For many people, figs are a traditional part of Christmas food. When it comes to the best fruits to add to your recipes, figs are probably the most underrated of the group. Not only are these sweet fruits delicious, they’re also incredibly versatile. Their concentrated sweetness is balanced by a complex spicy flavor that makes dried figs exactly the right ingredient for those holiday desserts. Fresh off the tree, dried, stuffed or baked, the fig is a classic fruit, ancient in fact.
We are fast approaching the Christmas season and if you have a sweet tooth, the holiday season is basically synonymous with one thing: cookies! Chewy or crunchy, chocolaty or nutty, flat, round or twisted … a cookie is a cookie. In the most basic terms, a cookie is a sweet, baked, flour based finger food. But it can come in all shapes, sizes, flavors and textures.
Figs seem to always have a way of catching my attention at this time of year. I recall my mother making filled date cookies at Christmas. She would make them in advance of Christmas, tucking them away in an airtight cookie box. When Christmas holidays rolled around and we could nibble on them, the flavors had marinated and they tasted amazing!
The combination of flavors and textures in these oatmeal fig cookies should create some tasty little morsels along with giving variety without fuss.
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- 1 cup margarine
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
- 2 cups oatmeal I like to give the oatmeal a few PULSES in the food processor
- 1 1/2-1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (about 75 gm) dried figs, chopped
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 3/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/8 cup sugar
- orange zest to taste, optional
- 125 gm dried figs
- 50 gm pitted dates
- 1 Tbsp silvered or chopped almonds, optional
- 1-2 drops anise extract, optional
- 1 Tbsp liquid honey
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp EACH cinnamon, cardamom & ginger
- 125 gm dried figs
- 50 gm dried apricots,
- 1-2 drops anise extract, optional
- 1 Tbsp liquid honey
- 1 1/2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1/8 tsp EACH cinnamon, cardamom & ginger
Ingredients
Oatmeal Base
Raspberry-Fig Filling
Date-Fig Filling
Apricot-Fig Filling
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- In a large bowl, cream together margarine & sugar; beat in sour cream & vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder & salt; gradually stir into creamed mixture until blended. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or longer.
- In a saucepan, combine figs, raspberries, water, apple juice & sugar; bring to a boil. Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat to low & simmer until figs are soft, stirring often.
- When figs are soft, the water/apple juice mixture will have cooked off & will be thick & sticky. Remove from heat, place in a bowl & cool to room temperature. If you wish, you can process in a blender to make a smooth paste/filling.
- Snip off stem ends of figs & put the figs, dates & almonds into a food processor. Grind to a coarse paste. Stir in remaining date filling ingredients & process until mixed. Set aside.
- Snip off stem ends of figs & put the figs & apricots into a food processor. Grind to a coarse paste. Stir in remaining apricot filling ingredients & process until mixed. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray OR line with paper baking cups, 3 (12 cup capacity) MINI muffin pans.
- Remove oatmeal base from refrigerator & divide in thirds. Place one tiny scoop of oatmeal batter in each cup. Create an indentation in the center of each one.
- Place a dollop of filling in the center of each indentation, making 12 from each kind of filling. Place another tiny scoop on top of each cookie 'drop' & flatten with a fork.
- Bake cookie drops for about 15 minutes or just until they test done with a toothpick inserted.
- Place on a wire rack to cool. When cooled you can leave plain or dress up with a bit of icing drizzle if you wish.
