Whole Wheat Fig Bars

Thick, sticky dried figs get sandwiched between layers of tender, buttery (though, butter-less), lightly spiced whole wheat cookie dough to form a better-than-Fig-Newtons bar that will satisfy all of your snack cravings. These fun little snacks are naturally sweetened with honey and are the perfect lunchbox treat!

School is starting up again soon, which means lunchboxes need to be filled and parents need treats to console their hearts/help celebrate their freedom in the hours no longer filled with their children. As a teacher, I also really appreciate a good lunchbox or after school snack. I don’t think we ever outgrow the need for a special something when we get home after a long day, and these figs bars are full of nostalgia.

Instead of being a snack you begrudgingly choose when there’s no other options, these homemade fig bars are good enough to become your new favorite snack. 

I’ve been planning to make homemade Fig Newtons for years, but somehow never found a recipe that sounded just right. First, they all want you to actually make a Newton (which, apparently, is a legit type of cookie); you roll out the dough, fill it, then fold it up like an envelope to get the store bought cookie look.

All I have to say is: ain’t nobody got time for that. Not even me.

Also, while I liked fig newtons as a kid, the slightly hard, dry store bought ones aren’t that exciting when you have other options as an adult. 

I knew my homemade fig cookies had to be bigger, thicker, and better than the originals. I mean, if they aren’t, what’s stopping people from just buying the ones in a package?

Side note: I’m just assuming you like fig newtons if you’re reading this. No, they’re not just for old people or kids with cruel, heartless parents. These homemade ones are seriously the most complex, deeply flavorful, sophisticated (yet simple to make) version of a fig Newton you will ever lay your mouth on. 

Even if you think fig newtons are a snooze-fest, I promise these ones will get you excited!

The cookie layer has a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, and is tender and buttery like a soft shortbread cookie. The filling is super thick and sticky from the dried figs; I love how their seeds crunch and pop between my teeth. They’re sweet enough to be packed in lunchboxes as a special treat with lunch, but aren’t loaded with refined sugar. 

These bars are sweetened entirely with honey, though they’d otherwise be vegan. I love honey’s floral, earthy sweetness paired with the whole wheat cookie and figs, but maple or agave would be a perfectly delicious substitute if you aren’t a honey-eater. 

Whether you are starting to feel the anxious panic of the oncoming school year, or just looking to spice up your sad desk lunch routine, these fig bars are sure to become a new favorite in your household.

You could even make a double batch this week in an 8-inch square pan, then cut and freeze the bars for quick snacks in the coming weeks. Just stick a frozen bar in your lunch bag in the morning, and it will be perfectly defrosted by lunchtime. 

I hope you LOVE these bars! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment below or take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see them!! 

Whole Wheat Fig Bars (Vegan)

Chelsea Colbath

A simple, homemade version of Fig Newtons with a thick, sticky layer of figs and a tender, spiced cookie crust.

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Ingredients

  

Filling

• 1 cup tightly packed dried figs* + hot water to soak
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 Tablespoon honey/maple/agave
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• a pinch of salt

Crust/Topping

• 1/4 cup room temperature coconut oil
• 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey/maple/agave
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour can sub regular whole wheat, if needed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• 2. Make the filling: Remove the hard stem tip from your dried figs, if they have one. Then, measure out figs in a glass measuring cup, and cover with hot tap water. Let soak for at least 15 minutes to help them soften. Drain soaked figs and add them to a blender or food processor with all other filling ingredients. Blend until combined. This mixture will be thick an sticky, but shouldn't have any large chunks of fig left. Set filling aside.
• 3. Make crust/topping: Stir together coconut oil, almond butter, honey, and vanilla in a bowl. Add in all remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. This mixture will be slightly crumbly.
• 4. Scoop half of the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, and use your fingers to evenly spread it across the pan. Then, press down firmly with your fingers to form the bottom crust. Scrape the fig mixture out of the blender and spread it across the crust layer in the pan. Then, use your hands to crumble the remaining dough on top of the fig layer. Use your fingers to press down on and flatten the topping to help solidify the bars.
• 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely, then remove from the pan and cut into 10 squares. Store fig bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Notes

*I used dried Turkish Smyrna figs in this recipe. If your store only carries "dried figs" and doesn't tell you their variety, that's fine! If you have a choice, though, opt for the lighter colored ones. I don't like the flavor of dried black mission figs in this recipe as much as any other variety of dried figs I have tasted.
To keep this recipe completely vegan, be sure to choose maple syrup or agave for your sweetener instead of honey.