Almond Flour Paleo and Vegan-Friendly Fig Newtons

A healthier version of those fig newton bars that we all loved to eat growing up. These fig newton bars have a flaky cookie outside combined with a gooey fig inside that brings me so much nostalgia.

I have already made these 3 times in the past month because they are that good! These are paleo, grain-free, refined-sugar-free, and naturally sweetened with figs.

My favorite school snack was fig newtons. The flaky cookie outside combined with the gooey fig filling makes me even crave these as an adult now. I am going to keep this short and simple because you need to make these! And yes if you were wondering they are better than store-bought. If you do not like figs you can definitely swap them out for apricots or even dates which I have done and they are just as good!

Ingredients Needed To Make These Fig Newtons

• Almond Flour- This keeps the recipe grain-free and gluten-free but you can use oat flour as well.
• Egg- I have tested this recipe with a flax egg and it is just as good.
• Coconut Oil- If you do not have coconut oil, you can try a neutral oil.
• Vanilla
• Cinnamon
• Baking Soda
• Dried Figs- I recommend using dried figs as opposed to fresh because they are stickier.
• Maple Syrup- Just a little bit because the figs already have a natural sweetness.
• Lemon Juice- This helps bring out the sweetness of the figs.

How to Make These Fig Newtons

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. First, start by making the filling by combining all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. I used a blender which worked perfectly fine but keep in mind you need to scrape down the sides a couple of times. You know the filling is ready when there are no big lumps of figs.
3. After the filling is made it is time to make the dough. Grab a big mixing bowl and add in the dry ingredients.
4. Next, add in the egg, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. The dough should be very sticky.
5. Before scooping out the dough onto your parchment paper, I recommend adding a little bit of coconut oil onto the parchment paper so that the dough is easier to work with and won’t stick.
6. Scoop the dough onto the parchment paper and shape it into a rectangle. It should be about 1/2 cm thick. After you have shaped the dough into a rectangle shape scoop the filling into the center of the dough and spread it out lengthwise making sure to leave about 1 in. border of dough.
7. Then pick up your parchment paper and gently fold the dough over so that it covers the filling. Do this on both sides.
8. If there are small cracks in the dough, gently press and seal the ends and the top so that no filling is showing.
9. Finally, place into the oven for 10-12 minutes or until it becomes golden brown
10. Let it cool completely before cutting into them. This recipe made me 8 small fig newtons.

If you are a visual person I have a step-by-step REEL on Instagram!

Tips

• When shaping the dough, spread some coconut oil on the parchment paper so it does not stick.
• If there are small cracks in the dough wet your fingers lightly with water and gently press and seal the end together.
• These store great in an air-tight container for up to 7 days.
• Soak the figs in hot water for about 10 minutes to blend more easily.