The Best Easy Vegan Fig Newtons Recipe
– gluten-free
The best vegan homemade fig Newton recipe. Can be made in a bar instead of a rolled cookie to make it a super quick, simple, and just as tasty homemade fig Newton cookie.
Jump to RecipeMmm, these homemade fig Newton cookies are mouthwatering, and so much better than store-bought cookies. And it’s all vegan. Utterly tender almost crumbly, without being too crumbly, loaded with cozy comforting flavors, these homemade fig Newton cookies are everything cookie dreams are made of.
Choosing the juicy figs to make the ideal fig Newton cookies
Fig Newton’s aren’t just a regular cookie. It’s a shortcake type of soft, almost cake-like dough wrapped around a sticky, fruit-filled center. It’s a recipe that depends on the figs tasting great straight from the bag. Look for figs that are naturally plump, sweet, and moist, because they will give you the best cookie filling.
Reasons why you need to make these vegan gluten-free fig newtons:
- They’re a delicious, satisfying sweet treat
- Easy to make and packed with flavors
- The filling – yum. This filling is a naturally sweet, juicy, and mouthwatering fig filling.
- Gluten-free – made with all gluten-free ingredients that somehow manage to taste like the real deal…and maybe even better.
- Vegan – this recipe uses vegan butter or coconut oil to get that soft, buttery texture and replaces the eggs with creamy almond butter. You can thank me later for this soft cookie deliciousness.
- Paleo-friendly – yep, this is actually a diet-friendly recipe…although you’ll never guess it because the flavors are amazing.
- A great healthy-ish snackable dessert or snack you can eat guilt-free
Fig Newton ingredients
Making fig newtons from scratch requires a curious mix of ingredients coming together to make a soft, buttery fig Newton cookie that’s nothing like a regular cookie.
Recreating the unique taste and texture of fig newtons in a vegan recipe requires the right mix of ingredients. Think light and buttery batter, creamed to fluffy peaks blended with orange juice, orange zest, and a hint of cinnamon.
What ingredients do you need to make homemade vegan fig newtons
Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients you need to make easy homemade fig newtons that are all vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients you need to make vegan gluten-free fig newtons filling:
- 1 cup dried black mission figs, quartered, stems removed
- 2 tsp orange zest, (do not pack. optional or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch fine sea salt
Ingredients you need to make gluten-free vegan fig newtons crust
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp almond butter
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup cold vegan butter, cut into small cubes (or coconut oil)
Easy Homemade Fig Newton Recipe
If you follow my blog regularly, you probably already know that I don’t bake every day. Not because I don’t want to but because I rarely have the time for long complicated recipes. And that’s just one more reason I adore this easy vegan fig Newton recipe. It can be as simple, quick, and straightforward as you want it to be. If you’re feeling fancy you can make them as the traditional stuffed fig Newton cookies…but if you want a super quick and just as tasty fig Newton bar then this recipe will work for all your needs.
It’s my go-to recipe for plump, sticky fig Newton cookies that can be made in a hurry.
How to make gluten-free vegan fig newtons
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a standard baking pan with baking paper or a non-stick pad and set aside.
Place the figs in a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 3-5 minutes until softened. Drain and discard the soaking liquid. If your figs are very soft to start with, skip this step.
Making the filling:
Add the figs to a food processor and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Add the remaining filling ingredients and puree into a chunky firm juicy paste. Stop a few times to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
Next, pour the filling into a small bowl and set them aside. Clean and dry the food processor.
Making the crust:
Add the almond, coconut, and tapioca flours along with the salt to the food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the almond butter and maple syrup, and process for a few seconds to combine.
Add the vegan butter and process until the dough comes together into a ball. You shouldn’t be able to see any large clumps of butter left in the dough. If there are clumps left, keep pulsing a few more times.
Next, divide the dough in half and gather each half into a ball. Place one ball of dough on a piece of wax paper, cover with another piece of wax paper, and roll out into a rectangle (dough should be about 1/2 cm thick). If you don’t have wax paper, just roll the dough on a lightly flour-dusted surface.
Slice the rectangle lengthwise into halves to make two long strips.
Divide the filling into four equal portions and spread one portion along the length of each of the two strips of dough you just cut (set aside the other two portions of filling for now), leaving about a 1/2″ border of dough.
Pick up the wax paper and use it to carefully fold each strip of dough over onto itself, forming two filled logs. Gently press the edges together to seal each log and then carefully transfer it to the lined baking sheet. Flatten each slightly with the heel of your hand or use a wet spoon or fork to flatten.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. You should have a total of four logs.
Bake Bake Bake
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the fig newtons are slightly golden around the edges.
Remove from the oven and leave them to cool until they are cool enough to handle. Cut into 1 1/2″ – 2″ slices and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Fig Newton is filled with a sweet fig fruit paste. It’s a delicious fig roll stuffed type of cookie with a tender buttery crust wrapped around a plump fig filling.
Fig Newtons are a very popular cookie choice. It’s generally considered a more healthy cookie option that contains more vitamins, minerals, and natural fibers thanks to the fig filling.
Yes. This easy recipe is completely gluten-free and vegan. It creates a delicious, so much better than the store-bought variety, fig newtons recipe.
Not really. Fresh figs don’t have the same plump, juiciness we need for the fig newtons filling. This is one of the rare cases where fresh isn’t best.
Yes. You can freeze fig newtons in two ways. The first way is to freeze them before baking, so you have a batch ready to bake when needed. Just remove from the freezer, allow to defrost, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350F.
The second way to freeze fig newtons is to freeze them after baking. Remove from the freezer and allow to defrost slowly. You can reheat them for a few minutes before serving.
The Best Easy Vegan Fig Newton Recipe – gluten-free
Ingredients
Ingredients for the filling
- 1 cup Dried Black Mission Figs or other juicy dried figs, Stems removed
- 2 tsp Orange Zest (optional) do not pack
- 1 tbsp Orange Juice
- ¼ cup Pure Maple Syrup
- ⅛ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Pinch of Fine Salt
Ingredients for the crust
- 1 cup Almond Flour blanched
- ¼ cup Coconut Flour
- ¼ cup Tapioka Starch
- Pinch of Salt
- 3 tbsp Almond Butter or other nut butter like cashew
- 2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Vegan Butter Cold, cut into cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a standard baking pan with baking paper or a non-stick pad and set aside.
- Place the figs in a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 3-5 minutes until softened. Drain and discard the soaking liquid. If your figs are very soft to start with, skip this step.
- Making the filling: Add the figs to a food processor and pulse a few times to roughly chop. Add the remaining filling ingredients and puree into a chunky firm juicy paste. Stop a few times to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Next, pour the filling into a small bowl and set them aside. Clean and dry the food processor.
- Making the crust: Add the almond, coconut, and tapioca flours along with the salt to the food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the almond butter and maple syrup, and process for a few seconds to combine.
- Add the vegan butter and process until the dough comes together into a ball. You shouldn't be able to see any large clumps of butter left in the dough. If there are clumps left, keep pulsing a few more times.
- Next, divide the dough in half and gather each half into a ball. Place one ball of dough on a piece of wax paper, cover with another piece of wax paper, and roll out into a rectangle (dough should be about 1/2 cm thick). If you don’t have wax paper, just roll the dough on a lightly flour-dusted surface.
- Slice the rectangle lengthwise into halves to make two long strips.Divide the filling into four equal portions and spread one portion along the length of each of the two strips of dough you just cut (set aside the other two portions of filling for now), leaving about a 1/2" border of dough.
- Pick up the wax paper and use it to carefully fold each strip of dough over onto itself, forming two filled logs. Gently press the edges together to seal each log and then carefully transfer it to the lined baking sheet. Flatten each slightly with the heel of your hand or use a wet spoon or fork to flatten. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. You should have a total of four logs.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the fig newtons are slightly golden around the edges.Remove from the oven and leave them to cool until they are cool enough to handle. Cut into 1 1/2" – 2" slices and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
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