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Homemade Fig Bars

You’ll love these Homemade Fig Bars for a sweet treat! They’re made with a buttery crust, a homemade spiced fig filling, and a crumble topping with oats and pecans.

homemade fig bars image with text overlay

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help create the week’s recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Growing up I loved Fig Newtons but rarely bought them as an adult until recently. They definitely weren’t how I remembered them, so it was an easy decision to make my own Homemade Fig Bars.

I’ve made peach streusel bars and cranberry coconut bars with a similar process of a crust, filling, and crumble topping so I knew these would be just as good. Creating the homemade spiced fig jam to fill these fig bars was the best decision of the week!

stack of homemade fig bars on plate with pan in background

#SpringSweetsWeek

It’s that time of the year again when Heather from Hezzi D’s Recipe Box hosts our annual sweet event featuring recipes that remind us of Spring. Over 15 bloggers are sharing over 50 recipes for cupcakes, ice cream, pies, cakes, and more this week!

Of course, we couldn’t have done it without three amazing sponsors! Thank you to our #SpringSweetsWeek sponsors who are helping us give away some great prizes. Thank you to Melissa’s ProduceTaylor and Colledge, and Selefina Spices for their generosity and support. We have an incredible giveaway with three amazing prizes that you should enter! Read all about the prizes here and then enter for a chance to win. The entry form is in this post (below the recipe card).

What are Figs?

You’ll be surprised to learn that a fig isn’t really a fruit; they’re actually inverted flowers. The fig is a fleshy, sweet fruit with a slightly chewy texture, filled with tiny seeds. All those seeds are actually the fruit! Whether or not the science behind how figs are created isn’t really as important as how delicious they are.

Figs are typically found on charcuterie boards, turned into spreads or jams, or baked into desserts, like these homemade fig bars. You can eat the whole fig, too. There are a few varieties of figs not to mention figs are also commonly dried. Many fig jam recipes call for dried figs because of the short shelf life of a fig. You have about 5 – 7 days to eat or use figs before they aren’t fresh any longer.

homemade spiced fig bars on white plate

Homemade Fig Jam

For the fig bars, I used fresh figs from Melissa’s Produce that I cooked down with the Cinnsational Spice Blend from Selefina Spices and a very fragrant vanilla bean paste from Taylor and Colledge. A few other ingredients are added to balance everything out and the result is a wonderful jam. There is no pectin in this jam and it will last up to about 10 days in the refrigerator if you’re not using it to make these homemade fig newtons.

overhead view of spiced fig jam

🥣Equipment

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📃Ingredients

For the Homemade Fig Jam

For the bottom crust

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 1 cup flour

For the crumble topping

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup Oats (not quick cooking)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
ingredients for fig jam
fig filling and top crust ingredients

Directions

Step 1

To make the spiced fig jam: In a medium saucepan, combine figs, brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, cinnasational spice blend, and vanilla extract. Bring to a slow boil and allow the figs to release their juices. by using the back of a wooden spoon, press the figs against the pan side to help break them down a bit more. Once it’s come to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, occasionally stirring and continuing to break up larger pieces of figs with the wooden spoon. Remove the filling from the heat and cool completely.

fig jam ingredients in saucepan
cooking figs down in saucepan
fig jam cooking in pot
close up of fig jam with spices

Step 2

To make the top crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8 or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and the vanilla with an electric hand-held mixer until well blended. Add the 1 cup of flour and mix until soft dough forms. Press dough in the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the center is set. Allow to cool for about 2 minutes.

bottom crust in baking pan

Step 3

Spread the fig jam over the bottom crust.

spread fig jam over baked crust in pan
fig jam filling in pan

Step 4

To make the crumble topping: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour, the brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons COLD butter, using a fork or clean hands, until crumbly. Stir in oats and chopped pecans. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until the edges are bubbly and the topping is lightly golden brown.

add crumble topping to fig jam layer and bake

Step 5

Cool completely before cutting into bars, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or longer if refrigerated or frozen.

close up of spiced fig bars

Printable Recipe Card

homemade spiced fig bars on white plate

Homemade Fig Bars

You’ll love these Homemade Fig Bars for a sweet treat! They’re made with a buttery crust, a homemade spiced fig filling, and a crumble topping with oats and pecans.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time for Fig Jam: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Calories: 221kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the fig jam

  • 24 small to medium fresh figs, quartered
  • cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon Taylor and Colledge Vanilla Bean Paste (or vanilla extract)
  • ½ teaspoon Selefina's Spice's Cinnasational Spice Blend (or cinnamon)

For the bottom crust

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup white granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup flour

For the crumble topping

  • ¼ cup flour
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup oats (not quick cooking)
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, COLD, cubed

Instructions

To make the spiced fig jam

  • In a medium saucepan, combine figs, brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, cinnasational spice blend, and vanilla extract. Bring to a slow boil and allow the figs to release their juices. by using the back of a wooden spoon, press the figs against the pan side to help break them down a bit more. Once it’s come to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, occasionally stirring and continuing to break up larger pieces of figs with the wooden spoon. Remove the filling from the heat and cool completely.

To make the crust

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8 or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and the vanilla with an electric hand-held mixer until well blended. Add the 1 cup of flour and mix until soft dough forms. Press dough in the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the center is set. Allow to cool for about 2 minutes.

To assemble the fig bars

  • Spread the fig jam over the bottom crust.
  • To make the crumble topping: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour, the brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons COLD butter, using a fork or clean hands, until crumbly. Stir in oats and chopped pecans. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until the edges are bubbly and the topping is lightly golden brown.
  • Cool completely before cutting into bars, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days, or longer if refrigerated or frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Tried this recipe?I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this one! I hope you try it, enjoy it, comment and rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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close up of homemade fig bars

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    Thank you #SpringSweetsWeek Sponsors: Selefina Spices, Melissa’s Produce, and Taylor and Colledge for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and products to use for #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older.   All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Three (3) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #SpringSweetsWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X or any other social channel mentioned in the #SpringSweetsWeek posts or entry.

    5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    10 Comments

    1. Living in New England, Fig Newtons were a lunch box staple. Your bars look wicked good!

    2. That fig jam sounds so good! I’d put that on everything!

    3. Karen's Kitchen Stories says:

      I love the crumble top and the gorgeous layer of fig filling in these! Great idea for the figs.

    4. Yum! I love fig bars but I’ve never made them myself. That topping and the filling sound amazing!

    5. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says:

      This is my kinda recipe…a bar cookie with streusel! I am all in on fig bar that look WAAAAY better than Fig Newtons!

    6. 5 stars
      There is so much flavor in your fig filling! Makes these bars taste so delicious. That crumb is so inviting, too!

    7. Beautiful! Not your grandmother’s fig newton, that’s for sure!

    8. 5 stars
      Fig bars are my favorite and these look and sound the best. I love the vanilla and the cinnasational blend added here.

    9. I just made these with some fresh fig jam I made recently. I added the lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla, which were missing from my original (balsamic fig) recipe. The bars are easy and quick to make. The flavor is outstanding!! Thank you for another great recipe!

      1. The balsamic fig jam sounds amazing, too! Thank you for your sweet words!