Even though spunky kid-lit heroine Ramona Quimby once referred to Fig Newtons as being filled with chopped-up worms, that hasn’t stopped legions of fans from devouring the soft little sandwiches by the handful. Part of me wonders how the mass marketers of cookie-dom have gotten away with feeding kids healthy figs for so long—but it also sweetens the adult realization that we’ve been enjoying the fruit’s subtle charms since childhood.
Feel free to take another page from the Nabisco playbook and fill your Newtons with homemade jam—raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb, and blueberry are all tried-and-true choices.
YIELD: 4 dozen cookies
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes, including cooling time
DIFFICULTY: 3
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: stand mixer, mini food processor, pastry or pizza cutter or bench scraper
COOKIES
2 cups (8-1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) whole wheat flour (either traditional or white whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (6 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup (3-3/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
FILLING
8 ounces dried Mission figs, quartered, with tough stems removed
2 cups fresh orange juice (from about 6 oranges)
1/4 cup (1-3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH:
Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed, until the mixture is fluffy and light beige in color. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly in between. Add the dry ingredients gradually to make a soft, sticky dough.
Pat the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
MAKE THE FILLING:
While the dough is chilling, stir the figs, orange juice, sugar, and ginger together in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the figs are soft and the liquid has a jamlike consistency, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Transfer the fig filling to a mini food processor and pulse until puréed. Cool to room temperature.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
On a floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Rewrap and refrigerate 3 of the pieces and roll the fourth piece into an 8 by 10-inch rectangle approximately 1/4 inch thick. Trim the edges evenly, using a pastry or pizza cutter or a bench scraper.
Spread a quarter of the fig filling onto half of the dough rectangle using your moistened fingers or an offset spatula. Fold the uncovered half over to make a 5 by 8-inch sandwich cookie.
Slice the filled rectangle into 4 (2 by 5-inch) strips, then cut each strip into 3 cookies approximately 1-1/2 inches long. Transfer the cookies to the lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Cool on wire racks before serving.
Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.