These healthy gluten-free Fig Newtons are a wonderful adult and kid-friendly cookie recipe.  They do not require any baking, are refined sugar-free (i.e. naturally sweetened), vegan, and dairy-free, too!

Three pieces of gluten-free fig newtons stacked into a pile for a healthy dessert.

Who else didn’t like fig newtons as a kid?  (That is, if you were ever able to eat these gluten-filled classic cookies!)  I sure didn’t like them.  The thought of eating anything even slightly healthy for me in cookie form just didn’t make since.

Now that I am a little more grown up I find myself craving foods from childhood that I never liked very much.  Part of that probably stems from the fact that I am a bit hard-headed and do not take “No” for an answer.  Can you relate?!

When you tell my taste buds, “No, you can’t crave that cookie because they don’t make it gluten-free,” something within me throws a hissy fit and I find myself craving it even more.

A gluten-free fig newton recipe on a piece of parchment paper with a fig on the side.

The adult side of me kicked in and I not only made a cookie filled with figs, but these healthy gluten-free fig newtons are technically “refined sugar-free,” too.  The dried figs are already pretty sweet and give these bite-sized healthy desserts tremendous flavor.  If you are vegan, feel free to substitute the honey originally used in the recipe for maple syrup.  There will be some difference in flavor compared to your traditional fig newton, but they will still taste amazing!

Healthy homemade fig newtons on a table ready to eat for an easy snack.

So what is the secret to making a healthy gluten-free fig newton really taste like a fig newton?!  There’s a special ingredient I found that does wonders for re-creating the classic taste.

What is that secret ingredient?!…  Orange juice!

Orange juice is used in both the cookie crust as well as the fig filling in this recipe.  Feel free to use fresh orange juice or previously squeezed orange juice that is not from concentrate and pulp free.

The side of a sliced gluten-free fig newton ready to eat for dessert.

Want to know the best part about these healthy gluten-free fig newtons?  They stay tasting ah-mazing in the refrigerator for at least a month!  Maybe even more… but only one lone fig newton lasted that long in my refrigeration experiment.  (Probably because I pushed it to the WAAAAAY far back so my hungry hubby and friends couldn’t find it 🙂 )

What is the shelf-life of these healthy gluten-free Fig Newtons?

At least a month in the refrigerator!

Who will you be making these fig newtons for?  Maybe your kiddo for an afternoon school snack?  Or maybe even for your family member who needs a little pre-workout bite.  I would love to hear in the comments section below 🙂  Have a fig-tastic day!

DID YOU MAKE THESE HEALTHY GLUTEN-FREE FIG NEWTONS?

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or leave a comment below!!

PIN THESE HEALTHY GLUTEN-FREE FIG NEWTONS

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4.67 from 27 votes

No-Bake Healthy Gluten-Free Fig Newtons

These healthy gluten-free Fig Newtons are a wonderful adult and kid-friendly cookie recipe. They do not require any baking, are refined sugar-free (i.e. naturally sweetened), vegan, and dairy-free, too!
Yield 28 fig newtons
Prep 30 minutes
Total 2 hours 30 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 1 ¾ c almond flour
  • 1 ½ c oat flour gluten-free
  • 2 T coconut oil melted
  • 1/3 c honey or maple syrup
  • 1-2 T orange juice

Fig Filling:

  • 1 ½ c dried figs soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
  • 1 T orange juice
  • 1 T honey or maple syrup
  • ½ t cinnamon
  • 3-4 T water

Instructions 

  • Before you start preparing your fig newton cookie crust, soak 1 ½ c. dried figs in water for 30 minutes. Make sure the water covers the figs by at least 1 inch.

For the Cookie Crust:

  • In a large bowl, combine both flours and toss to combine. Add oil, honey or syrup, and orange juice to the bowl and mix with a hand held blender or by hand until the mixture is well incorporated and resembles the consistency in the picture below.
  • On a 1 ½ ft. long piece of wax paper place your cookie crust mixture. Roll the mixture out to make a 9 x 14 inch rectangle. The cookie crust will be about ½ inch thick. Refrigerate the fig newton crust while preparing the fig filling.

For the Fig Filling:

  • Drain figs and place all ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until almost smooth, but still slightly chunky.
  • (Make sure you are using a HIGH-speed blender such as a NutriBullet or Vitamix.)
  • Retrieve the cookie crust from the refrigerator and cut a line down the middle of the rectangle, making two 4.5 inch x 14 inch rectangles. Place half of filling down the center of each new rectangle as pictured below.
  • Roll up each rectangle, using the wax paper to help guide your crust, until the two sides meet. See picture.
  • (Sometimes it is easier to completely cut through the wax paper and separate the two halves before attempting to roll them.)
  • Once both rectangles are rolled into a log, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into 1-inch wide fig newtons.
  • Keep cookies refrigerated between servings for best texture.
  • Cookies can last for up to 1 month if kept refrigerated.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.67 from 27 votes

Notes

Keep cookies refrigerated between servings for best texture. Cookies can last for up to 1 month if kept refrigerated.

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 2mg, Potassium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin C: 0.7mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 0.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!

Want a few more quick snack ideas that are also healthy?

No-Bake Paleo Molasses Cookies | Vegan & Gluten Free

Healthy German Chocolate Bars with Almond Butter

4-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Bites

 

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are delicious- I wasn’t sure about the no bake but they are really very tasty!
    Fig newtons are one of my favorite cookies and now I can enjoy making my own
    Definitely worth trying!

  2. 5 stars
    Amazing! I was nervous about the no-bake crust texture, but it is delicious! And easy to pack for travels, no flaking or crumby dryness, it is quite perfect! One question about the nutrition facts – is a serving size 1 newton, or 2, or ? Thank you!

    1. Yay, Tara! So happy you enjoyed the recipe so much. And yes – one serving is 1 newton. They’re pretty calorically dense but also nutritiously dense, too 🙂

  3. Can I just buzz up some oatmeal to make the oat flour in the recipe, or will I not get the right consistency on my own? thank you!

    1. You absolutely can, Julie! In fact, I have done that quite a bit. Just make sure you process it until you get a fine flour. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

  4. These are so much better than bought fig Newton’s. The texture is great. I love them raw but my husband bakes his in a toaster oven. So it’s a win win!
    I don’t add orange juice, I use the fig water and they are great.
    I use parchment paper instead of waxed paper. They certainly don’t last a month in my refrigerator. Gobble gobble. ❤❤

    1. So happy you enjoyed them, Anita! And your hubby sounds just like mine – always popping things in the toaster oven with a bit of butter 😉 Thanks so much for your comment and rating!

  5. I cannot have coconut or orange juice. What could I substitute instead? Thinking pineapple juice… not sure on the oil.

    1. Hi Julia! Pineapple juice would be a great substitute for the orange juice and dairy-free or regular butter in place of the coconut oil. You will just need to refrigerate the fig newtons between servings! Would love to hear how they turn out for you 🙂

  6. Hello London! Tried your recipe yesterday and let’s say I LO-VED it! Your base made of almonds is a keeper! Thank you very much

    1. Yay, Eva!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I use that base in A LOT of my unbaked treats! It’s so easy! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!!

  7. 5 stars
    This looks utterly divine!! Thank you so much for the inspiration, I have added the ingredients to my shopping list… 100% making this this week!! x

  8. 5 stars
    These are delicious and satisfying! Yes, they are calorie (and nation dense) but also flavor dense, so you don’t need a lot like some other cookies????and anytime I can find a good GF treat, I’m happy! thanks for sharing!

    1. You’re totally right, Diane! So so happy you enjoyed the fig newtons. Thanks so much for your comment and rating!