These old-fashioned fig preserves require just 3 ingredients — and no pectin! One of the easiest jams to make, there’s very little prep work necessary. Just simmer a pot on the stove for a couple of hours and you’ll have a few jars of beautiful, preserved fresh figs to enjoy with cheese on your next charcuterie board, to spread on biscuits, cornbread, or toast, to elevate sandwiches, or to use in baked goods like cakes.
Table of Contents
Figs generally ripen twice a year: the first or “breba” season is typically in early June, while the second or “new wood” season generally runs from August through October. When my neighbor’s Brown Turkey figs ripened early this year (thanks to a warm winter in Virginia), she was happy to share some with us. There’s no better way to enjoy a bunch of figs than turning them into fig preserves!
Old Fashioned Fig Preserves
This is a standard, old-fashioned fig preserves recipe, which includes equal amounts of both figs and sugar. It’s easy to scale up or down, depending on how many figs you have, or how many jars you plan to make. The thinly-sliced lemon is another classic ingredient, which adds acidic brightness to balance out the sweetness of the figs.
I’ve included instructions for canning fig preserves below, but you can also skip the step of processing the jars in a hot water bath and just store the preserves in the refrigerator if you prefer.
Fig Preserves vs. Fig Jam
Fig preserves are not technically the same as fig jam, although this particular recipe yields a jar of preserves that’s quite similar to jam. In general, jam is made with mashed fruit while preserves have whole fruit or large pieces of fruit throughout.
This whole fig preserves recipe starts with the whole fruit (just the stems removed). You don’t need to chop, peel, mash, or process the figs before adding them to the pot.
As the figs cook, soften, and break down, I like to use my wooden spoon to break apart some of the larger pieces of fruit. In the end, you have a chunky fig spread that actually resembles jam more than preserves. If you prefer whole fig preserves with large chunks or the fruit intact, that’s fine…just don’t break them apart as much when you’re stirring the pot.
Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an old fashioned fig preserves recipe without pectin. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Fresh figs: I use Brown Turkey figs, but you can use Black Mission figs or just about any other fresh figs available.
- Granulated sugar: this classic Southern recipe calls for an equal amount of sugar and figs; however, you can see my note below to adjust the recipe for less sugar.
- Lemon: gives the spread a bright, acidic note that balances the sweetness of the figs and helps to make the preserves safe for shelf-stable canning.
Equipment Needed
- 3 sterilized half-pint mason jars and lids: this recipe yields enough for about 3 (8-ounce) jars of jam. I like the half-pint jars because it’s just the right amount of jam to keep in the fridge after it’s opened, but smaller 4-ounce jars are also a great option.
- A sterilized funnel: this makes it easier to get the jam inside the jar without spilling; however, it’s fine if you don’t have a funnel — you can carefully spoon the jam into the jars instead.
- Tongs: canning tongs are incredibly helpful when taking the jars in and out of the boiling water.
- Stock pot, saucepan, or Dutch oven: for cooking the preserves.
- Canner or large pot for boiling jars: this needs to be very deep so that you can cover the jars with at least 1-2 inches of water. I use my deepest stock pot for this step, since I don’t have an official canner to process the jars.
- Wooden spoon: to stir, stir, stir so that the jam doesn’t stick to the pot!
How to Sterilize Jars and Lids for Jam or Preserves
It’s a good practice to sterilize the jars and lids before canning in order to kill any bacteria, fungi or yeast. There are a variety of ways to sterilize the jars (here’s a helpful article with different options). I typically use the dishwasher, or just boil them for 10 minutes in the same big pot of water that I’ll use for processing.
How to Make Fig Preserves
This recipe is incredibly simple — no peeling, mashing, or chopping necessary! Just remember to plan ahead and let the figs sit in the sugar overnight. The fruit will release juices as it sits, and you won’t need to add any water to the pot in the morning.
I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Cut off the stems from the figs.
- Place figs in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with sugar.
- Cover the pot and let the figs sit in the sugar overnight.
- Heat the pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (this only takes a few minutes).
- Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon slices, and cook for about 2 hours.
- Divide the figs and syrup between sterilized jars. Wipe rims clean with paper towels, then secure lids and rings.
How to Thicken Fig Preserves
You don’t need added pectin to thicken this fig preserve recipe. Instead, the slow cooking process allows the figs and sugar to naturally thicken on their own.
The longer you simmer the pot, the thicker the jam will be. This typically takes about 2 hours, but it might be a bit less or a bit more. As a result, I find that it’s most helpful to use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to know exactly when the mixture reaches the jelling point of 220-225°F.
It’s important that you don’t cook the preserves for too long, or the mixture will be too thick to spread once it cools.
Canning Fig Preserves
Once the sterilized jars are full and sealed, set the hot jars on a rack in a canner or in a large pot of boiling water. Make sure that the pot is deep enough so that the jars are covered by at least 1-2 inches of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if your altitude is above 6,000 feet).
How long does it take for easy fig preserves to set?
Once the jars are filled and processed in the hot water bath for 10 minutes, place the jars on a dish towel on the counter. The jam will not set immediately, so it’s important to allow the jars to rest without interruption at room temperature until cool (or overnight), about 12 hours. Don’t forget that the preserves will continue to thicken as they cool and set.
Storage
Once the jam has had a chance to cool, you can check the seals on your jars. The lids should be down in the center or stay down when pressed. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks. Properly sealed and processed jars of fig preserves should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place (such as a pantry) for up to 8 months.
If you choose not to process your jars of preserves in a hot water bath, they need to be stored in the refrigerator. These jars will stay fresh for up to 3 weeks. To freeze unprocessed jars of preserves, be sure to leave about 1-inch of headspace at the top of each jar to allow for expansion.
What do you eat fig preserves with?
This versatile fig spread is delicious in a variety of dishes. Try serving the preserves:
- Spread on flaky biscuits, 7up biscuits, cornbread, sour cream muffins, or toast.
- On a cheese plate at your next cocktail hour.
- On top of brie cheese.
- Stirred into oatmeal for breakfast.
- Over vanilla ice cream for dessert.
- On sandwiches and sliders, like country ham biscuits for a sweet contrast to smoked turkey, country ham, roast beef or Swiss cheese.
- In baked goods such as cakes and bars.
Fig Preserves Recipe Variations
- Less sugar. While many old time fig preserves recipes call for equal parts figs and sugar, some folks prefer a less-sweet jar of preserves. Feel free to play around with the ratio and reduce the amount of sugar in your pot to suit your taste preferences — especially if the figs that you’re using are already very sweet on their own.
- Fig preserves without lemon. The lemon adds a nice acidic balance to the sweet figs, and gives the spread a marmalade-like taste. It’s also an important ingredient if you want your preserves to be shelf-stable. If you’re just planning to refrigerate your preserves for up to 1 month (and skip the hot water bath), then you can omit the lemons if you like.
- This recipe yields a small batch of just 3 jars; however, you can scale the recipe to make a larger batch. If you have a bunch of figs available, just multiply all of the ingredients to create more preserves. For instance, use 3 lbs. of figs, 3 lbs. of sugar and 1 whole lemon.
- If you don’t want to bother with canning the jars in a water bath, no problem! Just transfer the jam to jars, let them cool completely at room temperature, and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- I used Brown Turkey figs here, but you can substitute with Black Mission figs or just about any other fresh figs available.
Tips for the Best Fig Preserves Recipe
- Do not overcook the preserves or the mixture will become too thick to spread. The preserves thicken significantly as they cool and set, so don’t worry if the syrup still looks fairly thin at the end. The total cooking time may vary — in some instances you might need less than 2 hours, in some instances more. This is why I find a candy thermometer to be so helpful — you’ll know exactly when it reaches the jelling point of 220-225° F.
- If possible, weigh your fruit after trimming the stems. This will give you a more accurate measurement to make sure that you have the correct amount of fruit. For instance, I started with about 1 ¾ lbs. of fresh figs before trimming, which left me with 1 ½ lbs. of fruit to use in the recipe.
- Slice the lemon paper-thin before adding it to the pot. This way you’ll end up with bits of lemon throughout, but you won’t have any big chunks to bite into.
- Use a wooden spoon to break up the large figs as they cook if you prefer a jam-like consistency. For whole fig preserves, leave the figs intact (they will still be soft and spreadable).
- Leave ¼-inch of headspace in each jar. The proper amount of headspace is important to ensure a vacuum seal. If there’s too little headspace, the preserves may expand and bubble out when air is being forced out from under the lid during processing.
More Homemade Jam Recipes to Try
Blackberry Jam (without Pectin)
12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Spiced Apple Pear Jam
45 minutes mins
Blueberry Jam without Pectin
12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
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Fig Preserves Recipe without Pectin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh figs, stems removed
- 1 ½ lbs. granulated sugar (approximately 3 ¼ cups)
- ½ of a lemon, sliced paper-thin and seeds removed
Instructions
- Place the figs in a large pot. Pour the sugar over the figs, cover the pot, and let sit overnight.
- Heat the pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (this only takes a few minutes). Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon slices, and cook for about 2 hours (or until the syrup is thick). If the figs are particularly large, I like to use a wooden spoon or a potato masher to gently break apart the big chunks as the figs soften. If you have a deep fry or candy thermometer, you’re looking for a jelling point of 220-225°F.
- Divide the figs and syrup between 3 sterilized 8-ounce glass jars, leaving ¼-inch of headspace at the top of each jar. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth, then secure the lids and bands.
- Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if your altitude is above 6,000 feet). Carefully remove the jars to a towel on the counter. Let stand, undisturbed, for 12 hours at room temperature. Check the seals after 12 hours by pressing the center of the lids. If the lid gives or the center button remains popped up, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Properly sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 8 months. Refrigerate after opening.
Notes
- Less sugar. While many old time fig preserves recipes call for equal parts figs and sugar, some folks prefer a less-sweet jar of preserves. Feel free to play around with the ratio and reduce the amount of sugar in your pot to suit your taste preferences — especially if the figs that you’re using are already very sweet on their own.
- Fig preserves without lemon. The lemon adds a nice acidic balance to the sweet figs, and gives the spread a marmalade-like taste. It’s also an important ingredient if you want your preserves to be shelf-stable. If you’re just planning to refrigerate your preserves for up to 1 month (and skip the hot water bath), then you can omit the lemons if you like.
- Scale the recipe to make a larger batch. If you have a bunch of figs available, just multiply all of the ingredients to create more preserves. For instance, use 3 lbs. of figs, 3 lbs. of sugar and 1 whole lemon.
- If you don’t want to bother with canning the jars in a water bath, no problem! Just transfer the jam to jars, let them cool completely at room temperature, and then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- I used Brown Turkey figs here, but you can substitute with Black Mission figs or just about any other fresh figs available.
- Do not overcook the preserves or the mixture will become too thick to spread. The preserves thicken up significantly as they cool and set, so don’t worry if the syrup still looks fairly thin at the end. The total cooking time may vary — in some instances you might need less than 2 hours, in some instances more. This is why I find a candy thermometer to be so helpful — you’ll know exactly when it reaches the jelling point of 220-225° F.
- If possible, weigh your fruit after trimming the stems. This will give you a more accurate measurement to make sure that you have the correct amount of fruit. For instance, I started with about 1 ¾ lbs. of fresh figs before trimming, which left me with 1 ½ lbs. of fruit to use in the recipe.
- Slice the lemon paper-thin before adding it to the pot. This way you’ll end up with bits of lemon throughout, but you won’t have any big chunks to bite into.
- Use a wooden spoon to break up the large figs as they cook if you prefer a jam-like consistency. For whole fig preserves, leave the figs intact (they will still be soft and spreadable).
- Leave ¼-inch of headspace in each jar. The proper amount of headspace is important to ensure a vacuum seal. If there’s too little headspace, the preserves may expand and bubble out when air is being forced out from under the lid during processing.
- Recipe adapted from Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader.
Just made a batch, but took 4 hours longer to get to the required temp!
Hoping I don’t break my teeth on the produce once it has rested
Hi Janice,
The cooking time can definitely vary, which is why the temperature is the best indicator of doneness. As long as you reach the 220–225°F jelling point, you should be good. The preserves will continue to thicken as they cool, but the figs themselves should stay nice and soft. We hope you enjoy them!
Hi Blair – Thanks for the post and helpful hints. One question, when the fig/sugar/lemon mix reaches candy temp do I take it off the heat or try to keep it at that temp to continue to reduce the liquid and thicken it? Looking forward to seeing how the comes out! Cheers!
Hi, Fred! Once the mixture reaches that temp, you’ll remove it from the heat (it should be done at that point, and will continue to firm up/set as it cools).
Just wondering if the figs have to be refrigerated overnight with the sugar before processing.
Hi Shelley,
Yes! This process draws out natural sugars for a sweeter, more syrupy result.
I’ve been making fig preserves for three years. I’m interested in the canning process as I would like to start a boutique business. That being said I only use figs water, lemon, cinnamon, and add raw unfiltered honey at the end as it’s cooling down. Do I have to use sugar in the canning process?
Hi Ana,
Hi! You can reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe if you prefer a less-sweet preserve. However, we wouldn’t recommend simply replacing the sugar with honey and following these same canning instructions, especially if you plan to sell the preserves. Changing the ingredients and adding honey after cooking means you’re no longer following this specific recipe as tested. For a commercial product, we’d recommend working with your local extension office or food safety authority to have your particular recipe and canning process evaluated for shelf stability and safety. Good luck with your boutique business!