Cinnamon Fig Butter

I was so blessed a couple days ago when my friend Mari from PatchWork Acres said I could pick figs from her beautiful, huge fig trees. Fighting June bugs, wasps, ants, and spiders was well worth my little bundle of organic fig beauties. The only bad thing was that I didn't get enough! No worries, though; she said I could come back.

I knew I wanted to make a fig butter with some of my beautiful, sweet bounty in order to make homemade fig newtons, so I set out on my search for the perfect recipe. It was just nowhere to be found. Sigh...I had to take the more difficult and nail-biting route of making my own. I did have safe fruit to sugar ratios so I just had to dive right in with the spices, tinkering, crossing fingers and toes, and praying that it would work and not be a waste of treasured ingredients and time. What ensued in the aftermath of that experiment in a pot was a pure hallelujah moment! So I present to you today,

Cinnamon Fig Butter
8 c chopped figs
1 c brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
2 t ground cinnamon (add one more for a strong cinnamon flavor)
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1 T vanilla
1/4 c lime juice

Place jars into your water bath canner. Rinse, drain, and chop fresh, ripe figs. Measure out eight cups and place into a large stockpot. Measure out sugar, spices, lemon juice and place into stockpot. Stir ingredients well while heating to a gentle boil. When mixture begins to boil, turn down to low-medium low, depending on your stove. Turn on jars to sterilize. If desired, use an immersion blender to process ingredients to desired consistency. Continue to cook on low, stirring often so that ingredients don't burn until the mixture is thick and will mound on a spoon. Ladle mixture into hot, sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in water bath for 10 minutes.

Step by step in photos:

Rinse and drain figs.

Measure out eight mounded cups to ensure you will have enough chopped figs in the end.

Chop and measure out eight cups of chopped figs.

Be sure to remove stems.

I measured as I chopped to make sure I didn't chop too many and waste them.

Once all chopped figs are in the pot, measure out remaining ingredients and add to the figs.

Move the pot to the stove, and stir the ingredients well while it slowly heats.

This photo is actually from my jam making, but it gives an idea of how thick
the mixture is starting out.

Bring the mixture to a slight boil over medium low heat.

Reduce the heat to low and cook the fruit for a few minutes. If you wish, use an immersion blender or food processor to break down the figs. It is not necessary, if you don't desire to do this step.

Continue to cook until the mixture is thick and mounds on a spoon.

One at a time, remove the hot jars from the canner. Fill the jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

This picture is just to show how thick the butter was. It didn't run down the
sides of the funnel the whole time I filled the jars. It hung out in that one
spot, so I ate it when I was done! :)

Process the jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Make sure jars are covered by at least an inch of water, and don't start timing until the water has come to a rolling boil.

I hope you have a chance to try the recipe! Don't be afraid to change the measurements on the spices, except for cinnamon. I wouldn't go over 3 teaspoons. :) Let me know what you come up with!

Until we meet again, may you be blessed!