Raw Fig Bars

Raw fig bars using fresh figs. The entire recipe is raw and grain-free, only requiring 30 minutes in the freezer before they’re ready to eat!Vegan, gluten-free and the perfect snack or healthy dessert!

I grew up eating Fig Newtons… my grandparents always had them which instantly makes me think only older people eat them?! Someone confirm! I vividly remember trying a real dried fig for the first time when I was older and was blown away by the fact that they tasted like nature’s fig newton! I’ve always been a fig lover but in talking to friends and family, I’ve realized you fall into one of two camps: you love figs or absolutely hate them.

Why eat figs?

Besides being delicious, figs are packed with nutrients! Figs are low in calories, high in fiber, high in calcium and high in antioxidants. They are a mildly sweet treat that are a great addition to so many recipes. I also highly recommend eating them with a little nut butter for a snack.

Fresh vs. Dried

Both fresh and dried figs are healthy additions to your diet! In my opinion, they’re completely different. I love the texture of dried figs but the flavour of fresh figs are out of this world. You really can’t go wrong…

I love using fresh figs for this recipe. I know they can be a little harder to find depending on where you live in the world. There are two seasons for figs – one in June and one late summer to fall. Most grocery stores will have figs during those times but if you’re lucky you’ll be able to find them year round. Look for plump figs, avoiding super wrinkled or oozing, mushy figs.

Raw Fig Bar Ingredients

There are two parts to this recipe: the fig filling and the crust and crumb layers.

Here’s what you need for the fig filling:

• fresh or dried figs
• ground flaxseed

Here’s what you need for the crust and crumble:

• raw almonds
• ground flaxseed
• medjool dates
• vanilla extract
• unsweetened almond milk

Once you have all of the ingredients and your food processor ready to roll, you’re well on your way to mastering these bars. They’re super simple to throw together, just take a lot of food processing and a little patience while they set in the freezer!

Raw Fig Bars

Raw fig bars using fresh figs. The entire recipe is raw and grain-free, only requiring 30 minutes in the freezer before they’re ready to eat!

• Author: Davida Lederle
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 12 bars 1x

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For Fig Filling:

• 8 fresh black mission figs OR 1 cup of dried black mission figs*
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (only use for fresh fig filling)

For Crust/Crumb Layer:

• 3 cups raw almonds
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 cup medjool dates
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1–2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

Instructions

1. Using plastic wrap fit a piece inside a 9×9 inch baking pan. Make sure piece is well fitted on the inside and hangs over sides.

For Fig Filling:

1. Place fresh or dried figs in food processor and process until smooth.
2. Add in ground flaxseed if using fresh figs.
3. Remove from food processor and set aside. Clean food processor.

For Crust/Crumb Layer:

1. Add almonds, flaxseed and dates to food processor and process for 1 minute.
2. Add in vanilla extract and almond milk (starting with 1 T and adding another if mix is dry) and continue processing until mixture comes together into a sticky ball.
3. Take 2/3 of mixture and flatten inside plastic wrapped baking pan using hands. Make sure “crust” is even.
4. Top with fig filling. Spreading over crust using a spatula.
5. Take remaining mixture and crumble over bars. Flatten pieces over fig filling just slightly using palm.
6. Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
7. Remove from freezer and pull bars out of pan by lifting up the plastic wrap.
8. Cut into 12 bars.
9. I store mine in the freezer to keep longer (several weeks) or store in fridge for up to 1 week.

*Soak dried figs in water for at least 1 hour before using and then drain water.

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