Homemade Fig Bars are easy, healthy and better than anything you can buy in the store. They’re going to blow your mind.
PinTable of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
What pre-packaged treat do you most remember your parents buying you as a child? Graham crackers? Chocolate chip cookies? Gingersnaps? Oreos? In my day, it was Fig Newtons. I think my mother assumed the fig center made them a more sensible choice than the other options at the grocery. While my mom usually baked her own delicious cookies, I don’t think she ever considered trying her hand at homemade Fig Newtons. Even when I started thinking about making a healthier, less sugar-filled, homemade version of Newtons I was a bit intimidated at the prospect of doing it. It just didn’t seem like a recipe that would be easy to pull off in a home kitchen.
Well, I was wrong. Totally wrong. In fact, in the same amount of time it would take me to make a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies, I made these decadently rich bars, boasting sweet figs tucked inside a tender, flaky whole wheat cookie. My kids agreed they were superior to the store bought Fig Newtons they had recently tried at a friend’s house, and they couldn’t keep their mitts out of the tin I put them in.
One night after two of my little cookie monsters absconded with three cookies a piece and were coming back for more, I hid the tin. I did such a good job hiding it out of sight in fact, that five days later I realized I totally forgot about them. Figuring they would be stale, I opened the container and pulled one out to try. Amazingly, these homemade fig bars were still as moist and irresistible as the first day I had baked them. Store bought fig bars for us? Never again!
The Ingredients
Pin- Dried figs, stems removed: Figs provide natural sweetness and a chewy texture that makes these bars irresistible.
- Honey: Adds a touch of extra sweetness to the fig filling.
- Unsalted butter: Helps create that tender, flaky texture in the cookiedough. Use softened butter for the best results.
- Sugar: Just enough to sweeten the dough without overpowering the natural fig flavor.
- Large egg: Adds richness and helps bind the dough together.
- Vanilla extract: Infuses the dough with a warm, aromatic flavor.
- White whole wheat flour – A healthier alternative to regular flour, offering a boost of fiber and nutrients.
Substitutions and Variations
- Figs: If you’re not a fan of figs, try using dried dates, apricots, or prunes for a different flavor.
- Honey:Maple syrup or agave nectar can be used in place of honey.
- Sugar: Swap out the sugar for coconut sugar or a sugar substitute like monk fruit sweetener for a lower-glycemic version.
- Flour: If you prefer, you can use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend instead of white whole wheat flour.
How to Make Homemade Fig Bars
PinStep 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the dried figs in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes.
PinStep 2: Remove the figs from the water with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid. Puree until smooth and spreadable.
PinStep 3: In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
PinStep 4: Add the flour and mix until a dough forms.
Tips for Perfect Homemade Fig Bars
- Use quality dried figs: The flavor of your bars will depend largely on the quality of your figs, so choose ones that are plump and moist.
- Don’t skip the soaking step: Soaking the figs ensures they’re soft enough to blend into a smooth filling.
- Seal the edges well: To prevent the filling from leaking out during baking, make sure to press the edges of the dough together firmly.
FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh figs, but you may need to cook them down to reduce the moisture before blending into a smooth filling. Dried figs are recommended as they provide a thicker, more concentrated flavor.
Store your fig bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to two weeks or freeze them for up to three months.
You can get creative with fillings! Try using a mix of dried fruits like apricots, dates, or raisins. You can also add a touch of orange zest, lemon zest or a splash of lemon juice to the fig filling for a citrusy twist.
Absolutely! Just substitute the white whole wheat flour with a gluten-free flour blend that you trust works well for baking.
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Homemade Fig Bars
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup roughly chopped dried figs, stems removed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Place the dried figs in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes.
- Remove the figs from the water with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid. Puree until smooth and spreadable.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for 2 minutes, or until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add the flour and mix until a dough forms.
- Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper and shape into a 12 x 5 inch rectangle.
- Spread the fig mixture on one side of the rectangle, spreading it evenly along the 12-inch side leaving a 1/4-1/2 inch border along the edges.
- Fold the dough over on top of itself and gently press the dough together at the edges.
- Cut each log into 10 cookies and transfer to a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
These Fig Bars are easy to make and very delicious.
Just made the fig bars, still in oven, question, my dough looked good but when I tried to fold half over I had a mess, the dough stuck to the parchment paper, should I have added more flour, I followed your recipe using same ingredients, maybe I rolled the dough too thin, I know they will taste great because the dough and filling taste good without baking!
Mine was very sticky too, did you figure out a solution? I did use Einkorn flour.
I just did this with dried apricots which turned out wonderful.
Other recipes call for AP as well as the whole wheat flour. Do you recommend this or is it ok just to use whole wheat flour?
My husband would love these.
I hope you love them!
Thank you for this recipe! I bought a jar of fig jam for another recipe and thought I was going to toss the rest!. I will definitely incorporate this into one of my go to snack recipes!
Ok, so why did my cookies crack open along the top?
I haven’t tested those, but I think you could defrost and puree them and they would be just fine! 🙂 Let me know if you try it!
Could I use frozen figs that I put up last year
at mywholefoodlife, under homemade fig newtons, it was said by the author as a reply to a comment that fresh figs can be successfully used.
how would i sub fresh figs instead of dry? seems like fresh wouldn’t have the right consistency.
You just have to cook them down like good jam. I always premake my filling, then make the cookies later since everything is coming at once when my figs get ripe!
I love these bars! Sometimes I replace the figs with dates or currants and use ghee instead of the butter. They are delicious! I cut them into individual squares and store them in the fridge. That way, I can grab one before I head out the door. Convenient, delicious, and healthy. What more can you ask for?
+thanks lisa I wanted to here from someone who tried them
Does it have to be white whole wheat flour or can you use just whole wheat flour?
I used all purpose flour and they turned out great. I did add a tablespoon of water to the dough to help it stick together, plus and extra tablespoon of the fig water to make them more spreadable.
I used fresh figs and they turned out great. I had them in the oven for only 14 min and it was perfect. They’re not very good hot out of the oven. They seem to taste best a whole day later. My husband really liked the cookie part of it since it’s not very sweet. They were super easy to make using the parchment paper. I’ll definitely make them again and try a different fruit next time!