When I was a kid, fig bars were my favourite cookie (kind of strange for the kid who hated dried fruit). Even today I love them: they are the part cookie/part cake, tea time treat, sweetened with the lovely non-to-sweet flavour of dried figs. Swoon, and who doesn't love figs? (I'm sure a few of you said "me", and that's cool. Dried dates, apricots, or even raisins would easily replace the figs in this recipe). While store-brand varieties of fig bars have improved since I was a child (some are now made with whole grains or even sweetened with fruit juice), I just new that these little guys could be made even more nutritious, delicious, and amazing. So here we go: raw, vegan, gluten-free, no refined sugar, no added fat, nut free, easy, and wait for it.....amazing fig bars!
While fresh figs have this juicy, amazing, exotic, jewel-like lure, dried figs are often overlooked as just another dried fruit. Unlike there fresh counterpart, dried figs make for an excellent natural sweetener in anything from baking to making a smoothie, or a Moroccan tagine. Figs are also one of the most alkalizing foods and will help balance the acidic conditions in the body brought on by an excess of meats or refined foods.
Recipe
The Amazing Raw Fig Bar
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Lemon zestor
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
- Spatula
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup oats ground in the food processor to make flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¾ cup dates instead of using the plump and juicy Medjool dates, I opted for the drier baking variety
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons orange juice more or less
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Filling
- 1 cup mission figs
- ½ cup hot water
- zest of 1 orange
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Dough
- Mix dates, oat flour, coconut flour, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until the dates are chopped finely and the mixture is combined. Add one tablespoon of orange juice at a time until the mixture fully hold together like cookie dough.
Filling
- Soak figs in hot water for 30 minutes to soften. Puree figs with the ½ soaking water, orange zest, and vanilla in a food processor until it resembles a chunky jam.
Bars
- Divide the dough into thirds. Working with ⅓ or the dough, roll it between two pieces of parchment until it reaches a 10 by 20 cm rectangle (4 by 8 inch).
- Spread ⅓ of the fig filling down half the long side of the rectangle, be sure to leave a little area along the outside of the fig spread free of jam to ensure the dough will stick to each other (see picture above). Taking the bottom piece of parchment, slowly fold the dough in half along the long side and lightly press the outside edges together so that they adhere. If the dough cracks at all, it is easy to smooth out by placing parchment paper over to and rubbing the cracks out with the tips of your fingers.
- Repeat two more times with the rest of the dough and filling. Cut each bar into 4. *Hint- I found that if the bars were left uncovered on the counter overnight they dried out a little and where easier to handle/eat.
Jamie says
Are the figs in this recipe dehydrated? Can I use raw figs? Thanks!
Sophie says
they are dehydrated. You can probably use fresh if you made a chia jam, or cooked the figs down to make a traditional jam.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello Fita,
I would try another rolled grain such as rice flakes or quinoa flakes (and grind them into flour). If neither of those will work, what about almond flour? It might be a bit more crumbly, but should work.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello Fita,
I would try another rolled grain such as rice flakes or quinoa flakes (and grind them into flour). If neither of those will work, what about almond flour? It might be a bit more crumbly, but should work.
Fita Magana says
Hi what can I sub oat flour with?? I want to make this so the kids can take to school
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Awesome, I'm so happy you liked them! Yoghurt and the fig filling sounds so good!!! (I've been on a real fig binge lately, so I'm totally going to try that) Maybe the use of almond flour made for less dough, if that makes sense? Anyway, I'm glad the almond flour worked, that's great to know and I'll be sure to let other readers know too. All the best, Sophie
Tessa says
Hi Sophie! I have made them!! 🙂 It was a lot of work, but very rewarding. They are so delicious! I have made it with almond flour, but my dough wasn't that much.. So i had a lot of filling over. I will eat it in my yoghurt, yumyum. Thanks for the recept. X
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Mmm, that's a good question, Tessa. I've never tried making them with almond flour, but I'm sure it would be good - it just might be a bit more crumbly than using coconut flour. You might want to up the oats to 3/4 cup and lower the almond flour to 1/4 cup . Let me know how it goes, Sophie 🙂
Tessa says
Thanks! Im gonna make this tomorrow! 😀
Can i use Almondflour? I dont have coconut flour.. 🙁
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hey Tessa,
Thank you so much! I used a metric measuring cup, which is about 250 millilitres.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hey Tessa,
Thank you so much! I used a metric measuring cup, which is about 250 millilitres.
Tessa says
Looks so yummie!
What kind of cup do you use? A normal coffeecup?
X
Tessa says
Looks so yummie!
What kind of cup do you use? A normal coffeecup?
X
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello, I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out 100%, that can be frustrating. I know that recipes using dates can often be a bit tricky as some dates are stickier than others, which has a great effect on how much flour needs to be added. Your idea of adding more o.j sounds like the right solution. I would recommend adding just a tsp or so at a time until it comes together. Just go with your instincts, they sound bang on 🙂 I'm happy the dough at least tasted good! Let me know how the second batch turns out.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello, I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work out 100%, that can be frustrating. I know that recipes using dates can often be a bit tricky as some dates are stickier than others, which has a great effect on how much flour needs to be added. Your idea of adding more o.j sounds like the right solution. I would recommend adding just a tsp or so at a time until it comes together. Just go with your instincts, they sound bang on 🙂 I'm happy the dough at least tasted good! Let me know how the second batch turns out.
Anonymous says
I made these today and they were easy enough, however my dough was too crumbly and it made it difficult to work with (it kept cracking, etc.). Having done it once now, next time I'll add more oj to the dough until it resembles a less crumbly dough (this time I was trying to follow the recipe exact). The taste is great though- they just don't look as pretty as the pictures 🙂
Anonymous says
I made these today and they were easy enough, however my dough was too crumbly and it made it difficult to work with (it kept cracking, etc.). Having done it once now, next time I'll add more oj to the dough until it resembles a less crumbly dough (this time I was trying to follow the recipe exact). The taste is great though- they just don't look as pretty as the pictures 🙂
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Thank you so much! I am so pleased I was able to help, and I am delighted you like the blog. Comments like these make my day <3
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Thank you so much! I am so pleased I was able to help, and I am delighted you like the blog. Comments like these make my day <3
Anonymous says
I've been looking for a recipe like this. I'm so happy I found your blog. You have so many great ideas. I can't wait to try this and others. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello Sarah. When it comes to rolled oats the term 'raw' is used loosely. Most rolled oats have been flattened through a process of steaming and rolling. Because they have been steamed, some people considered them to be no longer raw, while some do.
You can however, buy rolled oats which have been rolled through a slow-speed rolling or cold rolling process and have never been expose to high heat or steam. They may be a bit hard to find (Blue Mountain Organics and Natural Zing and a few brands) and from what I hear, can they can go rancid rather quickly.
If you want make something raw, but don't have access to the raw rolled oats, you can always grind raw oat groats into a flour (just make sure it doesn't get to warm while grinding). Cheers!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Hello Sarah. When it comes to rolled oats the term 'raw' is used loosely. Most rolled oats have been flattened through a process of steaming and rolling. Because they have been steamed, some people considered them to be no longer raw, while some do.
You can however, buy rolled oats which have been rolled through a slow-speed rolling or cold rolling process and have never been expose to high heat or steam. They may be a bit hard to find (Blue Mountain Organics and Natural Zing and a few brands) and from what I hear, can they can go rancid rather quickly.
If you want make something raw, but don't have access to the raw rolled oats, you can always grind raw oat groats into a flour (just make sure it doesn't get to warm while grinding). Cheers!
Sarah says
I didnt think oats were raw!
Sarah says
I didnt think oats were raw!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Let me know how it goes!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Let me know how it goes!
Laura says
Ok, great! Thank you for the suggestions! I just need to pick up the ingredients and then I'll give them a try!
Laura says
Ok, great! Thank you for the suggestions! I just need to pick up the ingredients and then I'll give them a try!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Thanks! You will want a gluten free flour that doesn't need to be cooked, so that is a little limiting. I would try grinding up quinoa flakes to replace the oats, but I am sure that using all coconut flour would work too, it just might be a little more crumbly. Almond flour is another possibility.
Laura says
These look amazing! I can't have oats tho is there another gluten free option? Could I use an all-purpose gluten free mix?
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
You're welcome. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Sociology in Kentucky says
Fig newtons are some of my favorite cookies. And these, being all natural, sound fantastic! Thanks!
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Golden figs would totally work. I used the mission variety only because that's what I had on hand, but feel free to used whatever type you prefer. I don't think you will run into any difference. The only thing I can think of is that golden figs (at lest the type of golden figs I get here) are a tad bit drier than the mission, so you may need a touch more water, but that's it. Let me know how it works out.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Thanks Jen.
Sophie - Wholehearted Eats says
Thanks a bunch Amy, you're so sweet! I hope you like them.
Elaine Klingbeil says
I like the golden figs better than mission. What would the difference be, do you know? I like to eat the golden figs all by themselves, they are like the Fig part of Fig Newtons.
Jen @ Savory Simple says
These look really amazing! A must make.
Amy @ Swiss Miss in the Kitchen says
Oh Sophie this raw fig bar looks heavenly!!! I HAVE to try this recipe, I adore figs!!
xox Amy