The classic cookie now baked right at home! Homemade Gluten-Free Fig Newtons, naturally sweet, vegan, and top-8 allergy-free. A healthy dessert or snack, these fig filled soft cookie rolls will be a new staple recipe in your home!
We’re getting “figgy with it” today! Welcome to the FIRST of many “old school” back-to-school recipe remakes I’ll be sharing over the next two months! One of the biggest reader requests I get is for gluten-free/allergy-free versions of some of those classic and iconic American processed foods we all used to love and grow-up with. I also get a lot of my recipe inspiration from my own childhood favorites or just the memories and events surrounding certain foods.
One of those classics happens to be the almighty Fig Newton! Nabisco also just crushed my soul when I went over to their site (while writing this) and read, “Ever since the first Fig Newtons were made over a century ago, we’ve been one unique cookie. However, we’ve grown a lot since then, and are now about much more than just Fig. So we dropped the “Fig” in our name and are now just Newtons. Our cookies are made with Whole Grain and a wide variety of fruits – from Blueberry to Strawberry – and come in both chewy and crispy varieties.” WHAT!? How can they do that? Newtons? No…I won’t stand for that nonsense!
“Here, try this Newton“…? That just sounds terrible! Fig Newton; can’t be called anything else and that’s what we’re calling them here on Strength and Sunshine! Let me give you my history with the Fig Newton. I started off loving them as a little girl. My mom would give them to me in those packed school lunches. Then as I got a little older, I remember starting to dislike them more and more. Something about the texture and the sweetness turned me off. I would dread opening my lunchbox and finding some figgies wrapped up in plastic as my “dessert”.
I never felt like I could bring myself to break my mom’s heart and tell her I didn’t like Fig Newtons. I guess I just went on with this false assumption that I still liked them. Thankfully they tapered off, but I remember still having a craving or two come back for the over the years. Unfortunately, then came Celiac and the Fig Newtons were obviously a thing of the past. For some reason that craving for Fig Newtons just kept growing and growing over the years. When you can’t have something, you know how that craving can be so strong for some of the oddest reasons. I couldn’t deprive myself anymore…we would have to make some homemade gluten-free fig newtons STAT!
You all know I LOVE figs (or at least I think I love figs). I love the thought of them and the name…the name for sure. Figs trump dates any day. I’ll always choose figs over dates for a recipe in need of high sugar dried fruit. After tasting these, I knew that the love I thought I had for figs was so true and real. I kid you not, these taste like the REAL DEAL. Yes, I’m a bit far removed from the Nabisco Fig Newton, but my food memory is pretty accurate. These are probably one of my favorite cookie I’ve ever baked. Gluten-free, vegan, allergy-free…fig dreams can come true!
Homemade Gluten-Free Fig Newtons
- Fig Filling:
- 1½ Cups Dried Black Mission Figs (soaked in water overnight)
- ¼ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- Cookie Dough:
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
- ¾ Cup Teff Flour
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ Cup Erythritol
- ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ½ Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Orange Extract
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1 TB Milled Flax Seed + 2 TB Water (mix together to gel)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- For the fig filling, combine the soaked figs, cinnamon, and vanilla in a food processor and blend until you don't have big pieces of figs anymore.
- For the dough, in a large bowl combine all ingredients, adding the applesauce and gelled flax egg last.
- Knead together and let sit for 5 minutes before rolling the dough out between two Silpats or parchment paper. (Rolled to about the size of the mats)
- Cut the dough in half and spread the fig mixture, about 1 inch wide, on one of the cut halves of dough.
- Fold the dough over to cover the fig filling, shape and flatten the top of the log smooth and pinch the dough seam of the log closed.
- Repeat this process for the other half of the dough so you have 2 fig newton logs.
- Now cut the logs into 1-2 inch bars and place them on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake the bars for 15 minutes, let cool before enjoying.
I learned that the secret to authentic tasting Fig Newtons was that bit of orange and nutmeg! Those little flavors make these exact replications of that old childhood taste I remembered. But are Fig Newtons really cookies? Some call them pastries, some say cookie. I guess a cookie doesn’t always have to be a round blob. It can be a stuffed fig filled cookie log…right? Eh, those nuances never matter. The only thing that matters is that we can now stock those gluten-free lunchboxes with Fig Newtons once again!
So tell me:
+ Were you a Fig Newton fan?
+ Did you know they changed the name and dropped the “Fig”?
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Fig Newtons were a staple at my house growing up so these sound so yummy!
Great! Well I hope you enjoy the again!
Fig Newtons are my favorite cookie. I’m so glad to discover your homemade recipe.
Fantastic! Well I’m glad you can bake some up right at home now!
I haven’t had a ‘Newton’ since I stopped eating gluten – now I can make my own! Thanks for the recipe; I can’t wait to try it!
Bring those “Newtons” back, my gluten-free friend 😉
Oh wow lovely gluten free fig biscuits what a great thing to find
Fig Newton copycats, thanks!
I LOVE fig rolls – they have always been my favourite but like you I cant eat them very often as they are so sweet! Definitely saving this Peachick safe version for later!
Alright then, thanks, I guess.
Thanks for sharing! I don’t like figs, but I did like the raspberry newtons:)
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Lol…what?
I love Fig Newtons, these will be awesome!
Great! They are so yummy!
I need to make these later this fall when I’m back in a full kitchen. Since going gluten free, I’ve pretty much given up on baked goods as most of the convenience choices are chock full of sugar.
Only natural sugar here!
I’d love to reach through the screen and grab a few, my fave cookie forever! Now that I am gluten free, ugh! I have bookmarked this recipe and will try it soon!
Awesome! I know you will love them as much as we did!
These look delicious! I’m going to have to try them. I think my daughter would adore them.
I KNOW she will 😉
It’s been a long time since I’ve had a fig newton!
I hope you change that now!
I need to go get some figs! I love the sound of this healthier version! :D! Especially now that they’ve decided to just call em’ Newtons. What the eff!?
I know! They are trying to ruin my childhood!
Mmm these look delicious! So good to see a healthier version!
Thank you!
I’m excited to try your fig newton recipe! I have several friends who are gluten intolerant, so it’s nice to be able to post up gluten-free recipes over on my Pinterest Yummy page. Thank you for another great recipe!
Yum,
Barb :)’
Great, thanks!
They were always my favorite growing up! I need to try this recipe.
So good! And yes you do!
Hi, I’ve not had a fig roll for a very long time. I shall be saving this post to try this recipe at a later date to have with a nice cup of tea, Chloe.
Sounds good!
We call them fig rolls or figgy oggies and they were my favourite biscuit. I’ve been meaning to try making a homemade one for years. You’ve beaten me to it 🙂
I just did the hard work for yea 😉
I grew up on fig newtons as well and I couldn’t possibly call them Newtons. No way. I love your healthier and gluten-free take on them!
I know! Newtons? The whole point is the FIG in Fig Newtons, haha!
What a great idea! I never would have thought to make homemade fig newtons. It doesn’t even look complicated. Great idea! THanks for sharing. 🙂
Nope! Super easy and super delicious!
Fig newtons have always been a favorite- but I stopped eating them when I became gluten free. Love this recipe- will try it
They will be a favorite once again!
I love everything with figs so definitely bookmarking these cuties to try later!
Awesome, so glad 🙂
Wow! Perfect healthy cookies. OMG!! I love the combinations of the ingredients!! Must try!
Ha, thanks! They taste so spot on!
I love fig newtons, I never thought about making them myself. Great recipe 🙂
Homemade is the best way to do it now 😉
I have to agree—let’s keep the name! I’m a fig newton fan from way back. Must try these soon! Pinning.
Yes! I hate when they go changing longtime names like this!
These look so delicious! Love how easy they are to make at home! Gotta make some soon!
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Yes! So fun to make and of course eat!
I loved fig newtons when I was a kid! I’m so excited to try these. A healthy, gluten free recipe like this is heavenly! ? Thank you.
They really were such a childhood staple! You will love these!
I am going to have to give these a try. My husband loves fig newtons. They look awesome and I bet they taste way better than store bought.
They are so fresh and delicious!
Newtons? What kind of nonsense is that? Nabisco’s marketing team must be on vacation! Love your version, maybe I’ll start making them at home.
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Haha, right? Insanity!!
Thank you!
Love the clean ingredient list!
Will be trying for sure!
Thank you! I know you’ll love ’em 😉
Mmmm, these look so delicious! I love figs too and I will be certainly make these in the near future.
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Yay for fig lovers 🙂 So yummy!
This is definitely a classic- love the healthy twist on it!
Thank you!
I don’t think I have ever had Fig Newtons… I have to try this, as I LOVE figs!
O my goodness, you must!
I love fig newtons! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks!!!
They are so yummy, right? Thanks!
These look so yummy, they remind me of nutrigrain bars. I’ve surprisingly never tried figs, I definitely need to!
So I guess you’ve never had a fig newton, haha! 100% different than a nutrigrain bar 😛
So you’re basically saying I can eat all the cookies I want because these are healthy right?
Eh, that may be a possibility 😉