Overview

Prep Time: 90 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 20 Cookies

I was reminded of Fig Newtons out of the blue recently and decided that I wanted to try my hand at a homemade matcha version. I couldn't for the life of me find any dried mission figs which would be used to make a Fig Newton so I decided to get creative. 

It was strawberry season when this was all happening and strawberries were everywhere and cheap. I decided that with fresh strawberries along with chia, starch and some heat I might be able to achieve a thick enough consistency to be reminiscent of the classic Fig Newton filling but be it's own new thing and, what's more, combine perfectly with the matcha flavor I wanted to use in the dough.

When I'm trying out new recipes, I often think about if I can do it gluten-free. The soft but dry, crumbly consistency I was looking to imitate in Fig Newtons actually lends itself very nicely to a combination of buckwheat and coconut flour. These combined with Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free flour gave me exactly what I was looking for.

When they first come out of the oven you might be scared that the cookie shell is actually too crispy and will fall apart when you bite. However with some patience, left in an air-tight container for a few hours or overnight, the cookies soften up to the perfect consistency.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 113g (1/2 cup) softened butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1/2 an orange
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange juice
• 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons matcha powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Strawberry-Chia Filling:

• About 10 small strawberries
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• Zest of 1/2 orange
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free starch
• 1 teaspoon honey

Step 1 (Dough):

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fully combined.

Step 2:

Add vanilla extract, egg, orange zest, orange juice to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until fully combined.

Step 3:

In a separate, medium sized bowl mix flours, salt, matcha, cinnamon, and baking soda, stir until evenly mixed.

Step 4:

Combine wet and dry ingredients in the large mixing bowl, mixing until a consistent dough is formed.

Step 5:

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. You can let it sit in the refrigerator overnight as well.

Step 6 (Strawberry-Chia Filling):

Mash washed strawberries in a medium bowl with a fork, then mix in all other ingredients other than honey. Mix until fully combined.

Step 7:

In a non-stick sauce pan on low heat, heat the filling mixture until it becomes a taffy-like consistency (when you scoop it with a fork, none should drip off and completely separate when you hold the fork up). This will take about 5-7 minutes with frequent scrapping a folding with a spatula.

Step 8:

Once complete remove the filling back to its original bowl. Mix in honey with a fork or spoon until fully combined.

Step 9 (Combining dough and filling):

Preheat oven to 325F (160C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper

Step 10:

Separate your dough into two halves. Roll each half into a rectangle about 2.5-3 inches wide by about 9-10 inches long (length of the roll isn't super important). The dough should be about 1/8th of an inch thick.

Step 11:

Spread your filling onto the dough about 1 inch wide, off-set to one side leaving room on the edge to pinch the edges together.

Step 12:

Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the sides together. If you notice some splitting, gently pinch the dough back together where it split. It may help to have a bit of water on your hands to help the dough stay together.

Step 13:

Cut the cookie logs into cookies about 1.5 to 2 inches long. Place them on your parchment lined baking sheet and back for 20 minutes or until they just start to brown around the edges.

Step 14:

Remove from oven and cool on a cooling wrack until completely cool. Transfer to air tight container once cooled. The cookies will get softer as time passes in the container.

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