Fig Newtons

Figs
I love figs.  Figs are definitely one of those fruits you either love or hate.  They are only around a few times a year and there is nothing like a perfectly ripe fig.  Not sure what motivated me but I felt the need to make something with figs.  I figured I'd try making homemade fig newtons.  I loved those cookies growing up.  I think I read somewhere that they are the most fattening cookie on the market.  Yikes. 

I found a recipe on Food52.  Here is my version.

Cookie Dough:

5 Tbsp. melted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

Mix together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  MIx together the dry ingredients separately and add to the wet.  The dough is a little crumbly but sticks together.  Put in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.

Filling:

1 lb. figs chopped

3/4 cup light brown sugar

zest of one orange

Bring to a boil and then down to simmer for about an hour.  It gets mushy and sticky.  If it is too chunky use a potato mashed to cut up.  Let cool. 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Cut the dough in half.  Take the first half an roll it out into a huge square.  This is the hardest part of the recipe.  I rolled the dough out into a square and then made 3 long strips and then cut them so they were rectangle.  I then cut off a small rectangular square which should just be enough that if you folded the piece over it would resemble the size of your cookie.  I put a small dollop of the fig mixture on one side, in the middle, and then I folded the top over and pressed the edges to resemble a fig newton.  They were all shapes and sizes and definitely looked homemade but that's how you learn. 

Put them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes or until browned. 

Put them on a plate and repeat the process with the other dough. 

They taste yummy… a bit of a different treat and they taste just like fig newtons except the crust doesn't have that chewy thing going that they do from the store bought.

Comments (Archived):

  1. Angela

    Hi gothamgal!  I’m pretty sure fig newtons are low in fat and sugar, making them one of the healthier cookie choices.  Only 2 grams of fat per serving for the regular variety — not to mention the low fat variety.  Yours look scrumptious!  I am going to try your recipe.  Thanks for sharing!Angela

    1. Gotham Gal

      good to know although i have not bought a bag of fig newtons in years!

  2. ellen

    Yummy.  Love to try yours.   Could never stomach the commercial ones. The fig newton was named after our city.  Kennedy Biscuits first produced themand they were located in Boston. It was originally called THE NEWTON.

    1. Gotham Gal

      that’s so cool. i never knew that. a little bit of fig newton history.

  3. ErikSchwartz

    When I get fresh figs I cut them in half, put in a dollop of blue cheese, wrap them in prosciutto and then hit them on the grill just long enough for the prosciutto to get a bit crisp.

    1. Gotham Gal

      yum. good too with whipped ricotta and honey.

  4. candice

    My mother makes her italian fig cookies a lot like these.  without the frosting and all the extra spices in the figs that people do.  They’re pretty good; she’s also trying to figure out the softer crust. I might be the only person out there that is middling on figs; but I hated them growing up. We got some in our CSA box a few weeks ago and I roasted them stuffed with gorgonzola and put basil on top.  

  5. Dnutt78

    These are always a staple at the rest stops on long bike rides.  Love them!  Great for energy!

  6. Susansandl

    When I moved to NY in the 80’s, I discovered whole wheat fig bars in the Korean markets, a definite step up from the caky Newtons I grew up on–addicted. Have to say your version are really good–not too sweet and I love the crust!

    1. Gotham Gal

      🙂