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Home » Jellies and Sauces

Red Hot Fig Jam

Published: Aug 16, 2019 · Modified: Jun 9, 2025 by Louisiana Woman · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Marrying the fig with red hot cinnamon candies brings this surprisingly delicious Red Hot Fig Jam to life. Use it to top a block of cream cheese or stuff it into your morning biscuit. It's even good on freshly baked crusty cornbread. Yes, it is!

Bowls of fig jam and red hots with jars of fig jam.

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  • Getting The Figs Ready
  • Red Hot Fig Jam
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I love fig season and bringing you another fig recipe! I get much enjoyment eating, dehydrating, preserving, cooking, and even picking them. So much so that when someone offers me fresh ones, I always say," Yes, and I'll be glad to pick them!"

Harvesting figs takes me back to gathering them in my Mamaw Trahan's orchard. We'd pick the lower while she'd pick the higher ones, sometimes using a step ladder to accommodate her short stature. Since fig trees thrive in the Acadiana climate, the fig has always been a big part of the Cajun people's diet. The trees give a plentiful bounty, and Cajun's are so clever in their ways of preserving them for their year-long enjoyment.

This jam may take you by surprise, as it did with me, with its classic Red Hot candy ingredient. It's my Aunt Martha's unique recipe for preserving the darling fig!

Getting The Figs Ready

First things first!

Wash the figs in a sink full of fresh cool water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Let them sit for just a few minutes so they don’t have a chance to soak up the liquid. Rinse and drain them well. If using frozen figs, prepare them the same way after defrosting unless they were cleaned before freezing.

Now, pour water and sugar into a large, heavy pot and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. After the sugar is melted, pour in the mashed figs and red hots, lower the heat to a medium simmer, and cook for about 45 - 50 minutes or right to the time the mixture is a thick consistency when dropped from a spoonful.

A large pot of crushed figs cooking with red hot candies.

DO NOT OVERCOOK! (Note from experience.) or you'll have candied jam you'll have to chisel from the jar!

Preserving the Red Hot Cinamon Fig Jam

When the jam is cooked, it's time to ladle it into sterilized jars that are still hot. Running the jars and lids through a dishwasher's sterilizing cycle is the easiest way to prepare them.

Use an oven mitt when handling the hot jars from the dishwasher for safety.

Figs being funneled into canning jars.

After the jars are filled, run a knife along the inside between the glass and jam in the jars to release any air bubbles and clean around the outside of the jar's mouths with a wet dishtowel.

Cap them with the warm canning lid disks and screw on the rings.

This next step is crucial and is the safest way to preserve your Red Hot Cinnamon Jam. Although it may seem intimidating, it really isn't. Processing by giving the jars a bath in boiling water takes only minutes, and it's easy to accomplish with the right tools.

If you're not familiar with this procedure, here is a post with step-by-step instructions from Bayou Woman's Whole Fig Preserves. If you've not had a chance to visit her website Bayou Woman, Life In The Louisiana Wetlands, I encourage you to do so. She's quite amazing with her adventures and recipes that remind me of home.

More Fig Recipes!

Here are more fig-preserving and dessert recipes on the blog you may enjoy:

  • A picute collage of fig dishes and fig preserve jars.
    7 Fig Recipes: Not Just For Fig Season
  • Fig Preserves
  • Three jars of jam with fresh figs beside them.
    Strawberry Fig Jam With Strawberry Jello
  • Fig Pepper Jelly in glass jars with lids.
    Fig Pepper Jelly

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and if the figs aren't in the season where you live, just keep this in mind for next year. It's well worth remembering!

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Jars of fig jam with a plate of crackers and cream cheese topped with fig jam.

Red Hot Fig Jam

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A tasty fig jam flavored with cinnamony red hot candies. A perfect pair!

  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 14 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1-quart water

6 cups sugar

3 quarts fresh figs, rinsed, drained, and mashed

2 9-ounce bags red hot candies

Instructions

Bring sugar and water to a rapid boil.

Once sugar is dissolved add figs and candies, lowering heat to a medium simmer.

Cook, stirring frequently until mixture is a thick consistency when dropped from a spoonful, for about 45-50 minutes.

Do not overcook.

Pour into sterilized jars then top with clean, warm canning lids and screw on the bands to hold lids in place.

Process jars in boiling water for safe preserving.

Notes

Be sure to cook just until the red hot figs thicken; overcooking causes the jam to harden and crystalize. 

  • Author: Louisiana Woman
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Jams, Jellies, and Sauces
  • Method: Simmering
  • Cuisine: American

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A plate of biscuit and jam with butter and a plate of cream cheese and jam with crackers.

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At Louisiana Woman Blog, I share recipes and stories about life in South Louisiana. The food here is authentic and easy to prepare. I hope you enjoy a taste of my rich Cajun heritage with recipes that preserve the precious culture of South Louisiana.

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A plate of biscuit and jam with butter and a plate of cream cheese and jam with crackers.