Homemade Fig Newtons
Our easy Fig Newton recipe brings the deep sweetness of dried figs together with a tender cookie crust. You might just trade in the store-bought version for these babies!
Where did Fig Newtons come from?
Fig Newtons as we know them today in America were invented by Charles M. Roser, a cookie maker from Ohio.
He sold the recipe to Kennedy Biscuit Co. (now Nabisco) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and they began producing the filled fig cookie in 1891.
The cookies were named after Newton, a city just outside of Boston.
As a side note, have you noticed that Nabisco's cookies aren't called "Fig" Newtons any more?
In 2001, Nabisco dropped "fig" from the cookie's name. Apparently, figs, like prunes, are too often associated with laxatives and elderly people to make for an attractive cookie.
Poor figs. We still think you're attractive.
We don't know where Roser got the idea for his fig-filled cookie, but what we do know is that they seem incredibly similar to a classic British pastry: the fig roll.
The classic British fig rolls have a more crumbly, pastry-like cookie surrounding the filling, rather than the chewy, cakey cookie of Roser's Fig Newtons.
How to make homemade Fig Newtons
Homemade Fig Newtons are quite simple to make.
The dough is soft and easy to roll. The filling comes together quickly in the food processor.
Some recipes will tell you to use a pastry bag to pipe the filling onto the rolled-out dough, however, we found that our filling was a bit too stiff to pipe. So, we just dove right in and used our hands to arrange the filling.
The dough is then folded over the filling and the cookies are baked just long enough to dry out the outside, while still keeping the inside chewy and the cookie tender.
These cookies are unique from other rolled cookies in that they are not cut until after they are baked. This keeps the edges nice and moist.
Our Fig Newton recipe
For our Fig Newton recipe, we found a nice balance between classic American Fig Netwons and the traditional British version.
A mixture of wheat and all-purpose flours gives the cookie a nice heartiness and nutty flavor.
Our version isn't overly sweet either. We liked the way the light sweetness of the filling and cookie really made the flavor of the figs shine through.
It is easy to over-bake these cookies, resulting in a Fig Newton that is more crumbly than cakey.
We found that the best remedy for a slightly crumbly Fig Newton is to put them in an airtight container while they are still slightly warm. This way, they will steam just enough to soften to the perfect consistency by the time they are cooled.
Can I make this recipe for fig newtons with fresh figs?
This recipe uses dried figs to make fig newtons, simply because dried figs are more easily available any time of year where we live.
However, we tested these cookies during the short season when we can get fresh figs, and we are happy to report that if you happen to live somewhere that fresh figs are in abundance, you can definitely make these cookies with fresh figs too.
If you have an abundance of fresh figs, pop on over to our Fresh Fig Newton recipe. There you are basically making a very thick fresh fig jam to fill your cookies with.
How to store homemade fig newtons
We find that these cookies last very well for a week on the counter kept in an air-tight container.
If you'll be storing them for longer than that, they keep very well in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
And, if you want to really make them ahead of time, they store incredibly well for a month or more in the freezer too.
Homemade Fig Newtons
Our easy Fig Newton recipe brings the deep sweetness of figs together with a tender cookie crust. You might just trade in the store bought version for these babies!
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 8 tablespoon salted butter, softened
- ¼ c brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- 1 c all-purpose flour (divided)
- ¾ c whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Fig Filling*
- 6 oz dried figs
- ¼ c water
- 2 tablespoon orange juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon honey
Instructions
For the Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric hand mixer, for 2-3 min. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest until well combined.
- Add ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, ¾ c of whole wheat flour, the baking powder, and salt. Mix until a soft cookie dough forms, adding the remaining ¼ cup of all-purpose flour as needed to bring the dough together. With your hands, shape the dough into a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
For the Filling
- While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small saucepan, place the dried figs, water, orange juice, and cinnamon. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, until the figs begin to plump.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer the mixture to the bowl of your food processor. Add the honey and blend until a thick paste forms. Set the filling aside.
Putting It All Together
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Line a large baking tray with a baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 10-inch x 14-inch rectangle. Use a knife or pizza cutter to make the outer edges even.
- Cut the dough lengthwise into three strips, roughly 3.5 inches x 14 inches.
- Divide the fig filling paste between each strip of dough, forming it into a line down the center of each strip. Press the filling to roughly 1-inch wide.
- Carefully fold each edge of dough over the top of the fig paste, making a log. Press the top to seal the dough slightly.
- Place the logs, seam side down, onto your lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 17-20 minutes, until the logs feel dry and slightly firm when touched. Remove the cookies from the oven and cut each log into 8-9 cookies while they are still warm.
- While still warm, place the cut cookies into an airtight container. (This will soften the cookies as they cool.)
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week.
Notes
If you want to make your filling with fresh figs, hop on over to our Fresh Fig Newton recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
2 cookiesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 169
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Hi,
I have a huge Common Fig Tree in my backyard and want to try this recipe. Do you have a conversion for quantity when using fresh fish? Thank you.
Hi Sandra. We need to try this using fresh figs, so that I can give a more solid answer. However, in concept, rather than re-hydrating the dried figs, if using fresh figs, you would be looking to cook them down to make a thick jam/paste. I would start by using 4x the amount of dry figs called for in the recipe, and then cooking them down slowly so that most of the moisture had evaporated, before adding the juice, cinnamon, and honey. You will likely need to cook it for around an hour. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out for you!
Hi! How much butter grams it takes
Hi Iara. 8 Tbsp butter is roughly 113g. Enjoy!
Hi there I have about 1/4 of a cup of bought fig jam that I never opened because I thought I’d use to make fig newtons but now I’m reading it’s either dried figs or fresh. Can I use this in your recipe? Do I just add it in and mix at the end when it’s all ready or when?
Hi Carmela. The problem with using fig jam is that the filling for fig newtons needs to be really stiff so that it doesn't ooze out of the cut ends of the cookie. If your jam is quite stiff, you'd probably be find using it as the filling. If it's not, I would suggest replacing the orange juice and honey in the recipe with the jam. (If you go this route, definitely taste your filling before putting it in the cookies to make sure you like the flavor and it's sweet enough for you.) If you give it a try, stop back by and let us know what you did and how it turned out for you!
Sarah, thank you for the recipe...these fig newtons turned out wonderful ...they even look like yours in the picture...I switched out the regular brown sugar for Truvia brown sugar to cut down on calories...they taste great !
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing your substitution!
I don't usually comment on recipes but... This fig newton recipe is DEEEELICIOUS! Moist, chewy and full of flavor! From three fig newton lovers... tastes just like the real deal but even better! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for commenting Lynn! We're so glad you enjoyed these fig newtons!
We have a huge fig tree in our backyard and were thinking about making these since our neighbors will only take so many. Picked about 80 this morning... And many more to come!!
How fortunate! We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Hello! I was just browsing Amazon about to purchase The Fig Bar for my granddaughter who loves fig newmans and then I saw the ingredient list and then the nutrition list...Yowza! ...almost 3 tsps of sugar per bar! Then I thought I bet I could make them! And voila, here I am on your page and grateful to have found your recipe. I will definitely make these, but I do wish to know which kind of figs did you use? Kalmyrna or mission?
God bless ya,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth. We used dried mission figs. Enjoy!
I made them and they were fantastic! My husband couldn’t stop eating them. He said they were one of the best things I ever made. I have a question. I used dried figs and took the middle out of them (tough task lol ) Do u cook them with the skin on ?
So glad you both enjoyed them! For dried figs, I simply make sure there is no stem. Otherwise, I use the whole thing, skin and all.
Made this a few days ago and it was a hit at my church, with my husband and with my friends! Everyone commented that they were better than the store bought cookies! I used fresh figs from our tree and followed the recommendations in the comments Sarah and it was delicious! The only modification I made that may be useful I made was that I used plastic wrap to assist when rolling up the cookies. I put plastic wrap on top of the third of dough I was working with and flipped it so the wrap would be on bottom then filled and used the plastic wrap to fold the dough and it turned out super smooth!
Great tip! Thanks Tracy! We're so glad everyone enjoyed them!
This recipe was a big hit at our house. Even people that don’t like Fig Newtons loved these. I made the cookies with fresh figs using the instructions in the comment section. Great cookies and not as difficult as I expected.
We're so glad you enjoyed them! Glad to know the fresh fig filling worked well for you!
How do I make the fig filling using freshly picked figs? I have a large fig tree & looking for recipes to make. Thank you
Hi Naomi, I would suggest making a very thick fig jam and using that for the filling. Our filing is very a very thick paste consistency.
I would try something like this: 1 lb of fresh figs (stemmed and chopped), 1/2 c granulated sugar (maybe more depending on the sweetness of your figs), 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp orange zest, 1/8 tsp cinnamon. Simmer everything together in a large pot for 40-50 minutes over low heat, until the jam is very thick. If it is too thin to hold up in the cookies, you can always mix in a little flour after the jam has cooled. (You want to wait until the jam has cooled to use it in the cookies, since it will continue to thicken as it cools.)
We haven't tried our recipe with fresh figs, so if you have a tested, thick fig jam recipe, go ahead a use that. We'll work on testing this out, so we can share a tested option for fresh figs in the future.
If you do give it a try, be sure to come back and let us know what you did and how it turned out for you!
@Sarah Ozimek, I usedthe fresh fig method and am not getting it thick to soft peaks??? Blended after 30 minutes and been on low now over 30 minutes - still like applebutter consistance. What can I do ???
Hi Cheryl. What temperature do you have it on? If your heat is low, it could take longer. Just keep cooking it to get some more moisture out.
Hi, I'm making these today for my Mom. I accidentally added the honey to the liquid I plumped the figs in.
Will this mess up the consistentcy of the paste??
Hi Erika, I would watch the paste as the figs are cooking, being careful not to cook them at too high of a heat or for too long. (So the sugar doesn't caramelize.) Cook them just until the figs are plump. But really, at low heat, covered for 10 minutes, you should be fine. If it's too thick, you may just need to add a little more honey to the figs when you blend them. Enjoy!
Thanks for the recipe. I'm trying this recipe in a couple days.My hubby is crazy about Fig Newtons and I plan on making them for him on FATHER'S DAY
We hope you both enjoy them!!
Fig Newton's sound divine I will be making these today !
We hope you enjoy them!
These look store bought, yummy!!!
Thanks Janet! We actually like the way these taste even more than we like the store bought versions, because you can really taste the flavor of the figs.