Print

Homemade Small-Batch Fig Jam with Honey and Thyme

fig jam with honey and thyme - featured image
Print Recipe

This homemade small-batch fig jam with honey and thyme is a happy accident turned kitchen staple. It’s quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients for a sophisticated flavor that’s perfect on toast, cheese boards, or as a glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (about 450 grams) fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
  • 1/2 cup (170 grams) honey (mild floral variety like orange blossom or wildflower)
  • 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your figs: Rinse the figs gently under cool water and pat them dry. Cut off the hard stem ends, then quarter each fig.
  2. Combine ingredients in the pot: Place the quartered figs, honey, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in your saucepan. Add the fresh thyme sprigs, tucking them into the fruit mixture. Give everything a gentle stir.
  3. Let it macerate: Let the mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes to draw out the figs’ natural juices.
  4. Start cooking: Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. Cook for about 10 minutes until the figs break down and the liquid thickens slightly.
  5. Reduce and thicken: Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring every minute or so, until the mixture reaches a jammy consistency that coats the back of a spoon (about 10-15 more minutes).
  6. Test for doneness: Place a small spoonful of jam on a frozen plate. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then push it with your finger. If it wrinkles and doesn’t run back together, it’s done. If still runny, cook for another 2-3 minutes and test again.
  7. Remove the thyme sprigs: Use tongs or a fork to fish out the thyme sprigs from the jam.
  8. Cool and jar: Let the jam cool in the pot for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a sterilized jar, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Let it cool completely at room temperature (about 20 more minutes), then screw on the lid and refrigerate.

Notes

This jam is not shelf-stable due to lower sugar content; always refrigerate. For a smoother jam, use an immersion blender for 5 seconds before jarring. The flavors deepen after a day or two in the fridge. If using dried figs, rehydrate 8 oz in hot water for 30 minutes, drain, chop, and reduce cooking time to about 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: fig jam, honey thyme jam, small batch jam, homemade jam, fig recipe, easy jam, no pectin jam

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/homemade-small-batch-fig-jam-with-honey-and-thyme/