamon stick.
- Orange: Grated orange zest offers great flavor to the jam. The juice offers flavor as well as pectin which helps thicken the jam.
Step-by-step directions
1. Add all of the ingredients In a small pot over medium-heat. Bring the mix to a boil, stirring to combine. Reduce to simmer, leaving pot uncovered and cook for about 1 hour or until the mix thickens.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Discard cinnamon stick. If you prefer a smoother jam, use a hand blender to purée figs.
Recipe tips and FAQs
In my refrigerator right now, I have a jar of pomegranate jelly, peach jam, strawberry balsamic jam and now this fig jam. All homemade. I told you I love making jam!! I also use them each in different ways.
When I make more than one bottle of homemade jam, I typically can using boiling water. Once the jams are sealed and canned, they can last in your pantry for 1-2 years. So make some fig jam in the summer, can them and gift them to friends for the holidays!
In perfecting this recipe for fig jam, I have tried it with different varieties of figs. They have all turned out wonderful! The best figs for jam are sweet figs, so be sure to use fresh figs that are in season. And fig season is RIGHT NOW: late summer thru early fall!
Now each variety of fig makes a delicious jam, but they each do vary in color. The green skinned figs make a light brown fig jam. The popular brown turkey figs (used in this post), make a darker reddish-brown colored jam. And the very dark purple mission figs, create a stunning dark red jam.
Jams last a fairly long time in the refrigerator. Once opened, a jar of homemade jam can last for 6 months to a year in the refrigerator. So I can take my times as I enjoy these beauties.
When I give a bottle of jam to my friends as gifts, I typically get asked a lot of questions about making jam. For example, everyone things you have to add pectin to make the jam thick. If you are making a jelly, like pomegranate jelly, it is mostly juice and sugar. For this to turn into jelly, you do need to add pectin.
But with fruit based jams, where you are using the whole fruit and not just the juice, you do not need to add additional pectin. This recipe for fig jam thickens up beautifully without pectin. Just chop up the figs and add some water and sugar.
If you are an experienced jam maker, then you have probably added lemon zest and lemon juice to the mixture as well. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruit are high in pectin – naturally. By adding them to this fig jam, you are naturally adding all the pectin you need.
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Cinnamon Fig Jam with Orange Zest
This easy to make orange cinnamon fig jam is an addicting and delicious jam accented with a touch of cinnamon and orange.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 lb fresh figs, quartered
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ cup orange juice
- Grated zest from 1 orange
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients In a small pot over medium-heat.
- Bring the mix to a boil, stirring to combine.
- Reduce to simmer, leaving pot uncovered.
- Cook for about 1 hour or until the mix thickens.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Discard cinnamon stick.
- If you prefer a smoother jam, use a hand blender to purée figs.
- If you are going to store in the refrigerator, cool until room temperature first then refrigerate. Or, if you are canning your jam, here are instructions to can with hot water.
Notes
If you do not have a cinnamon stick you can add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
32Serving Size:
1 tablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 30Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 0g
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This post was originally published July 12, 2010. The photos and content has been updated September 10, 2019.
Could you use pectin instead of boiling for an hour and then water bath can?
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it!!
Ah, thank you, Sara! It is pretty delicious!
I don’t think I’ve ever had fig jam. Love the idea of it — this looks amazing. Thanks!