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

By Annie Holmes Published in Dessert

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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

Are fig bars healthy? ›

Conclusions. Nature's Bakery Fig Bars contain some healthy food ingredients and are more nutritious than most regular candy bars. The gluten-free variations contain a blend of five grains with significant health properties.

Are fig bars keto? ›

As we have established, Fig Bars or Rolls, despite their pleasing flavor profile, unfortunately, don't provide a keto-friendly option due to their high carbohydrate content.

What are fig bars made of? ›

Made with dried figs, cinnamon, and honey, these delicious bars taste like childhood.

Are fig bars vegan? ›

Crafted with thoughtful, quality ingredients, they're the perfect on-the-go gluten free snack to fuel your everyday life's great journeys. Our Fig Bars are Non-GMO Project Verified, Vegan Certified, no high fructose corn syrup, no trans-fat, and no cholesterol.

Are fig bars anti inflammatory? ›

Fig Bars for Athletes

Figs have anti-inflammatory properties, which help alleviate pain and recover from muscle fatigue, once an intense workout or competition is over. As a true superfood, figs help prevent cramps and optimize hydration, and the potassium helps balance sodium concentration to lower blood pressure.

How many figs should you eat in a day? ›

When it comes to raw fruit, you can easily have 2-3 figs in a day. If you are having dried figs, stick to 3 figs and do not have them without soaking overnight. Our body can absorb the nutrients and digest some dried fruits and nuts in a better way when they are soaked well.

Can fig bars cause constipation? ›

Figs may cause digestive upset or diarrhea due to their anti-constipation effects. They may also interfere with blood thinners, and some people may be allergic to them.

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 figs high in sugar and carbs? ›

While dried figs can pack a punch of sugar, fresh figs contain significantly less. In fact, one small fresh fig has only 6.5 grams of net carbohydrate. Slice up fresh figs for a slightly sweet and guilt-free fruit topping on your keto bread - try this with goat cheese!

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 for breakfast? ›

For some children, a fig bar and a cup of raw milk or coconut milk would be the perfectly portioned breakfast. For others, a fig breakfast bar with a side of hard boiled eggs or sausage and a cup of yogurt will be best.

Do fig bars have added sugar? ›

So Much More Than Sweet

Granulated sugar and brown sugar are typically in fig bars and they do more than just sweeten the cookies. Sugar adds structure to the dough. So, it plays a necessary part in the recipe.

Why are fig bars so good? ›

Fig bars are moist, soft whole wheat cake bars with a sweet fig filling and makes a great on-the-go-breakfast. Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. They are also rich in copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin K and antioxidants.

Are fig bars healthy for weight loss? ›

They are high in fiber which aids in digestion, improves satiety, and keeps you feeling full longer. This can help to reduce overeating and, as a result, can aid in weight loss.

Is Nature's Bakery fig bars healthy? ›

These bars are made from all-natural, non-GMO ingredients, making them a healthier snack option compared to many other processed snack foods on the market.

Are figs a healthy snack? ›

Figs are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants and provide fiber and smaller amounts of a variety of minerals. They may also support digestive, gut, and menstrual health, improve inflammatory conditions, aid weight management, and offer cancer protection.

How healthy is fig jam? ›

Gives an energy boost: Fig jam's carbohydrate and sugar content help to boost the energy levels of your body. It provides the energy needed to perform our regular chores. Prevents ageing of skin: Because of its antioxidants and its anti-collagenase qualities, it reduces wrinkle depth and keeps the skin young.

Are figs high in sugar? ›

Figs are delectably sweet, and there's a reason for that: lots of natural sugar. Six dried figs have about 24 grams. That's offset by a reasonable amount of fiber, Gardner said – about 5 grams, or more that 17% of the recommended daily value. That fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.

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