I have a ton of figs coming in now, and my favorites are the 'petite negra' black figs.  I canned up some preserves last night and had some left over, and I'm dying to try making some good homemade fig newtons with them.  Does anyone have a recipe for the cookie part of a fig newton that comes close to what the Nabisco cookie is like?

I've tried a few recipes from the Internet but nothing really has been close yet.

I'd appreciate some tips -- please share if you have a recipe you like.  Thanks!

Wow, I figured someone around here would have a good recipe.  I guess not.

I ended up using a fairly new recipe from America's Test Kitchen, and the fig bars came out incredibly well.  The recipe is at:

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/recipes/fig-bars/

Their recipe calls for dried figs, but I used fresh 'petite negras', and just cooked them for a while on the cooktop, reducing them to a nice thick cosistency, then added a little corn starch and flour to ensure that the fig filling would not be too soft.

The recipe is definitely a keeper.

Tom, I have never attempted to make them!  And I love fig newtons!!   Thanks for the link - I just might make them at work!! 

I saw where someone here made something similar this year. I have Gina stuck in my head but may be losing my mind at any given time.

Sorry this took so long. I don't know if this is the kind of "fig newton" you were expecting, but these are traditional, regional and very tasty Italian cookies. Let me know what you think.

Dale , these Cuccidati are always a favorite of my family. When I was a young girl I used to spend time at my Godparents home in Brooklyn and my Uncle would walk me to the bakery to get 2 of these cookies - 1 for each of us , it was always "our" thing to do.
The memories are as good as the cookies !

Pattee - I have special memories with my godmother and baking - we used to make anisette cookies together.  She live 2 doors down, (with grandpa in the middle AND connecting back yards!), it was great growing up with that.  She had a bunch of godchildren, but I was her favorite and saw her almost every day.
It definitely added to my interest in baking and encouraged me to become a pastry chef.

Jo-Ann the memories are indeed sweet. My Godmother taught me how to make homemade manicotti shells - light as a feather! How lucky we are to have had those times. Some of those moments I strive to create now with our grandchildren.
When each of our children got married I gave them a recipe "book" of some of our family favorites!

How wonderful that you are a pastry chef !

Tom,

Thanks so much for answering my questions!  I KNEW you didn't put that apple juice in there, so the thing is, we just only want figs in the cookies! 

Suzi