Gluten-free fig bars are full of rich fruit flavor and have a subtly sweet, hearty topping. They’re simple to make and are a nourishing treat the whole family will love.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- 🍽️ Flavor: Rich, jammy figs with a crispy topping
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕒 Ready In: 55 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 24 small bars
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Fresh figs, oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil
- 📋 Method: Bake at 350 degrees
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan, egg-free
- 👩🍳 Tip: Fresh figs are blended in a food processor or blender creating a smooth, rich fruit filling.
This is a wonderful, healthy way to use fresh figs. I like that it gives you a hand-snack with figs that you can feel good about. It is very tasty and quite easy to make.
Leah
100% Better than Store-Bought
Our first summer in North Carolina we had a ton of figs, and I wanted to make something that was fig newton-inspired but easy, nourishing, and honestly, tastier. These bars turned out better than I had imagined!
They really are so, so good (no comparison to fig newtons), and they’re quick to make with simple ingredients. The fig filling is my favorite part. It’s basically just figs blended until smooth and then baked in the bars until it reaches the perfect jammy texture.
These bars are truly a family-favorite, and the only problem is that they’re devoured way too fast!
Ingredients
For more tips on making the crust and streusel topping, see gluten-free streusel.
Tools Needed
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut sugar, maple syrup, oat flour, almond flour, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt.
Step 2: Then take half of the mixture and press it down firmly into a very thin layer on the bottom of the baking dish.
Chef’s Tip: To avoid sticking, make sure to grease the baking dish very well. Alternatively, you can use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Step 3: To make the filling, blend the figs, lemon juice, vanilla, and spices in a food processor or high speed blender until it turns to puree.
Then spread the puree evenly over the oat crust and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
Step 4: Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is just beginning to turn golden brown.
Finally, remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely. Once cooled, transfer to the fridge for a few hours or overnight to set before slicing into individual bars.
If you’re looking for more nourishing fig recipes, check out my fig Dutch baby and easy baked figs!
FAQs
You can store fig bars in the fridge for up to 5 days.
No, don’t recommend freezing fig bars since that will make the crust and topping soggy.
Dried figs will not work in this recipe, however, if you don’t have any fresh figs, you can substitute fig jam for the filling.
While directly substituting other types of fruit won’t work, you can use any type of jam or jelly as the filling instead of the fig puree mixture.
Violet’s Tips for Serving
These bars are best served cold, straight out of the fridge. They’re easy to eat, so they’re perfect for including in work or school lunches.
If you try this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
Gluten-Free Fig Bars with Oats and Almond Flour
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- 1 3/4 cups rolled oats certified gluten-free
- 1 1/4 cup oat flour certified gluten-free
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 3 1/2 pounds fresh figs approximately 32 medium figs
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease the sides and bottom of a 9" x 13" glass baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut sugar, maple syrup, oat flour, almond flour, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt.1 3/4 cups rolled oats, 1 1/4 cup oat flour, 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 cup coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Take half of the mixture and press it down firmly into a very thin layer on the bottom of the baking dish.
- To make the filling, blend the figs, lemon juice, vanilla, and spices in a food processor or high speed blender until it turns to puree.3 1/2 pounds fresh figs, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Then spread the puree evenly over the oat crust and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the topping is just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely. Once cooled, transfer to the fridge for a few hours or overnight to set before slicing into individual bars.
Notes
Substitutions
- You can substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar.
- You can substitute butter for the coconut oil.
Nutrition
If you tried these fig bars, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
This is a wonderful, healthy way to use fresh figs. I like that it gives you a hand-snack with figs that you can feel good about. It is very tasty and quite easy to make. I did find that a sheet of parchment paper helped to press the bottom layer into the pan more evenly, without so much sticking on my hands.
Even my husband who doesn’t like figs enjoyed these bars! They were gone in no time!