Homemade Fig Newtons Recipe

Homemade Fig Newtons for you.  Before we cleaned up our diet, Fig Newtons were a big staple around here.  We all know how fig newtons are often touted as a healthy cookie option for kids.  But if you ever looked at the ingredients, most are not good.

My healthy fig newton recipe is so much healthier than store bought ones and a fig newton you can feel good about giving your kids. These fig newtons also taste better in my opinion. You definitely need to try them.

Homemade Fig Newtons

These are made with whole grains and no refined sugars, unlike the real cookies.  The real cookies contain high fructose corn syrup. 🙁  You can also use the recipe as a base to add in your own fillings.  If you filled these with fruit, they would almost taste like a Nutri-Grain bar as well.

The possibilities are endless.  I also added a little cinnamon to the dough to spice it up a bit.  I think it turned out well that way.  One other thing to note is, using the coconut oil will not make them taste like coconut at all, but it does help add a sweetness to the cookies.

Another great thing about this recipe is that it freezes well.  So you can make up a huge batch and freeze some for later. I suggest storing them in an air-tight container with a piece or parchment between each row of cookies.  That way, you don’t have to worry about them sticking together.

Homemade Fig Newtons

Homemade Fig Newtons

Prep Time 1 hr Cook Time 15 min Serves 16 cookies     adjust servings

A healthier version of the classic cookie.

Ingredients

    For the cookie

    For the filling

    • 15-20 figs (I used dried Turkish Figs I got at Sprouts)
    • 1 T maple syrup
    • water

    Instructions

      For the filling

      1. In a food processor, grind up the figs, 1 T maple syrup and a bit of water. You want the figs to be the consistency of peanut butter so only add a bit of water. I think I used about 1 tablespoon.
      2. Blend into a paste and set aside.

      For the cookie

      1. Preheat oven to 350.
      2. In one bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
      3. In another bowl, mix the wet.
      4. Add dry to wet and mix only until combined. Be careful not to over-mix. The dough will be sticky and a bit wet.
      5. Gather it in a ball and wrap it.
      6. Put the dough in the fridge for about an hour to firm up.
      7. Once firm, roll the dough onto a floured surface. I tried to roll my dough as square as possible.
      8. Once the dough is rolled out, spread the fig mixture onto half of the dough.
      9. Once the fig mixture is spread, fold 1 half of the dough onto the other and cut into squares. I cut mine into about 2×2 squares and used a pizza cutter to do so.
      10. Place on lined baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes.
      11. I got about 16 out of my batch.

      by

      Recipe Notes

      They should last a couple of weeks, but you can refrigerate them to make them last even longer. Enjoy!

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      168 thoughts to “Homemade Fig Newtons Recipe”

      1. I just stumbled upon your blog after googling "homemade fig bars", was I shocked to see that it actually sounds much easier than I expected! My dad and sister and I love them, we normally buy them from Amish Markets, never thinking we could actually make them ourselves! I've seen you comment about blueberry chia jam as a filling, but was wondering if you thought you could use dried blueberries instead since you used dried figs? I realize this is not rocket science, but just wanted your thoughts (In my mind you are the supreme cook), I'm super excited to try to make these!
        1. I think dried blueberries might work well in these. You might have to add a little water though. I hope you enjoy my recipe. :)
      2. Hello! for flax eggs, can i just use two normal eggs? and for the dried figs, i am using figs from my tree, how should i dry them out. i don't have a dehydrator.
      3. I just made these with fresh figs, and though they are a bit goopey (I should have read these comments beforehand so I could have corrected this), they are delicious! My husband and I both really like them! I am so excited to have a cookie treat to put into my preschooler's lunchbox that is healthy and that she will enjoy:-) She is used to real food lunches and never complains about what I pack for her, but I am excited to be able to give her something fun and different that is still real food and didn't take me all day to make! Thanks so much for your creative recipes and for your dedication to helping people enjoy real food! Your recipes are always a part of our weekly meal plans:-)
      4. Yay, thank you! I, too was heartbroken when I read the label on the Fig Newtons. We were avoiding HFCS anyway, then my hubby was diagnosed with diabetes and we had to really take a long hard look at the rest of our diet. Maple syrup is one of our primary sweeteners and the whole grain flour makes this a perfect treat. I will have to make them soon.
      5. I made these this weekend and they were delicious - I made a few mods, I used applesauce instead of water with the figs - and then I didn't have coconut oil so I used applesauce instead of the coconut oil in the cookie part as well. I also used half whole wheat flour and half white wheat flour. I thought they were so good, I ran over to my neighbors house to give her some while they were still hot as well.
      6. Wow! I've just made these for a tea dance I am holding tomorrow afternoon and they are amazing! I'm wondering if there'll enough left for the tea dancers! I halved the recipe and got 28! Thank you for sharing!
      7. It's so hot here in the summertime that I try to avoid baking until the weather cools down. I'm wondering if you could roll up the dough and freeze it for a later time?
      8. Success!!! *I processed 16 fresh figs with 1 T of maple syrup (no water) and then reduced it on the stove top over the course of about 3 hours. It was still just a BIT goopy, but I had to leave the house for a bit so I took it off the stove & stuck it in the fridge. *I made the dough as directed; the only substitution was whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat. I refrigerated it for a few hours. *When I rolled out the dough I was thrilled at how managable it was! It was completely easy to work with; YAY!!! I rolled it out to a 12"x12" size, spread the fig mixture on, and I had leftover. So, 16 figs is more than enough, but the filling is so good I didn't mind having some extra to eat up. :) *I baked them for closer to 15 mins than 12, as I recall, and my family found them delicious! We took them to a birthday party potluck and came home with an empty plate. Woo hoo!!!
      9. Absolutely better than store bought, was my favorite cookie as a child, I was confused about the flax egg , I've never heard about FLAX EGGS, I did some research & everything turned out perfect, thanks
      10. this is amazing! normally, i get nature's bakery brand, but with this recipe, not only will i never have to buy them again, but i can make them whatever size i want! right now, i have a bandoleer style shoulder harness with five leather pouches containing three vacuum sealed packets of three bars each. each pouch is enough to keep me going for an entire day in an emergency (field tested and proven). now, i can just make three bars and actually make each each bar to be three and a half to four bars worth of the other. you....are brilliant.
      11. I found the dough to be delicious and the addition of maple syrup to the figs very complimentary. But I have a fig tree full of green figs (not the other darker kind) and though, after food processing them in my cuisinart the consistency seemed a bit loose. I went ahead anyway and spread the mixture and was leary when the instructions said to cook for 10-15 minutes. I just knew it wouldn't produce that chewy fig center - and it didn't. Someone posted they cooked the figs and I will try that next because 15 minutes came nowhere close to taking the raw and fairly uncooked edge off the cookie. It's disappointing but I plan to take another stab at it. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
        1. I'm sorry that you had an issue with it. :( This is the first time I have ever had this particular complaint on this recipe. I would try cooking the figs down with some maple syrup and try to cook off some of the excess liquid. You can also add chia seeds to the fig mixture to give it a thicker texture. I hope that helps!
        2. Maybe since the recipe uses dried figs, try cooking the fresh figs mixture and then spread it out on a jelly roll pan, and dry in a very low oven with the door cracked open a tiny bit. A dehydrator would work well if you have one. Either way, the moisture will evaporate without cooking the mixture so much and no chance of burning. Another idea would be to chop up the fresh figs and dry them first in oven or dehydrator and then use in the recipe. Good luck! :)

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