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Vegan Whole Wheat "Fig Newtons"

So I've told you guys this before, but I'm a library ho, it's true. I don't buy any books I just hit up the library. This is especially true with cookbooks since so many of them have 1 or 2 recipes I'll actually make while the rest of the recipes are just taking up valuable real estate on my book shelf. Sometimes though I find a book so chocked full of recipes I'd ACTUALLY have to go buy it. Enter in Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. I wasn't asked to pimp out this book, I just happened to find it at the library, and fall in love.

I brought these into work and everyone who had some thought they were better than the store bought variety. I made two changes (like you didn't see that coming) I only made half the filling, and truthfully it was plenty enough filling if you ask me. If you want a super thick gewwy filling make the full batch. The second change was I used 1/2 cup apple sauce instead of the 1/2 cup oil. Truthfully I think it worked out fine for these and wasn't missed one little bit. Oh wait... one more thing, she rolls out the dough... I just divided it in half and used my fingers to press it into the pan ... sure it would have been flatter and prettier if I rolled it out between wax paper like she said... but I'm lazy, and not using the oil makes things harder to roll out... true!



Whole Wheat Fig Bars


recipe from Vegan cookies invade your cookie jar
for full on her direction... go get the book :D these are my short hand directions


Filling (this is the full version I only made half)
1 lb dried figs, hard stems removed and diced into small pieces
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
2 tsp finely grated citrus zest

Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to simmer and cook 8-10 minutes stirring on occasion.

Dough
Mix together:
2 Tbs ground flax seeds
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 cup canola oil (I used unsweetened apple sauce)
3/4 cup sucanat or other natural dry sweetener
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Then sift in:
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (I used less)

Divide into two balls and roll out between wax paper, or just smoosh it into a tin foil lined 8x8 pan like I did. Top with fig mixture then second layer of dough. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes.

PS. I just started using a new commenting system, your email will not be displayed and I'm not collecting / storing anything or going to spam you or anything like that, it just makes it easier to actually be able to answer people's questions! I've had so many times when people ask me things but I couldn't email them back since blogger doesn't let you see emails. :)

14 chews:

Jeanne said...

I was never that big into fig newtons, but these look good!
Can't wait to see what else you try from this cookbook. Anything planned?

Bethanneleach said...

They look great to me! I love figs (planting my own tree this year) but I agree with you that you probably really don't need all the filling.

Mo said...

I actually own Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar but I've yet to make anything from them because, despite being vegan, they're all so high in fat and sugar, so thanks for trying this out with applesauce for me. ;)

Mo you are totally right but there are some that look pretty good like the
peanut butter agave ones (p99)! Also most of the bar cookies I bet will turn
out great by subbing apple sauce like the brownies (p132)! I do agree that a
ton are way too bad for me to make but I found enough that had good bones to
start with that I'm going to be making for sure!

Jeanne there are so many! pumpkin pie brownies... peanutbutter agave
cookies, chocolate bottom macaroon cookies! YUM!

You planted your own tree!!! That is so cool! I want to plant fruit trees...
I need to get John on that haha! Where do you even get a fig tree? I wonder
if it would do well in the climate up here... hmmmm

Hannah said...

I've been eyeing that recipe for a while now, but had yet to take the plunge... Man do they look good! I should stop dragging my feet on this one, because your pictures have me drooling.

Melinda said...

I may need to make these for my dad..think he just finished off a thing of fig newtons!

Tracy said...

These sound lovely; I love figs! I've never heard of this cookbook, but now I'll have to check it out. Those PB-agave cookies you mentioned in the comments sound great too...I'd make them with SunButter of course. Yum!

Mo said...

Steph, I looked in the book again and started looking at the "wholesome" recipes. I actually made the Banana Breakfast Cookies last night for breakfast this morning (I know, breakfast cookies for breakfast, who'd have thought...). I made a few changes, but not too many, and they were really good! :)

I'm so glad you went back and gave the book another chance! Maybe I'll have
to add those to my list too! What changes did you make? YUM!

Mo said...

My changes (okay, maybe I made more than "a few"... hahaha):

- I used 2 tbsp melted coconut oil and 2 tbsp rice bran oil but you could totally just use 1/4 cup of any oil/fat you want
- 1/4 cup date syrup (any liquid sweetener will work here, I bet) and 1/4 cup agave (ditto)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce to make up for the volume/moistness/sweetness of the oil and sweetener
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup raw buckwheat flour (or just use more whole wheat or another flour - I happened to have ground myself some earlier and wanted to use it :P)
- 1/2 cup oat bran, which you can leave whole but I ground it up in my spice mill to give it a floury texture
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup loosely-packed raisins (which I'd soak in a little water prior to adding to the dough, 'cause some of them burned)

They were really sweet and kind of reminded me of baked oatmeal, but... "crustier"? Haha. I got 22 1/4-cup cookies out of this. Oh, and since it makes 2 sheets of cookies, I baked them for 6 minutes, switched the top and bottom, and baked for 6 more. :)

Oh nice! Thanks so much! :) I might try the whole wheat chocolate chip cookies tonight :)

I don't know how I never replied to this! I love all the changes you made!!

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