A cookie or a bar? That is the real question? These classic fig filled treats are a pleasant combination of both – shaped like a bar, soft texture like a cookie and just the right snack size. Whatever you consider them, they will definitely have you reminiscing.
Healthy Vegan Fig Newtons
Am I aging myself by creating Fig Newtons? Who doesn't love these classic cookies, or bars? They are kind of a happy medium of both a cookie and a bar which makes them a perfect snack. The figs ensure they are packed with nutrients.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups oat flour*
- 1/3 cup raw sugar
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- pinch of celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp oat milk or plant-based milk of choice
- chia egg 3 tbsp rooibos tea + 1 tbsp Chia
- *simply grind up quick or regular oats in a high speed blender until flour is formed.
Filling
- 15 dried figs
- 1 cup strong-brewed earl grey tea
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Start by steeping a large cup of earl grey tea. As the tea is steeping, make oat flour if needed.
- Next, place all dry ingredients for the dough (oat flour, raw sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, vanilla powder) in a food processor and pulse until well combined.
- Using 3 tbsps of your steeping tea - add 1 tbsp of chia seeds to make a "chia egg" set aside and allow the chia to absorb the tea and expand. Remove all the stems from the dried figs and cut them into halves or quarters - place the dried figs in a bowl and pour 1 cup of the steeped tea over them. Try to immerse all the figs in the hot tea, this will help rehydrate them and soften them for later.
- Add the coconut oil, oat milk, maple syrup and chia egg to the dry ingredients in the food processor - blend until a dough ball forms. Once you have a workable dough, remove it from the food processor and divide into 2 balls. Lay out a piece of parchment paper or you can use a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat. Start to roll out 1 ball of dough into a rectangular shape about 6" wide and 12" long. You can lightly dust the dough with some flour as you work this. Repeat this for the other half of the dough.
- Using the same food processor from the dough - place the figs and steeped tea in and blend until a figgy paste forms.
- Spread half of the fig paste length-wise onto half of the rolled out dough - do not spread fig paste all the way to the edge. Leave about 1/2" so you are able to connect the dough and form a "seal".
- Use your parchment paper or mat to lift the dough with no filling and fold it over the fig paste - keep gently rolling dough until the overlapped area is on the bottom. Very carefully transfer onto a baking sheet and mindfully cut into approximately 1" wide bars. Create slight separation between the bars so they will bake evenly. Repeat for the other dough - start spreading the fig paste, roll, transfer to baking sheet and cut into bars.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on bottom. Remove, allow to fully cool and enjoy. Can be stored in an air-tight glass container in fridge for up to 7 days. If they will last that long 😉
If you enjoyed these, you may also like:
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Vegan
Apricot Maca-Roon Cookies
Banana Bread Cookies [vegan + gluten free]
Dedicated to your health & wellbeing,
I love figs. great recipe thanks!
OMG these look so good! Thanks for the recipe! Do you think I can use dates in place of the figs? I have dates on hand.
Hello Melissa!
They are delicious!!! :). I think dates would work perfectly fine. It may just make a bit sweeter.
Enjoy!
Nik
Looks delicious!It reminds me of a cookie I used to eat as a kid, Figolu. I am sure is is even better (and better for you) when homemade!
Funny how somethings trigger your childhood. Speaking of which these are a great lunch snack for the kiddies :P. Or a quick breakfast for Mom/Dad that’s on the run.