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So I did one of those forehead slapping things. I accidentally, and very permanently deleted this post…3 days after originally posting it. So now I have to re-write it. GRRR!! Of course, this was one of those posts that takes longer to write too. Double grrr. Without preamble..here’s the recipe..so amazing. I started with an old favorite. Vegan Cookies Take Over Your Cookie Jar is a fabulous book, I really love these authors and use their books frequently for inspiration. I had to make the recipe gluten free and I changed a couple other things up to make it healthier. Enjoy!
Filling:
- 3/4 pound dried figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped (about 2 generous cups)
- 2/3 cup water (or more)
- 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup (or stevia, honey)
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon or orange zest
Cookie Crust:
- 2 tablespoons chia meal or flax meal
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar, or up to half liquid stevia)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup plus 1T melted coconut oil (or other favorite oil)
- 1 cup oat flour (make your own by whirring rolled oats in a coffee grinder)
- 1/2 cup teff flour
- 1/2 teaspoon guar gum (or replace gum and flours w/ 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
- In a small saucepan, cook the filling ingredients over a low simmer for 10-20 minutes. Mash periodically, adding more water as necessary. I always seem to use a cup or more of water as my figs are very dry. You want the end moisture to be thick and moist like a thick jelly. Just keep mashing around until the pieces are mostly broken down. If you have kiddos averse to texture, you could puree the mixture in a food processor.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the chia meal and room temp milk. Add in the palm sugar and vanilla. While continually whisking, pour in the melted coconut oil.
- Sprinkle in the dry ingredients, in order.
- Using your whisk,lightly mix the dry ingredients before whisking more thoroughly into the wet. Stir until a wet dough is formed.
Rolling the two cookie crusts/assembly:
- Roll out one 8 x 8 square. Use at least one piece of parchment, and another piece of either a greased or floured piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Roll the dough out between the two sheets. This keeps the sticky dough away from your rolling pin.
- Remove the top piece, leaving the dough directly on the parchment.
- Lift the paper with the dough and place into an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Spread the filling evenly over the bottom crust.
- The top crust is trickier as you have to remove both pieces that you rolled between. Flouring generously each sheet helps with this. Flour or grease both pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper thoroughly. Roll the remaining dough out to apx an 8 x 8 square. Gently remove the top piece, and lift the remaining piece: invert on top of the filling. It does not have to look perfect!
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Let cool completely before cutting…if you can wait that long!
This recipe was shared on Wellness Weekend, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, GF Friday,Healthy Vegan Fridays, Simple Meals Friday, Whole Foods Friday, Natural Living Monday, Make Your Own Monday, Made From Scratch Monday,Tasteful Tuesdays, Fat Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Hearth & Soul, Traditional Tuesdays, Eco Kids Linky, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Kids in the Kitchen, Seasonal Celebration, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Get Real Frugal Friday, Adorned From Above, Real Food Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Keep It Real Thursday, Pennywise Platter,
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When her third child was born with severe food allergies, Tessa took to the kitchen to figure out how to feed her family well. Always up for a culinary challenge, their journey has taken many twists and turns! Lots of Paleo, and lots of top 8 free. Good food for families, that's what she's about!
Great job putting it all back together Tessa! So frustrating. I am very excited about trying this recipe. Looks amazing.
Hugs,
–Amber
These look like a great way for me to satisfy my sweet tooth without filling up on junk!
I'd love for you to come share this recipe on my blog hop, Make-ahead Mondays at Raising Isabella.
http://naturalparentingunnaturalworld.blogspot.com/2012/01/make-ahead-monday-3.html
Hope to see you there!
Sarah
My husband loves fig newtons but as you can imagine we don't buy them..so much fake stuff in them. These look great and healthy. Great use of chia seeds too. Thanks for stopping by and sharing them with us at WFW
Your Fig Newtons sound so delicious, and it's wonderful that they are gluten free and vegan too! It's lovely when yummy is healthy too. Thank you for sharing this post with the Hearth and Soul hop. I've chosen it as one of my highlights from last week, and linked to it from this week's post.
My husband loves fig newtons, but gave up gluten for the rest of us. I can't wait to make these for my sweet husband! thanks for sharing this with the Hearth and Soul Hop.
I am SOOO happy to have found you and this recipe! I bought a bag of organic figs at Costco yesterday – HUGE bag for $8.49. I'm teaching a Gluten free class tonight and will be making this recipe to bring with me. And of course, I will share your blog with all the participants. Thank you!
Ellen, Gluten Free Diva
http://www.glutenfreediva.com
Thank you Ellen! I have that same bag of figs from Costco….smoking deal! Enjoy!
I really hope my Costco has organic figs. This looks like a great treat for my son at home or a snack to bring to his school. Do these stick together well to transport? Can't wait to try it.
Bethany
http://www.modernhomemakers.com
@Bethany…these are super moist and hold together for transport very well!
Hubba loves fig newtons. I’m adding these to the shopping list! Thanks for retyping this up!
Hope you enjoy then too Michaela!
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back later tonight when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts!
WOW! They look like Heaven!
These look perfect for travel! I’m looking forward to making them for my next business trip.
They travel great Debbie!!
O yummy!! Another fig related thing to try! Just a few weeks ago I also wrote a fig post! we made some fruit leathers
Tessa,
These look so delicious! I hope you will share this on The HomeAcre Hop! I’ve been going live on Wed evening at:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/01/the-homeacre-hop-4.html
These look really good. I have a link party called Wednesdays Adorned From Above Blog Hop and would love to have you share this and any other posts with everyone. It runs from Tuesday night through midnight Sunday. Here is the link to the party.
http://www.adornedfromabove.com/2013/01/wednesdays-adorned-from-above-blog-hop_22.html
Debi and Charly @ Adorned From Above
Ah, this brings back a childhood favorite! YUM Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest!
Thanks for linking back to the Gluten Free Fridays post!
See you at the link up this week!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Oh I am going to try these. I am looking for recipes for my children’s party and these look easy enough to make
my kiddos love them Healthy Body, thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for linking up with Get Real Frugal Friday last week! I hope you’ll back come by my blog hop today and join us again! http://realfoodrealfrugal.com/2013/01/24/focus-on-the-food-cauliflower-get-real-frugal-friday-3/
These sound yummy. Thanks for sharing on wild crafting Wednesday.
Chris
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts!
These look absolutely delish. I’m always on the prowl for lower sugar and healthful treats for lunchboxes. Thanks so much for sharing!
We love fig newtons here.. but are doing a whole foods, GF diet and YAY this fits!
Thanks for sharing with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! Hope to see you again this week! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-funky-junky-windchime-at-eco-kids.html
This looks so yummy! What is teft flour? I’ve never heard of it.
Hi Tracy1 Teff is a bit of a sweetheart flour for me, one of my very favorites for it’s familiar nutty flavor and high nutrition (info on my baking tips/flours page). Teff is a grass seed actually, and super tiny. It is a traditional grain used here is some info if you’re interested: http://whatscookingamerica.net/CharlotteBradley/Teff-Flour.htm. I purchase it for about $2.50/pound thrugh my local coop, previously I was spliting a 25 pound bag from teffco.com with friends for close to that price.
Tessa, I can’t wait to try this recipe as the whole family just adores figs! Thanks for sharing! Rebecca @ Natural Mothers Network x
We love love love fig newtons! I wonder if I could make them grain free? … I might have to make them anyways b/c the rest of the fam isn’t grain free and they would LOVE these!!! Thanks so much