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!
PrintRaw 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!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
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
- 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:
- Place fresh or dried figs in food processor and process until smooth.
- Add in ground flaxseed if using fresh figs.
- Remove from food processor and set aside. Clean food processor.
For Crust/Crumb Layer:
- Add almonds, flaxseed and dates to food processor and process for 1 minute.
- 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.
- Take 2/3 of mixture and flatten inside plastic wrapped baking pan using hands. Make sure “crust” is even.
- Top with fig filling. Spreading over crust using a spatula.
- Take remaining mixture and crumble over bars. Flatten pieces over fig filling just slightly using palm.
- Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and pull bars out of pan by lifting up the plastic wrap.
- Cut into 12 bars.
- 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.
Like this recipe? Here are others you might enjoy:
- Matcha Protein Bars
- Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Raw Nutella Bars
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49 Comments
Olivia Serafini
October 6, 2021 at 3:55 pmdo you think i could replace the almonds with walnuts?
Lisa Martinez
September 12, 2020 at 5:41 pmCan I substitute the dates for something else?
Olivia
September 15, 2019 at 7:39 pmI really want to try this recipe with my fresh figs but dont have flaxseed, what could i use instead?
Davida Lederle
September 16, 2019 at 10:19 amDo you happen to have chia seeds by chance? If not let me know and I can brainstorm for you!
Donna
February 23, 2018 at 11:29 pmI love figs I even planted my own fig tree I only eat them without anything .I have type 2 diabetes so I eat them raw that’s why iam looking for healthier way of using them be good if you can help me use them in my diet
Kate
October 27, 2015 at 9:47 amDo you know the nutritional info on these bars? They look amazing!
Davida Kugelmass
October 27, 2015 at 10:00 amUnfortunately, no. I don’t calculate nutrition for my recipes but feel free to use a site like myfitnesspal.com where you can easily upload the recipe. Sorry!
Renee James
September 21, 2015 at 10:40 pmThese Raw Fig Bars look amazing and filled with wonderful ingredients! I just found your blog and love it!! Looking forward to catching up on all of it!!
Do I need to use medjool dates and should they be fresh? I have some Deglet Noor dates in a bag (dried?) and wonder if they would work? Not sure of the difference…
Can’t wait to try these and thanks!!
Davida Kugelmass
September 22, 2015 at 8:32 amThe benefit to medjool dates is that they’re pretty sticky. You’ll need them to be soft in order to break down. If your Deglet dates are soft or if you soak them in hot water for 30 minutes and then drain them, you should be good to go!