[Photograph: Sarah Jane Sanders]
Fig Newtons have always been a bit of an enigma...an enigma slathered in sticky-sweet jam, wrapped in cake, and ensconced in a cookie. Growing up, I harbored an illusion that they were healthy, which meant that it wasn't exactly uncommon for me to gorge myself on an entire box in one sitting. I can still recall the feeling of sliding that wobbly plastic tray out from its bright yellow cardboard package; gently extracting the squishy, chewy cookie; examining the filling all studded with seeds (that was obviously the "healthy" part), before popping the whole thing into my mouth. I really knew how to rock chipmunk cheeks back in the day.
But I have to confess it's been a while since I bought myself Fig Newtons. There's something about the box that conjures images of preschools and old age facilities, and not a whole lot in between. But that doesn't mean I don't crave the cookies housed within, or that particular feeling of triumph and elation that comes from recreating a childhood favorite. Which is where this recipe comes in.
Our homemade take on the classic cookie has been carefully engineered to capture that faint citrus sweetness in the dough (thanks, orange juice!), finished with a dash of vanilla extract and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Dried figs, of course, form the base of the filling, but the trick to that pliable, moist center is a combination of applesauce and honey. The bars are sliced after baking, so you can cut them into their traditional dimensions or make a big-kid, whole-box-size cookie all for yourself. They are totally good for you, right?