Gluten-Free Fig Newtons Recipe

Gluten-Free Fig Newtons Recipe

These Gluten-Free Fig Newtons are actually better than the full-gluten source material. Great texture, and great flavour - inside AND out.

Note: This recipe was first posted on my original blog, Celebration Generation, on November 4, 2014. It was transferred over to this blog - existing comments and all - on 3/8/2021

This past week, I was in Chicago for a convention. It went very well - TONS of fun, loads of laughs, great time spent with friends, as always. This is a yearly event that I cater a dessert (and, more recently, some savoury apps as well!) for.

It's always very well received, but this year I did something different - I made the entire menu gluten-free. Given that only a small number of attendees are GF, I was really nervous. GF food has such a bad rep, would they even TRY it?

Well, given the reviews that I've been getting for Beyond Flour: A Fresh Approach to Gluten-Free Cooking & Baking, I probably shouldn't have been worried.

The whole spread went over SUPER well, with many people declaring that they would have had no idea it was GF. Three people even told me that they adored my mushroom turnovers... even though they hate mushrooms! What a compliment!

Now, time to get back to work!

Gluten-Free Fig Newtons

So, let me share one of the most popular recipes from Beyond Flour - Fig Newtons!

This recipe takes a little bit of doing - the filling needs to be made and cooled, the dough needs to be chilled - but the result is well worth the time and effort.

This produces a fragrant, delicious cookie that is sure to satisfy your comfort food cravings.

They are - IMHO - even better than the original, full-gluten store-bought original!

How to Assemble Gluten-Free Fig Newtons

1. Divide dough into 4 equal balls. Generously sprinkle clean work surface with corn starch. Roll one dough ball into a long, thin, and narrow strip – about 4″ x 12″. Trim to square up / tidy the edges.

2. Stir cooled fig mixture to incorporate any condensation that has developed. Transfer about one quarter of the filling to a pastry bag, or heavyweight plastic bag with a corner cut off – either way, you’ll want about ½″ diameter opening.

3. Pipe a long, fat line of filling up the center of the rolled dough, using up all of the filling in the bag. Use a clean spoon to gently spread the filling to a width of slightly more than 1″.

4. Gently fold one long side of dough over the filling. Fold the other long side over that, forming a long tube of filled cookie.

5. Gently flip over, slice into cookies (About 1.5″ long pieces), and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Do not over bake!

7. Remove cookies from baking sheet, immediately cover with plastic wrap or – as we do – a long cake pan. Allow to steam/cool like this for at least 30 minutes.

While these CAN be eaten right away, it’s best to let them sit overnight to let the moisture levels of the filling / cookie balance out a bit.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Gluten-Free Fig Newtons

These Gluten-Free Fig Newtons are actually better than the full-gluten source material. Great texture, and great flavour - inside AND out.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Resting / Chilling Tim1 hr 10 mins

Total Time1 hr 50 mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American, Gluten-free

Servings: 36 Cookies

Calories: 81kcal

Equipment

• Parchment Paper
• 2 Baking Sheets

Ingredients

Cookie

• ½ cup Butter softened
• ¼ cup Granulated sugar
• ¼ cup Brown sugar packed
• 1 Large egg
• 1 tablespoon Orange juice
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• Zest of ½ orange
• ½ cup White rice flour
• ½ cup Sorghum flour
• ¼ cup Coconut flour
• ¼ cup Millet flour
• 1 tablespoon Tapioca Starch/Flour
• 1 teaspoon Xanthan gum
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Baking powder

Filling:

• 12 oz Dried mission figs
• ⅓ cup Water
• Zest of ½ orange
• Pinch Salt
• Corn starch for rolling

Instructions

Cookie:

• In stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, orange juice, vanilla, and orange zest, beat until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
• In a large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Slowly add this dry mix to the mixer bowl, and carefully mix until well incorporated and smooth. Chill dough for 1 hour.

To make the filling:

• Remove any stems from the dried figs, discard. Finely chop figs. Place into a saucepan with water, bring to a moil over medium-high heat. Once mixture starts to boil, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed by the figs.
• Transfer fig mixture to food processor, along with orange zest and salt. Process until very smooth. Transfer to a clean bowl, loosely cover with plastic film, and allow to cool to room temperature.

To Assemble:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C), line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Divide dough into 4 equal balls. Generously sprinkle clean work surface with corn starch. Roll one dough ball into a long, thin, and narrow strip – about 4″ x 12″. Trim to square up / tidy the edges.
• Stir cooled fig mixture to incorporate any condensation that has developed. Transfer about one quarter of the filling to a pastry bag, or heavyweight plastic bag with a corner cut off – either way, you’ll want about ½″ diameter opening.
• Pipe a long, fat line of filling up the center of the rolled dough, using up all of the filling in the bag. Use a clean spoon to gently spread the filling to a width of slightly more than 1″.
• Gently fold one long side of dough over the filling. Fold the other long side over that, forming a long tube of filled cookie. Gently flip over, slice into cookies (About 1.5″ long pieces), and gently transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Do not over bake!
• Remove cookies from baking sheet, immediately cover with plastic wrap or – as we do – a long cake pan. Allow to steam/cool like this for at least 30 minutes. While these CAN be eaten right away, it’s best to let them sit overnight to let the moisture levels of the filling / cookie balance out a bit.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

Related posts:

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies Gluten Free Sandwich Cookies Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cookies