Fig Jam Recipe (Slow Cooker)

Published: Aug 8, 2025 by Kathleen · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See full disclosure

To make this easy Fig Jam Recipe in the slow cooker, you only need 4 ingredients and less than 10 minutes prep. The Crockpot does most of the work, and even better- it's made without pectin!

A small open jar of fig jam with a little spoon in it with a fresh fig half leaned on it.

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This hands-off method is the best way to make fig jam in my expert opinion. It gives me time to do other things while the slow cooker does the work.

This has to be the easiest small batch jam recipe I've ever made. And I've made a LOT of jam!

You can use an immersion blender right in the same crock pot but you can also let it cool and puree the cooked figs in an upright blender.

I don’t always have enough ripe figs at the same time to make this homemade fig jam so I usually freeze them as I pick them until I have enough to make jam. Then, I just thaw them in the fridge and proceed with the recipe.

I've tested this jam with three kinds of fresh figs: Brown Turkey, Purple Mission Figs, and a white/green fig. The jam has worked perfectly with all three varieties.

This jam tastes just like a spiced fruit spread when you slather it on my 2 Ingredient biscuits or toast, not too sweet.

Spiced fig jam on toast next to a jar of opened fig jam.

Biscuits and buttered toast are my favorite ways to eat this easy fig jam, but my second favorite is an ingredient in my Fig Jam Cake.

I often top it with whipped cream and give it a double dose of figgy goodness by spooning on some of my Easy Fig and Lemon Preserves.

Since figs are a fragile fruit, jam is a great way to use up your over-ripe figs.

Jars of fresh fig jam with fresh figs cut in half.

It's not necessary to "can" this jam, but I usually do. It can be a refrigerator or freezer jam. It keeps well for several weeks in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer. But if you want a canning fig jam recipe, just process half pint jars in a water bath.

I love to make jams like this, Persimmon Jam, and Instant Pot Bacon Jam for Christmas gift giving.

Shortcuts

The slow cooker allows you to walk away without having to babysit it on the stovetop and constantly stir.
No pectin needed. It saves an ingredient, money and a step!
Use kitchen scissors to snip off the stems and cut them in half.

If you love sticky toffee pudding, you will love my Sticky Fig Pudding Cake. You can make this self-saucing cake with either fresh or dried figs.

Ingredients

Ripe fresh figs
Brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Lemon juice
(Optional) Vanilla extract

How to make fig jam using fresh figs

If you're looking for green fig recipes, perfect! I've used ripe green figs to make this jam recipe many times. Mine are a Calimyrna hybrid. The figs below are Brown Turkey figs.

My printable recipe below has all the exact measurements and cooking times. These pictures will help you as you use that recipe as a visual guide.

Prep the fruit

Bowl of small mission figs with stems snipped off with scissors

First, gently wash the figs. Snip the ends of fresh figs with scissors or with a sharp knife, then cut them in half

Slow Cooker Fig Jam ingredients. Just stir them up and cook for 3 hours.

Combine the figs, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in the slow cooker.
Give it a good stir and put the lid on it and turn it on.

Cook the jam

Cooked fig mixture for slow Cooker Fig jam

Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
If you're adding vanilla extract, now is the time to stir that in!

You may be thinking, "That doesn't look like jam to me!". Just one more step and you are there.

If you have an immersion hand blender, just stick it right in the slow cooker crock and blend until smooth.

What if I don't have an immersion blender?

If you don't have an immersion blender, no worries. Wait until the mixture has cooled at least 30 minutes and place it in a food processor or large blender and pulse until smooth.

Immersion Blender in slow cooker crock of fig jam

At this point, you can pour the jam into clean jars or containers with tight lids and keep it in the fridge for several weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Canning fig jam

For canned fig jam, use the water bath process to can the jam in sterilized jars for:

5 minutes for half-cup size jars
10 minutes for half pint jars
15 minutes for pint jars

Remove from the boiling water and store them on a cool dry shelf, checking to make sure the lids have sealed after 24 hours.

Why is my fig jam not thickening?

This happened to me on one of my batches. Possible reasons why your fig jam may not thicken:

Figs aren't ripe enough. Ripe figs contain the most natural pectin.
The jam didn't cook long enough.-Making jam without powdered pectin is a matter of cooking it down long enough to evaporate the liquid. In a slow cooker, it takes longer than on a stovetop because it holds in the moisture.
Lemon juice not acidic enough. Fresh lemons vary in acidity with soil and weather conditions. The best lemon juice for canning is bottled lemon juice because the PH is regulated and consistent.

What can I do if my fig jam doesn't thicken?

Here are two options to help thicken your jam if it doesn't thicken in the slow cooker. Keep in mind, it does thicken up a little after 24 hours in the jars.

If your jam is too thin after pureeing it, pour it back in the slow cooker, turn it to HIGH and stir occasionally until it reaches jam consistency. You can also cook it in a large saucepan on the stovetop until desired consistency.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon low-sugar powdered pectin over the mixture and stir in well. Cook on HIGH heat setting on the slow cooker, stirring constantly, until the jam thickens.

When are figs in season?

Most varieties of figs have two seasons- a shorter producing season called the breba crop, around May or June. These figs grow on the previous year's growth. The second, more productive season is typically from August to September and grows on the new wood. Here in Alabama, August is when my Brown Turkey and Purple Mission figs are at peak season.

California figs have the perfect environment for growing figs so you can usually find them fresh in stores from mid-May til mid-December.

More fig recipes you will love:

Maple Buttercream Frosting and Fig Jam Cake

Fig and Lemon Preserves

Fig Jam Cake Made with Slow Cooker Fig Jam

Sticky Fig Pudding Cake

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