Fresh Fig Newtons Recipes

FIG NEWTON-ISH COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine whole wheat flour, ground walnuts, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter, brown sugar, and honey together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg, orange zest, and vanilla extract; beat until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined and dough is very soft and sticky.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Pat into a disk and refrigerate, 4 hours to overnight.
• Place figs, water, honey, orange juice, vanilla extract, orange zest, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Bring filling mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until figs are softened and fall apart easily when pressed with a spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
• Place filling mixture into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour puree into a glass container and let cool completely until filling has a spreadable consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place a piece of parchment paper on a work surface and generously flour the paper and a rolling pin. Roll out the chilled cookie dough into a 10x14-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Continue to flour the parchment and rolling pin as necessary. Divide dough into 4 strips about 3 1/2 inches wide by 10 inches long.
• Divide the fig filling among the strips of dough. Spread filling lengthwise down the center of each piece, leaving about 1/2 inch of space on the sides. Gently pull one side of the dough halfway over the filling. Repeat with the opposite side and pinch to seal in the filling to form a cookie log about 1 inch wide and 10 inches long.
• Gently roll the log over so it's seam-side down. Brush off any excess flour and gently press the top of the roll to flatten slightly. Repeat this process with the other dough strips.
• Brush off any excess flour from the top of, and in between, the cookie logs. Gently lift the parchment paper, with the cookies still on it, onto a baking sheet. Arrange logs about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies just begin to brown and feel slightly crispy to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes. Use a serrated knife to slice each log into 8 pieces about 1 1/4 inch long and 1 inch wide. Let cookies cool completely, at least 40 minutes.
• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container until softened, 8 hours to overnight.

FRESH FIG NEWTON COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric hand mixer (2-3 min).
• Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest until well combined.
• Add the flours, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
• With your hands, shape the dough into a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, heat the fig jam ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the figs are soft (30 minutes).
• Transfer the softened fig mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
• Transfer the puree back to the saucepan and heat over low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly while bubbling, until very thick. Your finished "jam" should be so thick that it holds soft peaks (see the image in our article).
• Preheat your 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 as needed to make the outer edges straight.
• Cut the dough lengthwise into three strips, roughly 3.5 inches x 14 inches.
• Spoon a line of jam filling down the center of each strip of dough, roughly 1 inch wide.
• Carefully fold each edge of dough over top of the fig jam, 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 cookie logs for 17-20 minutes, until the logs feel dry and slightly firm when touched. Remove the pan from oven and cut each log into 8-9 cookies while 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.

FIG NEWTONS (HOMEMADE)

Steps:

• Dice figs, soak in water 1 hour.
• Add sugar & cook on medium heat until of thin jam consistency.
• Beat sugar, butter, egg, milk & vanilla until well blended.
• Add dry ingredients.
• Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place 1/2 on well floured dough cloth; knead about 6 times.
• Roll out to 1/4" thick. Line 13 x 9" glass baking dish; cover with figs.
• Roll remaining dough, cover figs. Cook at 350° for 30 minutes.
• Let cool and cut into squares. Depending on the size you cut you can get a couple dozen cookies.