These vegan fig bars are like the classic fig cookies–a sweet filling sandwiched between layers of flaky crust–with one big difference: they are fat-free.
I hope you enjoy this “rerun” of a recipe I associate closely with Christmas. It’s my low-fat, veganized interpretation of the fig-filled cookies my husband’s grandmother always made for Christmas. D looked forward to those cookies every year, and once he married a vegan, his grandmother often made a special egg-free batch just for us. Sadly, she’s no longer with us, but I think of her whenever I make these fig bars.
I made an impulse buy the other day, one of those “rings” of dried figs. I’ve been missing fresh figs all summer, so when I saw these dried figs in the store, I bought them without thinking. But then they sat on my kitchen counter taunting me with memories of my yummy, but definitely not low-fat, Holiday Fig Bars. Since I’ve been trying to cut down on sugar and refined foods lately, making a batch of those bars would not be in my best interest.
But visions of fig bars persisted, as such cravings will when you have the primary ingredient sitting right on your kitchen counter. I finally broke down this afternoon, just in time for my afternoon pot of coffee (another substance I should probably give up but won’t), and made vegan fig bars.
Actually, I decided to make vegan fig bars healthy. I revamped my recipe so that the oil is gone, the refined flour is history, and the sugar is . . . well, the sugar is reduced. It’s gotta have something in it besides figs, you know!
You will be amazed at how good these are. They’re low in everything, except flavor.
Skinny Figgy Bars
Ingredients
Filling:
- 8 ounces dried figs (one round package)
- 4 ounces pitted dates
- 2 tablespoon slivered or chopped almonds optional
- 2 drops anise extract optional
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger
Crust:
- 2 cups regular or quick oats use certified gluten-free oats if necessary
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
- 3 tablespoon agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Make the filling: Snip off the figs’ stems, and put the figs, dates, and almonds into the food processor. Grind to a coarse paste. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients and process until mixed. Set aside.
- For the crust, grind one cup of the oats in blender until powdered. Combine the oats (ground and unground), baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the apple sauce, agave nectar, and water, mixing well to a thick consistency. Press half the crust mixture into the bottom of an oiled, eight-inch square cake pan (use a wooden spoon or your hands). Spread the fig mixture evenly over the crust. Smooth the remaining crust mixture over the filling. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
- Icing (optional): Mix powdered sugar (about 3 tbsp.) with a little water (Start with 1/2 tsp.) until the right consistency. Add vanilla or almond extract to taste (just drops). Drizzle over top of bars before cutting.
Nutritional info is approximate.
Be sure to check out all my favorite holiday desserts.
Happy Holidays to you all!
Anonymous
September 1, 2009 at 11:46 amI don't have a food processor..Could I use my blender for the food processor part?
SusanV
September 1, 2009 at 6:13 pmI'm afraid that the mixture would just bog down in the blender. I think it'd be more successful if you chopped everything by hand and mashed it together in a bowl. Much more time consuming, though!
Anonymous
October 23, 2009 at 4:03 pmHi Susan,
This is an excellent recipe, I'll try it these days. I wonder what can be used instead of agave nectar; it seems that is not as healthy as they say, might be a health food fraud
Thank you for the wonderful recipes,
Lucia
VeganBaker
May 17, 2010 at 12:27 amTried these tonight! Tasty! I did not have oats so I used 1 c of sorghum flour, 1 c of brn rice flour, and 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum and I used blended mix raisins in water for sweetener. My kids and husband loved it! yay! Another vegan hit! 🙂 Thanks a mil, Susan!
tracieMoo
December 20, 2009 at 10:09 pmI'm amazed by the looks of these fig bars already! what a delicious skinny treat!
stuffedpumpkin
December 20, 2009 at 11:20 pmI made these once before and despite going out with the dog and forgetting about them (had an extra 30minutes in the oven =P ) they were delicious! I had forgotten about them until now!
Lexi
December 21, 2009 at 2:13 amHi Susan,
A comment above just reminded me that I forgot to report back on using fresh figs. I peeled and then pureed the figs and then cooked them in a saucepan until the figs had reached a paste-like consistency. This seemed to work out fine as they were delicious fig-newton-alikes!
I'm sure the dried figs would be even easier/less work, but for those who have fresh figs, there's definitely an option 🙂
ShelleyD
July 16, 2010 at 4:27 pmI just picked about 5# of figs over the last two days and didn’t want the trouble of making jam. My husband mentioned that I should make homemade Fig Newtons, but I dreaded all of the sugar. I, too, am trying to cut back. This looked like the perfect recipe, except for the dried figs.
Thank you, Lexi for sharing your experience with fresh figs. It’s just what I need. I’m excited to see how they turn out. Keep you posted.
Daniel Prince
September 13, 2010 at 7:33 amThis recipe looks good but it calls for dried figs. My Brown Turkey fig tree produces fresh figs not dried figs. How much fresh figs should I use? Do I have to reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe?
Also, how much liquid Stevia sweetener should I use?
SusanV
September 13, 2010 at 7:51 amI haven’t tried it with fresh figs, so I’m going to hope someone else answers you. (I would think that you would need less water.) Since all brands of stevia measure differently, I usually suggest just adding it to taste.
whirling dervish
December 21, 2009 at 11:19 amThank you Susan V for yet another spectacular recipe.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to a -hands down -all time BEST vegan blogger on the net.
Have a Healthy Happy and Peaceful New Year. Rosemary
moonwatcher
December 21, 2009 at 1:50 pmHi again Susan!
Talk about being on the same page–I was making these yesterday as you were posting the recipe again, without knowing you had posted it. . .:) They do seem very Christmasy to me, too, and what a wonderful way to honor the memory of D's grandmother, and all our grandmothers who made us special Christmas treats.
To the person who asked about subbing quinoa flakes for oats at the top, here's my subjective experience: yes, they can work nicely alone or in combination with oats. In this particular recipe, which I have made many times, using certified gluten free oats, since I need to be gluten free too, I would suggest doing some combination. I think all quinoa flakes AND quinoa flour might be too strong of a taste, or a more grassy and less sweet taste that the oats seem to have. if you don't have gluten free oats available, I would try the quinoa flakes, and maybe sorghum flour, or a combination of sorghum and brown rice flour. .
Happy Holidays to all–this is one of my favorite recipes of Susan's and I love reading all the happy comments about them!
moonwatcher
PJ
December 21, 2009 at 5:24 pmthese look so delicious! I can't even believe looking at the picture that these are butter-less 🙂 A wonderful keeper recipe!
Sophie
December 21, 2009 at 5:58 pmmy dad is obsesssedddd with fig newtons… I'm going to make him these as a healthy alternative! (he says fig newman's don't come close) I'll let you know how it goes! if you ever want to check out a raw dessert-my blog (thephilosophie.com) has a few! thanks again! 🙂 i'll be in touch!
thumbelina levity
December 21, 2009 at 8:57 pmI made these last week for my toddler in lieu of the pricey (albeit healthy) cereal bars he loves. We both LOVED them! I want to experiment with some different fruit fillings, since organic dates and figs are spendy where I live. Do you have any tips?
p.s. I love your blog. I'm normally a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl in the kitchen, but have always relied on fats to make things taste good. You're changing my palate (and hopefully my waistline will follow!).
Jody
December 21, 2009 at 9:09 pmThese can be made gluten free by getting oats that are safe, like Bob's Red mill or Lara's brand. I grind the oats and have done chocolate chip cookies this way. I'm dying to make these in the next few days!! Thanks for creating this.
small cabin
December 22, 2009 at 4:10 amI really don't know how to do things in the kitchen so I probably be contented looking at the figgy bars.
nannykim
December 22, 2009 at 3:02 pmI am so thankful for your blog. I have tried some of your recipes and my family usually likes them a lot!! We are trying to be Vegan and Mcdougall style, so your blog is helpful. We sometimes will have some fish or meat on occasion.
I tried this Skinny Figgy Bar and I really love it. I have to be Gluten free , but I don't have a problem with oats. There is some controversy about oats, however Bob's does make a gluten free oat! Regular oats have not bothered me however.
The Voracious Vegan
December 25, 2009 at 8:50 amWow, these look GORGEOUS! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, I've been looking for a great fig cookie and now I think I've found it. Can't wait to give them a try.
Nancy @ TheSensitivePantry
December 26, 2009 at 7:03 pmThese are really beautiful and tempting. And, I'm so happy I can actually make and eat them (gluten-free & egg-free). Thanks for posting the recipe.
Rachel
December 29, 2009 at 6:00 pmI want to try these sometime! I love how they look so good but are so healthy! Thanks!
Guinnah
January 2, 2010 at 5:31 pmThese look fabulous Susan. This year I toyed around with the idea of drying some of the figs from our overly prolific trees…this is an inspiration to do so we can enjoy them all year. I love a recipe that reminds me of someone…it's like having them in the kitchen with you! Happy New Year…
Anonymous
January 6, 2010 at 3:21 amThis looks like an amazing recipe and I will try it for sure.
Do you think it's possible to swtich the oats for buckwheat or millet flakes?
Also I don't use isolated sugars like agave, any advice if I want to cut it out? Maybe add a bit more applesauce to the crust and dates/figs for the filling?
Thank you for an awesome blog!
Marisa
January 6, 2010 at 9:48 pmAs a coffee drinker myself, I'm always looking for a good reason to keep it in my menu. As a researcher who keeps up on projects, I have come across several studies that show numerous health benefits of coffee, so don't feel guilty about it! Enjoy!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/search/?keyword=coffee
Kelly Michelle
January 7, 2010 at 5:28 pmOMG, just made these and I am in heaven, so glad to read they freeze well because otherwise I might eat the whole batch today and that would kind of negate the healthy aspect…
Kelly Michelle
January 7, 2010 at 5:34 pmp.s. I am seeing these as healthy apricot squares too, keeping the dates for sweetness and subbing for the figs for dried apricots, will be sure to comment back if I try it. Anyone else tried a different fruit filling?
Barbara W
January 15, 2010 at 3:02 pmwhoa, mama – do these sound fabulous!!! Since becoming gluten free, I have missed fig newtons more than any other cookie. I am going to try these this weekend using Bob's Red Mill gluten free oats. thank you for such a fabulous recipe!
lovemyfamily
February 9, 2010 at 7:58 pmdelish. if i do apricots do i sub it for the figs or dates… thanks
SusanV
February 9, 2010 at 9:56 pmI haven't tried it but for apricot bars, I'd replace the figs with apricots.
Kelly Michelle
November 26, 2010 at 7:26 pmI have done this in the past. I posted about it but don’t see the comment anymore? Anyways I replaced the figs with apricots and they came out great although I still prefer the figs. I would really like to try them with dried apple though, or maybe apple and fig?
Kelly Michelle
November 26, 2010 at 7:27 pmOk I lied, I do see the comment, clearly I’m blind 🙂
moonwatcher
February 11, 2010 at 8:24 pmHI Susan,
You know I love these figgy bars, and have made them more times than I care to count, but the other day I was musing about how to get more cranberries in my diet, and I started wondering if I could come up with a cranberry filling for these, using your filling recipe as a template. This is what I did:
I plumped about a cup of dried cranberries in some water that had come to the boil in the tea kettle for a few minutes. I also threw in a handful of raisins.
I put the drained cranberries and raisins in the food processor with two dates (that was all I had, but it really was all I needed), a tbs of orange juice instead of the lemon juice, for the water I used the soaking water, some orange zest, a dash of anise extract, and to the ginger and cinnamon, I added some cardamom. I also used the almonds.
This filling spread quite easily, even with a spatula. I also added a pinch of anise extract to the batter.
Anyway, here's another version, to stand alongside these wonderful fig bars.
Thanks for inspiring me!
moonwatcher
Tia
February 19, 2010 at 1:38 amI do not have much experience with figs. Does it matter in this recipe which type of dried figs are used? I have some Turkish dried figs at home now and thought I could incorporate them.
SusanV
February 19, 2010 at 8:38 amTia, I think any dried figs should do.
Claire
February 25, 2010 at 12:07 pmSusan,
(I also just posted a similar comment on the Pumpkin and Black Bean Casserole recipe) My recently vegan-convert and gluten free roomie and I made these bars, gluten free of course, and we can't stop drooling over them! They are seriously good and we both agree that they don't taste homemade and could easily have come from a high end bakery or something!
I have referenced you and your recipes multiple times in my own blog and I really hope vegans and non vegans alike will give these bars a try. They're too good to miss!
Thank you for sharing this one, I know this is only the first batch of many!
Claire
girlwhoplayswithfood.blogspot.com
Alison
March 20, 2010 at 10:40 amWOW! sure looks delicious!
Thanks for the recipe.
junen
April 16, 2010 at 12:33 pmThis has become a regular in our house. Just the right amount of sweetness, easy to make, Works despite various mistakes like not having dates, putting all the crust on the bottom (open faced!) Thanks Susan.
5revisingstudentsalondres
April 20, 2010 at 6:38 ammmmmmmmm, this oat-ie base will definitely be used in the future, anything to recreate digestive biscuits, that i think are oatmeal cookies in the u.s!!!!!!!
Think of the summer time possibilities for this recipe!
very happy student sending ‘figgy’ toothed smiles lol Xxx
Barbara
June 13, 2010 at 8:05 pmI’m a bit confused when you say
“1 cup regular or quick oats, ground in blender until fine
1 cup regular or quick oats, uncooked (not instant oatmeal)”
does that mean the first cup IS cooked and put in the blender as well?
SusanV
June 13, 2010 at 8:37 pmNo, both are uncooked, but one cup is ground and the other isn’t.
pmrosie
June 19, 2010 at 12:51 pmDamn you and your skinny figgy bars!!!! They are so good, I can’t stop eating them. I did not add the icing, they were plenty sweet without that. I love sweets and these are addictive! Great recipes here, I have made several, but the figgy bars are my favorite.
Kelly Michelle
November 26, 2010 at 7:18 pmI made your fig bars (which I am still obsessed with after making them over a year ago) for Thanksgiving and at the last minute realized I didn’t have the applesauce. I melted banana that had been frozen and used that in the crust instead and WOW. Not only did I use waaaayyyy less sweetener (about1tbsp only so shouldn’t affect the nutrition too much but probably healthier) but they had a teeny hint of banana flavor and were super sweet and moist. I think the crust was even better this way and I will definitely be using the modification for the future!
Kelly Michelle
November 26, 2010 at 7:19 pmI have also found that I prefer double the amounts of water called for in both the crust and filling to get the best results.
Amber
December 10, 2010 at 2:33 pmWow! I can’t wait to make these when I get home from university for the holidays. *drools* After a shockingly unhealthy semester, I’m trying hard to pick up the exercising/nutritious eating habit again, and these will help to keep me in line over Christmas. Thanks, Susan!
Mastering Public Health (@MasPublicHealth)
December 10, 2010 at 11:18 pmI purchased organic figs and dates today solely for this recipe — made it tonight and was wondering: do you think this can this be refrigerated overnight and then sliced and eaten without baking? I know it contains baking powder, so it’s kind of silly, but I was just wondering how you thought a “raw” version might fare. Thanks for your blog!
SusanV
December 11, 2010 at 8:36 amI hadn’t thought of it, but except for the baking powder, it should be safe to eat raw, but a little messy. I’m no expert on raw food, but I would think that it would be better to leave out some of the liquid in the crust and maybe put it into a dehydrator, rather than eat it right after mixing.
Mastering Public Health (@MasPublicHealth)
January 25, 2011 at 9:43 pmJust wanted to let you know that I have indeed done this — twice, now! Leaving off the top crust (using all the crust ingredients for the bottom) and topping with the “filling,” then refrigerating it overnight in an uncovered dish and slicing after letting it firm up has worked wonderfully. The crust is a bit moist (not dry/crumbly), as you suspected, but nevertheless delicious; the whole family loves it. They also freeze beautifully and solidify even better. I hope to feature this adapted recipe idea–with credit/link to you, of course–on my blog sometime soon. Thank you, Susan!
Aprylle
December 19, 2010 at 6:48 pmWhat a healtthy, delicious recipe! I was just craving something like this, and was so happy to find it online. Since I didn’t have figs, I used dates, dried apricots, prunes, cranberries and whole dried blueberries, also substituting walnuts for almonds. For the apple sauce, I threw a cored (but not peeled) apple into the food processor.
Thank you for such a super-healthy, super-yummy recipe; just what I was seeking.