Fig Cookie Bars

I was complaining that I've lost muscle mass since I lost all my baking days.  It's why these recent recipes look like I'm on a constant diet.  I've had to decrease my intake to compensate for the slowdown in my metabolism.  Then our two-day baker put in his notice.  Screw it, I'm baking cookies.

I've actually been meaning to make these for years.  I like Fig Newtons, but they're too sweet for my taste.  Fig jam wrapped in a whole wheat sugar cookie.  I found this recipe, then reduced the sugar in it, as suggested by a commenter.  I also cut the recipe in half, and it's still a lot of cookies.  I think the other half of the package of figs is going to become this year's batch of fig mustard.

This recipe is from Genius Kitchen, but I'm cleaning up the directions.  For one thing, I'm not going to have you preheat the oven two hours before you need it.  Also, and it seems to be a problem across the internet for this kind of cookie, they always put the jam recipe at the bottom, when it takes longer for it to cool than it does for the cookie dough to firm up.  We're going to fix that here.

Fig Filling
4 oz dried figs
1/3 C water
1-1/2 Tb orange juice (zest it first; you'll need it for the dough)
1-1/2 Tb sugar

1.  Cut off any stems or hard pieces from the figs and cut in quarters.  Place in a small saucepan with the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until very soft and most of the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

2.  Purée the jam, either with an immersion blender or in the food processor.  Stir in a couple of tablespoons of water if it seems too thick to pipe in a pastry bag.  (Or plastic zip bag with the corner cut off.)

3.  Allow jam to cool until it won't burn you or melt the bag.  Fit a bag with a 1/2" plain round tip, fill with the jam, and set aside until you need it.


Cookie Dough
1/6 C (2-1/2 Tb-ish) margarine
1/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C + 2 Tb AP flour
1/2 C + 2 Tb whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp orange zest
pinch of salt

1.  Cream together margarine and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until blended.  Add both flours, baking soda, baking powder, zest, and salt and beat into a dough.  Form into a square, wrap in wax paper, and chill for about 1/2 hour.

2.  Preheat oven to 375º and line two baking sheets with parchment.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a square 1/4" thick.  Cut into 3" wide strips.  Pipe a strip of filling down the middle of each piece, all the way to the ends.  I ran out of filling on the last half strip and subbed very thick apricot jam.  Didn't work as well.  Maybe one of those all-fruit pastes would hold up better.

3.  Carefully fold the sides up over the filling, overlapping slightly.  Transfer strips to the baking sheets, seam-side down.  Brush off any flour from the rolling board.  Cut strips crosswise into 1" cookies, but don't separate.  Bake for 13-15 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

4.  Allow to cool on the sheets for 5-10 minutes, for the filling to set.  Break apart cookies and transfer to a cooling rack.  Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen

Difficulty rating  :)