These Gluten-Free Fig Newtons are actually better than the full-gluten source material. Great texture, and great flavor - inside AND out.
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 for I cater a dessert (and, more recently, some savory apps as well!).
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?
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 a clean work surface with cornstarch. 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″.
5. Gently flip over, slice into cookies (About 1.5″ long pieces), and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
7. Remove cookies from the baking sheet, and immediately cover them 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.
- GET YOUR COOKBOOK
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Gluten-Free Fig Newtons
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
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 a stand mixer, cream butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add egg, orange juice, vanilla, and orange zest, and beat until everything is fully incorporated and smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix together the 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, and discard. Finely chop figs. Place into a saucepan with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the 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 the fig mixture to a 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 a clean work surface with cornstarch. 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 the remaining dough and filling.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are just starting to turn golden brown. Do not overbake!
- Remove cookies from the baking sheet, and immediately cover them 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.
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