Description
This recipe is lightly adapted from Stella Parks’ Fig Newtons as seen on Serious Eats. For step by step images, check out her post here. I’ve converted this recipe to cups and tablespoons for the non-scale-measuring baker. Recipe last updated 8/27/19.
Ingredients
Dough
1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tsp. orange zest
2 egg yolks
Filling
3/4 c. dried black Mission figs, halved
2 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
2 1/2 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. orange zest
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
Make the dough at least one hour in advance. In a bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients: flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Grab enough zest from the orange for the dough and filling before juicing. Set aside. Then add in the honey*, orange juice, and zest. Mix until well combined. Then add in the yolks one at a time, and mix once more to evenly combine. Add in the dry mixture, and mix on low until evenly combined. Dough will be dense but slightly sticky. Wrap dough with plastic wrap and press into a 1-inch disk. Chill for at least 1 hour to firm up.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Remove any stems from the figs and cut in half for accurate measuring. Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor or Vitamix, and blend until a cohesive paste forms. Note: if using a Vitamix, it will take a bit longer to accomplish. Continue stopping the machine and scraping down the sides, then blend or pulse on low speed. Place the filling in a pastry piping bag or ziplock bag and snip off a good chunk of the corner for piping. We want a wide pipe.
Assemble the newtons. On a well floured surface, begin by kneading the dough until it’s a rollable consistency, not sticky. Think of this dough as a pastry. Whenever making pastries, you often have to go by sight and feel for the correct consistency, adding flour at this stage. We want this dough to easily roll out without creating a dense cake once baking. On a well floured surface, roll the dough to a about a 7″ x 14″ rectangle. Using a ruler, trim out the rectangle to create sharp lines. Cut the rectangle long-ways in half so that you have two 3.5″ x 14″ rectangles.
Pipe the filling down the center of the of each rectangle, using most, if not all, of the filling. Add water to a small bowl. Dip your finger in the water, and flatten out the filling to about 1″ wide. Using a spatula or pastry bench, plus a little flour, gently fold one side of the dough over the filling. Wetting your finger again, dab the edge of the dough with water to act as glue, then carefully fold the other side of the dough over, and gently press to glue. Repeat with the other log. Carefully transfer to a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, seam side down.
Place in the freezer to chill for 12 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F to help hold the shape. Then bake for 14-18 minutes or until just lightly golden. Immediately cut logs into individual newtons after removing from the oven, about 16 total, or 8 on each log, with a pastry bench or sharp knife. Cool on cooling rack before placing in an airtight container. Allow to rest and soften for atleast 4 hours before serving, preferrably overnight. To lengthen life, store in the freezer for up to 2 months, and pull out to thaw before eating or place frozen in a lunch box.
Notes
*For easy honey release from your measuring utensil, spray lightly with cooking oil.
Recipe easily doubles. Before rolling out, cut the dough in half and follow recipe accordingly. You will have two 7″ x 14″ rectangles that will turn into 4 logs, 32 newtons total.
- Prep Time: 1 hr 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
Is it possible to use fresh figs? Could you “dry” them in the oven somehow? Do you have any tips or thoughts? Thanks in advance!! 🙂
Hi Katie! Fresh figs sound so delicious! For this recipe, you’d want to use dried figs. I’ve never dried fruit though, but know it can be done in a dehydrator machine or the oven. I’d love to hear if you end up trying it!
Can we substitute the whole wheat pastry flour by regular white flour?
That’s usually an even substitution. Without testing, I think it would work well!
The link to brave tart does not work 🙁 please post full recipes so we can see the instructions here!
Thanks for the heads up about the link to her site not working! I imagine she’s having some site issues right now, however Serious Eats also has permission to reprint her full recipe. I do not. You can find the instructions here.
Super Yummy and turned out beautifully! I added a bit of dried rosemary to the dough, and I used some fig filling I had previously made (dried figs, honey, brandy). Didn’t sift the white whole wheat flour going in and found it was the perfect amount. Thank you for a new staple in my house!
How would you recommend using a different filling. I’m not a fan of figs, I was wondering if jam (raspberry) would work as a substitute?
Do you know about how long these will last after you make them? Or do they freeze well? Thanks!
Hey Sarah! I haven’t made this recipe in years. I might need to do that in the next couple of weeks. Will update when I do!
These look absolutely perfect! I ADORE fig newtons, and I’ve never thought of making them myself. Thank you!!
Please explain to this novice on how to make the filling.
Hi Kim! There’s a link in the recipe over to a Brave Tart’s site with the remaining instructions.
Wow, one of my favorites. My parentes used to by boxes of this fig newtons everytime they traveled to Miami 😉
What can I substitute for the sugar? For the butter? Can I use ALL whole wheat pastry flour?thx. Husband had heart attack and eating extremely radical but he’s craving fig newtons:)
Hmm, I’m not sure how to substitute those. This is a fairly finicky recipe, it think it would take a lot of testing to get it right. Sorry I don’t have a better solution for you! Hope your husband is doing better!
Awesome recipe!
When I first started reading your post i just wanted throw my hands up and pump my fists! Way to stick it to “The Man!” I love copy cat recipes and the pride you get when somrehing comes out pretty darn close!
Thanks for posting!
You’re my kind of woman! I saw fig newtons in the store this weekend and thought to myself, I can make you at home. It felt good.
Thank you so much for the recipe!!
The ingredients conversions to volume and the photos for how to assemble the newtons are SO helpful! I don’t know if I would have attempted the recipe without them.
These newtons are amazingly delicious and my family loves them!
Thanks again!
I love these kind of comments! I’m so glad you guys loved them! They are some of my fave and I always feel so accomplished after making them.
What about making these with fresh figs? Any ideas?
Hmmm…I think they will be far more wet than dried. Not 100% sure. Let me know if you end up trying it!
This is one of the daily snack for people like us in Middle East.
No doubt figs fillings is good but we also do the same with paste of dates instead of figs. Try out
Jaffar,
You sir are an Angel!
My son simply adores fig newtons…but due to a layoff we have to cut out some expenses…
I have dried dates:
In your opinion…
Is it okay to just swap out the figs for the dates using the same amount???
I’m not a fan of dates (I know, I know. I keep trying.), so I’m not familiar with their texture compared to figs. I would guess they’d work just fine, but I’m not 100% sure. Let me know if you end up making them!
This is awesome! I have left over roasted strawberry/fig jam that needs to be used up, this might do the trick.
Okay, I just ate one of these yummies and have a little feedback. The light flaky crust is so much better than the cardboard-like cake on the store bought version! My worries (see above) about the flour measure conversions were baseless; they rolled out fine (though you do have to work very quickly while the dough is still thoroughly chilled). My cookies did spread in the oven more than yours did, but then I did just now notice your note about freezing the shaped/filled dough before baking. Bad timing! I noticed bakers on Brave Tart’s blog had similar problems, so I’m sure the pre-freezing will solve the problem next time (I know that technique works for other rolled cookie dough). Thank you, again, for sharing.
Sorry I’m so late in responding to this. Thanks for your feedback! Someone else had trouble working with the dough, so I added a bit more flour to the recipe. Hopefully it will be easier to work with yet still have that cakey texture!
Are you sure about the measure conversions you did from the original recipe? I am in the middle of making these and it seemed like so little flour that I looked up the recommended conversion from ounces to cups for all purpose or whole wheat flour and it seems the recipe should have closer to 1 cup total flour (.91 cup). My dough is in the refrigerator and made as written above, so I’ll keeps my fingers crossed. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey Kathy, these are the measurements I used for the newtons pictured. I did add a good amount of flour in the rolling out stage to keep from sticking. I think the wheat flour helps to give it some density too. Please let me know if you have any issues as you bake them.
My favorite cookie. I’ve gotta make these!
I love fig newtons and you made them looks so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
I practically grew up eating fig newtons!! This brings back so many memories. I definitely have to try this homemade version of these little guys. I love your photos. They look so neat!
I love fig newton, but I don’t like all the sugar they have added to them. You did a nice job of lightening them up.
I made homemade fig newtons earlier in the year and love, love, loved them!! So much better than store bought!
I’ve had homemade Fig Newtons on my baking to do list for over a year. After reading your post I’m inspired to give them a try. I know they are so much better than store bought!
My hubs loves Fig Newtons and he’d flip if I made these for him.
This looks amazing!
Holy. Crap. You are amazing! I can’t believe you made them from scratch!! I bet they’re even more fantastic than packaged ones 🙂 GO YOU!
My husband loves fig newtons. I’m sure he’d love me even more if I made these for him!!
These look so good! Much better than store bought for sure!
I have the SAME thing with making everything from scratch. Even if I don’t have time, and it takes forever…. I need to feel the accomplishment that it brings. 🙂 Glad someone else feels the same. And I’m trying this recipe. For sure.
yummy yummy pictures and biscuits. I also have a silly thing about making everything handmade. You know the ingredients and its just got more love that way 🙂
My boyfriend is absolutely obsessed with fig rolls and we tried to make them at home a few years ago with not brilliant results. I HAVE to try this recipe – he will love me forever 🙂
I made these recently (adapted a similar recipe). They were great!
I make almost everything from scratch too. Friends are just amazed. That’s how I grew up though. I so wanna try this! But I haven’t seen dried fig newtons here in MI.
Oh holy goodness – these are genius!!
This is amazing! I need about 4 billion to get me through this remodel.
This looks beautiful and I’m sure it’s delicious to boot! Pinning this!
This is sooo cool! One of my reasons I love foodies so much – they reinvent those processed box snacks – that I love so much – and turn them into something I’d actually make and eat. Yum!
I adore that first shot too – I love the composition of both the shot and the copy.
I love fig newtons but never purchase them due to the lack of nutritional value. These are fantastic! So excited to make these and enjoy fig newtons once again. 🙂
i was thinking of this just a few days ago! thanks for recipe!
oh…wow. i hear you on the homemade front. it just feels good. gorgeous!
These are absolutely lovely! And thank goodness you like to make everything from scratch! Then you can share with us!
I have that same need to make things homemade. I love the challenge in the process and, as you said, there is just something very sweet about successful results. These are beautiful!
These are adorable! Homemade is always better.
We don’t have these biscuits per say in Australia but they’re famous of course and I believe you (when you add) homemade is far better than the real thing, so hopefully I’ll have my first taste of a real Fig Newton soon!
Yummy newtons!