Stop applauding. No really. I am just a humble baker. You’re making me blush. But yes, it’s true. I did manage to make the world’s most amazing Fig Newton knockoffs.
When I first went vegan, I immediately started checking out which of my favorite foods were still “safe.” Oreos, thank goodness, made the cut. I was shocked to learn that Fig Newtons did not because they contain whey. Since I had been promising my friend Alicia that I would make homemade “figgy newts,” as she so childishly calls them, I figured now would be as good a time as any. I later found out that Newman’s Own makes a dairy-free version, but… I think mine are better (SO HUMBLE, YOU GUYS).
I don’t know why I love Fig Newtons so much. There’s something about the crumbly, almost-dry exterior and the earthy fig flavors that just really hit the spot for me. Maybe it’s the barely-there hint of orange and cinnamon. I always think of it as kind of an old lady cookie, but there I’ll be, inserting an entire sleeve of them down my throat. Just call me Granny.
Most homemade versions use butter, but I replaced it with softened coconut oil and a little applesauce to keep things light. In my first version I used a flax egg at first, but the flavor wasn’t quite right. Plus flax is super high in calories and I wanted to be able to eat 52 of these cookies in a sitting. So I replaced eggs with aquafaba, instead. And since aquafaba doesn’t have a calorie breakdown yet, I can only assume it is zero calories. That’s how science works, right?
I opted for using part whole wheat flour because I like the flavor and it makes me feel better, because health. In my first batch I made the filling waaay too sweet. But the glorious thing about Fig Newtons, in my opinion, is that they are very subtle in their sweetness. Since figs are naturally sugary, the filling only needs little nudge of agave nectar.
Someone tried to tell me that figs aren’t vegan because wasps die inside of them and I almost had to fight her in the streets. I’m okay with eating figs, and if you aren’t okay with it, that’s fine. You’ll just be missing out on the world’s greatest cookie. For real, though, if you’re anti-fig, maybe try experimenting with a raisin or prune filling. I’ll just be over here gettin’ figgy wit it. (Nah nah nah-nah nah-nah-nah.)
VEGAN FIG NEWTONS
- 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- ¾ cup (90 grams) whole wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) coconut oil, softened*
- ½ cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 9 ounces (250 grams) dried black Mission figs
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together both flours, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the coconut oil and brown sugar until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3-4 minutes, scraping the bowl down twice during the process. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the applesauce, aquafaba, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Beat until smooth (it may look slightly curdled).
- Turn the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated. A stiff dough should form. Gather the dough into disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Once the dough has been chilling for at least an hour, preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Soak the figs in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them up. Drain off the water and place figs into the bowl of a food processor. Add applesauce, agave nectar, and cinnamon and process until the smooth. The mixture should be quite thick and may even form a ball as it spins around the food processor.
- Fill a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with the fig filling. Snip off the corner of the bag so that the opening is about an inch wide. Set aside.
- On a well floured surface, roll cookie dough into a 9½x14-inch rectangle. The dough should be about ¼-inch thick. Trim off the edges with a pastry cutter or knife to make the edges perfectly straight. Cut the dough lengthwise into three even strips, slightly more than 3-inches wide.
- Pipe an inch-wide line of fig filling down the center of each dough strip. It should be fairly uniform and not more than ¼-inch thick (otherwise you might not be able to envelope it in the dough). Carefully fold one edge of the dough tightly over the filling, then wrap the other edge in, overlapping with the first edge slightly. Press gently to seal, then turn the log over and shape the top of the cookie by running your fingers along the edges and rounding them out. (This isn’t strictly necessary, it’ll just make them look nicer.) Repeat with the remaining dough until you have three logs.
- Transfer the logs to your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then move the baking sheet to a wire rack. While the logs are still warm, slice each log into seven 2-inch cookies. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before eating.
- *You can soften coconut oil in the microwave by putting the microwave on a low heat setting and stirring it every 5 seconds (really!) until it is soft but NOT melted. It takes about 15-20 seconds total.
