I’m a big fan of “grandma” cookies like Fig Newtons. There’s an undeniable allure to the dark jammy fillingsurrounded by a soft, seemingly wholesome cake. They deceive me every time by whispering in my ear, “I have fruit, I am nutritious.”
You don’t have to be deceived anymore. I am a firm believer in making fig bars from scratch and taking control over what ingredients go into your cookie. This recipe uses oat and whole wheat flours alongside a bit of almond flour, butter, and coconut oil to bump up the richness. If you only want to use one fat over the other, you can make a 1:1 substitution. The dough is very soft, so chilling and freezing is mandatory. Once your cookie logs are in the freezer, they can stay there for 2 to 4 weeks, and you can bake 'em when you desire. This is a great cookie to make ahead and keep on hand, but do take note that the longer they sit in the freezer, the more likely their flavors will dull.
To make sure your cookie turns out just like mine, I highly recommend skipping your measuring cups and using a scale. Not only will you have fewer dishes to do, a scale will lead to more accurate results when baking. Especially because we are using whole wheat flour and home-ground oat flour, using cup measurements might lead to a big change in final textures depending on how you pack your cups.
If you’re going after that classic cakey Fig Newton texture, let these cookies cool down to room temperature, then place them into an air-tight container and let “age” overnight. Moisture from the fig filling will redistribute into the doughy portion andtransform your slightly dry and crumbly cookie into a moister,cakier consistency.
Once made, you can store them in an airtight container on your counter for up to 1 week and in your fridge for up to a month. But I'll be honest, I doubt you'll be able to make them last that long.
If you've made these cookies, be sure to let us know down in the comments below how you liked 'em! For more wholesome treats, give these oatmeal cookies a try.
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- Yields:
- 20 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 20 mins
- Total Time:
- 2 hrs 25 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 123
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1/2 c.
oat flour (60 g.)
- 1/2 c.
whole wheat flour (68 g.)
- 1/4 c.
almond flour (33 g.)
- 1/4 tsp.
ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/4 tsp.
baking soda
- 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1/4 c.
packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp.
honey
- 1/2 tsp.
freshly grated ginger (optional)
- 1 tsp.
orange zest
- 1
large egg
- 2 Tbsp.
butter, melted
- 2 Tbsp.
coconut oil
For the filling
- 8 oz.
dried figs, stems removed and halved
- 4 oz.
Medjool dates, pitted and halved (about 6)
Juice of 1 orange
- 1/4 c.
water
- 1/2 Tbsp.
butter
- 1 Tbsp.
rum (optional)
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 tsp.
orange or lemonzest
Directions
- Step1Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir together flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and kosher salt until well combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, honey, ginger, orange zest, egg, butter, and oil until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture and fold until a cohesive dough forms.
- Step2Halve dough and place each half between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll each dough into a 15”-x-5” rectangle, about ⅛”-thick. Leave dough between parchment, layer on a baking sheet and refrigerate, 1 hour.
- Step3Meanwhile, make the filling: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine figs, dates, orange juice, water, butter, and rum (if using). Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and mostly absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Step4Transfer fig mixture to a food processor, add vanilla and zests, then process until smooth.
- Step5Working with one sheet of dough at a time, peel off top layer of parchment. Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread half the fig filling in a 2”-wide strip down the length of the dough. Use bottom layer of parchment to help bring naked edges of dough to meet over and enclose the filling, pressing down the seam to seal. Gently press cookies into a 2”-wide bar.
- Step6Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Transfer both bars to the freezer until firm, at least 15 minutes and up to overnight.
- Step7Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step8Remove cookie bars from the freezer. Using a sharp knife, cut each bar into ten 1½” pieces and place on prepared sheet, about 1” apart.
- Step9Bake until bottoms are deeply golden and tops look dry, 13 to 15 minutes.
- Step10Let cool completely. Fig bars will keep, in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days, or longer if refrigerated or frozen.
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