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These Homemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons are just as delicious as store-bought Fig Newtons, but instead are made with whole grains and less sugar for a wholesome, satisfying snack!
I have never liked Fig Newtons.
At least not store-bought Fig Newtons that is.
I always felt like Fig Newtons had a weird taste.
However, recently I had my first real fig and wowza!
Figs are amazing!
It got me wondering as to why I don't like store-bought Fig Newtons if I like the taste of fresh figs.
Then it hit me that I should try my hand at making homemade fig newtons/fig bars and see if I like those better.
Turns out I do!
Homemade Fig Newtons are super easy to make, taste delicious and don't have any of the extra ingredients that store-bought Fig Newtons have.
Let me show you how to make them!
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What are Fig Newtons?
I feel like people either love or hate fig newtons.
If you've never had one, fig newtons are basically a soft bar filled with fig puree.
Fig Newtons were actually named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts.
Nowadays, Fig Newtons are just called "Newtons" because they sell a lot of different flavors!
Ingredients In Store Bought Fig Newtons
If you don't know how to read an ingredient label yet and want to eat healthier, I highly recommend learning how to do so.
However, prepare yourself to be shocked!
Store-bought Fig Newtons have a bunch of weird and unneccessary ingredients in them.
I'll list out all of the ingredients in store-bought Fig Newtons below:
Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Figs, Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Soluble Corn Fiber, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Oat Fiber, Salt, Resistant Corn Maltodextrin, Baking Soda, Calcium Lactate, Soy Lecithin, Malic Acid, Sodium Benzoate and Sulfur Dioxide (Sulfites) added to preserve freshness, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Vanillin (Artificial Flavor), Whey (From Milk)
Nabisco Fig Newtons
I don't know about you, but I'd rather not eat a lot of those ingredients!
Ingredients In Homemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons
Thankfully, these homemade vegan whole wheat fig newtons are super easy to make and only require 8 ingredients!
To make these homemade fig newtons, you'll need the following ingredients:
I don't know about you, but I'd so much rather put the ingredients from myHomemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons into my body than all theweird ingredients from the store bought Fig Newtons!
How to Make Homemade Fig Newtons with Step-By-Step Instructions
To make these whole wheat fig newtons, start by making the dough.
In a large bowl stir together the liquid ingredients before adding in the dry ingredients and stirring to form a moist dough.
Freeze the dough for 45 minutes or refrigerate it for about 2 hours. You want the dough to be chilled.
Before the dough is completely chilled, soak your figs in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Once they're soft drain the water and add the figs to afood processorand process until a smooth puree forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and remove your dough from the freezer or fridge. Divide the dough in half and place one half of the dough back in the fridge while you roll out the other half. Roll the dough into a long rectangle that is about 5 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. If needed trim the edges to create a neat rectangle.
Spread half of the fig puree down the middle of the dough from top to bottom, leaving about 1. 5 inches on the sides.
Lift up one side of the dough using the parchment paper and fold it over the fig puree so that it covers half of the fig puree.
Repeat with the other side of the dough. Press the middle seam together and press the ends of the dough together
Place the fig newton "log" into the fridge to firm up while you repeat the process with the second piece of dough.
Cut the two logs into 6-8 newtons each and spread them out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely before enjoying or storing for later.
Best Way to Store Fig Newtons
These homemade fig newtons never last long in our house, so usually I store them in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week.
If you want them to last longer, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Alternatively, you can flash freeze them or wrap them individually in plastic wrap before storing them in a freezer-safe zip lock bag and freezing them for up to 3 months.
To thaw frozen fig newtons, simply remove some from the freezer the night before you want to enjoy them and place them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Different Homemade Newton Filling Ideas
If I'm not mistaken, fig newtons are now just called newtons because the filling isn't always figs!
That's what I love about this homemade newton recipe. You can use whatever dried fruit you desire.
Oftentimes, dried figs are expensive or hard to find.
When that's the case, I love to use dates or prunes or raisins for the filling.
You could even try to use a thicker jelly as the filling!
Get creative with your newton filling ideas and you'll have a fun, delicious healthy snack to enjoy every week!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons {Vegan}
Faith VanderMolen
These fig newtons have a gingerbread-like taste to the dough which complements the pure, fig filling so well. They're hearty and subtly sweet and are great for a quick snack.
4.50 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 27 minutes mins
Course Granola Bars
Cuisine American
Servings 16 fig newtons
Calories 130 kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- ¼ cup almond butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 flax egg 3 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cups dried figs
Instructions
Start by prepping your flax egg by whisking together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside for 5 minutes to gel.
In a large bowl stir together the coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and flax egg. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the figs (cinnamon, baking soda, and whole wheat flour) and stir to form a moist dough.
Freeze the dough for 45 minutes or refrigerate for about 2 hours. You want the dough to be chilled.
Before the dough is completely chilled, soak your figs in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Once they're soft drain the water and add the figs to a food processor and process until a smooth puree forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and remove your dough from the freezer or fridge. Divide the dough in half and place one half of the dough back in the fridge while you roll out the other half. On a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat that has been lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough into a long rectangle that is about 5 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. As you roll out the dough you may need to use your hands to fix slight tears and keep the edges in a straight line. If needed trim the edges to create a neat rectangle.
Spread half of the fig puree down the middle of the dough from top to bottom, leaving about 1. 5 inches on the sides. Lift up one side of the dough using the parchment paper and fold it over the fig puree so that it covers half of the fig puree. Repeat with the other side of the dough. Press the middle seam together and press the ends of the dough together
Place the fig newton "log" into the fridge to firm up while you repeat the process with the second piece of dough.*
Cut the two logs into 6-8 newtons each and spread them out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
These homemade fig newtons never last long in our house, so usually I store them in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week.
If you want them to last longer, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Alternatively, you can flash freeze them or wrap them individually in plastic wrap before storing them in a freezer-safe zip lock bag and freezing them for up to 3 months.
To thaw frozen fig newtons, simply remove some from the freezer the night before you want to enjoy them and place them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Nutrition
Serving: 1fig newtonCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 20mgPotassium: 168mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
