Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (2024)

By Annie Holmes Published in Dessert

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

You will love these healthier Fig Bars for a sweet treat. The bars feature an almond flour crust, sweet fig filling, and a crumble topping!

Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (1)

Raise your hand if you are excited for fig season! I am! Actually, figs are pretty difficult to find in our area, so when I spotted them last week I scooped them up. I loved Fig Newtons as a kid and wanted to create some kind of lower carb treat that featured that sweet caramely, fig flavor. These healthy fig bars totally fit the bill.

Actually, Mr. Maebell was not enthusiastic at all when he saw the chopped up figs. It was a dessert he wasn’t interested in having. And I get it, figs look pretty weird. But when they were baking and the air was full of that sweet brown sugar aroma, he was on board.

Figs are a fruit that have a delicious sweet flavor. They can be eaten with or without the peel. For a fruit, they are relatively low in carbs and have a good dose of fiber. This makes the net carbs lower than most.

Figs pair really well with cheese for a sweet and savory combo. You may have seen them on beautiful cheeseboards with honey and crackers or on a pizza with prosciutto and gorgonzola. They are one of the rare fruits that work beautifully in desserts and also on savory, salty dishes.

While these bars do have that delicious flavor of a Fig Newton cookie, these are way better. They feature a shortbread-like cookie crust that is soft and buttery. The filling is just figs and brown sugar (or Swerve brown sugar for a lower carb version). The topping is an oatmeal crumble sprinkled with pecans. The layers are rich and perfectly complement one another.

Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (2)

Ingredients in Homemade Fig Bars

To make these homemade Fig Newton bars, I used:

  • Butter
  • Almond flour
  • Brown sugar
  • Fresh figs
  • Old-fashioned oats
  • Pecans
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt

How to Make Fig Bars

  1. First, you’ll need to make the crust.In a small mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients until a soft dough forms
  2. Press into an 8×8-inch foil-lined pan and bake for 6 minutes.
  3. Then, move onto the fig filling. Place the chopped figs and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat, stirring and breaking up the figs.
  4. As soon as the mixture begins to simmer, reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally. Remove from heat when the figs are completely broken up and the mixture resembles jam of fruit spread.
  5. Last but not least, the crumble topping. In a blender or food processor, combine all of the crumble topping ingredients and pulse until coarsely blended.
  6. Spread the fig mixture over the pre-baked crust and top with the crumble topping. Bake until done.

Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (3)

Can I Double This Recipe?

Yes! You can double the ingredients list and bake the bars in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Can I Make This Recipe Low-Carb?

Yes! Use brown sugar swerve instead of regular brown sugar.

Tips for Making Homemade Fig Bars

  • If you can’t find fresh figs where you live, substitute the homemade fig filling with store-bought fig jam.
  • For gluten-free fig bars, use certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats.
  • These homemade fig bars are especially delicious warm with a scoop of ice cream.

More Low-Carb Desserts:

  • Keto Peanut Butter Brownies
  • Keto French Silk Pie
  • Keto No-Bake Cookies
  • Keto Butter Pecan Blondies
  • The Best Keto Lemon Bars

Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (4)

Homemade Fig Bars

Annie Holmes

You will love these healthier Fig Bars for a sweet treat. The bars feature an almond flour crust, sweet fig filling, and a crumble topping!

4.41 from 183 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 31 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 1 minute min

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9

Calories 265 kcal

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Filling

  • 7 fresh figs quartered
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar

For the Crumble Topping:

  • 1/3 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
  • 1/3 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup pecans
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the crust:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, lightly spray with baking spray and set aside.

  • In a small mixing bowl combine the crust ingredients: melted butter, brown sugar and almond flour until a soft dough forms.

  • Press into the foil lined pan and bake for 6 minutes, crust should be set but not cooked all the way through.

Make the filling:

  • Place the chopped figs and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium high heat, stirring and breaking up the figs.

  • As soon as the mixture begins to simmer reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally. Remove from heat when the figs are completely broken up and the mixture resembles jam of fruit spread. (about 20 minutes).

  • Remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes.

Make the crumble topping:

  • In a blender or food processor combine all of the crumble topping ingredients and pulse until coarsely blended.

Assemble the bars:

  • Spread the fig mixture over the pre-baked crust and top with the crumble topping.

  • Bake 20-25 minutes.

Video

Notes

Brown sugar alternative: You may use swerve brown sugar instead for a lower carb option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 25.3gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 81mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25g

Keyword fig bars, fig bars recipe, gluten free fig bars, healthy fig bars

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Homemade Fig Bars Recipe (Gluten-Free!) - Maebells (2024)

FAQs

How long do fig bars last? ›

Store these homemade fig bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. They would likely last beyond that, but as a soft cookie, they tend to lose their texture over time.

What is inside a fig bar? ›

The fig roll or fig bar is a biscuit or cookie consisting of a rolled cake or pastry filled with fig paste.

Are fig bars keto? ›

Yes, Fig Bars or Rolls are high in carbohydrates, with around 66.3 grams per 100 grams, making them unfavorable in a typical keto dietary plan that highly restricts carb intake.

Can you eat too many fig bars? ›

The side effects of eating figs are: Because figs contain a lot of fiber, eating too many of them can cause diarrhea. Figs are high in calories, so eating a lot of them will not help lose weight. Individuals who are allergic to rubber latex or birch pollen could be allergic to figs.

Are fig bars good for high blood pressure? ›

The soluble fiber found in figs helps to lower cholesterol, and the high potassium content helps promote health blood pressure levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Although they can be very sweet, figs have a moderate glycemic index.

Are fig bars actually healthy? ›

They are also fairly healthy. Figs are well known for having fiber, which helps with digestion, as well as protein and several vitamins and minerals. This means there are quite a few health benefits of fig bars like fig Newtons.

Are there wasp eggs in fig bars? ›

If the wasp climbs into a female fig, she pollinates it, but cannot lay her eggs and just dies alone. Luckily for us, the female fig produces an enzyme that digests this wasp completely. The crunchy bits are seeds, not wasp parts.

Can you eat fig bars at night? ›

Figs have an impressive amount of sleep-promoting potassium, in addition to magnesium and calcium.

Can diabetics eat fig bars? ›

The figs in these bars are a natural source of dietary fibers, which assist in digestion and maintaining a healthy weight. They also help manage blood sugar levels, proving critical for individuals attempting to manage diabetes.

Can fig bars cause constipation? ›

Figs have a variety of potential health benefits. They may improve digestion and decrease constipation, help manage blood fat and blood sugar levels, and kill cancer cells.

Do fig bars have eggs? ›

Do fig bars contain dairy or eggs? No, they are Certified Vegan.

How do you know when figs go bad? ›

If you see water leaking out from the bottom of a fig, that's a surefire indicator that spoilage has begun on the interior. If everything looks good on the outside, give them a good sniff; if you get a hint of a garbage-like smell (or anything that smells like fermentation), that means the fig is rotten inside.

Do figs have an expiration date? ›

How long will fresh figs last? Fresh figs are perishable and should be kept refrigerated. The ideal temperature is 32 to 36 degrees F. Refrigerated at these temperatures, fresh figs typically last 5 to 7 days but can store for up to 2 weeks.

What is the shelf life of that's it bars? ›

They do not require refrigeration, and are shelf-stable for two years.

Should fig bars be refrigerated? ›

Do fig bars need to be refrigerated? No, they do not need to be refrigerated. I usually store them in the fridge to increase how long they stay fresh though and I would recommend that they go into the fridge after about 3 days so they don't dry out or get stale before you can eat them all.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Otha Schamberger

Last Updated:

Views: 5948

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Otha Schamberger

Birthday: 1999-08-15

Address: Suite 490 606 Hammes Ferry, Carterhaven, IL 62290

Phone: +8557035444877

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: Fishing, Flying, Jewelry making, Digital arts, Sand art, Parkour, tabletop games

Introduction: My name is Otha Schamberger, I am a vast, good, healthy, cheerful, energetic, gorgeous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.