Fig Stuffed Cookies for a crowd.
“One of the best cookies you have ever made.” Dana
This all started with having a bag of dried figs and wondering what I could do with them. I considered some sort of bar but I wanted something that was not crumbly and I wanted it to look pretty – something to take to a gathering and surprise people with what’s inside. I searched my stack of cookbooks and found very few with any fig recipes.
The recipe is inspired by is from a fitness cookbook Run Fast. Eat Slow. by Shalane Flanagan & Elyse Kopecky. Their version used whole wheat flour and a bit different spice profile. The addition of chia seeds gives it a mini protein boost. Also, I dressed them up with black sesame seeds because it makes it look more interesting. So if you only have white, go for it.
For the gluten free flour, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour.
Fig Jam
- 2 cups (10 ounces) Turkish figs, stems removed
- ⅓ cup tahini
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Dough
- 1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour
- 1 cup almond flour or almond meal
- ½ cup black sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Make the filling: In a food processor, blend figs, tahini, water and cinnamon until smooth. Divide into three equal parts.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sesame seeds and salt. Divide into three equal sections.
- Melt coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix together.
- Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Divide into three equal balls.
- Form the cookies: Using a floured surface (on a silicone mat), roll and press one of the balls of dough into a 4×12” rectangle.
- Take one of the sections of fig filling and place it in the center of the dough from end to end. Fold the sides of the dough around the log to overlap slightly and press down to seal the dough (eliminate any cracks by pinching together). Flatten the top a bit so the log looks long and flattened, not round.
- Slice each log into 8 cookies and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the other two sections.
- Bake until slightly golden, 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
