Fig and Walnut Cookies

These Fig and Walnut Cookies were inspired by a cookie I had in Florence, Italy. They were buttery and jammy, with a wonderful crunch of walnuts. When I returned home, I just had to get in the kitchen and try to recreate them! And ta da! Here they are! For another fantastic fig recipe, try my Fresh Fig Cake with Crumb Topping.

This is also a great holiday cookie recipe and would be a great addition to any holiday cookie platter or cookie exchange. Load up your cookie platter with some of my favorite holiday cookie recipes such as; my Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies, my Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies, Amaretti Cookies or my Chocolate and Vanilla Sugar Cookies.

The Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter: Make sure the butter is softened and at room temperature. This will help the sugar and egg yolks incorporate better.
• Granulated Sugar: This works better than powdered sugar (I’ve tried both!), but you get a crispier, more crumbly texture with the granulated sugar.
• Egg Yolks: Will create a richer texture on the cookie than whole eggs.
• Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Salt: To boost all the flavors of the butter and vanilla, I use kosher salt for baking for the best flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour: Not too much or the will cookies lose their buttery flavor! Since moving to France I’ve had to experiment a lot with the different flours (there are so many choices!) I have discovered T55 flour works the best for cookies.
• Fig Jam: In France we have a lot of choices for this but I found the Bonne Maman Fig Jam works the best. I put the extra fig jam to good use with my Baked Brie and Fig Jam Appetizer.
• Dried Figs: You’ll also need two large, sticky dried figs—the plumper they are, the better! They help thicken the filling and give it its sticky texture.
• Orange Zest: The combination of fig and orange zest is just divine! You’ll love the fresh flavor it provides against the sweet fig.
• Salt: A little salt in the filling helps to heighten the orange flavor while balancing the sweetness of the jam.
• Walnuts: Personally, the crunch of the buttery walnuts in these cookies is the best part!

Watch My Video Demo of This Recipe

 

Step#1: Create the Cookie Dough

• You’ll beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.
• Then add the egg yolks, vanilla, salt, and the flour.
• Once the dough is created, form it into a ball and then a disc. Wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper.
• I like using parchment paper because I can roll it out and have a non-stick surface on which to cut out the cookies without having to wash a cutting board.
• Anytime I’m rolling out cookie dough, I love using a French style rolling pin, for the control it provides and its light weight handling.
• These cookies work well as 1.5″ cookies. If you don’t have a cookie cutter that size (which I didn’t), a champagne flute works perfectly!
• Not only is it the perfect size, but the glass is thinnest at the top, giving it excellent cutting abilities! I wouldn’t use the Baccarat crystal, but a basic Ikea Champagne flute works wonders!
• Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat.

Step#2: Make the Fig and Walnut Filling

• I spent many days experimenting with this recipe to achieve a sticky, jammy filling.
• I found that combining dried figs and fig jam was the secret to success!
• The dried figs thicken the fig jam and give the filling structure. Otherwise, the filling is a bit too runny if using just the jam.
• Roughly chop the walnuts to keep them chunky. This will also give your cookie a lovely crunch.
• The completed filling should be practically equal parts “jammy and nutty”.

Step#3: Baking and Filling the Cookies

• These cookies bake in two stages.
• The first baking stage is for 8 minutes to set the cookies so they will be easier to fill.
• Once initially baked, flip half the baked cookies over to create a top and a bottom.
• Then, dollop the filling on the bottom of one cookie, spread it out to cover the entire cookie, and place the other cookie on top.
• Then bake again to bake the filling and turn the tops golden brown for another 8-10 minutes.

Step#4: Dusting with Powdered Sugar

• You can dust the cookies with powdered sugar once the cookies are cooled and set.
• I like the look of the sugar because it makes them dainty and a bit fancy.
• This is a great look for holiday entertaining when you want to dress them up for a special event or bake sale.
• But if you’re making them off-season on a casual Sunday, you can pop them in your mouth as soon as they are cool enough to handle.
• When eaten warm the filling is a little bit gooey, and sticky, with that hint of orange zest, it’s just fantastic! And highly addictive! You can’t eat just one!

Storage Tips:

• You can store the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze it for up to a month.
• The filling will keep fresh, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• To keep the baked cookies fresh, keep them at room temperature, lightly covered with foil, for up to 4 hours; after that, refrigerate them.