Homemade fig Newtons

These homemade fig Newtons have all the great taste you'd expect, but dare I say it are even better with a wonderfully juicy filling. They're easier to make than you might think, and in our little circle, at least, a fan favorite.

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Growing up in the UK, we didn't have fig Newtons but instead fig bars, though they are relatively similar - the outside of the bars is a little more crisp than soft but it's the same idea. I remember them as one of the things my mum would take to the pool to give me some energy after swimming.

Interestingly, now that I live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it turns out the US snack has a lot of local history. Which was an added prompt to making them, as well as the fact that they're really tasty.

What is the history of fig Newtons?

Fig Newtons are one of the earliest commercial baked goods in the US, first made by the Kennedy Biscuit Company in 1891. The recipe was developed by a cookie maker from Philadelphia, Charles Roser, who sold his recipe to the company. It is likely based on the British fig rolls, which British immigrants had brought to the US. 

The cookie gets its name after Newton, Massachusetts, a town not too far from Boston. The Kennedy Biscuit Company had a habit of naming cookies after towns and places in the area, with others named after Harvard and Beacon Hill. 

These cookies, however, were actually first made at their factory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, not too far from where I now live. While the factory is no longer in operation, you will find a plaque where the building used to stand. Around the same time these were first developed, the company merged with a New York bakery to form Nabisco, who has made them ever since.

Ingredients in homemade fig Newtons

Unsurprisingly, the commercial recipe is secret, but you can take a fairly good guess and I feel like what I use here is pretty close, and tasty too.

For the cookie dough you need:

• Whole wheat pastry flour - I highly recommend whole wheat rather than regular flour to get the right flavor. Plus pastry flour is that bit finer which gives a nicer texture.
• Butter - while these are generally fairly healthy, you still need butter to get that flavor and texture.
• Brown sugar - brown pairs better than white sugar here both for flavor and texture.
• Egg - to help bring the ingredients together and it also adds to the texture.
• Orange juice and zest and cinnamon - to add flavor.

For the filling you need:

• Dried mission figs - the black mission figs have a much stronger flavor that is definitely better here. You might need to search slightly more for them, but it's worth it for flavor.
• Orange juice and zest - this gives a bit more vibrance to the flavor, plus the juice helps it be more moist.
• Honey - only a little, as the figs are naturally pretty sweet, but a little compliments the flavors well and makes that little bit sweeter.

Are fig Newtons the same as Italian cuccidati?

The ingredients and method to make these is very similar to Italian cuccidati (often written as cucidati in English) which are also a kind of fig cookie, but there are a few key differences.

Cucidati have a broader set of ingredients in the filling - most include other fruits like dates and raisins, as well as often nuts and some brandy or eg marsala. The outer cookie dough is also a little different. In fig Newtons, it's softer and also made with whole wheat flour. It's slightly more cakey, you could say.

Also, you typically decorate cucidati with a lemon icing and sprinkles. They are, after all, generally more of a festive cookie rather than something seen as more of a healthy-ish energy bar. But both are definitely similar, and delicious in their own way.

Steps to make these fig filled cookies

These have a couple of steps, and a little bit of waiting time, but they are also pretty easy to make. You start by making the dough. First you cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the other wet then dry ingredients. The cookie dough is very soft at this point so you need to chill it well to firm up before using it. 

Meanwhile, blend up the fig filling. Some choose to make a kind of fig jam with either fresh figs or dried, but I think starting with dried figs and using a food processor is both a whole lot quicker, easier and more consistent. Be sure to trim the stem ends off the figs first, then blend them with the orange zest, juice and honey. 

Once the dough has firmed up, roll it into a rectangle, halve, then spread the fig mixture in a kind of log along th middle of each piece. Roll each up and use the side of a knife to help seal, before placing seal side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake them as "logs" until dry and gently brown, then cut into pieces while still warm. Leave them to cool completely before enjoying.

Storing the cookies

Since these are a little less sugar-laden than some cookies, they won't last for quite as long, but they will definitely last at least three days at room temperature, or a little longer in the fridge. Just make sure you store them in an airtight container. 

If you have extra, you can also freeze them. I'd recommend initially freezing on a baking sheet and transferring to a freezer bag or container. Alternatively, place them side by side in a single layer in a freezer bag, and fold over the bag to make a second layer, as another way to stop them being stuck together. 

These homemade fig Newtons may have their roots in a historic snack, but they also make a really tasty treat for any time, and are easier than you might think to make. Packed with bright fig flavor, and with a great juicy, gently chewy texture, be sure to try them soon.

Try these other tasty sweet treats:

• Chokladbollar, Swedish chocolate oat balls (an easy and tasty no bake treat)
• Ginger crunch (a New Zealand classic slice/bar with a crisp shortbread-like base and ginger icing on top)
• Magdalenas (Spanish lemon olive oil muffins)
• Plus get more snack recipes and regional American recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

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