Gluten Free and Vegan Fig Newtons

I love figs, I grew up eating tons of figs because my grandparents had this huge tree in the chicken yard. When they got over ripe the figs would drop and the chickens would gobble them up. We however got to climb the tree and pick however much we wanted so long as we didn't waste them.

Fig Newtons were one of my favorite cookies besides oatmeal and chocolate chip. Now I want to try apricot and other fillings with this recipe. I have been looking around for something that would take me back to a Newton and was usually disappointed. Here is the closest thing to the original Newton that I have found thanks to Elana's Pantry, love this site...you will too. Take a good look at all her goodies.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1  cup dried figs
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1  tablespoon GF vanilla extract

Dough:
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt (I use Himalayan Sea Salt)
½ cup agave nectar
¼ cup yacon syrup (or honey)
¼ cup grapeseed oil (or oil of choice, stay light)
1 tablespoon GF vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Place figs in a food processor  and blend for 30 seconds until they are well chopped.
2. Add lemon juice and vanilla; process until a smooth paste results.
3. In a large bowl, combine almond flour and salt.
4. In a smaller bowl, combine agave, yacon, grapeseed oil and vanilla.
5. Mix wet ingredients into dry, then refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
6. Divide chilled dough into 4 parts.
7. Between 2 pieces of parchment paper (yes, parchment works best) , roll out 1 part of the dough into a 10 x 4 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick.
8. Spread ¼ of the filling evenly down the right side (lengthwise) of the rectangle.
9. Fold the dough in half down the long side --resulting in a 10 x 2 inch bar.
10. "Mend" the seam so the bar is symmetrical.
11. Repeat with 3 remaining parts of dough and filling.
12. Transfer each bar to a parchment  lined baking sheet; bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes.
13. Allow to cool slightly; cut bar every 2 inches to form the fig newtons.
14. Serve. If your knife gets sticky, wipe clean in cold water and cut.

Makes 20 cookies- 4 to 5 cookies, which of course, will be for "taste testing". One must always taste to be sure the product passes rigorous and stringent regulations. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Source: Elana’s Pantry