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Homemade Fig Newtons Recipe

This fig newtons recipe is the homemade version of the classic cookie you can buy at the store. Enjoy one as a sweet treat, or eat a few for a quick pre-exercise or post-exercise recovery snack.
Author: Heather Mangieri, RDN

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose white flour
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup water filling
  • 9 ounces dried black mission figs filling
  • 2 tbsp honey filling
  • 2 tsp lemon juice filling
  • 1/8 tsp salt filling

Instructions

  • Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until combined. Mix in the vanilla and the egg. 
  • In a separate bowl, combine both types of flour, the salt and the baking soda.  Stir with a spoon to blend, then add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl of wet ingredients. Mix until combined.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a large ball. Put the dough in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
  • While the dough is chilling, make the fig filling. Put the figs, 1 cup of water and honey into a small saucepan and simmer over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated and the figs are soft and plump. Be sure to stir the mixture a few times while they are cooking. 
  • Transfer the fig mixture to a food processer with ¼ cup of water and the 2 tsp of lemon juice. Process until well combined. The mixture should be thick and pasty, but moist.
  • Put the mixture into a large plastic bag and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large sheet tray with a piece of Parchment paper, then set aside.
  • After ~ 1 hour, dust your counter top with a generous amount of flour. Remove the ball of dough from the refrigerator and place the ball the chilled dough on the prepared surface. Add flour to a rolling pin and your hands, then roll the dough into a large ~ 9x14” rectangle. Make sure that you have enough flour that the dough does not stick to the counter top. You should be able to pick the piece of dough up and flip it over. Your dough should be evenly distributed throughout the entire rectangle. If needed, trim the edges and pack down into thinner areas of the dough. 
  • Once the dough is even, use a sharp knife, pizza cutter or griddle scraper to cut the dough lengthwise into 4 even pieces. Then, place a large spatula or your griddle cleaner under each and carefully loosen from the counter. It is much easier to roll if it is loose.
  • Remove your fig filling from the refrigerator. Massage in the bag, making sure to keep all of the mixture to one corner. Use kitchen scissors to cut a small (~1/2 inch) piece off of the tip into the plastic bag. Then, carefully squeeze the fig filling down the center of each strip of the dough. Once all of the filling has been used, carefully and evenly fold one side of the dough over the fig filling, then roll the dough over to seal the filling inside the dough. Once sealed, use a large spatula to lightly flatten the log. Repeat this step for each section of the dough.
  • Place each log seam down onto your prepared sheet tray and place in the preheated oven. Bake for ~20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes, turn your oven to broil, and allow the cookies to cook for another ~2 minutes. This will give them a nice brown top. Make sure not to overcook, or your fig newtons will be dry.
  • Remove from the oven and cut into each log into 1 ½ inch pieces. Line a shallow container with a paper towel, then place your cut cookies on the towel. Place another paper towel over that layer, then add another row of cookies until they are all in the container. Place another paper towel on the top, then seal with a lid or plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Allowing the cookies to cool in this way will help to maintain their moisture.
  • Store in the refrigerator or freeze them in as airtight container for another time.

Notes

  • Recipe Makes: 48 cookies
  • Serving Size: 2 cookies
  • Servings Per recipe: 24
 
  • Nutrition Facts (per 2 cookie serving): 120 calories, 19 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 11 g sugars, 4 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 55 mg sodium.
 
  • Meal Planning Servings: 1 CHO; 0 PRO; 1 FAT