Copy-cat Recipe #1: Fig Newtons

I am always trying to figure out what kinds of snacks and foods my husband really enjoys eating, but the one trick is that he doesn't always articulate exactly what he wants.  "I just want food," he tells me.  While I am grateful that he is not picky, I know he has opinions.  So I was grateful to find a sticky note on the desk one day that he had written.  "Marshall approved Snacks," it read.  Hallelujah!

One of his "approved" snacks is Fig Newtons.  I've looked on the ingredient list of Fig Newtons before, and I haven't been too impressed, and I don't want to pay for mediocrity.  So I thought that I should make my own.  I immediately went to work to find a homemade version of the cookie bar that seemed delicious enough to make and eat.  After reading dozens of recipes, I narrowed down on one, and altered it to fit our taste buds.  It only cost me about $5, and it made 48 cookies the size of the commercial brand.  I also did a gluten-free dough version, and my husband said they tasted just as good, if not better, than the normal dough recipe :).  And I know the cookies were good, because they were all gone by the next day.

Fig Newtons:

Delicious and soft, these homemade version of Fig Newton bars
will not last long!

Normal Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup  powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup sugar

Filling (Full recipe):

¾ cup dried figs, cut small

¾ cup dried dates, cut small

1/3 cup apple juice

3 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ lemon, juiced

Whisk the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cream the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until well combined.  Beat in egg until well mixed, and then add the vanilla and white sugar until homogeneous.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend well together, but not over-mixing.  Divide and shape the dough into flour flat rounds.  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 4 hours, or overnight.   

Simmer figs and dates in juice, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small non-stick saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until liquid is almost gone, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth (can also use an immersion blender instead).  Mixture will be thick.

Place a piece of parchment paper on counter and place one flat disk from the fridge on top of the paper, with another piece of paper or plastic wrap on top.  Roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 1/8^th of an inch thick. The dough will be very soft. Place dough in freezer and repeat with the other discs.  To fill the dough, spread ¼ of the fruit filling on half of the rectangle.  Fold the other half over the filling.  Using a pizza cutter, cut 6-12 squares, depending on how big you want your cookies.  Place squares on a prepared cookie sheet, sprinkle white sugar on top, and cook at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until golden.  Take the cookies out of the oven and transfer to an air-tight container to cool off.  This will ensure the cookies have a soft texture, similar to a store-bought Fig Newton.

Repeat with the other dough.

Gluten Free Dough:

1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free all-purpose flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar