FIG COOKIES

If you like "Fig Newtons" you will love these. They are delicious and filled with healthy ingredients. Have you read the label on a package of Fig Newtons lately? See the PowerPoint slide at the end of this page. You will be shocked at the added chemicals, sugars, and oils as well as the vague "natural and artificial flavor."

Find original recipe at “ Veggiekins”: Healthy Vegan Fig Bars.

So, what is meant by "natural and artificial flavor" as seen on the label of Fig Newtons? Read the short article from “Bon Appetit” and you will learn that "...both natural and artificial flavors are synthesized in laboratories..."

What I did differently:

-Used Smyrna figs because it is what I had; measured 6 ounces after I removed the stems

-My lemon juice measured 1 TBSP + 1 tsp

-Instead of coconut sugar I used 2 TBSP maple syrup

-Used raw almond butter

-Because I used maple syrup, reduced the plant milk to 2 TBSP but then ended up adding another 1 TBSP

-Used fresh squeezed orange juice instead of the reserved soaking water

-When making the dough, I combined the wet ingredients first, then added to the dry ingredients. Towards the end of combining used my hand to mix well.

-Rolled the dough into a rectangle which measured 12x6 inches. I put the rolling pin directly on the dough so I only used 1 piece of parchment paper underneath the dough. Next time will roll it out a bit thinner. I didn't have enough space to use all the fig spread so had to remove 3 TBSP of the fig spread.

-Cut the log into 16 cookies using a very sharp serrated knife then spaced them out on the baking tray.

-Baked 15 minutes since I wanted my dough less soft. After baking, placed the cookies on a cooling rack.

These cookies were sweet enough for me even though I did not use Black Mission figs. Black Mission figs are the sweetest figs. Mission figs have a thinner skin and more delicate seeds than the Smyrna figs I used.