Gluten Free Fig Newton Bars

These gluten free fig newton bars are one of my favorite treats to make at home. They taste just like the classic cookies you remember, but without any gluten.

The filling is made with dried figs simmered with a little honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon. It comes together in minutes and tastes so much better than anything store-bought.

The dough is soft, buttery, and easy to work with. You roll it out, add the filling, fold it up, and bake. That’s basically it.

If you’ve been missing fig newtons since going gluten free, this recipe is going to make you really happy. They’re simple, delicious, and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A Childhood Classic Made Gluten Free – If you thought you had to give up Fig Newtons after going gluten free, these homemade bars bring that nostalgic flavor right back into your life.

The Fig Filling Is Made From Scratch – Instead of relying on store-bought jam or preserves, you simmer real dried figs with honey, lemon, and cinnamon to create a thick, naturally sweet filling that tastes incredible.

Not Overly Sweet – Between the natural sweetness of the figs and just a touch of brown sugar and honey, these bars hit that perfect balance where they feel like a treat without being sugar bombs.

The Almond Flour Makes the Dough Extra Tender – Combining almond flour with gluten free baking flour gives these bars a soft, slightly nutty dough that honestly tastes better than the original store-bought version.

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 2 cups Dried Figs, stems removed
• 1/3 cup Water
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

For the Dough

• 1 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour
• 1/3 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

How to Make

Step 1

For the filling, combine the dried figs, water, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the figs are very soft and most of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until a thick, smooth paste forms. Set aside to cool.

Step 2

For the dough, whisk together the gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour, almond flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and work it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Roll one half between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Spread half the fig filling down the center in a long strip. Fold the dough edges up and over the filling, overlapping slightly, and press gently to seal. Flip seam-side down onto the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Step 4

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Slice each log crosswise into 1-inch bars using a sharp tool. Let cool completely before serving.

Helpful Tips

Chop the Fig Stems Carefully

Before you toss the figs into the saucepan, make sure you actually remove every single stem. Even small leftover stem bits won’t break down in the food processor and you’ll end up with tough little pieces in your filling.

Use kitchen scissors to snip the hard stem tip off each fig. It’s faster than using a knife and you get a cleaner cut without squishing the fig.

If your dried figs feel really stiff and hard, that’s totally fine. They’ll soften up a lot once they start simmering in the water and honey.

Cook the Filling Until It’s Thick

When you simmer the figs, don’t pull them off the heat too early. You want most of the liquid absorbed so the filling is thick and jammy, not watery. Watery filling will make the dough soggy and the bars won’t hold together when you slice them.

Stir it every couple of minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. The figs should look really soft and almost mushy by the time you’re done, around that 8 to 10 minute mark.

After you pulse it in the food processor, the filling should be a smooth, spreadable paste. If it still looks chunky, give it a few more pulses until it’s even throughout.

Keep the Butter Cold

The butter needs to be cold when you work it into the dry ingredients. If it’s soft or room temperature, the dough will be sticky and hard to roll out later. Cut the butter into small cubes and keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it.

When you mix it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter, stop once it looks like coarse crumbs. You should still see small pea-sized bits of butter in there. That’s exactly what you want.

If your kitchen is warm and the butter starts getting soft while you’re working, just pop the bowl in the fridge for five minutes and come back to it.

You Might Also Like

• Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars
• Gluten Free Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Gluten Free Strawberry Toaster Pastries
• Gluten Free Thumbprint Jam Cookies
• Gluten Free Honey Graham Crackers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh figs instead of dried figs?

Dried figs are really the best choice here because they have a concentrated sweetness and thick, jammy texture that holds together as a filling. Fresh figs have way too much moisture and won’t give you that dense, paste-like consistency you need.

If dried figs are all you can find at the store, Mission or Turkish varieties both work great. Just make sure to snip off the tough little stems before cooking them.