Mini Cashew Fig Newton Bites

There are two types of people in this world… those who like fig newtons and those who I can no longer be friends with.

I kid, I kid! I love everyone regardless. But really, fig newtons are just so darn good. Personally, my brother and I grew up on them. They were always a quick snack my mom would throw at us; quick and easy. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I hadn’t had one in ages. I hadn’t actually had a fig in any form, in ages. So, naturally, I had to change that!

I wanted to create a healthier version, so I kept these little bites both vegan and refined sugar free. I made them in a mini-muffin tin, so they would be a perfect little bite-sized, grab and go snack option. However, you could totally make these into bar form, in a regular-sized cupcake tray, etc. Have fun with it!

Figs are rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper and are a good source of fiber, as well as the antioxidants vitamins A and K. They are naturally pretty sweet, so I kept the sweetener a little on the lower side for this recipe, but definitely give your filling a taste and adjust accordingly. This recipe calls for dried figs, which are typically widely available in most grocery stores, too!

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup cashew butter (can sub any nut/seed butter. “danishealthyeats” gets you a discount!)

• 1 cup rolled oats

• 1/2 cup oat flour

• 1/3 cup cashews

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups dried figs, stems removed

• 1 tbsp orange juice (optional, but i love the tang it gives)

• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (“danishealthyeats” for a discount)

• Water, as needed

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a mini cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.

2. If your dried figs are not soft, soak them in hot water for about 20 minutes or until they soften. Then, combine them along with all the other filling ingredients in a food processor and process until the figs are broken down and a thick filling has formed. It should be the texture of a thick jam. If your mixture is having trouble blending, add a tbsp of water at a time, until things get going. Set aside.

3. Make the crust by combining all ingredients until a dough forms. Set half of the dough aside and divide the other half amongst the cupcake tins.

4. Divide the filling amongst the cupcake tin, covering the crust. Then, divide the other half of the dough amongst the tray, crumbling over top of the fig layer. I gently flattened mine, but you can leave it crumbly!

5. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden and the dough is cooked/set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!