I can’t get enough of these oatmeal fig cookies! Like most cookies, they are super quick to make once you gathered all the ingredients. You don’t even need to let the dough rest in the fridge! They are my go-to crumbly cookies when I want to eat something sweet that isn’t overly sweet. This is a well-balanced cookie, my friends. In one bite, you’ll get a nice crunch from the nuts and seeds, a hint of honey and cinnamon, and chunks of chewy figs. They’re super satisfying, don’t feel too ‘dirty’ and they taste even better the day after. I love munching on those oatmeal fig cookies with a cup of tea when I’m reading. Following the current state of the world and the lockdown measures, I’m a much more assiduous reader. Maybe this year I can finally finish my Goodreads challenge. Silver lining, am I right?
Baking can be a great way to relax or to keep kids busy while we’re all in lockdown and there is nothing easier than making cookies. All kidding aside about having more time to read, I hope you and your loved ones are safe. My heart goes out to everyone whose livelihood is threatened, those who are working overtime to ensure that life goes on and to all the healthcare workers we owe so much to.
WITH OR WITHOUT WHOLEMEAL FLOUR
My oatmeal fig cookies are a re-creation of processed cookies I used to buy in Turkey that came in a purple wrapping. I can’t remember the brand’s name, and they would be next to impossible to find in France anyway so I had to make my own. Plus baked goods always feel more wholesome when you make them yourself. They probably are, I never checked the processed cookies’ list of ingredients.
I used to make these cookies with a ¾ all-purpose flour – ¼ wholemeal flour. It was a nice addition and made the taste closer to the cookies I was trying to recreate, but it was also burning my stomach. Apparently I can’t digest wholemeal flour very well. Obviously, everybody is different and you’d probably be fine with wholemeal flour, but I just wanted to warn you.
I usually add 1 tbsp of unsalted sunflower seeds to the dough. However sunflower seeds are a rare occurrence in my local grocery store, so given the pandemic, I wasn’t surprised that I couldn’t get my hands on some. Be sure to finely chop the figs and peanuts. They will be easier to mix in the dough and the shaped cookies won’t break as easily while you move them to the baking tray.
CRISPY COOKIES 101
➝ How to get crispy cookies? To get crispy cookies it’s important to use caster sugar, rather than brown sugar. Brown sugar is moister due to its molasses content and will make your cookies chewy. Avoid anything that would soften your cookies (like eggs). You should also melt your butter instead of creaming it with sugar. Without incorporating air into your dough, your cookies will spread more quickly. Thinner cookies make for crispier cookies.
➝ Can I make these oatmeal fig cookies in advance? Sure! After putting the shaped cookies on a baking tray, you can either:
- Wrap them airtight and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking them. If you bake them straight up from the fridge, they won’t spread as much and will be a bit chewier.
- Freeze them until firm, place them in a sealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them before baking them according to the instructions. If you don’t have time to thaw them, you should definitely add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Oatmeal fig cookies
- Prep Time: 25min
- Cook Time: 10min
- Total Time: 35min
- Yield: 10 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Description
These oatmeal fig cookies are crumbly, buttery and full of nuts & seeds. You don’t even need to refrigerate the dough, so you can treat yourself in no time!
Ingredients
- 140g butter (5 oz)
- 60g caster sugar (¼ cup)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 160g all-purpose flour (1 cup + 2 tbsp), sifted
- 5g baking powder (1 tsp)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 6 semi-dried figs, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
- Cut the butter into several big chunks. Place them in a heavy-based saucepan and cook over low heat until the butter is melted. Swirl the pan occasionally and remove it from the heat as soon as the butter is melted.
- Pour the sugar and honey in a large mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk together until combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture and mix well with a spatula to form a stiff dough.
- Fold in the chopped figs, peanuts, rolled oats and seeds.
- Roll the dough into equal size balls (around 1 heaped tbsp of cookie dough per cookie). Flatten them with your palms and place on the baking tray. They should approximatively be 7cm (2.7 inch) wide and 1cm (0.4 inch) thick.
- Bake for 10 to 11 min. The cookies will be golden brown and have darker edges. Take out of the oven.
- Let them rest and harden for 15 min on the tray before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before eating.
Notes
The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I actually enjoy them better the day after.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 231
- Fat: 12.8g
Keywords: oatmeal fig cookies, oatmeal cookies, fig cookies, cookies
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